Computer Hardware n00b - Need Tips/Tutorial

[Aggie]

I have been given a hand-me-down video card for my computer (to allow S-Video connectivity), but have never mucked about with the inside of my computer and am a bit nervous to do so.

Indications are that the actually install is a snap, but what precautions do I need to take to ensure I don't kill the computer?

Step-by-step advice and/or an online tutorial would be much appreciated.

[Griffin NoName]

It's more important not to kill yourself. You need to wear one of those chains that people put under their cars to conduct lightening.

If you didn't get drivers (software) with the card, locate it online and download it before you begin.

Are there any online pics of the layout of the inside of your PC?  Locate current video card and swap out. Avoid touching any other parts.

I always find the toughest part is taking out and then putting back in all the tiny screws that secure the casing.

Reboot. Install drivers.

Sorry, not entirely comprehensive. I'm sure others can be more detailed.

[beagle]

You're unlikely to kill it mechanically/electrically unless you force a connector that doesn't fit or discharge a lot of static electricity through it. Make sure the power is off but the machine is earthed and touch the case to discharge any static before touching the board.

Don't know if it's still true but the advice used to be to set the video mode back to the lowest common subset (VGA) before the change, so that you will still get a picture after you swap boards and have some sort of display from which you can install the proper hi-res driver. That may be out of date though. My last view main machines have all been portables, so swapping video cards hasn't arisen.

Edit:

overlapped...
but at least we said roughly the same...

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I have been given a hand-me-down video card for my computer (to allow S-Video connectivity), but have never mucked about with the inside of my computer and am a bit nervous to do so.

Indications are that the actually install is a snap, but what precautions do I need to take to ensure I don't kill the computer?

Step-by-step advice and/or an online tutorial would be much appreciated.

1) Back up ANYTHING that you cannot absolutely loose.  No, really. 
2) DO NOT REMOVE YOUR OLD CARD AT THIS TIME.  Can't stress this enough.
3) go to internets.  Look for latest driver that exactly matches your new(to you) video card.  Most manufacturers have combined generic drivers that cover their chipsets.  However, some video card MAKERS (not the chipset makers--- the card itself) use modified, custom drivers that cover specific issue(s) with their particular "flavor" of that major chipset.   Thus, you may have an NVIDIA chipset card made by ACER.  Use the ACER drivers specific to your card's model. 
4) once downloaded, make a careful note WHERE you downloaded it TO.  You may have to navigate to that manually from safe mode.  I do NOT recommend your desktop-- that may or may not be automatically started, and it's darn hard to locate from C:.   I STRONGLY recommend something simple:   C:\VIDEO is a good choice.  Short, easy to recall, easy to type.
5) check that the newly downloaded file is complete.  See if it is compressed.  Unzip it now, into your C:\VIDEO directory-- makes it easier later.
6) NOW you can turn your machine off.
7) use your cell-phone camera to take a snap of the back connectors on your machine, if you're uncertain how they go back, if you like-- do this BEFORE unplugging anything. 
Unfortunately, since you'll need to get the cover off, you'll pretty much need to unplug everything. 

    I used to draw a line-diagram of the back, and which cords go which.  "Funky blue connector with white wire" is as good a description as any, if it lets you identify it later.

   Although you may be tempted-- PUT THOSE SCISSORS AWAY.  They are NOT your friend, here.   

    Some things simply pull out-- keyboard, mouse, USB stuff.  The power cord.  Speaker cord(s).  (make a note of which colored speaker cord goes into which colored hole, for later-- if you have more than 1)

    Some things have a tiny catch:  network cable, telephone cable-- depress the catch BEFORE yanking the cord.  If you don't, you'll pull the wires right out of the connector, leaving the connector hopelessly jammed into the hole.  It can be removed with a small pair of needle-nose pliers, but your cable will be ruined.   Have a spare cable handy, if you think you might be tempted to pull HARD. 

