When installing a new graphics card is it simply just a matter of taking the old one out and putting the new one in, turning the computer on and installing the new driver?

Can the PowerColor Radeon 9600 Pro 128M card support AGP 4X?

James Anthony, Camberwell, VIC

The PowerColor Radeon 9600 Pro will work on a motherboard which supports only AGP 4x, and it should work on a board which only supports AGP 2x as well. (Although I can't understand why anyone would want to try!)

The procedure you outline for installing the card would most likely work, but it is certainly not an advisable one.

A better procedure to follow is this:

• Using 'Device Manager', select the existing display adapter and choose 'Remove'
• Using Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, remove any entries which relate to the old display adapter.
• Shut down the machine, change the display adapters, using appropriate procedures, and restart the machine once the new display adapter is physically installed.
• Cancel' out from any 'Found New Hardware' dialogues that appear, and allow Windows to start up using a basic VGA display driver.
• If you are using the Driver CD to install the card, pop it in your drive and follow the instructions supplied.
• If you are using a driver that you have downloaded from the Internet, follow the instructions that accompany it.

Installing your new display adapter this way should rid your system of any leftover 'debris' from your old display adapter, and have your system running, hopefully, trouble-free.

Terry O'Shanassy