video card problem??

invinsbiel81 · 08-04-2008, 06:41 PM

hi!
i think i may have ruined my video card somehow. i have an ATI x1900 512 mb video card on my Dell XPS 400. when i start up my computer the start up logo and welcome screen are all messed up. when the desktop finally comes up, theres small rectangles all over the screen, and there appears to be some sort of mirror images because i see more than one mouse pointer and some shortcuts appear more than once on my desktop. is there something i can do to fix this and have my screen the way its supposed to be. btw, the gpu is idling at 57C. thanks for the help.

Houndog777 · 08-05-2008, 02:29 AM

Hi, sounds very much like a dying video-card.
BUT
Can you get into safe mode ok?

If you can, then uninstall the drivers and ATI software from Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. Stay in Control Panel and go to System, then Hardware, then Device Manager, right-click on the name of the video card and select Uninstall.
If windows asks you to restart, say no and shut down.

Unplug your computer, monitor and any peripheral from the mains supply. Open your case and reseat the card. (remove the video card and then put it back; remembering to follow the anti-static rules when your hands are anywhere near components or your motherboard.)

Close up your case, plug in your power leads again and boot the pc, but whilst booting press F8 repeatedly until you get the alternative start-up options.
Choose to start in VGA Mode.

Disable/stop any non-windows applications and services, like anti-virus etc, reinstall your drivers and restart.

invinsbiel81 · 08-05-2008, 02:35 PM

ok, i undestand all the steps except the last one. how do i reinstall the drivers? you mean from ati.com?? please explain in a little more detail about what i do in vga mode. i appreciate your help

Houndog777 · 08-05-2008, 03:54 PM

Hi, do you have the drivers on disc or downloaded?
All you do after you start in VGA Mode is use Task Manager to stop any anti-virus programs etc from running, and click on the setup.exe file in the display drivers folder, follow the instructions, then restart.

If you need to download them........
http://support.dell.com/support/down...&catid=&impid=

Re your temps; that is high for idle, so you should clean the fan on your video card and have a look see if the other fans in the system need dusting.
http://www.computerhope.com/cleaning.htm

08-04-2008, 06:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
invinsbiel81 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 9 OS: xp	video card problem?? hi! i think i may have ruined my video card somehow. i have an ATI x1900 512 mb video card on my Dell XPS 400. when i start up my computer the start up logo and welcome screen are all messed up. when the desktop finally comes up, theres small rectangles all over the screen, and there appears to be some sort of mirror images because i see more than one mouse pointer and some shortcuts appear more than once on my desktop. is there something i can do to fix this and have my screen the way its supposed to be. btw, the gpu is idling at 57C. thanks for the help.

08-05-2008, 02:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Houndog777 Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 2,683 OS: XPpro sp3 My System	Re: video card problem?? Hi, sounds very much like a dying video-card. BUT Can you get into safe mode ok? If you can, then uninstall the drivers and ATI software from Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. Stay in Control Panel and go to System, then Hardware, then Device Manager, right-click on the name of the video card and select Uninstall. If windows asks you to restart, say no and shut down. Unplug your computer, monitor and any peripheral from the mains supply. Open your case and reseat the card. (remove the video card and then put it back; remembering to follow the anti-static rules when your hands are anywhere near components or your motherboard.) Close up your case, plug in your power leads again and boot the pc, but whilst booting press F8 repeatedly until you get the alternative start-up options. Choose to start in VGA Mode. Disable/stop any non-windows applications and services, like anti-virus etc, reinstall your drivers and restart. Last edited by Houndog777; 08-05-2008 at 02:32 AM.

08-05-2008, 02:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
invinsbiel81 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 9 OS: xp	Re: video card problem?? ok, i undestand all the steps except the last one. how do i reinstall the drivers? you mean from ati.com?? please explain in a little more detail about what i do in vga mode. i appreciate your help

08-05-2008, 03:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
Houndog777 Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 2,683 OS: XPpro sp3 My System	Re: video card problem?? Hi, do you have the drivers on disc or downloaded? All you do after you start in VGA Mode is use Task Manager to stop any anti-virus programs etc from running, and click on the setup.exe file in the display drivers folder, follow the instructions, then restart. If you need to download them........ http://support.dell.com/support/down...&catid=&impid= Re your temps; that is high for idle, so you should clean the fan on your video card and have a look see if the other fans in the system need dusting. http://www.computerhope.com/cleaning.htm