PCIe video card...

[casey]

I've decided to change a PCIe video card for a different one and wondered if there is something different I should do before making the change. The computer is running XP and I was wondering if I just change the card will it be recognized and ask for the driverws?

[photolady]

I don't member but what have you got now?

[dbarrow]

The hardware wizard should recognize that it is a new card and install (preferrable to manually use makers latest drivers)

Sometimes not...
I swapped out an ATI card in daughter's machine with one I took out my other machine. Because it was an ATI card and ATI drivers were already installed, it failed to recognize that it was a different ATI card and wouldn't load 3d.
Required changing the .inf file by running the install cd that came with the card and then doing a driver update.
Believe me... took quite a while to figure that one out!

[photolady]

And I have had to reactivate xp because of a vid card replacement.

[casey]

Photolady, you scared me with reminding me about activation but I went ahead and changed cards and since they are both using the same chipset it went right in without any problems. Thanks everyone for the advice.

[jcampi]

AGP cards were all the rage a short time ago. Is there any advantage with PCIe cards? Are they similar price and performance?

[photolady]

Actually, PCI-e cards are better in performance than AGP is. And some are cheaper but just like AGP cards, it depends on what you buy. Tom's hardware link to what PCI-e cards are doing, performance wise.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/02/vga_charts_viii/

And a comparison for AGP Nvidia's 7800GS.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/02/02/nvidia_7800gs_confirms_agp_aint_dead_yet/

And AGP's set overall:
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/07/05/vga_charts_vii/

[Pi rules]

You only have to reactivate XP if you have made several hardware changes in a certain amount of time (don't remember how many or how long, they changed it a few times).

Just make sure to uninstall the old drivers and install the new ones (if necessary) before switching cards and you should be fine.

[photolady]

I only made one hardware change but I went from a Geforce 440 to a Geforce FX card, and had to reactivate. I am still not sure why that happened. Like all windows XP happenings, it remains a mystery.

[Terry Hanushek]

Pi

You only have to reactivate XP if you have made several hardware changes in a certain amount of time (don't remember how many or how long, they changed it a few times).
You really don't need to memorize information like as Uncle M$ will be sure to remind you if he wants you to reactivate your machine. :) :rolleyes: :)

It has been my understanding that multiple components need to be changed to require a reactivation.

Photolady

I only made one hardware change but I went from a Geforce 440 to a Geforce FX card, and had to reactivate. I am still not sure why that happened.
Could other components have been changed earlier. I suspect that the reactivation threshold is cumulative since the original activation. But like you say, many things about WinXP are a mystery.

Terry

[Pi rules]

I specialize at memorization. My username hints at one thing I memorized part of. ;)

I found a link here (http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php) with an explanation of WPA (Windows Product Activation).

[Terry Hanushek]

Pi

I found a link here (http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php) with an explanation of WPA (Windows Product Activation).
Thanks for finding this informative explanation of Windows Product Activation.

Terry

[Dan18960]

Whenever I change a video card (EXCEPT for identical model/manufacturer) I go into safe mode and remove the video card from the Device Manager, remove the drivers, and go into Add/Remove Programs and uninstall any added software from the setup cd.

Then I install the new card, power up the system, and don't allow XP to find "compatiable" drivers - but select the cd for the new drivers.

XP will require reactivation when 5 components are replaced/changed. This includes the hard drive, network adapter, video card, sound card, and cpu. The changes are "recorded" in the hwinfo.log and when the changes reach 5 it will prompt for reactivation. With the new motherboards including things like on-board network adapters, video, and sound - just adding a a network card, video, and hard drive would be a prompt to reactivate during just testing the system. For example, you are having a network connection problem - you disable the onboard network adapter, install a network card, test - you find that you still have the problem so you remove the network card and reactivate the on-board, well that is THREE hardware changes! Old onboard, addin card, and then reactivating old onboard. Remember MS isn't THAT smart to think you were just testing. So the next time you upgrade a video card - you are disabling the old one, adding the new one, and viola - 5 changes.

I have had this happen quite regularly - so the article doesn't exactly hold true.

[dbarrow]

http://www.drivercleaner.net/

Driver Cleaner Pro - free
a 'must have' utility for removing all traces of video and sound drivers. This even clears the almost impossible Creative driver leftovers.

For ATI, get the CAT Uninstaller from their site if not already in the full driver download. They used to include it in the package but not recently.

These tools are essential for pulling accumulated reg keys out and preventing Windows from detecting and installing something before you have a chance to start the manual update.
Particularly when doing an ATI CAT update, it is important to follow their direction and completely uninstall the old one using the uninstaller. Follow that with the Driver Cleaner and only then, reboot and ignore the Hardware Wizard.

[kelly]

Mac OS - No activation required - doesn't care what you add or remove.
-td