    Your monitor and old-style printer cable (really large, like 1 and a half inches across-- 4 cm) have little screws that hold them into the computer.  Most are euphemistically called "thumb" screws, but you need thumbs the size of a pixie... anyway, you can sometimes roll them between thumb and finger to remove.  They should remain attached to the connector's base--- if they come out, no worries, save'em, you can screw'em in later.

    You may have a really old monitor, with really old style actual screws!  Use a tiny screwdriver to remove-- the screws will probably fall out-- watch for that, and save them for later.

    Now, you've removed all the wires coming out the back.   One way or another. 

9)  Now, I suggest picking up the computer and moving it away from the clutter of your desk.  A nice clean tabletop is best.  Or the floor. 
10) Look at the back of your machine.   You need to remove the TOP cover, but not the bottom one.  The TOP one can be identified as the cover that is over the mostly-air-space of your mother board, and NOT the underside with all the shiny soldered bits (and no connectors at all).  But, alas, you cannot SEE your mother board, can you?   Okay, look carefully at the back of your case, where all the slots are.  These are 4 inch (6cm) long slots, about 1/2  inch wide (1cm).  They are made of shiny metal-- usually silver-ey, sometimes chrome.   You'll notice that the slots do not go completly from side-to-side on your case-- they are very close to one side, but there is a gap or space on the other side of the case--they are offset.  The BOTTOM is the side they are CLOSE to.  The TOP is the gap side, the cover is physically farther away from the slots.

Okay, the top is usually easier to remove than the bottom is anyway, but if you accidently remove the bottom instead?  No worries-- just put it back, and remove the OTHER top cover instead.

11) There are various methods of holding the case on.   Some DELLs use two large (1 inch round, 2cm) buttons that you must press in, and the cover tilts back.   Many Gateways use two screws obviously larger than anything else, and the cover slides to the rear.  Other brands have 2, 3 or 4 hex-head screws, and the cover slides or tilts off.  Note that some cases have an embossed arrow pointing to the correct screws.  There WILL be more screws that you need-- there are 4 that are "framing" where your power cord was plugged into-- DO NOT remove these, or your power supply will come loose (no problem, when you get the cover off, you can hold it back into place, and re-insert those screws )

The screws you want will be very close to the edge of the top cover, running along the edge or just around the corner from the very edge.

Some cases, you have to remove another cover, to get AT the correct cover-- it sits on the top of your box sort of like a baseball cap or hat-- one or two screws, tilt this "hat" off, and it exposes tabs which let you remove the cover you need.

Whatever you do-- you DO NOT NEED THAT HAMMER.  Put it back where you got it.    No, really-- you DO NOT need a hammer!

12) Okay, you have the cover off, and you are inspecting the insides of your PC.  Intimidating, isn't it?  Just LOOK at all that dust! It looks like the inside of an ancient Hoover vacuum cleaner, that has a hole in it's bag...  Speaking of vacuum cleaners, NOW IS a good time to suck up all that dust.  When you've sucked up as much dust as you can (and likely one or two loose screws-- don't worry about that) reverse it to blow any remaining dust away.  A dust mask is recommended, or else take it all outside.... 

13)  You need to identify your old video card.   Using your diagram (you DID make a diagram, yes?  Too late now....) you can see that one single card is installed out one of the slots in the back.  In most cases, it will be the first or second slot, counting from the mouse/keyboard connectors, towards the bottom/side of your case.  In some cases, there is NO video card visible at all, and you un-hooked your monitor from a video connector that appears to be permanently attached to the motherboard-- no worries, we'll address that issue later.   In certain rare cases, there is not a card at all, but a ribbon cable, hooked to the back of a little metal bracket-- the cable seems to go to a connector on the mother board.  Take a picture of where it connects, or draw a diagram.   But DO NOT remove it at this time-- you may need it later.  In fact, if this is the case-- stop.  Seek help.  You likely won't be able to plug in your new card without removing that cable, and you won't be able to see ANYTHING until you get that cable back into the motherboard.  *sigh*  Hopefully this will not come up....PM me if it does.  I'll expand my "how 2".

