Some games I’ve purchased don’t seem to be working, and apparently my video card not being up to snuff is the culprit. Is putting in a better one something I could do on my own or should I hard it over to the Geek Squad?
It can be as hard as you make it.
First off tell us the make and model of your computer. Cases can be wildly different, and the available expansion slots for video cards (AGP or PCI-E) are different.
As a rule: If you have to ask, then you could probably do it, but you’d probably be better off getting a member of the geek squad to do it for you.
I assume we’re talking about a desktop computer here?
Desktop computers are really pretty easy to assemble. Basically all the parts are modular, just snapping into place without too much trouble at all. Installing a motherboard can be a bit of a pain, and you have to be a bit careful attaching the processor and heat sink, but adding things like memory and video cards are, with a little care and patience, pretty straightforward procedures.
Your video card will probably come with installation instructions, and if you search on the internet there are quite a few decent guides available online. Here is one example. Key things to look out for are what sort of slots you have available, and what type of video card you’re going to buy. Then, during the actual installation, make sure you take things slowly, and ground your tools occasionally to prevent static from frying your motherboard.
If you do decide that this is all too much of a pain in the ass, and you would prefer to pay someone to do it, i’d also recommend avoiding Geek Squad and seeing if you have a genuine geek shop in your area, an independent computer repair store. They probably won’t cost any more than the ripoff merchants at Geek Squad, and will probably do the job much more competently.
Modern graphics cards may require you to upgrade your PSU too.
And which games are you trying to play?
Do you have a Comp USA near you? They install hardware for free if you purchase it at their store. Look around for a store that offers similar deals.
That said, it is generally very easy to install one even with no experience as long as it is a computer with a decent sized case and a spare expansion slot. The harder part is picking out the right card for your configuration/needs but that will require knowing your computer specs and then some research.
Not too hard, assuming you have basic mechanical skills, i.e., know which end of a screwdriver to pick up.
Make sure to buy a card that will work in your computer. There are many different types of expansion slots, PCI, PCIe, AGP, etc. The last, IIRC, is specifically for video cards and is (I believe) preferred for high-end video. So look up the computer’s specs to see what kinds of slots it has, and get an appropriate card.
Make sure the card supports your monitor: VGA, HDMI, etc. If the monitor is old, you don’t want a digital-only card with no VGA connector. Conversely, if your monitor is newer and your old video card didn’t support digital, this may be a chance to upgrade your connection.
The card will come with instructions. Read them carefully. You may have to go into the Windows Hardware Manager and uninstall the existing display device (which I assume is on the motherboard), then shut down the computer and install the new card. If there is an existing video card, it should just be a matter of physically switching them. But uninstalling the old device in Hardware Manager first is probably still a good idea.
Shut down the computer, disconnect the power cable, and open the case. With a Phillips-head screwdriver, remove the screw holding in the existing video card (if present) or remove the blank panel from an empty expansion slot (if video is on the MB). Carefully slide the new card into the slot, make sure it is seated properly, and screw it down.
Disconnect the monitor cable from its current location, and plug it into the new card. Close the case, plug in the power cable, power up.
The operating system should recognize the new card and ask whether to use existing drivers or new ones you provide. Again, follow the card’s instructions. It will probably come with a disk with drivers and software. After you’ve installed the software, check the manufacturer’s Web site to see if there are newer drivers.
Then you can start the manufacturer’s setup and calibration program.
The basic process shouldn’t take more than about half an hour, if that.
The computer is one a friend put together. I had it cleaned and modified a few months ago so that you didn’t have to unscrew the back to get inside, instead it has a handle you can pop open.
The games that don’t work are Bioshock and Fallout 3. I asked the guy at Best Buy as a point of reference if Spore = those games as far as computer graphics capability, since I’ve had no trouble with the former. He said it should be fine, but no dice. I looked up CAN YOU RUN IT who said I needed a new graphics card, and since that was the part the two had in common as not meeting the specifications, I assumed that was the cause of the problems. And looking back, I really should have checked that before buying the damn things.
As for computer specs: I apparently need a Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 256MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better/ATI X850 or better)
I have an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500 (GeForce FX 5500)
You’re going to need to ask your friend or figure out what kind of slot you have available. You most likely have PCI-E but you may also have AGP (or both). What slot you have available is going the be the crucial factor in what card you can buy.
Sigh. I guess it’s off to the Geeks. I’m not taking the chance on my incompetence messing this thing up. Thanks for the help, y’all.
Can you snap a photo of the slots for us and post it? We can tell you what they are.
Yeah, don’t give up so easy. You can also try to look for the model number and brand of the motherboard which should be screen printed on there somewhere.
Once you have all the right info, the actual installation is quite easy. Just the preparation is a bit tedious. No real reason to pay so much to get it done.
One caveat, which shouldn’t be taken as discouragement as much as just an FYI, is that the first time you ever install a card in a PC, you won’t know what it’s supposed to feel like or how hard you are supposed to be pushing. Depending on the card, motherboard, and case, things can be a little misaligned and result in you having to put quite a bit of pressure on it. My first time was back in the days of ISA cards, and I had to ask someone for help, but the answer just turned out to be “push harder.” AGP and PCI-e cards tend to require less of a shove to overcome the friction in the slot, but they are also slightly complicated by weird snap-in clips that physically lock the card in the slot. Take a good look at the plastic bits on the card and slot before you start shoving.
Somewhat of an aside, but speaking as a PC technician, it’s threads like this that make me keep in mind how complex a seemingly simple request can be.
The first card I ever swapped out was a MCA 16Mbps token-ring card. The beauty of the situation was that the tech guy (who was swamped that day, converting over the last two dozen or so of our 4Mbps token-ring machines to 16) said the following to me: “Here’s a new card for that machine. Swap it out for me, will ya? If the card doesn’t fix the problem, it must be the motherboard, and we’ll deal with that later if we have to.”
Translation: I can’t screw this up. Worst case scenario, I break something he thinks is already broken.
Case open, latch flipped, card yanked, card shoved, latch flipped, case closed. I was done in 30 seconds. And the card worked fine. He thought I was a pro and recommended me to take his job when he moved upstairs.
I’ve been more careful with my own equipment, but nothing teaches you how hard is hard enough like working on a machine you can break without consequence. 
Like they need another victim.
shut down and unplug
remove side of case, usually the left side if you are looking at the front
The slot for the video card is usually the top one.
if you have one you can usually remove it by undoing 1 screw near the rear of the case on the edge of the card.
should fairly easily pop out of the slot with a little tug. There may be a clip near the front edge that needs to be released.
Insert new card
replace screw
replace cover
plug in and boot
run disk that came with card
90%+ of the time thats all it takes
Actually, AGP has been obsolete for years now. PCIe (short for PCI Express) is the current top-of-the-line interface for video cards (and certain other expansion cards).
no