New video cards give your system a performance boost concerning the kinds of rendered graphical objects it can display. Windows Vista and Windows 7 don't allow you to use their attractive Aero interface if they detect weak installed graphics cards. ATI's video cards support many features that might take your computing experience to another level, especially if you're into gaming or graphical design. Be sure to see Tips and Warnings before proceeding with these steps.
Instructions
1. Disconnect all cables from your computer after you turn it off.
2. Turn the computer around so the rear faces you, and lay it flat on its left side.
3. Remove the screws you see holding the top case cover's edge to the computer's body.
4. Pull back on the case cover and lift the cover up.
5. Locate a free PCI-E slot on the bottom rear-facing part of your motherboard, which contains parallel slots. PCI-E slots appear the longest out of all of them.
6. Remove the faceplate cover just above the front of your PCI-E slot by twisting it consistently until it comes loose. The faceplate cover protects dust from entering the computer and sits where your video card's faceplate would. For example, try to place your video card onto the slot for a "test run" and notice how the faceplate cover prevents the card's monitor ports from popping out of the computer. Remove the card and remove that faceplate cover to free up the area.
7. Sit your card on the PCI-E slot and push it in firmly until the contacts sink all the way into the slot.
8. Screw the card's faceplate into the computer's body using the screw that came with your card and the hole just below the small leg of your card's faceplate.
9. Locate the ATI card's PCI-E power supply connectors. Connect one cable of similar size from the power supply to at least one of the connectors. If you see an 8-pin port on your ATI card sitting next to a 6-pin port, connect only an 8-pin power supply cable to the larger port and leave the 6-pin port alone. The 6-pin port exists for future "CrossFire" power requirements unique to certain ATI cards.
Tags: faceplate cover, your card, 6-pin port, card faceplate, PCI-E slot