Graphics Card - Tutorial Series

[Lordbob75]

I have written a few tutorials about graphics cards that I believe will be beneficial to this section of the forums.

The first tutorial is simply how to remove your old graphics card and install a new one. The actual process is extremely simple (for me, the longest part is getting my case out and back), and thus the tutorial is relatively short. However, if you have never changed a graphics card (or other component) then this is a must read.

The secondtutorial is a simple explanation of how to overclock your graphics card. Anyone that looks at the tutorial will see that it is not a short tutorial, because overclocking is a dangerous and risky process, that must be done correctly.

Graphics Card series:
1. How to Install a New GPU
2. How to Overclock Your Card

~Lordbob

 

[rdlf]

I have a built-in Intel graphic card that comes along with the processor i5. Is it possible if i change to any external graphic card (e.g. nVidia GeForce)? Is there any spec requirement that needs to be concerned to choose the external graphic card?

Thanks in advance!

 

[rdlf]

I have a built-in Intel graphic card that comes along with the processor i5. Is it possible if i change to any external graphic card (e.g. nVidia GeForce)? Is there any spec requirement that needs to be concerned to choose the external graphic card?

Thanks in advance!

FYI, I am using a laptop HP Pavilion dv4-2160us

 

[mickey megabyte]

it all depends on your motherboard, rdlf.

more basic models do not have a pci-e slot for a graphics card.

also, make sure that your current power supply unit has enough 'oomph' to power the new card, as these often require a fair bit of 'juice'.

without knowing more details about your machine, it's impossible to tell.

 

[Lordbob75]

Unless the laptop specifically has a dedicated and removable graphics card, that is impossible.

~Lordbob

 

[mickey megabyte]

ah - i didn't see your 'i have a laptop' post when i wrote mine - i think we posted at the same time.

sorry, you can't upgrade your graphics on your machine, rdlf - one of the few pitfalls of having a notebook - limited upgradability options.

looking at your machine's manual, it looks like you can upgrade your cpu to a slightly faster one - 2.4 GHz to 2.53 - but it's really not worth the hassle nor expense for the 5% difference (that you wouldn't notice anyway).

 

[megamind]

Hi, I recently bought a laptop from ASUS with windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. The specs are:

CPU = Intel i5 M450 2.40Ghz
Memory = 4GB RAM
HDD = 500GB
GPU = nVIDIA Geforce 310M 1GB (not the best) + Intel(R) HD Graphics

These two GPU's are, from what I can find on my PC, running at the same time. I know the nVIDIA 310M isn't a good GPU at all but I was wondering...
Would it be a smart idea to stop the Intel GPU and let the nVIDIA work on it's on own? the thing is, when I play a game I do not know whether the Intel or the nVIDIA is working. I was wondering if I stopped the Intel one that the nVIDIA would take over and increase performance. Is this true?
Can someone please give me some advice? I don't have any knowledge about this what so ever.
thanks

 

[Lordbob75]

Hi, I recently bought a laptop from ASUS with windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. The specs are:

CPU = Intel i5 M450 2.40Ghz
Memory = 4GB RAM
HDD = 500GB
GPU = nVIDIA Geforce 310M 1GB (not the best) + Intel(R) HD Graphics

These two GPU's are, from what I can find on my PC, running at the same time. I know the nVIDIA 310M isn't a good GPU at all but I was wondering...
Would it be a smart idea to stop the Intel GPU and let the nVIDIA work on it's on own? the thing is, when I play a game I do not know whether the Intel or the nVIDIA is working. I was wondering if I stopped the Intel one that the nVIDIA would take over and increase performance. Is this true?
Can someone please give me some advice? I don't have any knowledge about this what so ever.
thanks

You have a laptop with dual video cards, managed through the BIOS for power management. When doing normal activities, the Intel GPU is active. When gaming or doing more graphics intensive activities, the NVidia GPU activates.

