NVIDIA GPU Graphics Card Installation Guide

NVIDIA GPU Graphics Card

Specifications

• Brand: Nvidia
• Product Type: Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
• Compatibility: Works with systems supporting Nvidia GPUs

Note:

• If you uninstall all your display drivers (no iGPU or Nvidia drivers) it fails back to the Microsoft Basic Display adapter – might just be 800×600. However, you’ll need an iGPU or Graphics card to see the BIOS screens and to reboot…because if you don’t install a graphics card into a system with a KF CPU, or regular AMD CPU, you won’t be able to get past the VGA BIOS EZ-Debug check.

Before you begin

• If you are swapping out your existing Nvidia Graphics card for a much newer one (especially a newly released Nvidia generation of graphics cards) then make sure to install the latest Nvidia drivers before you remove your old graphics card. Your current drivers may not support the newer models.

Instructions

All Circumstances

• Step 1: Disable MSI Afterburner “Start with Windows”. Shutdown MSI Afterburner / RTSS.
• Step 2: If you are using Intel Drivers & Apps, disable Intel Arc Control and Intel Graphics Command Center Startup Task via Settings \ Apps \ Startup. BTW: Intel Arc opens – but runs in “Restrict mode”…maybe due to an unrecognized driver.
• Step 3: Shut down the PC.

If you are switching from Intel iGPU to Nvidia Graphics Card

• Step 4: Install the new Nvidia Graphics Card
• Step 5: Restart the PC
• Step 6: Windows will boot into the “Basic Display…” Driver – as per Device Manager
• Step 7: After a couple of mins, Windows will install an old (ancient 300series) Nvidia Driver
• Step 8: Reboot
• Step 9: Install new/latest Nvidia Drivers using “Clean Install” method
• Step 10: Reboot again.
• Step 11: Start MSI Afterburner / re-enable “Start with Windows”.
• Step 12: When running your first game, toggle MSI OSD OFF and then ON to fix any GPU related OSD data errors.

Note: The Intel Arc Control App will still “Start with Windows” and show up in the Taskbar.

If you are swapping one Nvidia Graphics Card for another

• Step 4: Swap out Nvidia Graphics Card for new Nvidia Graphics Card
• Step 5: Restart the PC
• Step 6: The Nvidia Drivers should auto-detect the new GPU and configure the Nvidia Drivers for the new hardware specs.
• Step 7: Reboot – JIC
• Step 8: Install new/latest Nvidia Drivers using “Clean Install” method
• Step 9: Reboot again.
• Step 10: Start MSI Afterburner / re-enable “Start with Windows”.
• Step 11: When running your first game, toggle MSI OSD OFF and then ON to fix any GPU-related OSD data errors.

FAQs