graphics card priority issue. help?

Question

I've been having a problem with my computer for quite some time that seems to continue to get worse. It's a priority issue, where my computer only recognizes one of my graphics cards at a time. The graphics card that I installed onto my computer is a xfx nvidia geforce 9600GT. The original onboard graphics card is an ATI Radeon HD 3200. Both graphics cards cannot be recognized at the same time, and they both have a separate port on the back of my computer. Usually only the port connected to the worse of the two graphics cards actually shows a picture. That's what I'm trying to reverse.

Here are some other specs
Processor: AMD Phenom 9500 quad core processor 2.20 GHz
RAM: 8.0 GB's
Operating System: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit service pack 2

I have tried going into my device manager and disabling my ATI graphics card. Even when I do that, it still does not recognize my nvidia graphics card. Something that used to work, that no longer does, is when it would recognize my onboard ati graphics card but not my nvidia, I would simply unplug my computer, and then plug the video cord into my nvidia port and then it would work. Interestingly, when that works, my ati card no longer does.

I did update the driver to my nvidia graphics card back in january, but if there is a more modern updated driver for the xfx nvidia 9600GT, for the life of me I can't find a link that actually works. I've found plenty of links on google claiming to have that driver, but they usually end up being a dead end, or a catch for some kind of program that they are attempting to persuade me to purchase.

Note that when I look at my device manager, only the onboard ati graphics card even appears on the list, as if the nvidia does not even exist. What are some potential ways I can fix this? Without this being fixed, every game on my computer runs incredibly choppy, and just looks like a pile of crap.

Answer 1

once you look on the overall performance of a typical homestead pc intimately, on a device with a typical 2+ G processor, then you fairly've a tendency to discover the processor itself isn't going finished tilt. even whilst it style of feels to be if your working a huge technique at the same time with a backup or virus examine, the cpu is barely severe for that with the aid of fact that's available, different approaches can nonetheless get in, however the severe quantity of idle time it fairly is surpassed over to the approach could desire to no longer likely be seen as an over labored CPU. although, a video card the place loads of the rendering paintings is performed by ability of the CPU will fee you effective CPU time. many of the photos enjoying cards around right this moment are very able to taking lots of the paintings onto themselves, freeing up the CPU for different paintings. PCIe takes that probable to the cut back, the CPU can in basic terms sell off the paintings in on the ideal and the enjoying cards do all the rendering and so on. So, in case you have a lifelike CPU and RAM, then you fairly are extra probable to make valuable aspects with a extra valuable photos card.

Answer 2

you can only have one graphics card, unless your motherboard supports SLI or crossfire. since you want the nvidia one you have to physically remove the other one. though I don't know how because it's onboard :/. make sure the card is put in correctly into the motherboard. also try to right click your desktop, if the nvidia card is plugged in properly you should see "NVIDIA control panel"

Answer 3

Maybe your card is coming loose from the PCI-E slot? And it's switching to the ATI one by default? Try taking it out and putting it back in. Make sure it clicks when you put it back.