I'm OUT for a bit (graphics card is dying..no...motherboard..dang..)-*FIXT*

Hey all...
Dont know if anyone's noticed my absence from the game as of late...but recently its just been a bunch of school work and nonsense..

But now y absence is being compounded with the recent lost of my video card which is overheating on start-up...soo....I somehow dont think I'll be playing games anytime soon or until thats replaced

(its a ATI Radeon 9800 If I recall correctly..)
The cards heat sink and fan I think are the problem as it makes an unhealthy amount of noise
What happens is on start up all seems well...and slow..and it reaches a point where it randomly hits colour blocks or lines or your random choice of image effects that = bad graphics card instead of an image ..never even making past the Wndows XP screen

Ive tried opening up...removing any dust...unslotting and reslotting
But it still fails at some point ie xp screen is the furtherest

So until I either get a new card...fix the fan/heat sink problem
And the fact of school..I'll probably be out of the game for a while...

However..If there is anyway that it could be fixed suggestions would be appreciated..
(preferably simple This seems it may be applicable to my problem...except with mine being more severe its my only other guess aside from the fan alone..)

So yes.. help please?
The computer itself is about...hitting 5 yrs old..? I lost track...maybe just 3...

Also:
Should one attempt to stick in a normal fan near the video card? Would it help?

I had the exact same symptoms that your computer had where it'd freeze on an image, and half the time didn't make it past the windows screen. In my case it was definitely the video card, and once it was out and replaced all problems were fixed. Some people gave me some other suggestions just in case it wasn't the card so you may want to try out a few, they definitely narrowed it down for me. http://www.disastrousconsequences.com/dcforum/posts/list/3567.page

I had the same issue with a 9800 Pro - bought a new fan and a little tube of thermal paste and problem solved.

@ Pyramidon
I knew I saw something like this on the forum before...thanks...will try these..

Though Im almost positive its the card....still wont make it past the windows xp screen

@ Spike
It would then appear that its a common problem...site I quoted earlier up outlined doing just that ...which IMO is beyond my doing..(dunno where I would get the thermal paste..if its sold at local stores and what not..)

I wanted a new vid card..now it turns out I NEED a new one...go figure...

Any suggestions? (for what card to get..that would be better performance or the same ?)

So far its defiantly not the screen...
And I wont be able to check OS as I cant back up the stuff on the computer (havtn made it past xp screen sometimes not even past the Dell and I dont have the install disk which Ive been trying tog et for 3 months nows...:/)

Also something else I remembered..This computer orignaly was made by Dell with a Nvidea rather than an ATI....
In Dell.com's words...

G0770 CARD (CIRCUIT)..., GRAPHICS..., 64M, NV18, FULL HEIGHT..., OPLX, SECOND...

Next I can check is maybe memory as Em put it..but thats doubtful...

----EDIT----
Well opened up and swapped the 2 512Mb memory sticks around...
Shockingly it gets further ie get one step past the xp loading screen to a blue screen where xp is checking the C drive..but after that it shuts down
Reopening gives me the message
'closed due to thermal event'
The original message my sister got...

Thoughts?

I have seen a problem on a Dell before where it reported the 'thermal event' error. In that case it was the motherboard, not the graphics card.

If you have a different graphics card (the original card - or was it onboard graphics?), I suggest you try it, and see if you still get the same problem.

I can't remember in this particular case what the problem with the motherboard was, I think it was just within the 3yr warranty, so I just got it replaced. A bad contact on one of the chips on the motherboard I think?

However, I have experienced a lot of problems with some Dells (particularly Optiplex GX270s) where they power up until just after the XP screen where it swaps to the higher resolution graphics screen, and at that time they would die. The motherboards have capacitors on them (small tube like things sticking up) that are supposed to be flat on top. They were blown, and looked domed on top. So, I would give your motherboard a glance and see if the capacitors look flat. The capacitors assist the power distribution, and the extra power requirements required for the higher res screen used to be too much. See this article

Just some thoughts - but if you can get your hands on a different graphics card, try it before you spend money.

Try loading the defaults in the BIOS (usually del, F10, or one of the other function keys)

Then try booting into safe mode (F8 right after the beep when booting)

If you don't get anywhere doing that the nVidia 8800GT's are probably the best deal out there, about $200 - $250

And Szlat wins!...
The capitors looked a like a mini pigeon flew in and did a doosie....for lakc of better wording..
And according to the wiki article the motherboard problems leads to the thermal event and the graphics card too I think...
So the GX270 is down for the count....and Im out until I get a new motherboard......bothersome...

Well thanks for the help...

-Jason_x- wrote:

And Szlat wins!...
The capitors looked a like a mini pigeon flew in and did a doosie....for lakc of better wording..
And according to the wiki article the motherboard problems leads to the thermal event and the graphics card too I think...
So the GX270 is down for the count....and Im out until I get a new motherboard......bothersome...

Well thanks for the help...

Might as well buy a new pc!!!!!!

(DC)DEMONSLAYER wrote:

-Jason_x- wrote:

And Szlat wins!...
The capitors looked a like a mini pigeon flew in and did a doosie....for lakc of better wording..
And according to the wiki article the motherboard problems leads to the thermal event and the graphics card too I think...
So the GX270 is down for the count....and Im out until I get a new motherboard......bothersome...

Well thanks for the help...

Might as well buy a new pc!!!!!!

Easier said than done...
Depends how things go...
In mean time I will have to make do with no games and one of the 2 comps that belong to my mom..(this current one is old one..running...98...feels weird..)

But yeah it will probably boil down to that ....
Just in time for birthday too

...

*UPDATE*
Well good news & bad news time....
The good news is the computer is back after getting the motherboard (and graphics card...apparently it 'needed' replacing too...but I have the old one in case it fine....)
The computer works once more.....

The bad news is game wise I still wont be able to play thanks to my sister having chicken pox...which now makes me the only one to not have had it in my house...
so until she is well or I come down with them myself(and miss school which I cant afford to do for the next week and half..) my sister will be the sole user of that computer for school work she needs to get done (and can only be done on that one...)

So yay! The computer is back!

...but I cant use it for another week or so...

.....
fun....soooo.....
Cya in a week?

can't...take...the WAIT AAAAHHH!!!

oh wait I can play

looking forward to seeing ya online again J

Dude!! I just started up again!! (Just reinstalled a few days ago.) and I remembered you! I cant wait to get back with you man!

Hey...well sister is out of quarantine and I can play again....

...thats about it....hopefully I wont get sick either....hopefully.....

All this talk about computer problems..well mine had a melt down... I can save the new case and power supply. The rest is smelly residue. Time to build a new one see you later. Have fun !

Good call Szlat! We've had the same issue at work with the 270s - it didn't occur to me since my card actually had a heat problem.