~Lordbob

 

[lnav83]

Hi, I recently bought a laptop from ASUS with windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. The specs are:

CPU = Intel i5 M450 2.40Ghz
Memory = 4GB RAM
HDD = 500GB
GPU = nVIDIA Geforce 310M 1GB (not the best) + Intel(R) HD Graphics

These two GPU's are, from what I can find on my PC, running at the same time. I know the nVIDIA 310M isn't a good GPU at all but I was wondering...
Would it be a smart idea to stop the Intel GPU and let the nVIDIA work on it's on own? the thing is, when I play a game I do not know whether the Intel or the nVIDIA is working. I was wondering if I stopped the Intel one that the nVIDIA would take over and increase performance. Is this true?
Can someone please give me some advice? I don't have any knowledge about this what so ever.
thanks

You have a laptop with dual video cards, managed through the BIOS for power management. When doing normal activities, the Intel GPU is active. When gaming or doing more graphics intensive activities, the NVidia GPU activates.

~Lordbob

That's a great set-up to have on a laptop. The 310m is meant as an entry-level card( with something like 16 cores I believe), it wouldn't change much if you deactivate the intel HD graphics... only eating up your battery faster.

 

[mfreakdout]

Graphics card not detected!

I need your help people!
This is my system config
RAM : 2Gb
OS :WIn 7 32 bit
Video card :Geforce Zotac GT 240
Motherboard : 945gz intel
Power Supply +450W

My problem is that , when i insert the graphics card in the PciE slot and connect the monitor cable to the graphics card and turn on the cpu, I dont GEt a Display!

I have updated my bios, i have even tried Disabling the Display adapters in Device manager.

 

[smarteyeball]

Tried switching the display type from integrated to PCI-E in the BIOS?

 

[Orbital Shark]

My problem is that , when i insert the graphics card in the PciE slot and connect the monitor cable to the graphics card and turn on the cpu, I dont GEt a Display!

I have updated my bios, i have even tried Disabling the Display adapters in Device manager.

Hi,

Are you migrating from On-Board to External graphics? Is then you may need to do the following...

1. Plug the VGA cable into the On-Board port
2. Access the BIOS (press DEL, F1, F10 or F12 when 1st boot screen appears)
3. (normally) Under Advanced settings find details of GFX
4. Change from Internal to External (PCI-E)

Now plug the cable into the new card and hopefully you should have your image back.

 

[mfreakdout]

sm1 Please HElp me!

 

[mfreakdout]

Wow!
Thanks a tonne for replyin!
I cannot find Anything like External or Internal in my bios.
All i can see In Advanced Tab (of bios) is a list which looks like this
1.CPU
2.Periphrals
3.Video and !@#$%$
4.
5.
I dont remember them. But under all of these ,there is nothing called PCI-E

And I would like to tell you this, Under Periphral-> OnBoard i can see PCI/IGD and PCI.
But not PCI-E

 

[mfreakdout]

Hi- I appreciate your reply! thanks!

Tried switching the display type from integrated to PCI-E in the BIOS?

I cant understand what you are tryin to ask me..

 

[Solarstarshines]

Tried switching the display type from integrated to PCI-E in the BIOS?

I cant understand what you are tryin to ask me..[/QUOTE

He is saying go into system start up and go into the bios iformation section

this can be done when booting hitting the delete button on start or what ever f-xxx option they give

Once inside look for chipset and look through the configuration of the gpu and check if it is enabled or disable meaning onboard video or the PCI-e configuration you are looking to achieve

Also if you are only seeing PCI something must be wrong or your board simply doesnt use that kind of bus type but that would make no sense cause you are useing a zotac 240 gt it could be possible that section of your board has burned or failed

 

[mfreakdout]

Hi solar.

Oh !
he wants me to go into BIos and check. But i cant find anything under BIos.
CHeck my previos post,
I can see those on my Advanced tab

 

[mfreakdout]

What is main criteria under which my gfx card should be selected?
Does it have something to do with my motherboard?
That is, is it enough if my motherbrd has an pci-E 16 slot? Or does it have something more to do?
The gfx works fine on my frnd's system, but not mine ..

 

[mfreakdout]

help!

 

[Solarstarshines]

download this and post a pic of the results this is the best way we can help you from here

Speccy - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

dowmload this run it get the specs and come back with a screen shot it will be a little easier by the way also it should tell us the mobo model etc