Ok so i got a new graphics card, its an ati Radeon 256m card. When i OPENED my computer i didn't see any current graphics cards in... I put in the new one but when i tried to start the screen is just black... when i take out the new card its normal. I'm not familiar with computers, any help?First, you have onboard graphics. If you can see things on your monitor as normally expected, then you have a graphics card in your system. Onboard graphics (also can be called integrated graphics) just means it's one that's built into the monitor and shares memory with the main memory that the computer uses (the memory sticks) which probably why you didn't see any current graphics card in as you mentioned but a graphics card is definitely in your system and for your purposes, you can't remove the onboard graphics but you can disable it so computer knows not to use it anymore.

If you're INSERTING in a separate graphics card, it doesn't share memory with the computer's main memory sticks thus is better.

I'm thinking one of two things may have happened.

1. Have you unplugged the cable from old graphics card to the new one? (That might be a reason wh your screen is black ... old card has been disabled, new one has been detected by windows but monitor isn't CONNECTED to it)

2. Old graphics card was not disabled as should have been.... in this case, try following instructions to see if you get it working ....
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To disable the onboard graphics (assuming that you are running Windows)., turn your computer on and log on using Safe Mode. You can do this by pressing F8 repeatedly during boot up. You should come to a list of options; highlight Safe Mode using the up and down buttons, and press 'Enter' to select.

Right click on My Computer and select Properties.

Select the Advanced tab, and click on Device Manager.

Click on the '+' by the picture of a monitor. It should pull up your graphics device (something like Intel Integrated Graphics or whatever the name of your current graphics card is).

Right click on the device for your onboard graphics.Disable it, don't uninstall it; otherwise, this will cause you a world of trouble.

Log off, and power your computer off.

Remove the case cover and insert the new card in an empty slot.

Plug your monitor cable into the new card, and when you log on, it should run on low resolution until the driver is installed. It should find the new hardware, and from here, follow the graphics card installation MANUAL. Sometimes it has programs that install the driver and not the Found New Hardware Wizard.

[Ow btw, some displays have an "INPUT Source option", thats when you have both AGP and DVI connections, and some of those dont switch umong them automaticly. So if you had an AGP before and now you connected DVI it could still be in AGP mode./quote]]