[SOLVED] I think my video board is dying...

FloridaPapa · 08-06-2007, 07:39 AM

You nice people helped me select the perfect video card for my purposes when I built my PC two years ago (I do general PC work and a lot of PhotoShop photo editing, but no gaming). However, it may be getting ready to die now. Please give me some advice...

My current video card, which worked flawlessly until a month or so ago, is a Saphire X300 128MB Radeon X300. It plugs into a Gigabyte GA-K8N Ultra-9 Motherboard. I'm using Windows XP Pro and it's completely up to date. My processor is an Athlon 64 3000+ Venice, my monitor is a AG Neovo F-419 19" LCD, and I have 2GB of RAM. (Please let me know if you need more info).

Symptoms: The screen occassionally freezes, accepting no inputs from either the mouse or keyboard. Then, a few seconds later, it displays random small colored 'splotches' all over it. The only way I've been able to 'fix' it is to reboot. It's an intermittant problem that seems to be occuring more frequently over the past month or so. Also, it doesn't seem to happen when I'm doing simple stuff like Internet surfing, e-mail or wordprocessing. It's more likely to happen when I'm heavily involved in PhotoShop, playing on Goggle Earth or designing something in PrintMaster, tasks which I assume require a bit more from the graphics card.

On the chance it might be a dying video card, I just ordered a new one (identical to the original one 'cause it's cheap, under $30 at Newegg, and I don't mind having a spare if I'm wrong about this). But I figured it would be smart to ask you experts at Tech Support Forum for advice too.

I welcome all advice.

Thanks,
FloridaPapa

dai · 08-06-2007, 01:52 PM

it could be bad ram on the card see how you go with the new one and post back to this thread

FloridaPapa · 08-06-2007, 03:40 PM

Thanks, I will report back. The new card should arrive in a few days... a week at most.

I ended up ordering an upgrade though, a Sapphire Radeon X1650PRO 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI-E x16 Video Card. I'm sure it's somewhat of an overkill for my needs, but it was very affordable at about $70 (only 5 bucks more than my old 128MB Radeon X300 card cost two years ago!).

FloridaPapa · 08-11-2007, 03:42 PM

I installed my new video card today (ATI Sapphire Radeon X1650Pro 256MB GDDR2 PCI-E). Then I updated the driver to the most current version.

I've been running my most graphic-intensive application for almost an hour without any problems. The display used to become corrupted after only a minute or two with my old video card. So, it looks like we diagnosed it correctly. The old card must, in fact, have been dying.

Thanks. I guess we can call this one solved!

**1 g0t 0wn3d** · 08-11-2007, 09:56 PM

Just to make sure what psu do you have your last card could have had its ram killed by it.

FloridaPapa · 08-12-2007, 06:48 AM

My PSU is an Antec True430. The detail specs can be seen here:
http://www.antec.com/specs/true430_spe.html

Please enlighten me... what about the PSU can damage RAM on the video board? Is it insufficient power capability on one or more of its voltage outputs? Or is it something else?

**Deleted090308** · 08-12-2007, 07:29 AM

You have a quality PSU, so I wouldn't worry about that. Cheap PSUs can generate voltage spikes (especially when they're "dying") that can kill other parts in the computer.
It was, most likely, the card that had a rather short life span.

FloridaPapa · 08-12-2007, 08:16 AM

Thanks "eneles," that makes a lot of sense to me.

I've always relied on a UPS and surge supressors to protect my PC from spikes (as well as power interruptions, brown-outs, etc.), but I hadn't considered the possibility of voltage spike damage from internal sources.

Well... Will you look at that... It's still only mid-morning on this fine Sunday, and it has already been a successful day... one more tidbit of knowledge has been added to my brain!

