Video Card Shuffle. Please Help!

scorp1227 · 06-30-2006, 05:28 PM

VPR Matrix 2020
Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz
1 GB RAM
Intel D845BG motherboard
Windows XP SP2

I recently purchased a game which required me to upgrade my RAM and video card. I purchased the RAM and installed them. The computer worked fine. Next I purchased an Nvidia Geforce 6200 video card. I removed my old card, which previously worked fine (a Nvidida Geforce FX 5200), from the only AGP slot on the motherboard, and then installed the new 6200 in an available PCI slot. When I turned the computer on, the fans came on but I got now activity from the blinking light and no light from the power switch. I removed the new card and installed the old again. The computer game me a few error codes which I looked up and found out that the computer was not detecting a video card at all and some kind of parity error. I remove my old card to find that one of the printed pins on the connector part was damaged. I went to Best Buy (where I purchase all these items) and inquired about the compatibility of my comp and the 6200. They said it should work but that I was better off to install an AGP card. Next I purchased an ATI Radeon 9550 which connects via AGP. I came home and installed this card. When I turned the computer on I recieve no error beeps, the light on the power switch came on, the fans run, but no activity from the blinking light and no boot sequence from either the display or speakers.

If anyone has any idea what could be wrong, please let me know. I've got a lot of digital family pics on this comp and my wife is going nuts. Please help.

**linderman** · 06-30-2006, 07:19 PM

The guys at Best Buy didnt warn you about better video cards need more power to run ???? especially when dealing with a manufactured PC from a big maker like Dell, HP Compaq etc etc

the big computer builders put in a bare bones power supply unit, cabale of powering the specification as it was sold.

later on you install a video card that needs alot more power than the old card. Soooo much more power that the new video card needs its OWN power plug. The newer cards will consume an additional 50 watts of power the really high end today cards will eat 100-125 watts !!

get a PSU from best buy (no DYNEX) 450 watt should do ya, 500 is even better. Look for an Antec or Enermax. I see Staples now carriers Antec power supplies, that would be a great start. Antec SP-500 they cost about $68.00 at newegg.com

BACK UP YOUR CRITICAL DATA hopefully this experience will just be a warning !! and not the real "Trail of Tears"

keep us posted

scorp1227 · 06-30-2006, 08:25 PM

The power supply in the computer is not the one it came with. The original burnt out a couple years ago and I replaced it along with the original video card with an Antec 300W model. When I called ATI tech support, the guy told me a 300W supply should be more than enough. Is there any way I can test this without dropping the $70 bucks on a new PSU? Anyone have any other suggestions?

scorp1227 · 07-03-2006, 05:50 AM

Ok... so the peeps over at "Geek Squad" called me yesterday to say that the new video card I bought was bad. I told them I didn't think so because I had tried to install 2 different cards with the same result. They also tried to install and AGP card and a PCI card with the same results. Then they used a Geforce2 card from about 4 or 5 years ago and the computer booted up. They said that windows rejected the sign-on password and was claiming that my version of Windows XP was not activiated. I've been using this comp for over 4 years without reformatting so I know the OS was applicated. They also told me they found 3 trojan viruses on the computer. They tried a brand new Geforce FX 5200 AGP card but the comp did not boot. Does any know why my comp worked with this model card before, but would suddenly stop working with it? I now have no video card and I need to find a card from about 5 years ago. Does anyone know where I may be able to pick one up?

**forcifer** · 07-03-2006, 10:03 AM

dont listen to geek squad. just try a new psu and see if that works. im 99% sure what linderman said is true

dai · 07-03-2006, 01:42 PM

the new card could have sent the psu over the edge,see if you can borrow a 450-550 antec or something similar to try in it

06-30-2006, 05:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
scorp1227 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9 OS: windows xp	My comp is dead VPR Matrix 2020 Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz 1 GB RAM Intel D845BG motherboard Windows XP SP2 I recently purchased a game which required me to upgrade my RAM and video card. I purchased the RAM and installed them. The computer worked fine. Next I purchased an Nvidia Geforce 6200 video card. I removed my old card, which previously worked fine (a Nvidida Geforce FX 5200), from the only AGP slot on the motherboard, and then installed the new 6200 in an available PCI slot. When I turned the computer on, the fans came on but I got now activity from the blinking light and no light from the power switch. I removed the new card and installed the old again. The computer game me a few error codes which I looked up and found out that the computer was not detecting a video card at all and some kind of parity error. I remove my old card to find that one of the printed pins on the connector part was damaged. I went to Best Buy (where I purchase all these items) and inquired about the compatibility of my comp and the 6200. They said it should work but that I was better off to install an AGP card. Next I purchased an ATI Radeon 9550 which connects via AGP. I came home and installed this card. When I turned the computer on I recieve no error beeps, the light on the power switch came on, the fans run, but no activity from the blinking light and no boot sequence from either the display or speakers. If anyone has any idea what could be wrong, please let me know. I've got a lot of digital family pics on this comp and my wife is going nuts. Please help.

06-30-2006, 07:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,442 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	The guys at Best Buy didnt warn you about better video cards need more power to run ???? especially when dealing with a manufactured PC from a big maker like Dell, HP Compaq etc etc the big computer builders put in a bare bones power supply unit, cabale of powering the specification as it was sold. later on you install a video card that needs alot more power than the old card. Soooo much more power that the new video card needs its OWN power plug. The newer cards will consume an additional 50 watts of power the really high end today cards will eat 100-125 watts !! get a PSU from best buy (no DYNEX) 450 watt should do ya, 500 is even better. Look for an Antec or Enermax. I see Staples now carriers Antec power supplies, that would be a great start. Antec SP-500 they cost about $68.00 at newegg.com BACK UP YOUR CRITICAL DATA hopefully this experience will just be a warning !! and not the real "Trail of Tears" keep us posted __________________ I still know nothing and I respect that fact, striving to improve and, along the way, help anyone that comes from the place that I used to be! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial Last edited by linderman; 06-30-2006 at 07:21 PM.

07-03-2006, 10:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
forcifer ole' Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kansas City kansas Posts: 3,631 OS: Vista Premium 32 My System Blog Entries: 1	dont listen to geek squad. just try a new psu and see if that works. im 99% sure what linderman said is true __________________

07-03-2006, 01:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,785 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	the new card could have sent the psu over the edge,see if you can borrow a 450-550 antec or something similar to try in it __________________

06-30-2006, 08:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
scorp1227 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9 OS: windows xp	The power supply in the computer is not the one it came with. The original burnt out a couple years ago and I replaced it along with the original video card with an Antec 300W model. When I called ATI tech support, the guy told me a 300W supply should be more than enough. Is there any way I can test this without dropping the $70 bucks on a new PSU? Anyone have any other suggestions?

07-03-2006, 05:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
scorp1227 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9 OS: windows xp	Ok... so the peeps over at "Geek Squad" called me yesterday to say that the new video card I bought was bad. I told them I didn't think so because I had tried to install 2 different cards with the same result. They also tried to install and AGP card and a PCI card with the same results. Then they used a Geforce2 card from about 4 or 5 years ago and the computer booted up. They said that windows rejected the sign-on password and was claiming that my version of Windows XP was not activiated. I've been using this comp for over 4 years without reformatting so I know the OS was applicated. They also told me they found 3 trojan viruses on the computer. They tried a brand new Geforce FX 5200 AGP card but the comp did not boot. Does any know why my comp worked with this model card before, but would suddenly stop working with it? I now have no video card and I need to find a card from about 5 years ago. Does anyone know where I may be able to pick one up?