Pc Problem

[PETERTHEEATER]

My 15 month old HP Desktop PC was running fine but on start-up yesterday the monitor picture was garbled only large text just legible. It worked for a while on the reboot but then scrambled and froze. Now the picture scrambles on every start.

I opened the case and everything was connected and boards seated properly. No change.

I have confirmed that the monitor is OK by connecting to another PC.

I tried swapping the video card from my older Compaq but the motherboard connection is not the same.

Before I go out and buy a new graphics card does anyone have any tips.

thanks

[Simmo]

Before you go buying anything.

Try reseating everything (video card, RAM , CPU ) back into the motherboard. Blow out all the dust and clean the contact edges using an eraser.

Some info here.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/ar...ArticleID=30720

[gharknes]

Before you go buying anything.

Try reseating everything (video card, RAM , CPU ) back into the motherboard. Blow out all the dust and clean the contact edges using an eraser.

Some info here.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/ar...ArticleID=30720

try starting your system in safe mode, when you switch on hold down the F8 key, does the video go faulty in this mode ?

Edited June 30, 2007 by gharknes

[PETERTHEEATER]

Before you go buying anything.

Try reseating everything (video card, RAM , CPU ) back into the motherboard. Blow out all the dust and clean the contact edges using an eraser.

Some info here.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/ar...ArticleID=30720

Thanks Simmo, I've done all that. All the fans are working too.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Before you go buying anything.

Try reseating everything (video card, RAM , CPU ) back into the motherboard. Blow out all the dust and clean the contact edges using an eraser.

Some info here.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/ar...ArticleID=30720

try starting your system in safe mode, when you switch on hold down the F8 key, does the video go faulty in this mode ?

Yes it does. The screen picture looks like bad TV interference. That is loss of some horizontal lines; like gaps. When the HP logo comes up on initial boot-up it is legible but when it goes to the safe mode display (small text0 it is illegible only some letters appear. It is just possible to make out the text where it is highlighted (cursor position) which is 'Start Windows in Normal Mode?' because I know that is where it appears in the list! Selecting that option the screen goes blank then returns to the same screen again.

[Minburi]

I had a similar problem and in the end I found it to be the video card had overheated and soon as I replaced it my computer started working properly. I had to swap all the cards around and such to narrow it down what card it was by pulling one at a time but to me it sounds like something is over heating and been baked to me.

[PETERTHEEATER]

I had a similar problem and in the end I found it to be the video card had overheated and soon as I replaced it my computer started working properly. I had to swap all the cards around and such to narrow it down what card it was by pulling one at a time but to me it sounds like something is over heating and been baked to me.

I agree with that Minburi. My 'den', where I use my PC, has an AC but I rarely use it during the day preferring to have the windows open so overheating over a period could be the cause. about a month ago I started using a pedestal fan directed at the PC tower to ensure plenty of airflow but perhaps it was too late and the card is 'cooked'.

I shall visit my PC shop today and find out what they have.

My back-up PC is low in resources and runs Win 98 so it's OK for some tasks but a lot of the hobby applications that I use will only run on Win 2000/XP!

[phazey]

It's either bad memory on the gfx card, or you've some electrical interferance somewhere. I've had a few cards "pop" this way.

Take out the card and give the interface a good clean, and try to blow into the slot (fnarr fnarr!).

It's not overclocked, is it ? check the memory & GPU speeds. What card is it ?

[PETERTHEEATER]

It's either bad memory on the gfx card, or you've some electrical interferance somewhere. I've had a few cards "pop" this way.

Take out the card and give the interface a good clean, and try to blow into the slot (fnarr fnarr!).

It's not overclocked, is it ? check the memory & GPU speeds. What card is it ?

The graphics card is;

ER088-69001

PCle - ATI RADEON x 1300 Pro (griffon) RV5 15LE, 256Mb DDR memory. The PC is an HP A1389L.

Curiously, going to the HP tech support website and trawling, this is not the HP Part Number that they show installed. Everything was working fine the day before but the following day on start-up the fault appeared. System was virus free according to up-to-date AVG.

I have again cleaned the edge connector and the MB connector by air blow but the fault is the same.

The DDR memory installed in the PC is 1Gb and the processor is Intel Pentium D, 820 (2.8 GHz) 2MB L2 cache F5B 800 MHz with a 160GB SATA HDD.

[phazey]

I don't know what to suggest, i've had two cards completely "let go" on me, one gave me the tell tale bios beep code, the other just displayed a tartan style pattern after i installed the latest drivers (10 minutes out the box)..

The only time i've seen "tv type interferance" was when i overclocked a GeForce4 to stupid speeds. This was though, due to the extra heat generated by running it at stupid Mhz.

I spose you could try either getting a pci fan card (regular card with a few fans on), or (if you're in the mood for a risk) dump the card into the freezer for 10 minutes or so. *BEWARE!!* you'll get condensation, so make sure it's well cool and DRY before trying.

check the headsinks on the card, and make sure the fans spin up correctly - i've had gfx card fan failure before now.

Anyways, some of the above is at YOUR OWN RISK. Consider carefully the safety and financial implications should things go pearshaped.

Hope this helps, and you're PC does not nuke itself if it does not.

[PETERTHEEATER]

My 15 month old HP Desktop PC was running fine but on start-up yesterday the monitor picture was garbled only large text just legible. It worked for a while on the reboot but then scrambled and froze. Now the picture scrambles on every start.

I opened the case and everything was connected and boards seated properly. No change.

I have confirmed that the monitor is OK by connecting to another PC.

I tried swapping the video card from my older Compaq but the motherboard connection is not the same.

Before I go out and buy a new graphics card does anyone have any tips.

thanks

OK. I now have a new Graphics card; the same spec as that originally installed but I need some tips before I install it. It has full instructions on a CD plus drivers.

The usual procedure would be:

1. Uninstall the previous Video driver.

2. Shutdown and remove the 'old' Graphics card.

3. Insert the new Graphics card.

4. Start up; get the 'Found New Hardware window and go from there to install the appropriate driver from the supplied CD.

Now, because I cannot see the text on the screen because it is scrambled (assumed Graphics card fault) how can I uninstall the original driver before I install the new card.

Should I install the new card then start up in Safe mode? (Assuming there is a legible picture) Where do I go from there?

[phazey]

It's safe enough to go ahead and put the new card in, and just run the setup CD.

[PETERTHEEATER]

It's safe enough to go ahead and put the new card in, and just run the setup CD.

Thanks Phasey, I will give it a try.

[PETERTHEEATER]

It's safe enough to go ahead and put the new card in, and just run the setup CD.

Thanks Phasey, I will give it a try.

OK Posters. Everything is working now; it seems that it was a bad Graphics card, probably 'cooked'.

I have left the side panel off the PC and am keeping a pedestal fan on it to assist cooling.

Thanks to all posters who offered tips.

Just in time. My backup PC is on the blink but that's another story.......