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Determine the type of card you would like to install into your computer.

Turn off the computer, unplug it, and take the case off.

Find the slot into which your new card will fit. If you are installing an AGP card, then spot the AGP slot, usually the shortest slot and is brown. If you are installing a PCI card, then find a PCI slot, usually white and a little longer than the AGP slot. An ISA slot is black and the longest on any modern motherboard.

Remove the dust cover on the back of your computer that is next to the slot you want. Don't lose the screw; you can use it to hold the card in. Push the card into the slot you chose. You may need to rock it into place. Be careful not to damage the board by pressing too hard on an improperly supported motherboard as this may bend it.

Be sure of a few things. Check the card's manual for any jumper settings or other information. This might save future trouble. Also, make sure that the shiny end with the connector faces toward the back of the computer. Don't force it in. You might have to play with it a little, but when the card goes in, you'll know. It will be snug in there. Make sure the card doesn't touch any other cards. That can cause electrical problems, as you might imagine.

Secure the card in place with the screw.

Plug the computer back in, turn it on.

From here on, the procedure varies from card to card. The general idea, though, is that assuming the card is plug-n-play, Windows will detect the new hardware and open the Hardware Installation Wizard. Follow the prompts and have the driver disk ready.