Gateway pentium III 450 & pny g-force 5500

flyingv · 02-11-2005, 06:31 PM

Hey!I have Gateway pentium III 450 that had a Voodoo 3dfx videocard...one day the monitor went wacked and the pic was shrunk and fluttering in the center of my monitor.I could hear the fluttering sound in the back of my monitor and thought it was shot.Then...I got the idea that my video card was bad and bought the PNY G-Force 5500 AGP and installed it according to mfg instructions.It worked and my monitor came on ok except that now no matter what screen resolution I use the picture is fuzzy,too bright,too wide and just nasty to look at.I tried every adjustment on the monitor panel and every adjustment in the Nvidia control panel but I just can't get it to look right.I downloaded the latest drivers for the card and my monitor but no luck.I called Staples several times but no help.Got on PNY website and Nvidia website but no help.What should I do now?I was leaning toward tossing my comp into the bay... but it's frozen then I thought ...if i got a big truck I could......

elf · 02-12-2005, 07:45 PM

I would recommend trying a different monitor...if installing different drivers doesn't fix the problem, then it probably doesn't lie with the card itself, but rather the monitor or the cables.

zeusxxi · 02-12-2005, 09:13 PM

I would determine the problem by steps:
I would first run a monitor self test. If the monitor is Gateway just unplug it from the video card. It should display the monitor self test with 3 color bars, and see how does that look.
Scenario 1: the self test looks funny or blurry then replace monitor.
Scenario 2: self test looks fine: then it really doesn't matter what card you use, cuz they both give u trouble...
-Delete from windows and reinstall drivers
-Check the refresh rate in within the video settings
-Make sure the AGP slot in the mdb is ok (dust, and stuff of the sort) and video cards are secured in, firmly installed
-Try a different cable from the monitor to the video card (if the cable screws into the monitor and u have chances to try a different one)

Last thing i can think of is either a virus or a problem with the OS

Good luck

**Fox** · 02-12-2005, 09:17 PM

I would have to say it's probably the monitor and not the video card. If I have this same computer (and I think I do, it's an Essential 450), the monitor is pretty shoddy, and mine seems to be on its way out as well.

flyingv · 02-18-2005, 06:06 PM

Thank you all for your replies! I think that I will try a different monitor even though the self test looks pretty clear it is a bit bright.It's weird because I always had the brightnes setting on the monitor full up.Now it's all the way to "0" and still too bright.I really don't know what else to do.I will let you know how that goes.
Thanks again!
Later

02-11-2005, 06:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
flyingv Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2 OS: win 2000	Gateway pentium III 450 & pny g-force 5500 Hey!I have Gateway pentium III 450 that had a Voodoo 3dfx videocard...one day the monitor went wacked and the pic was shrunk and fluttering in the center of my monitor.I could hear the fluttering sound in the back of my monitor and thought it was shot.Then...I got the idea that my video card was bad and bought the PNY G-Force 5500 AGP and installed it according to mfg instructions.It worked and my monitor came on ok except that now no matter what screen resolution I use the picture is fuzzy,too bright,too wide and just nasty to look at.I tried every adjustment on the monitor panel and every adjustment in the Nvidia control panel but I just can't get it to look right.I downloaded the latest drivers for the card and my monitor but no luck.I called Staples several times but no help.Got on PNY website and Nvidia website but no help.What should I do now?I was leaning toward tossing my comp into the bay... but it's frozen then I thought ...if i got a big truck I could......

02-12-2005, 07:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
elf Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Knoxville, TN or Austin, TX depending Posts: 7,049 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 and Windows 7 My System	I would recommend trying a different monitor...if installing different drivers doesn't fix the problem, then it probably doesn't lie with the card itself, but rather the monitor or the cables. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! I do not subscribe to threads, so if I stop replying, PM me with a link to your thread so I can find it again.

02-12-2005, 09:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
zeusxxi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Kinda organized steps I would determine the problem by steps: I would first run a monitor self test. If the monitor is Gateway just unplug it from the video card. It should display the monitor self test with 3 color bars, and see how does that look. Scenario 1: the self test looks funny or blurry then replace monitor. Scenario 2: self test looks fine: then it really doesn't matter what card you use, cuz they both give u trouble... -Delete from windows and reinstall drivers -Check the refresh rate in within the video settings -Make sure the AGP slot in the mdb is ok (dust, and stuff of the sort) and video cards are secured in, firmly installed -Try a different cable from the monitor to the video card (if the cable screws into the monitor and u have chances to try a different one) Last thing i can think of is either a virus or a problem with the OS Good luck

02-12-2005, 09:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	I would have to say it's probably the monitor and not the video card. If I have this same computer (and I think I do, it's an Essential 450), the monitor is pretty shoddy, and mine seems to be on its way out as well.

02-18-2005, 06:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
flyingv Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2 OS: win 2000	Thank you all for your replies! I think that I will try a different monitor even though the self test looks pretty clear it is a bit bright.It's weird because I always had the brightnes setting on the monitor full up.Now it's all the way to "0" and still too bright.I really don't know what else to do.I will let you know how that goes. Thanks again! Later