Installing an nVidia 8800 GT from an ATI x800xt

[WhipperSnapper]

I just picked up one of the BFG 8800 GT's from Best Buy. Right now I have an ATI x800xt with the Catalyst drivers installed.

What do I need to do to install the 8800 GT?

I figure that I would do this:

1. Download the latest nVidia graphics card driver.

2. Uninstall the Catalyst driver.

3. Use a driver cleaner program to fully remove the Catalyst driver.

4. Turn off the computer.

Here's where it gets tricky for me:

Do I:

5. Remove the x800xt and install the 8800 GT.

6. Reboot and install the nVidia driver.

OR

5. Reboot with the x800xt still in the computer and install the nVidia driver.

6. Shut down, remove the x800xt and install the 8800 GT.

7. Boot up.

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

I just picked up one of the BFG 8800 GT's from Best Buy. Right now I have an ATI x800xt with the Catalyst drivers installed.

What do I need to do to install the 8800 GT?

I figure that I would do this:

1. Download the latest nVidia graphics card driver.

2. Uninstall the Catalyst driver.

3. Use a driver cleaner program to fully remove the Catalyst driver.

4. Turn off the computer.

Here's where it gets tricky for me:

Do I:

5. Remove the x800xt and install the 8800 GT.

6. Reboot and install the nVidia driver.OR

 

[WhipperSnapper]

So, after uninstalling the Catalyst driver and using a driver cleaner, shut down, remove the x800xt, install the 8800 GT, reboot and install the nVidia driver. Thanks.

 

[taltamir]

1. Go to "add/remove programs" and uninstall the ATI driver. When it asks to restart say NO.
2. Turn off the computer.
3. Remove the ATI card, insert the nVidia card.
4. Install the nvidia drivers...


Also NEVER use driver cleaner pro with ATI CCC , it will mess it up. Driver cleaner pro is from 2005 and cannot handle the CCC. There is a new version out with a new name and that one cost money. Either buy it or use another up to date software like driver sweeper.
You can safely but pointlessly run driver cleaner pro after running the uninstaller, but at that point there isn't really much left for it to remove OR mess up.

 

[JustaGeek]

I strongly recommend a full restart after Catalyst uninstall, then Driver Cleaner, than shutdown and the new card.

Sorry, taltamir, you MUST uninstall the driver first - if you don't restart, you don't uninstall.

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

So, after uninstalling the Catalyst driver and using a driver cleaner, shut down, remove the x800xt, install the 8800 GT, reboot and install the nVidia driver. Thanks.

Yes, this is a correct procedure.

 

[JustaGeek]

And just remember to remove EVERYTHING related to the ATI driver.

I would also remove, or at least re-name the ATI driver directory (if it is still left after driver cleaner/sweeper run), and run a Registry Cleaner, like Registry Mechanic.

Some people use the CCleaner, but I haven't used it for the Registry cleaning.

Good luck!

 

[WhipperSnapper]

For the driver, I'm debating whether to start off with the CD that came from BFG or whether I should go with the nForceware 169.21 international driver.

Do I need to do anything special to my installation of DirectX 9.0c? I saw that in the BFG installation instructions it said that you should install that.

What happens if I just skip the BFG CD and install the 169.21 international beta driver. (Based on forum posts at Guru3d, people seem to think this is an excellent release)?

 

[JustaGeek]

Why international...? Do you need extra languages...?

I am running 169.09, and it is working fine. But it is no longer available.

IMO, the latest beta from NVidia will be better than the "CD driver". Just go with the 169.21, since this is the latest one.

 

[ayabe]

I went through this exercise lastnight from X1900XT to 8800GT.

I downloaded the Nvidia drivers, unistalled all the Catalyst stuff directly from Add/Remove Programs.

Swapped cards, booted, installed NVIDIA drivers, bam done, card running well, COD4 max settings FTW.

This is on a 3 year old OS install which has had ATI drivers on it the whole time, no problems whatsoever.

 

[undeclared]

Heh, you don't even have to be that smart.

Just take out the ATI X800, put in the 8800 GT.

Uninstall the ATI driver + software, don't reboot

Install nvidia driver + software

voila

reboot is necessary at this point

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: xtwells
Heh, you don't even have to be that smart.

