Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried

zapdog · 01-11-2009, 07:01 AM

My Son's Cybertron gaming PC was the victim of surge / spike from old floor lamp that shorted-out and was plugged into the computer's surge protector. With my semi-noob status, I was unable yesterday to determine what has been fried. He is running vista64, it is a nvidia 8800 video card I think, monitor is a Samsung 20 inch 1080P being fed with a DVI cable..... Cannot get image on monitor, computer sounds like its doing its POST ( I hear friendly Vista sounds like it is booting properly ) I cannot get an image either when I plug monitor into onboard graphics via DVI ( it may be disabled in bios ) I was able to get image though on monitor on my computer via VGA. Here is the weird part when I turn off my son's computer and even unplug the power supply the case fan still runs until I unplug monitor's DVI cable from the card , or disconnect the auxillairy power to the video card, or unplug the monitor (120V) from the house power.

Is there normally some sort of sensing voltage from the monitor that might be now misdirected by the video card and turning on case fan? (case fan is fed from power supply) Am I out of my mind and the monitor is fried and sending strange stray voltage to the computer via DVI?

Wheres a good place to start with troubleshooting this mess? Take monitor to get checked at repair shop? ( I'm a little hesitant to plug it back into my computer ( stray voltage theory) Replace the video card?
Replace motherboard? Call Cybertron? Throw rig out the window?

Thanks in advance for any help / advice you can offer.

Nexxtech · 01-11-2009, 09:27 AM

I would first try clearing your CMOS jumper on the motherboard if your board has one. Maybe a reset switch on the back of your PC. Remove your CMOS battery at the same time. Unplug your PSU. Do you have another video card and or monitor to try?

zapdog · 01-11-2009, 10:06 AM

No on both accounts. The video card has just 2 DVI connectors, no other digital monitors in house. The video card is a PCIe x 16, everthing else in the house is AGP.

Thanks for the reply

zapdog

zapdog · 01-11-2009, 11:25 AM

Hello Nexxtech,

I tried resetting the CMOS, removing the battery, etc., as you suggested and as-per motherboard instruction manual.... No luck, still have problem.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Zapdog

Nexxtech · 01-11-2009, 12:54 PM

I wouldn't throw your rig out the window just yet. lol. Did you say you could get an image via VGA. If so I am assuming your operating system is running. Try entering the BIOS and enable on board graphics. Take your video card out. Turn your machine off reinstall your DVI connector to your on board connector and boot. If it posts then your video card is bad. Do you have another PSU to try? I would think your problem is one of the three.

zapdog · 01-11-2009, 02:14 PM

Hi Nexxtech

Only got VGA image on monitor when I plugged it into another computer. The video card in the "fried" computer has 2 DVI connectors only. When I plugged monitor(s) (extra VGA monitor also) into the on board graphics I could not get an image... I guess it is disabled, and its sort of a chicken /egg problem to enable.

I'm pretty sure the operating system is running ( I hear happy noises lke vista is loading properly.

I'm no electrical engineer, but I would think the further upstream an item is, the more susceptable it would be to damage from the spike / surge. The power supply would be a good candidate, but I do not understand how it could still supply power to motherboard, etc and be damaged.

Also, there is definitely current from the monitor via DVI cable that is making the case fan spin even with PSU unplugged ( case fan is fed from PSU ) Is there normally some sort of sensing current from the monitor that is being redirected by the PSU and or video card?

What are your thoughts on the monitor: is it a suspect?? It was plugged into the surge protector with the faulty lamp and computer.

Thanks again for your help

Nexxtech · 01-11-2009, 03:56 PM

Yeah I thought about it after I posted that you have only DVI connectors. I've seen faulty PSU's power on but are still defective. I would think the surge ran into your PSU first as well as your monitor because they were directly connected to your power bar. Can you borrow another PSU and or monitor?

zapdog · 01-11-2009, 05:08 PM

Hey Nexxtech

Thanks for all the feedback. No, I don't have a line on an extra power supply, or monitor without forking out some bucks at the big box store. I could load the drivers for the 20 inch 1080P monitor onto my computer...
I do have a dvi connector in the back...no wait, I don't want to fry my computer too. Maybe I should take the monitor to get it checked out...

I guess the same question comes to mind: Is it normal to have current running from the monitor to the computer via the DVI cable??? Because thats what making the case fan run eventhough the computer's PSU is unplugged

Thanks Again

Zapdog

Nexxtech · 01-12-2009, 04:30 AM

Hi Zapdog, not sure about a DVI cable, but I think that theory is true with VGA. Try another case fan, and cmos battery. This is likely more than one hardware issue. Can't see a defective monitor doing any harm to your other Computer, yet to have it tested wouldn't cost much. Might as well start the process of elimination. Good luck.

Nexxtech · 01-12-2009, 04:50 PM

Did you replace the power bar the lamp, monitor was plugged into?