14) Old card identified, or you've determined it's a permanent connector on your motherboard?  Good. Now we need to install the new card.

Now, take out your phillips screwdriver-- it has a + shaped tip.  No, you can't force your flat screwdriver into service.  You NEED a phillips.

You DO have a phillips screwdriver?  Ooops!  Stop-- NOW.  Go and by, beg, borrow or steal one before you continue. 

Hint: if it has a MAGNETIC TIP, it is MOST helpful.  And, NO it WON'T hurt your PC. Really, it won't-- I simply refuse to work on computer innards without a strongly magnetic screwdriver.

** If you have a traditional card, you simply remove that, and install the new one in it's place. Proceed to step 15a.

** If you have a permanent connector, skip step 15a (duuh) and go to step 15b

15a)  remove the old card-- how?  Depends.  Most cases use a tiny phillips screw to hold the top-lip (it has a bent piece) into place-- simply remove that.  Some cases have slide-locks.  You just lift up the slide-lock to release the top of the card.  A few have thumb-screws.  Go get that pixie to help you.    

Anyway, once the card's BRACKET is loose (nothing holding it down) you can remove the card itself.  Gently rock it back and forth, in and out to loosen it.  Sometimes, gently prying the top of the BRACKET with a flat screwdriver helps.  Take your TIME-- it WILL come out, if you've released all the screws.

As it comes out-- make a note (literally-- write it down, if needed) how it went IN there-- you'll need that later.   

Set it aside.  Throw it across the room.  Drop it on the floor and stomp on it, if you like.  If it makes you feel better, go ahead.    

Of course, you MAY need it later, if the new card does not work right.....   (okay, go and get it from across the room-- it's probabily okay. These things are not THAT delicate....)

Proceed to step 16.

15b)  You have a bit more problem, here.  You don't have the old card to help you.  You MAY have a problem that the new card simply will not fit at all-- your motherboard may NOT have the proper slot for it.

There are 3 basic video cards on the market, from the last 6 or 8 years or so, so at least you're in luck in that department-- there's only 3 possible situations on your motherboard.  More or less.

The 3 are (in order of increasing speed and performance, natch).

      15b.1) PCI  (Parallel Common/Computer Interface) The original video card connector type.  This tech was a direct "answer" to IBM's patented micro-channel.  NO ONE uses micro-channel any longer-- not even IBM.  (lesson?  You betcha.  Open standards trumps patents, if either gets the job done.)

                A PCI slot is roughly 4 inches long, and will be VERY close to where the bracket mounts to the case-- roughly 1/2 (1cm) away.  Usually white or ivory, but not always. 

      15b.2) AGP  The direct descendent of PCI.   Faster, wider, quicker.  AGP slot (Advanced Graphic Port) is usually brown, but not always.  Same length as PCI, but is ALWAYS mounted a couple of inches back from the bracket-- say 3-4 cm.   Sometimes a tiny (very breakable--don't worry about it) plastic latch at the far end, that hooks into your video card's bottom. 

      15b.3) PCIe, PCI-express.  The Open Standard replacement for PCI.  Is much faster, much....well, more-more.   Slightly shorter than PCI, also mounted near the bracket.  A PCI video card will NOT physically fit into a PCIe/PCIexpress slot, even though they look similar.   These are VERY new-- say the last coupla years.  If your PC is more than 2 years old, you DO NOT have one of these (but your new Video card may be...next)

16) Okay.  Now to determine if your new card will actually fit.  Look at it, now.  It has a connector at one end, the bracket end, that goes to your monitor.  There may be other connectors, too.   Orient that bracket to your left.  Flip it over, so that the bumpy parts are towards you.  This will put the computer connector down-- you can identify that by the row of tiny pixie-sized gold stripes along the edge of the card. 

