Installing a new video card, but with a catch

[Fincherian]

I'm going to try to help someone install a video card on their computer after their last video card, a Radeon 600, crashed his computer because it overheated. I haven't verified any of this, I've never checked his computer before. He also reformatted his hard drive. However, assuming it's the case, he wants me to install a new video card for him soon and do some basic trouble shooting.

My problem is since his last video card is fried, he has no image on his monitor, and he can't uninstall the drivers from the previous video card.

The way I figure it, I can do a few things:

-Install a Radeon card to avoid a problem with the old drivers, though if the old drivers were the problem before, this won't necessarily work.
-Go ahead with the new card regardless of brand since he already formatted his hard drive. His computer is a 2 year old HP that came with the Radeon 600, so I'm not sure if it will have the original drivers installed and will hope that they aren't.

Neither seems like a good solution, so does anyone have any advice?

[mjdodd]

almost all video cards will work at a basic level (ega /vga) with the standard default drivers (as safe mode does this) So installing a new card will or should allow you to see the machine working albeit without the whiz bangs of good graphics. From there it is relatively easy to go to system hardware and either add a driver or get it to automatically detect or if you knbow the actual card specs to go to the manaufacturers website and download the correct one to bring it up to speed.
M

[Fincherian]

Thanks. I was kind of hoping as much but wasn't sure.