computer problem

jimingo wrote on 7/31/2006, 6:57 AM
After a long render my monitor got a bunch of lines through it and the mouse pointer turned into a square blob. I thought it was a freak thing so I let my computer rest but I keep getting wierd lines on my screen. I have a Radeon 9700 pro video card and I'm guessing that's the problem. The computer runs fine other than lines on the monitor. Could this be something else other than my video card?

Thanks
-Jim

Comments

fldave wrote on 7/31/2006, 7:18 AM
Have you rebooted? Usually that indicates a memory corruption problem occurred. Reboot should help, if not, then something may have gotten fried. You might also open up the case and clean out dust, could be a temperature thing.

Edited:
As an aside, the power supply on my old reliable dual PIII just blew, and took my video card and monitor with it (didn't know all was fried at the time).

Thought it was the video card (old Radeon 7500 AIW), so am now the proud owner of a GeForce 6600, as I want to use the new nVidia HD player. But the machine wouldn't boot, so got a new Antec case/power supply. It booted, but no video on monitor, hooked up an old monitor and the video worked. So i went out and got my first LCD monitor (Viewsonic DVI). All is well.

Sheesh, had I known I needed all that, I would have just bought a new system.
jimingo wrote on 7/31/2006, 8:28 AM
Thanks,

I have rebooted many times and even shut the computer off for a couple of days. I ued canned air to clean out the dust also. I thought maybe it was a heat issue but the lines come up right when I start up my computer. Is there a way to tell where the problem is coming from or if something has been fried without sending it to get repaired? Also, the computer works fine other than the lines so if something has been fried, wouldn't I be experiencing any other problems?
ADinelt wrote on 7/31/2006, 8:54 AM
Here are a couple of other things to try:

1) Try re-installing the drivers for your graphics card, monitor and mouse. Do you still have the same problems.

2) If you have one, try hooking another monitor up to your computer. This will eliminate your monitor as a potential problem. If you still get lines on your monitor, then it is not a fault with your original monitor.

3) To narrow down the problem to your graphics card:
a) When your computer is booting, go into the BIOS setting screen. Do you see lines on the screen there?
b) Try changing screen resolutions. Do the lines still appear?
c) If you have a second computer, try moving the video card to it and see if you still have the same problems.

Hope this helps...
Al

Blues_Jam wrote on 7/31/2006, 11:59 PM
99.9% certain that the video card is the problem. I had the exact same symptoms with my Radeon 9800 pro. I tried a different monitor, different keyboard and mouse, updated all drivers, no change. Tried the vifeo card in a different computer and it SEEMED to work fine there. ? . ? .

I found I DID have a problem with my hard drive so I bought a new one. Now the Hard drive was fine so I brought the 9800 back into the system and the lines were back.

For reasons I won't go into here I then bought a new power supply, DVD burner, mother board, and RAM. The lines were still there! I moved the 9800 back into the computer I tried it in before which SEEMED fine but NOW it was messed up too!?!?!?!

Bought a new video card and all is fine again. I also sent the 9800 back for repair since it was still under waranty but I haven't tried it yet. I just need a case and a P4 processor (478-getting hard to find) along with my old pieces to have a complete system.

Blues
craftech wrote on 8/1/2006, 5:27 AM
The first thing that comes to mind short of a card failure is a power supply problem. If you have a larger or better power supply try swapping it. The card requires a decent amount of clean power.

I don't think it is the external power connector on the card because the system probably wouldn't start up if that were dead. The other thing I would check is the metal strip on the back of the card. See if it fell off or loosened. It is there to reduce or eliminate EMI interference.

John