Is this connector placed close to the bracket-end?  Is it long-ish?  If so-- you have a PCI video card.

Is this connector placed away from the bracket-end?  is there a "hook" thingy at the right-end of it?  If so--you have an AGP card.

I seriously doubt you have a PCIe card, so we'll skip that.

Note: if you still have your old card (you went and got it from across the room yet?  Now is a good time for that.) you can lay the two cards across each other-- line up the brackets, put the bumpy-sides up.  Do the bottom connectors align perfectly?  Good!  If not--- put your old card back in, your new one won't fit.

17) Now, orient the card's bracket towards the bracket-holding part of your case, with the connector down, aiming towards the mother board's slot.  Do they line up?  Is the bracket touching the case?  If yes to each, gently rock the card and push it down into the slot.

There should be a "crunch" sound--- no really. This is the sound of the slot accepting the card's pixie-sized gold stripes.  The slot has many pixie-sized little gold "fingers" that will touch the stripes, on both sides.  When these fingers move apart enough, they often make a crunching sound.

18) Verify that your card is completely into the motherboard's slot-- 90% of "It Won't Boot" stems from a card not quite inserted all the way.  You should not see any of those pixie-sized gold stripes over the top of the slot's plastic.  Or, if you do, they will be the VERY tops only, and evenly spaced all along the top of the connector.  Like piano-keys, with the piano-cover almost closed all the way.  Even.

If it IS NOT even-- rock the card until it is.  Your PC WILL NOT BOOT, if the card is NOT EVEN.

19) Now, you need to re-secure that bracket to your case.  It IS somewhat important, as this keeps the card in the slot, when you connect the monitor.   If a screw was used before, go and get a new one, unless you still have the old one.  It's usually metric, with a 32 pitch.   Using that magnetic phillips screwdriver, put the screw on the magnetic tip, and guide it into the hole--- you may have to gently hold the video card one way or another to expose the hole the screw goes in.   No-- it is NOT recommended that you throw either the screwdriver OR the screw across the room.

If you drop the screw down inside, and can't see it-- gently-- GENTLY, pickup the computer and turn it over, to let the screw fall out onto the table.  Now, after putting the computer back down, pick the screw up from off the floor from where it landed, and try again-- patience is a must, here.   

If you have a plastic bracket-holder-downer-- just slide it down.  Easy!

20) You MAY think that it's time to replace your cover.... nothing could be farther from the truth!

21) Put your pc-- without it's cover-- back roughly into place, so that you can connect ONLY the following:  your keyboard, your mouse and your monitor.   The power helps at this step, too.

22) Using your diagram (you DID draw one, right?) put your power cord, your mouse, you keyboard and your monitor onto your machine.

Hint:  the power cord is big-- easily the biggest overall.  It only goes in 1 way, has 3 holes in it (the cord) that go into a D-shaped hole.  Looks kida like a pig's snout, only with 3 nostrils instead of 2.

The keyboard and mouse have EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE of connector-- roughly 1/2 inch (1cm) round, with 5 tiny pins inside.  If you didn't notice, the mouse is connector is on top of the keyboard's.  That is, the bottom one (away from the side cover you finally removed) is the keyboard.  The one just above THAT is the mouse.  These are usually the FIRST TWO, away from the power supply towards the bracket section.

These two will ONLY go in one-way.  Usually, there is a flat spot on the top of the connector's housing, or at least a bump.  Keep turning it, and trying gently-- it takes less force than dropping in toast in a toaster-- well if your toaster is like mine is.   

Try the keyboard first, it's on the bottom.    The mouse connector is usually green, else you can trace the cords back.

The monitor connector has 15 tiny pins on it, not unlike the mouse/keyboard ones.  Only it's D-shaped. (specifically, it's a 15-pin, Sub-D, High density, AMP connector, but who cares?)  The nice thing is, that you KNOW where it goes, now-- onto your new card!

