I don't like Ubuntu, but do like Debian, which it is derived from. OTOH I've run into this problem with most related (that is Debian and Debian-Derived) distributions such as debian itself, Ubuntu, DSL...
The reason I like Debian, and respect Ubuntu is while these fussy hassles happen, they are solvable. The trick is, for this problem, after you plug your graphics card in, DO NOT REINSTALL. Make sure you have the right driver, and the proprietary driver is at:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html
then edit your /etc/X11/xorg.config file to tell it what driver to use and where to find it. Remember: 1. editing /etc files requires root access, so you have to sudo it. 2. if something goes wrong you will need the original file so BACK IT UP. Strictly speaking, what you should do is run the command "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" and answer questions about what type of mouse and keyboard you have, what the horizontal and vertical rates on your monitor are, and what graphics card you are using, but that may not show your graphics card. If you do do it that way, though, when your system upgrades the X-Server you will find you are having fewer hassles. Either way. back it up. In a terminal type "cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf xorg.conf.bak" Anyhow, now you have done all that, power it down, change the card, and turn it back on. Linux does not handle hardware the way Windows does so a reinstall after something like this is like taking a gatling gun to a mosquito. If you just change the card, X-Windows should crash, and you should be at a console (a full screen command line) where you can log in and do what I just told you, but it's probably less a hassle to do it before you change (the change will take effect when you log out of and log back into X-Windows. You will be working with the Intel driver until you power down in other words). Then again, I'm on Debian, not Ubuntu so I shouldn't say I guarantee that only the X-Server will crash if you just boot up from it, or that you can log in, AND WRITE TO DISK if it does -- because I would rather be on Debian itself or Knoppix or DSL...