Failing Video Card?

[Krusshyk]

I had a really odd bug last night while I was playing Galaxies...

I was on Kash, doin' my thang when all of the sudden my screen froze and got all pixelated with BIG blue and green squares in a regular pattern all over the place. So I rebooted and restarted SWG, things ran fine...then it happened again after like 20 minutes. So I reboot again, but don't start SWG and I let it sit with an open webpage while I played some video games...then it does it again, but this time it actually reboots the computer when I hit Alt+tab and then tells me my video card drivers had a problem rendering something and it caused an error.

This is the absolute first time this video card has ever had an error on me...so methinks it might be kicking the bucket. Anyone else have any experience with this?

[Zannon]

I had a really odd bug last night while I was playing Galaxies...

I was on Kash, doin' my thang when all of the sudden my screen froze and got all pixelated with BIG blue and green squares in a regular pattern all over the place. So I rebooted and restarted SWG, things ran fine...then it happened again after like 20 minutes. So I reboot again, but don't start SWG and I let it sit with an open webpage while I played some video games...then it does it again, but this time it actually reboots the computer when I hit Alt+tab and then tells me my video card drivers had a problem rendering something and it caused an error.

This is the absolute first time this video card has ever had an error on me...so methinks it might be kicking the bucket. Anyone else have any experience with this?

Your fan on the card is failing...time for a new one, and you might want to get another fan for the case.

It might also be dust too, so before you get a new card, get a few cans of compressed air, take the bitch outside, open it up, and blow it like you're getting paid for it.

[Novall]

Zannon is correct. Vid card GPU's are designed to run fairly hot...but they run hotter then a CPU most of the time. If your getting the lost signal error or suddenly get tons of artifacting then a freeze, then check your temps. If your using an Nvidia card then look in your Nview properties and check the GPU temp.

Zalman makes some really nice GPU coolers that you cant go wrong with. They cost, but you get maximum bang for the buck.

[Illbleed]

I would concur with Zannon.

You might want to clean the system case out with some of that spray(DO NOT USE A VACCUM CLEANER) and remove your video card from the motherboard. I would then reinstall the card and see if that fixes the situation. Depending on what type of video card you have(PCI, AGP, PCI-Xpress), you may be able to change the position of the card to allow for better heat dissapation. Alot of times if your cards are too close together there will be a heat issue. If this isn't an option, you might want to try a fan.

Of course, being the nerd that I am I like to fix things....

The easier solution if you have money to spare and it's an old video card would be to just replace the card.

[Krusshyk]

I will check the temps when I get home tonight...what should it be operating at? Should I check it at start-up or let it run for a while? Or should I run a game or something that would actually utilize the card and then check it?

[Jotun]

I believe the temps should be in the ballpark of 40-70C...Its gets quite bit hotter as loads are placed on it by games and apps.

If you have an Nvidia card then try the following:

Rightclick on the desktop and go to properties>settings tab>advanced>Your vidcard>temp settings on the left side menu...

My 6800 is currently @51C idle...

[Skorixor]

I believe the temps should be in the ballpark of 40-70C...Its gets quite bit hotter as loads are placed on it by games and apps.

If you have an Nvidia card then try the following:

Rightclick on the desktop and go to properties>settings tab>advanced>Your vidcard>temp settings on the left side menu...

My 6800 is currently @51C idle...

my gf 5950 ultra sittin at 39C idle right now...but my case has a LOT of airflow going through it...Dooo makes fun of me for it

[Krusshyk]

Ok...

I kinda want to get a new card anyway...buying new things is fun. But I don't want to dump too much cash into one. The two video cards I have ever purchased have been nvidia's and they haven't steered me wrong until yesterday...suggestions? My old one is a Ti 4600 Nvidia GeForce 4 128mb. It wasn't top of the line when I got it, but it was pretty good I think. I am looking for that calibre of card...better than average, but not dag nasty evil expensive.

And about a new fan...should I replace my old one? Or buy another one in addition to the old one? Wouldn't option B require me to mod my case? I have never done a fan removal/install...is it confusing or complicated?

[Skorixor]

Ok...

I kinda want to get a new card anyway...buying new things is fun. But I don't want to dump too much cash into one. The two video cards I have ever purchased have been nvidia's and they haven't steered me wrong until yesterday...suggestions? My old one is a Ti 4600 Nvidia GeForce 4 128mb. It wasn't top of the line when I got it, but it was pretty good I think. I am looking for that calibre of card...better than average, but not dag nasty evil expensive.