08-06-2007, 07:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
FloridaPapa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Originally from Northeast US; now living in hot & humid Central Florida Posts: 48 OS: Win XP Pro	[SOLVED] I think my video board is dying... You nice people helped me select the perfect video card for my purposes when I built my PC two years ago (I do general PC work and a lot of PhotoShop photo editing, but no gaming). However, it may be getting ready to die now. Please give me some advice... My current video card, which worked flawlessly until a month or so ago, is a Saphire X300 128MB Radeon X300. It plugs into a Gigabyte GA-K8N Ultra-9 Motherboard. I'm using Windows XP Pro and it's completely up to date. My processor is an Athlon 64 3000+ Venice, my monitor is a AG Neovo F-419 19" LCD, and I have 2GB of RAM. (Please let me know if you need more info). Symptoms: The screen occassionally freezes, accepting no inputs from either the mouse or keyboard. Then, a few seconds later, it displays random small colored 'splotches' all over it. The only way I've been able to 'fix' it is to reboot. It's an intermittant problem that seems to be occuring more frequently over the past month or so. Also, it doesn't seem to happen when I'm doing simple stuff like Internet surfing, e-mail or wordprocessing. It's more likely to happen when I'm heavily involved in PhotoShop, playing on Goggle Earth or designing something in PrintMaster, tasks which I assume require a bit more from the graphics card. On the chance it might be a dying video card, I just ordered a new one (identical to the original one 'cause it's cheap, under $30 at Newegg, and I don't mind having a spare if I'm wrong about this). But I figured it would be smart to ask you experts at Tech Support Forum for advice too. I welcome all advice. Thanks, FloridaPapa

08-06-2007, 01:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,594 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: I think my video board is dying... it could be bad ram on the card see how you go with the new one and post back to this thread __________________

08-06-2007, 03:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
FloridaPapa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Originally from Northeast US; now living in hot & humid Central Florida Posts: 48 OS: Win XP Pro	Re: I think my video board is dying... Thanks, I will report back. The new card should arrive in a few days... a week at most. I ended up ordering an upgrade though, a Sapphire Radeon X1650PRO 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI-E x16 Video Card. I'm sure it's somewhat of an overkill for my needs, but it was very affordable at about $70 (only 5 bucks more than my old 128MB Radeon X300 card cost two years ago!).

08-11-2007, 03:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
FloridaPapa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Originally from Northeast US; now living in hot & humid Central Florida Posts: 48 OS: Win XP Pro	Re: I think my video board is dying... I installed my new video card today (ATI Sapphire Radeon X1650Pro 256MB GDDR2 PCI-E). Then I updated the driver to the most current version. I've been running my most graphic-intensive application for almost an hour without any problems. The display used to become corrupted after only a minute or two with my old video card. So, it looks like we diagnosed it correctly. The old card must, in fact, have been dying. Thanks. I guess we can call this one solved!

08-11-2007, 09:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
1 g0t 0wn3d TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona, az Posts: 6,528 OS: Vista basic 32bit My System	Re: I think my video board is dying... Just to make sure what psu do you have your last card could have had its ram killed by it. __________________ Bench Test \| PC Wizard \| System specs \| PSU info \| PSU calculator \| Memtest86+ \| Speedfan

08-12-2007, 06:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
FloridaPapa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Originally from Northeast US; now living in hot & humid Central Florida Posts: 48 OS: Win XP Pro	Re: [SOLVED] I think my video board is dying... My PSU is an Antec True430. The detail specs can be seen here: http://www.antec.com/specs/true430_spe.html Please enlighten me... what about the PSU can damage RAM on the video board? Is it insufficient power capability on one or more of its voltage outputs? Or is it something else?

08-12-2007, 07:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: [SOLVED] I think my video board is dying... You have a quality PSU, so I wouldn't worry about that. Cheap PSUs can generate voltage spikes (especially when they're "dying") that can kill other parts in the computer. It was, most likely, the card that had a rather short life span.

08-12-2007, 08:16 AM	#8 (permalink)
FloridaPapa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Originally from Northeast US; now living in hot & humid Central Florida Posts: 48 OS: Win XP Pro	Re: [SOLVED] I think my video board is dying... Thanks "eneles," that makes a lot of sense to me. I've always relied on a UPS and surge supressors to protect my PC from spikes (as well as power interruptions, brown-outs, etc.), but I hadn't considered the possibility of voltage spike damage from internal sources. Well... Will you look at that... It's still only mid-morning on this fine Sunday, and it has already been a successful day... one more tidbit of knowledge has been added to my brain!