Member Avatar for degarb

I am not sure what a video card is. Yes, I know it is a pci or agp thing that can share or have own memory. More mem the better. I know some have svideo or composite. But isn't a video card just some way of seeing what the computer is doing? Couldn't two video cards be done at once. What is need for on board memory or advantages.


Moreover, if I have one onboard, what are steps to disable old one and put a new one in. Do I need to disable old one? What are risks? How does one "see" to control a computer if all are disabled?

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Member Avatar for Xlphos

If your after installing a new graphics card it is simple. Put the new one in plug the display into the new card and boot it up.

The computer detects the new card and uses that one.

Then install the drivers for it. No need to disable or remove the drivers for the onboard one.

Member Avatar for Xlphos

As far as having two graphics cards you must ensure they are the same and you have two free slots. The graphics card in question must support SLI(Nvidia) or Crossfire(ATI) in order to use both (you can buy sets of two).

All graphics cards need adequate power supply are they may not work.

Member Avatar for Xlphos

Onboard vs Dedicated...

Dedicated is better as in it has its own memory and can produce better graphics and that will take care of all the graphical parts lessening the strain on the CPU. But Dedicated may only be needed for things like gaming or 3D applications.

Onboard can be better in that it is cheaper and may be enough for the user; they may just be interested in web browsing and word processing.

Hope these few points help clarify.

Member Avatar for server.i.am.

Right, a video card shows what the computer is doing, and also your inputs, yes you can have 2 even 3 graphics cars installed including the onboard one, if you wish to install a PCI/AGP graphics card, go ahead and plug the monitor in to it and then boot it in the guts. then press the ( delete ) just after the beep, or the screen lights up then go into advanced bois features then select ( display init ) and select AGP/PCI depending on which one youv'e got, also you can plug another monitor in and have a dual screen display if you wish... the risks, well the worst that can happen is you see no picture or anything, but as long as you have the screen plugged into the graphics card you are installing you shouldn't have a problem cheers....

P.S. if you have any doubt, you know where to find me

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