And about a new fan...should I replace my old one? Or buy another one in addition to the old one? Wouldn't option B require me to mod my case? I have never done a fan removal/install...is it confusing or complicated?

adding fans is easy, unless you are actually cutting holes in the case (say for a blowhole in the top) because must case have spot lines up for them already...you just screw em in, plug it into either the mobo or thru a molex adapter, and you're set...test it first to make sure you have it blowing the right way

as far as VC...I'm guessing you have an agp card slot, i would go with either a high numbered 5000 series (like my 5950 ultra) or a high numbered 6000 series (6800....6600 are just okay, unless you hook up 2 together in SLI mode, then they roxxor)

do not buy low numbered 5 or 6 series cuz they suck


just from looking at pricewatch.com it looks like you can pick up a 6800 for under $200

[Krusshyk]

Yeah, I forgot to mention that...it goes in the AGP slot.

Should I look for a 256 or a 128mb...the 128 has runs galaxies fine with the effects and shite turned down a tad...biggest jump in performance is when you turn off volumetric shadows...I don't if there are limitations to the kind of card I can run...is there any other information I would need to know?

[Skorixor]

Yeah, I forgot to mention that...it goes in the AGP slot.

Should I look for a 256 or a 128mb...the 128 has runs galaxies fine with the effects and shite turned down a tad...biggest jump in performance is when you turn off volumetric shadows...I don't if there are limitations to the kind of card I can run...is there any other information I would need to know?

i still have shadows off with my 256mb, so with THIS game it won't make much difference 256 vs 128...in fact with most it wont make any diff because they don't utilize it effectively

[Krusshyk]

Well, I think the video card crapped out on me.

I opened the case to clean out the insides with compressed air and found it was dusty as hell. So as I am poking around, I look at the card itself.

Forgive me for sounding like a moron because I don't know what this thing is called, but the big black rectangle thing on the card is only secured at one corner...the other three are not anchored to the card at all. So I finishe cleaning and put it together to start it up annnnnnnd...

The computer dosn't recognize the card as being plugged in and I have like 40 vertical white stripes on my screen. The computer works, but I think the video card is dead. So my question now is...

Do I have to uninstall the software for the old one before I install the new one? And how the hell do I do that with all these white bars? My guess is that I connect my monitor to the little monitor port built in to the Motherboard (I think that's what it is called) and then do my uninstall/install from there...but I am not sure...

Help please

[Isleh]

DO NOT USE A VACCUM CLEANER

OOOPs *blush*

Well... I was having the same problem. The new card works great.

[Skorixor]

ok here's what you do:

buy your new card

plug it in agp slot

when the comp boots up it will recognize a new card and start going through the motions of setting it up, but here's the best way to start fresh

when it asks you to look for the drivers, select the option that lets you choose what card it is, it'll give you a bunch of choices, but choose generic svga card option...this installs it as a generic card

then when you get into windows like normal it'll look like crap but it will run...

NOW, you have two ways to do it...if you already have current nvidia drivers, find the folder where you dloaded them, and execute the file, it'll set it up, and restart....then adjust the windows settings like you like (ie: 32bit color, 1024x768 whatever ya like)

OR if you dont have current drivers, or don't remember where the file is, put in the cd that comes with the new card, and install them that way....THEN dload the new drivers...

whenever I install new nvidia drivers, I always reset it to a generic card first, then install the new ones....nividia drivers have a tendency not to clean out all the old ones when installing new ones, that can lead to problems or less performance...

if you have any more questions, give me a call...ask zan or x'an for the #

[Krusshyk]

Actually, I should have been more confidant in my computer skills...

My gf's dad gave me his Nvidia MX4000 card to use until I can find a replacement...I just installed it in like 10 minutes, no problems. My only concern is that I am unsure if SWG supports the MX series. I know it is kinda low on the totem pole, but for free...the price was just right.

I was right about my old card though. The big black plastic rectangle thing (a heat sink I assume?) busted one of it's connections to the actual board of the card. Apparantly they aren't actually soddered on this one, but they have pegs placed in a series of holes that are anchored by a mechanical fastener on the opposite side...one of the fasterners is NOT on the card any more, so the sink must have just slipped off and was letting the thing run hot.