Author Topic: Techies, need help. (Read 498 times)

Elfie · « **on:** June 10, 2005, 03:37:52 PM »

Ok heres the deal......I recently installed an Athlon 64 3200+ (939 pin) cpu on a Gigabyte K8NS-Ultra 939 mobo along with 1 gig of corsairxms ram memory. Everything was great until my FX5700 video card quit. (The fan was locked up so tight you couldnt move it at all and when you tryed it would torque the entire card, so I am pretty sure that card was d-e-d ded). I installed an *emergency use only* heat damaged ti4200 card and that card apparently quit after about 2 weeks.

Now here's the kicker. I got a replacement card from PNY for the one that died but it wont work on my Gigabyte board. (turn on the comp and nothing shows on the monitor.) The monitor is working because I hooked it up to our other comp and it works as advertised. So I tryed a known good video card in my comp and the results were the same, nothing showing on the monitor. (Yes, the monitor is plugged in and the cable is hooked up to the vid card correctly) At this point I suspected a bad AGP slot, so I reinstalled my old motherboard/cpu combo and guess what? I cant get any vid card to work on that board either.

When I turn power on to the system all the fans run and the hard drive runs etc. Is it possible for the power supply to be weak and not providing enough power to power up the vid card? If not, what else could possibly be wrong?

Also, the replacement vid card that PNY sent has some issues on 2 other comps I tryed to install it in. On one comp the monitor shows vertical lines about 1/4 inch wide with multiple colors in the lines that change constantly, the other comp has the same graphics issue but the lines are horizontal and only about 1/8 inch wide. I didnt install the drivers for the card on the other 2 comps since I just wanted to see if the comp would boot up with the card installed. However, I have NEVER seen that graphics issue before with the vanilla VGA drivers from windows.

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

*edit* my current power supply is a 400 watt unit, manufacturer unknown at this point unless I uninstall it and look at the side.

MaddogJoe · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2005, 04:26:32 PM »

I had the black screen once, and it was after I put in a new MB. My problem turned out to be the AGP slot was VERY tight. Even tho I'd put the video in and out a number of times I thought I had it seated right evey time. The final time I seated it with ....well lets say I was getting frustrated, and nobody could PROVE I used a hammer

... I pushed so hard on the thing that I heard a crack and thoguth I was getting a new MB after that. Fired the thing up and it ran great ! LOL!!

Thats the only one I ever found that tight. Why it would give you the troubles in the other boxes is what throws me. Another thing is the old Ti, "emergency use only", may have trashed your MB, causing problems on the new video to show up on the other boxes.... starting to sound like a vicious circle I know.

Good luck

Elfie · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2005, 04:34:34 PM »

Quote

Thats the only one I ever found that tight. Why it would give you the troubles in the other boxes is what throws me. Another thing is the old Ti, "emergency use only", may have trashed your MB, causing problems on the new video to show up on the other boxes.... starting to sound like a vicious circle I know.

Interesting, but it doesnt explain why I cant get any video card to work in that box even when I change mobo's.....hmmm

Clifra Jones · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2005, 01:25:09 PM »

Sounds like you may have a bad card.

Just to make sure you haven't fried your Mobo, power the system up w/o a vid card in it. It should complain by beeping like mad. If so you know that the board is trying to boot up properly.

Before you put that in any other system get it replaced. It does sound like something ain't right with it.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2005, 01:45:57 PM »

Just a bit of FYI......

I dont know of anyone who has had good luck with 5700s. There may be some people even on this board who are exceptions to that, I'm just speaking from experience. I owned one, it was flaky. I borrowed one recently for testing drivers, it was flaky too. You've had bad experiences with 2 in a row. Just sayin.

Also, I have heard lots of complaints on BBs about PNY. I've also heard complaints at the stores. I've had good luck with mine, and I personally know others who have them and have good luck with them. But it seems very hit or miss on quality. I'm not trying to run them down, as I said mine works great. But just thought you might want to know that enough others have had complaints that I dont think its just a small thing.

AKDogg · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2005, 02:18:21 PM »

I have a 5700le in my son's computer. When I first got it, it would do samething as U. I actually had to reset the bios by using the jumpers on MB to reset to default. Was wierd but it was the only video card that has done that to me. Other then that I had no problems with it. If that doesn't work I say the video card is bad and hopefully your MB is not bad. The Voltage regulator for the AGP slot can be bad and either over volting your card or under volting it. If U have another video that U know works, U should try that.

Elfie · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2005, 10:36:43 AM »

MwDogg, I tryed a known good vid card, it didnt work either. Also tryed 2 different motherboards in the box, same thing with both boards. MY comp is in a shop right now to have hardware diagnostics run on it.

Star, actually my 5700 card ran very nicely when I first got it. Speaking of PNY though.....once quite some time ago I went to Best Buy to pick up a 128m stick of ram. I picked up some PNY ram and had to take the stuff back 3 times. The 4th stick finally worked. I dont think you talked enough crap about PNY. Maybe you should make another post and talk alot more crap about them.

Clifra, thats one thing I didnt try.

Btw, I wont be buying any PNY products in the future. They are just to flaky for me.

Elfie · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2005, 02:58:27 PM »

Just heard from the shop that did the hardware diagnostics. The vid card failed miserably, the power supply is shot and the motherboard and possibly the cpu as well are shot. /cry

I have already requested an RMA for the motherboard, have the return for the cpu set up and now am waiting to hear from PNY tech support on the vid card. I left a nasty gram on their voice mail. The power supply is the only item not under warranty so I will have to purchase a new one of those.

AKDogg · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2005, 06:51:57 PM »

Sounds like the Power supply spiked the whole system or MB's Voltage regulator shorted the whole system. That happend to my first AMD computer I built. Motherboard wiped out the CPU. I had to RMA both. Video didn't have to worry about as it was onboard along with sound,lol.

Elfie · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2005, 07:03:11 PM »

MwDogg, the tech that did the hardware diagnostics said it was most likely a power supply spike that fryed the rest of the system.

Shipped out the motherboard and cpu today, still waiting on a new RMA for the faulty vid card. Guess it's gonna be another 5 - 6 weeks before I get all the parts back.