Note:  if you had a built-in video system (permanent connector on the mother board, instead of a separate card) your BIOS is probabily smart, and will automatically switch, when you install a new card.   If it isn't, and when you re-boot your PC, all you get is darkness, re-connect your monitor to the old plug, and go into your BIOS settings.  You'll need to change the video output to the new card. 

Ask, if this happens, and I'll try to walk you through it-- it's not THAT hard, but is tedious.

Note:  DO NOT tighten the video card's screws at this point.  Just a turn or two is ENOUGH.  It does NOT need to survive Hurricane Gale-Forces.  It ONLY needs to hold it in place enough to keep from falling out.

23)  All plugged up?  Good.  Turn on your PC.  It ought to beep once.  Be patient at this step, it may take a bit longer to boot-up.

If you hear no beep, or nothing happens: 

   23a) check cables.  Inserted fully?   How about power?  Did your remember to turn on your power-strip?  You know, the one your computer's power cord is plugged in to...
   23b) Is your new card firmly in pace?  (see?  there WAS a good reason why you didn't put the cover on yet)  Is it correctly in the slot? Did it come loose, when you finally figured out how to plug in the monitor's cord?  No problem, re-seat it and try again.

24) As Windoze comes up, FINALLY!  it should detect your video card-- but it's STUPID, and will install generic drivers (re: microsoft's branded ones).  Let it finish, it gets SO cranky when you interrupt it's wizards artificial stupids workings.

25) Note that your desktop is TOTALLY messed up!  Not to worry-- this will be fixed.  It's part of Windoze's charm.  No, really!

26) Remember where you downloaded your video drivers?  We need them, now.   Open My Computer, and go to the director where you downloaded them to.   Look for "SETUP.EXE" or "INSTALL.EXE" or similar.   Run that-- let it do it's stuff.

Can't find "SETUP.EXE" or similar?  No worries. 

  26.1) right-click on your messed-up desktop.  NOT on an Icon. 
  26.2) choose PROPERTIES menu-item
  26.3) choose SETTINGS tab
  26.4) click ADVANCED button
  26.5) choose ADAPTER tab
  26.6) choose DRIVER tab
  26.7) choose UPDATE DRIVER button
  26. "no, not this time"
  26.9) click NEXT button
  26.10) choose "install from list or specific location"
  26.11) click NEXT button
  26.12) click BROWSE button
  26.13) navigate, using the explorer window, to your C:\VIDEO directory (see?  Now you know WHY the desktop was a Bad Idea)
  26.14) click OKAY button

27) This should install your downloaded drivers.  Windoze will trundle a bit, and force you to REBOOT-- maybe 2 times.

28)  When you're done, you'll need to reset your desktop resolution, icons and stuff.  You may also need to reset your monitor's refresh rate, too.

How?  What, you think I know everything?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Part the Second.

Once you have your new video card working as it should/ought, then you can re-install  the cover and all those other cords.

Simply remove the power, kb/mouse and take the computer back to where the cover is.

Re-install the cover is the reverse of how you got it off-- no, a hammer is STILL not needed.

Most covers slide on, with fingers/tabs/slots matching up to the case.   Keep trying, it's not that hard.   

Or, you could elect to just leave the darn thing off-- especially if it's all bent from hammering.  Won't hurt anything, and it'll run cooler, and be easier to vacuum the dust out, later.

Using your diagram, re-plug all those pesky cords back where they went.  Except for the speaker cords, they all only go in one way-- if a USB cord won't slid in, turn it over for example.

The phone-cord (modem) and/or network cords will go in with a snap-- unless you broke off the catch when you yanked it out.  Time to get out the replacement cord.   Without the catch, it will work loose from vibration, and one day you'll be all frustrated from "Can't Connect To Internet" and have to pack up all your stuff, and move to Californey-- to get some Internets.  (South Park reference)

That's it!

