Q: My computer is several years old. The PCI video card finally gave out and I am replacing it. I am considering installing an AGP card in its place. Will I need to install drivers or do anything else to make it work, and will an AGP card normally be automatically detected by a Windows OS? Also, is it really an advantage to switch to an AGP card? I'm pretty good at this stuff, but this is new territory for me and I really need some expert advice. The motherboard has an AGP slot. I've never had an AGP card, however. I've asked around and have heard differing opinions about AGP vs. PCI. I haven't bought the card yet. Just trying to decide what to buy. The PCI card has worked pretty well, I'm just wondering if an AGP card would add any capability. Your recommendations will help me decide, but I also need to know if there is anything I need to do to make an AGP card work. The computer is now running with a borrowed video card. I know it will work, but plan to get something considerably better.
A: If you were running a PCI slot graphics card, yes it will benifeit you to go to the AGP slot card. Let me warn you, there is a mark up on price on those cards for the quality of card you are going to get vs. PCIEx16, which is the newest of all cards. AGP cards are being price boosted because of having to keep them around for people wanting to keep old systems going. Personally I wouldn't spend very much on a AGP card for fear that I would lose the motherboard or CPU and be stuck with an expensive AGP card laying on the coffee table to hold the power bill down... When you are ready to install your card, Turn your computer on, once on desktop go to your manufactures website for your AGP card and download latest graphics drivers for your new card. Just save them to desktop for easy access. Then go into start/control panel/add-remove programs, and remove any of the graphics related programs on your programs list. They should say ATI or nvidia. Once all that stuff is gone restart the puter, but only boot up and go into your BIOS. Look around in bios and see if it has a selection for changing your PRIMARY graphics slot from PCI to AGP, naturally select AGP, it might also ask for what size ram is onboard your card somewhere in that area also. Save and exit bios and just shut your system down after you have saved. You will most likely have to shut down manually at this point. Unplug your case from Power sourse. Open your case and install the AGP card into the AGP slot right under the CPU. Now close the case and start up computer. Remember to not force the AGP card into the slot, you might break your motherboard and dagnabbit have to build yourself another Dual core system from scratch, here's a hammer if you want to do it just for fun! All jokes aside boot up and install your new graphics drivers and you are set or should be.