Proper way to change video card?

[mikeg]

Ok I want to know what is the proper procedure to change out the video card on a pc? I will be swapping out an ATI AIW 9600XT with an ATI AIW 9800. I know that they use the same driver set but Should I uninstall all the ati suff then swap the card. What would be best short of doing a full format?
Mike

 

[rhino56]

i would say just go to my computer icon, right click, properties, hardware, device manager, display adapters, than right click your video card(s) and uninstall.
reboot and dont reinstall them so the stock windows drivers are loaded.
than shut off, put in the new card and reboot, install the new card using the stock windows drivers, than install the ati drivers.

 

[aatf510]

Originally posted by: rhino56
i would say just go to my computer icon, right click, properties, hardware, device manager, display adapters, than right click your video card(s) and uninstall.
reboot and dont reinstall them so the stock windows drivers are loaded.
than shut off, put in the new card and reboot, install the new card using the stock windows drivers, than install the ati drivers.

That would leave a whole pile of old video card drivers in your windows. NOT GOOD!

Uninstall your video card drivers from control panel -> add/remove programs.
then restart into safemode and use driver cleaner to clear out any possible remaining files.
Turn off computer and remove the video card.

 

[kylebisme]

Driver cleaner will generally pick up a few odds and ends that don't come out with uninstalling the drivers, but recent drivers from both ATI and Nvidia clean out everything they need to to keep them from conflicting with a new card. I swap between a Radeon and Geforce quite often and running driver cleaner never showed any advantage over a simple unlinstall though add/remove programs.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

Originally posted by: TheSnowman
Driver cleaner will generally pick up a few odds and ends that don't come out with uninstalling the drivers, but recent drivers from both ATI and Nvidia clean out everything they need to to keep them from conflicting with a new card. I swap between a Radeon and Geforce quite often and running driver cleaner never showed any advantage over a simple unlinstall though add/remove programs.

All i do is uninstall the nvidia drivers from device manager, take out the card, put the new one in and install the drivers again. That is if i go from nvidia to ATI. if i am swapping my 6800gt for my fx 5200 for testing, i just swap the cards and leave the drivers. it has never crashed or not worked for me.

 

[Hacp]

Copy all your files into an external hard drive. Reformatt with the new video card. 0% chance for driver confilct.

 

[mikeg]

I said short of formatting How do you do it?

 

[rbV5]

You'd probably be fine just swapping the cards.

 

[Cheesetogo]

I don't think it's neccesary to do anything with the drivers, since both cards are made by ati and the drivers will support both of them.

 

[knyghtbyte]

both cards run off the same chipset dont they? if so just swap the cards..

but if you wanna play safe, uninstall the drivers, shut down the computer, swap the cards, start up the computer, install the drivers....

that will work fine....

one thing i like about Dell PCs, u almost never any conflicts like that......(now remember before u flame me, i did say almost...heh)....they generally do a good job fitting equipment together with suitable drivers etc...