Good luck!

[Griffin NoName]

Sorry, not entirely comprehensive. I'm sure others can be more detailed.

Prophetic !

The thing I love about laptops is the lack of incentive to replace innards.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Sorry, not entirely comprehensive. I'm sure others can be more detailed.

Prophetic !

The thing I love about laptops is the lack of incentive to replace innards.

Yeah.  But you can customize them with a hammer....

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Bob, man, you outdone yourself! 

You made it thorough (which makes it seem horribly complicated but certainly you covered almost everything). My only comment is that before taking this task you should determine the interface (PCI, AGP, PCI-e) before buying your new card.

As a tool in those cases I use CPU-Z to avoid open your box and/or complement your info (and it's freeware  ). You can check in the 'Mainboard' tab the model of the motherboard and the graphic interface. In fact I would suggest running it and posting the info from that tab.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Bob, man, you outdone yourself! 

You made it thorough (which makes it seem horribly complicated but certainly you covered almost everything). My only comment is that before taking this task you should determine the interface (PCI, AGP, PCI-e) before buying your new card.

As a tool in those cases I use CPU-Z to avoid open your box and/or complement your info (and it's freeware  ). You can check in the 'Mainboard' tab the model of the motherboard and the graphic interface. In fact I would suggest running it and posting the info from that tab.

Good point.

Can you tell I used to write documentation?  

[Aggie]

Holy step by step!  Fortunately I do know how to unplug and replug cables, but the rest is exactly what I was looking for.  Thanks!

[Sibling Chatty]

Bob, DOOD!!

Ya lost me a "Back up..."

<--more tech sense than me...

[Aggie]

Note: if you still have your old card (you went and got it from across the room yet?  Now is a good time for that.) you can lay the two cards across each other-- line up the brackets, put the bumpy-sides up.  Do the bottom connectors align perfectly?  Good!  If not--- put your old card back in, your new one won't fit.

17) Now, orient the card's bracket towards the bracket-holding part of your case, with the connector down, aiming towards the mother board's slot.  Do they line up?  Is the bracket touching the case?  If yes to each, gently rock the card and push it down into the slot.

There should be a "crunch" sound--- no really. This is the sound of the slot accepting the card's pixie-sized gold stripes.  The slot has many pixie-sized little gold "fingers" that will touch the stripes, on both sides.  When these fingers move apart enough, they often make a crunching sound.

Ok, finally getting around to doing this.

I have determined that the original card is a PCI, and the "new" one is an AGP...  is this going to work, or should I abandon all hope?

*is still Hardware n00b*

"New" card (similar, mine does not have dual monitor outputs but is otherwise identical):
http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/leadtek_mx/images/leadtek_agp_mx.shtml

Original is an ATI Radeon Xpress 200 Series according to my computer, and is located at (quote) "PCI Slot 5 (PCI bus 1, device 5, function 0)".

I haven't opened it up to have a poke around yet.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

For what I read the Radeon Xpress 200 is PCI-Express not plain PCI. In either case an AGP card will NOT fit unless the Radeon was integrated and the mobo maker implemented an AGP slot (it likely has a different color usually brown). 

Check out CPU-Z and tell us the motherboard model, that way we can figure out if you have the right slot or not.

(a Geforce MX is a very old card, somebody gave it to you? you can get a very cheap card capable of S-Video and dual monitors like this Radeon 3450 on PCI-E)

[Aggie]

Ayuh, it's a hand-me-down card. 

Will this do?


Mainboard Model      Amberine M (0x390 - 0x1DB08328)

LPCIO
-----------------------------------------------------
Vendor         SMSC
Vendor ID      0x55
Chip ID         0x77
Config Mode I/O address   0x2E

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

HP/Compaq? If that's the suspect then that card doesn't work for you. You need a PCI-E(xpress) card (like the one I linked before).

Sorry