01-11-2009, 07:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
zapdog Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1	Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried My Son's Cybertron gaming PC was the victim of surge / spike from old floor lamp that shorted-out and was plugged into the computer's surge protector. With my semi-noob status, I was unable yesterday to determine what has been fried. He is running vista64, it is a nvidia 8800 video card I think, monitor is a Samsung 20 inch 1080P being fed with a DVI cable..... Cannot get image on monitor, computer sounds like its doing its POST ( I hear friendly Vista sounds like it is booting properly ) I cannot get an image either when I plug monitor into onboard graphics via DVI ( it may be disabled in bios ) I was able to get image though on monitor on my computer via VGA. Here is the weird part when I turn off my son's computer and even unplug the power supply the case fan still runs until I unplug monitor's DVI cable from the card , or disconnect the auxillairy power to the video card, or unplug the monitor (120V) from the house power. Is there normally some sort of sensing voltage from the monitor that might be now misdirected by the video card and turning on case fan? (case fan is fed from power supply) Am I out of my mind and the monitor is fried and sending strange stray voltage to the computer via DVI? Wheres a good place to start with troubleshooting this mess? Take monitor to get checked at repair shop? ( I'm a little hesitant to plug it back into my computer ( stray voltage theory) Replace the video card? Replace motherboard? Call Cybertron? Throw rig out the window? Thanks in advance for any help / advice you can offer.

01-11-2009, 09:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
Nexxtech Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 481 OS: XP Pro SP3 / Windows 7	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried I would first try clearing your CMOS jumper on the motherboard if your board has one. Maybe a reset switch on the back of your PC. Remove your CMOS battery at the same time. Unplug your PSU. Do you have another video card and or monitor to try?

01-11-2009, 10:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
zapdog Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried No on both accounts. The video card has just 2 DVI connectors, no other digital monitors in house. The video card is a PCIe x 16, everthing else in the house is AGP. Thanks for the reply zapdog

01-11-2009, 11:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
zapdog Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried Hello Nexxtech, I tried resetting the CMOS, removing the battery, etc., as you suggested and as-per motherboard instruction manual.... No luck, still have problem. Any other suggestions? Thanks Zapdog

01-11-2009, 12:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Nexxtech Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 481 OS: XP Pro SP3 / Windows 7	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried I wouldn't throw your rig out the window just yet. lol. Did you say you could get an image via VGA. If so I am assuming your operating system is running. Try entering the BIOS and enable on board graphics. Take your video card out. Turn your machine off reinstall your DVI connector to your on board connector and boot. If it posts then your video card is bad. Do you have another PSU to try? I would think your problem is one of the three.

01-11-2009, 02:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
zapdog Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried Hi Nexxtech Only got VGA image on monitor when I plugged it into another computer. The video card in the "fried" computer has 2 DVI connectors only. When I plugged monitor(s) (extra VGA monitor also) into the on board graphics I could not get an image... I guess it is disabled, and its sort of a chicken /egg problem to enable. I'm pretty sure the operating system is running ( I hear happy noises lke vista is loading properly. I'm no electrical engineer, but I would think the further upstream an item is, the more susceptable it would be to damage from the spike / surge. The power supply would be a good candidate, but I do not understand how it could still supply power to motherboard, etc and be damaged. Also, there is definitely current from the monitor via DVI cable that is making the case fan spin even with PSU unplugged ( case fan is fed from PSU ) Is there normally some sort of sensing current from the monitor that is being redirected by the PSU and or video card? What are your thoughts on the monitor: is it a suspect?? It was plugged into the surge protector with the faulty lamp and computer. Thanks again for your help

01-11-2009, 03:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
Nexxtech Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 481 OS: XP Pro SP3 / Windows 7	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried Yeah I thought about it after I posted that you have only DVI connectors. I've seen faulty PSU's power on but are still defective. I would think the surge ran into your PSU first as well as your monitor because they were directly connected to your power bar. Can you borrow another PSU and or monitor?

01-11-2009, 05:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
zapdog Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried Hey Nexxtech Thanks for all the feedback. No, I don't have a line on an extra power supply, or monitor without forking out some bucks at the big box store. I could load the drivers for the 20 inch 1080P monitor onto my computer... I do have a dvi connector in the back...no wait, I don't want to fry my computer too. Maybe I should take the monitor to get it checked out... I guess the same question comes to mind: Is it normal to have current running from the monitor to the computer via the DVI cable??? Because thats what making the case fan run eventhough the computer's PSU is unplugged Thanks Again Zapdog

01-12-2009, 04:30 AM	#9 (permalink)
Nexxtech Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 481 OS: XP Pro SP3 / Windows 7	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried Hi Zapdog, not sure about a DVI cable, but I think that theory is true with VGA. Try another case fan, and cmos battery. This is likely more than one hardware issue. Can't see a defective monitor doing any harm to your other Computer, yet to have it tested wouldn't cost much. Might as well start the process of elimination. Good luck.

01-12-2009, 04:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Nexxtech Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 481 OS: XP Pro SP3 / Windows 7	Re: Ghosts in the Machine or Video Card Fried Did you replace the power bar the lamp, monitor was plugged into?