Just take out the ATI X800, put in the 8800 GT.

Uninstall the ATI driver + software, don't reboot

Install nvidia driver + software

voila

reboot is necessary at this point

Why would you want to post something like that...?

If you are reckless about your hardware and software, and it works for you, it's fine.

But don't give wrong advice, because people might, and most likely WILL experience problems, if they follow your directions.

You can add the transmission fluid to your car's engine - but don't blame me if your engine blows in 3 weeks!

 

[Tempered81]

get it working, snapper? i did/have basically the same setup as ayabe. mine works fine as well i would thouroughly remove all ati software/drivers, and ati tray tools/ ati tool, and not use the international beta nvidia drivers but the 169.2 whql. ntune, nibitor, nvflash, rivatuner, atitool etc.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I really haven't had a chance to work on it yet since I had a very busy day today. Heck, the entire week has been pretty busy. Today I had a filling replaced and Mrs. Whippersnapper had also scheduled a physical for me and then I needed to go visit Grandma Whippersnapper, but now I have the weekend all to myself. (Well, at least that's what it looks like for right now.)

I'm just about ready to start work on it, but first I ought to go find an English version of 169.21.

So, you think I should get rid of ATI Tool? I've never had it set up to run on launch; I've always just launched it myself when I wanted to game and then overclocked my card from there, so I figure that it would probably be pretty benign if I just left it installed, but still, it probably couldn't hurt to nuke it and perhaps install an updated version later if I want it. I've heard that some folks still use it with nVidia cards. I'm planning to go with Rivatuner for now.

 

[JustaGeek]

I would get rid of the ATI tool - you can always re-install it later.

You are running the 32-bit XP, correct?

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_169.21.html

Good luck!

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I was just about to stop reading forums and begin work! Thanks a lot for the link JustaGeek!

 

[WhipperSnapper]

The card's now installed. It's definitely a couple inches longer than the x800xt and I had to push a hard drive cable out of the way. It looks like BFG opted for yucky thermal pads to cool the memory and probably the GPU--yuck. My Connect3D x800 GTO (unlocked to 16 pipes and overclockable to x800xt speeds) has a much nicer copper cooler with a fan twice the size.

Anyway, Do I need to install nTune? I opened nVidia's program and it said that some features were "Performance Features" and required nTune. I already have Riva Tuner installed and am now configuring it.

Would having both nTune and RivaTuner installed at the same time cause a problem?

What would happen if I installed ATI Tool? I prefer the size of ATI Tool's temperature reading on the task bar to that of Riva Tuner's. Could I use ATI Tool to overclock it and would that cause a problem, and would the ATI tool fan speed and temp settings create any interference with Riva Tuner?

 

[JustaGeek]

I do not have the nTune installed. And last time, when updating a driver, it caused some sort of a problem - don't really remember what, but I had to un-install and re-install it for the new driver.

I use Everest for monitoring practically everything "under the hood", and RivaTuner for video card settings/monitoring.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Don't you need nTune to adjust Anti-Aliasing settings, etc, in the nVidia driver?

 

[JustaGeek]

No, you adjust them in the NVidia Control Panel.

You need nTune for "performance" (clocks) and monitoring options.

I leave these settings as "Application controlled" anyway - it seems to work better for me this way.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

The nVidia control panel seemed to think that those were advanced settings that required having nTune installed.

 

[JustaGeek]

I don't use it, and leave mine as "Application controlled", so perhaps it is an "advanced setting".

Unless you specifically need to adjust the Anti Aliasing manually, I would leave it on Auto.

Let the programs decide - if you do it on the driver level, it can cause conflicts leading to performance (FPS) issues.

 

[Tempered81]

i use ntune, control panel, ati tool, rivatuner have the 4 installed. Oc with rivatuner, and set aa/af with control panel, ati tool i test for temps/artifacts/3d performance.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Is there a way to get RivaTuner to show my temps in-game on the screen? It looks like it would do it if you check off "Show Core Temperature in On Screen Display" and then start a "server" and create a profile for your game, but when I did that the numbers I was seeing were on the magnitude of 196 (should have smelled something burning at that point).