Just bought a new Graphics Card...need a little help

I just found this site a couple of days ago and found some good info. The dreaded intall/uninstall and 1722 error brought me here. I even found a few solutions to some issues. So i'd just like to say hello to everyone and that I just officially joined the site and I'm waiting on the activation of my account.

I probably should have asked some question before running out and buying a new graphics card but I'm a little to late for that. This is my set up:

2.4 ghz processor
512mb ram (1.5gig tonight, ordered a gig stick that will be here today)
0ver 40gig of free hard drive after install of FSX
Nvidia GeForce 6200 oc (256mb) Ramdac 410MHz

Soundblaster Live Platinum 5.1

Saitek x45

I just put the graphics card in last night after realizing that the integrated card wasn't cutting it. Even with the new card, I havent seen much improvement at all. Is there something I am supposed to do after installing it? The original card was some Intel(r) graphics card with low specs. I thought I'd see immediate improvement.

Welcome to these forums

I have to say that the 6200 card is not really the card you should be expecting big improvements with although you are right that it should be better than onboard graphics.

Are you using the latest forceware drivers from nVidia website?

Also, with onboard graphics, i believe you have to disable them first so that it is using the right graphics processor.

Micah

I have already uninstalled the drivers for the integrated card and disabled the adapter. I am at work right now and I saw earlier that there is an available driver for my Nvidia card that actually addresses FSX. When I get home I am going to update. But is it normally truely "plug and play"?

'Plug and play' really means 'plug in and it will work'. However, optomized drivers are the real benefit. 91.47 are the latest drivers.

I downloaded the new drivers, but had little noticeable effect. I lowered the detail of everything and it ran better. What should I set frame rate to? I get these little mini freezes (for lack of a better word) that last for a fraction of a second, but it happens alot. what detemines how well the games loads and runs, the graphics card as the vast majority or does the system memory play an equal or much lesser role?

I missed the UPS delivery so I didn't get my 1 gig memory stick. When I get it I will have 1.5 Gigs of RAM (upgrading from 512Mb). Any guess as to whether or not I'll se a noticeable difference in the way the sim runs?

With more ram the textures will render faster.

If it runs at 25 FPS that's best, set it now at 20 and see how it works out.
The less you use for that the more resources you have for the rest of the sim
You have to balance one against the other and the only way to do that is to continually "play" with the settings until you find the ideal one for your particular machine.
Depending where you fly you can change the settings, more scenery will eat up differently than over Alaska, a virtually barren landscape in the winter where mesh is better than buildings.