Installing a new Video Card (Solved)

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Dear Group, I have acquired a Nvidia FX5200 graphics card to try on my PC.  Is it just a matter of changing the card or is there anything tricksy i should know about before i attempt it?

Thanks very much

[T6]

it would be a good idea to set the current video card to use vesa drivers, so when you turn off machine, remove old card and put new one and boot the new one will find and use that same compatible driver

since this is a old nvidia card i'm not sure what driver it can use, probably a old one from synaptic, 173?

after adding the new driver or setting it if it is already installed don't forget to set resolution and the other parameters

if system refuses to load gui, from console you can configure the new card by writing XFconf and following the simple menu that will be displayed to configure xorg again

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Thank you very much I'll give that a go.

[menotu]

XFdrake  is a useful command for configuration

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Thank you.  So am i right to think that when i start tne PC with the new card in it will automagically find the correct driver?  Although for it to do that would i need to download the Nvidia driver from Synaptic first?

[TerryN]

Thank you.  So am i right to think that when i start tne PC with the new card in it will automagically find the correct driver?  Although for it to do that would i need to download the Nvidia driver from Synaptic first?

Not quite 

it would be a good idea to set the current video card to use vesa drivers, so when you turn off machine, remove old card and put new one and boot the new one will find and use that same compatible driver

This was telling you to use PCC ->Hardware->Configure Video Card to set the driver to Xorg/vesa which is a generic driver which will work with pretty much ANY video card (but doesn't have high resolutions etc.).   This should work with BOTH the old and the new card so when booting with the new card you should at least get a graphical environment.  Then you run PCC again and set the correct driver for the new card.

If for some reason you don't end up in a graphical environment on reboot then ...

XFdrake  is a useful command for configuration

There is no need to install anything through Synaptic the drivers are already installed on the system in PCLinuxOS.  Just use PCC (a.k.a Configure Your Computer) to set the appropriate driver.

Terry

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Thank you!  I followed your excellent advice and it worked a charm!

[T6]

don't forget to mark this as (SOLVED)