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[Enjin Archive] Just a question about transferring video cards... IS IT POSSIBLE?
Started by [E] Palonti

I'm hoping it's possible if I could transfer my old Vista's video card to my current Windows 7. My current video card doesn't seem to be very useful, as it's reduced my framerate harshly. So I'm thinking it's possible for me to transfer the video card from the Vista (simply swap them).

First, is it possible to take a video card previously used (and possibly built) for Vista and put it on a 7?

And can you transfer the video card? If so, how?

If someone could help me with this, that'd be great! Also, please try to explain in a relatively simple manner (I'm rather thick).
Yes it's definitely possible, as long as you don't have a laptop.

Laptop graphics cards are incredibly risky to work with and would require you taking your laptop completely to pieces.

If you have a tower, however, it's very easy - especially on a Windows system.

Mind if I ask what card you have now? I can recommend a few cheap and powerful cards for you to use.


I don't have a laptop. Both are desktops.

I have an NVIDIA GeForce 6150SC nForce 430 (the current card on my 7), and I don't know what the Vista video card is.
The GeForce 6150 SC is an integrated graphics chipset. It can't be removed because it's soldered to the motherboard.

Run dxdiag from the command prompt on the Vista machine, and look in the Video tab for its video card info.

Assuming the Vista machine has an expansion card, and that the Windows 7 machine has adequate expansion slots and any necessary 6/8-pin power rails, then yes, it's possible to move the graphics card over and leave the Vista machine on its integrated graphics.
I've found something that looks suspicious. The current display mode matches my monitor size just fine, however it says it runs on "16-bit". My desktop operates on a 64-bit system. Don't know if this will affect anything (or would be the cause of my framerate issues), but I thought it might be of note.

So, assuming my Windows 7 machine has expansion slots and power rails (?), I can move the Vista's current graphics card, but not be able to apply the GeForce 6150SC, but instead have it use the 'integrated graphics'. Correct?
You're looking way into it.. 16-bit is the color depth by the way....and operating systems(7 or Vista, 64-bit 32-bit..irrelevant until it comes to driver support, which shouldn't be a problem either) should be no concern with common PC video cards. If you're Vista machine was shipped with Vista, that puts it in the 2007ish era which you can assume that you do have a video card which is the more probable explanation for Minecraft running better on it... then you should be able to take it out of a PCI/-E slot and put it in your Windows 7 machine... I have never countered video card incompatibilities unless we're dealing with obsolete operating systems or video cards. You should find a video to guide you through this if it's your first time.

As for upgrades, a very cheap and powerful card that should easily thwart your Vista's card is the Radeon HD 7750, which runs about $100 and you should not need to upgrade your power supply to support it.