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Windows Forum / Windows XP / Performance and Maintainance / May 2007Time for a New Video Card?
[XP Home SP 2] When I restart my computer, the Welcome Screen looks like it's on a 'bad trip' and within a few seconds my monitor goes black. This happens much of the time, but not always, when I restart my computer. No way to predict when it's going to happen. However, when I shut down my computer, let it rest for a few seconds, and then start it up, all is well. The rest of my computer operates without any trouble. The card is an old Radeon 9600 - not exactly a hot rod. It's got the latest driver I'm thinking I need to replace the video card. Could there be any other likely cause for what I'm experiencing? M and D Did you try a different monitor? Also, if you decide to swap the 9600 ATI has a trade-up program - check the web site. [XP Home SP 2] When I restart my computer, the Welcome Screen looks like it's on a 'bad trip' and within a few seconds my monitor goes black. This happens much of the time, but not always, when I restart my computer. No way to predict when it's going to happen. However, when I shut down my computer, let it rest for a few seconds, and then start it up, all is well. The rest of my computer operates without any trouble. The card is an old Radeon 9600 - not exactly a hot rod. It's got the latest driver I'm thinking I need to replace the video card. Could there be any other likely cause for what I'm experiencing? M and D This only happens on restarting my computer...sometime. The rest of the time the video image is flawless, so it's not the monitor. Still, you would think if the video card were failing I'd be having trouble all the time, not just at restart, which gives me a glimmer of hope that perhaps it's not the video card. Then again, maybe there's something about restarting that puts extra 'strain' on a video card. Dunno. But this isn't the first time a video card has gone south on me, and the appearance of the image on my monitor is similar. ATI (now they're part of AMD) does indeed have a trade-up program, but I think you have to buy one of their higher end cards. M and D > Did you try a different monitor? > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > M and D > [XP Home SP 2] > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > I'm thinking I need to replace the video card. Could there be any > other likely cause for what I'm experiencing? The monitor? A short in the cable? Bent pin? Poor power supply?  SignatureShenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html If it were the monitor or the DVI cable, I would think this problem I'm having would not be limited to when my computer restarts...if a monitor or a cable are bad, they're bad anytime. If it was the power supply (or a fan), then other components in my computer should also be experiencing trouble, but that's not the case. What I think I've got on my hands is a damaged video card. This particular item was the first thing I ever installed in a computer, so I could have bent or otherwise damaged something on the board. (I neglected to mention that I've had this trouble for a couple of years, only lately it's gotten to be more frequent.) But I'd love for it to be something else...something software-ish...which is why I'm asking in this NG. M and D >> [XP Home SP 2] >> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Bent pin? > Poor power supply? > If it were the monitor or the DVI cable, I would think this problem > I'm having would not be limited to when my computer restarts...if a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > computer should also be experiencing trouble, but that's not the > case. When your computer starts up - it has to send a start signal to your monitor. If there is a power problem, short in the cable, issue with the startup of the monitor - it could easily be one of the things I mentioned. What happens if you turn off the monitor and turn it back on when the problem occurs? > What I think I've got on my hands is a damaged video card. This > particular item was the first thing I ever installed in a computer, > so I could have bent or otherwise damaged something on the board. > (I neglected to mention that I've had this trouble for a couple of > years, only lately it's gotten to be more frequent.) So - if you boot up with something like BartPE instead - same issue? > But I'd love for it to be something else...something > software-ish...which is why I'm asking in this NG. SignatureShenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html Thank you for all that info. Same behavior happened with my previous monitor and previous video cable, but it's easy to try a different video cable or even a VGA cable (instead the DVI-D cable I have now.) I can also experiment with my Bart CD, as well as my True Image startup CD (which I understand is written in Linux.) Hadn't thought about turning the monitor off and on -- I'll give that a try. M and D >> If it were the monitor or the DVI cable, I would think this problem >> I'm having would not be limited to when my computer restarts...if a [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >> But I'd love for it to be something else...something >> software-ish...which is why I'm asking in this NG. I had a similar problem with a Gateway system and a 24" DVI monitor. No one could find the problem. Everything was fine until I rebooted and the screen would go crazy and go black. If I turned of the monitor only and back on it was fine. Finally I found the problem after having what seemed like a possible bad power supply(which it wasn't). It was one of the memory chips! It finally died and after replacing it the system is fine. Hope this might help SignatureHave A Great Day Bill Meyer [XP Home SP 2] When I restart my computer, the Welcome Screen looks like it's on a 'bad trip' and within a few seconds my monitor goes black. This happens much of the time, but not always, when I restart my computer. No way to predict when it's going to happen. However, when I shut down my computer, let it rest for a few seconds, and then start it up, all is well. The rest of my computer operates without any trouble. The card is an old Radeon 9600 - not exactly a hot rod. It's got the latest driver I'm thinking I need to replace the video card. Could there be any other likely cause for what I'm experiencing? M and D ---------------------------------------------------------- From other replies, I've determined you're using a DVI stimulated monitor. You've had same problem with video card for a couple of years now, but has increased in frequency. My opinion is leaning toward one of 2 things. The 1.5 volt supply on the motherboard is weak. Or, the 3.3V and/or 5V line from the power supply is marginal. This, assuming, that the video card is okay. Usually, the "bad trip" is the monitor running in 640X480 resolution. When actually entering windows where the resolution may change again, the monitor may not be able to reproduce that resolution with video. Have you attempted to remove all ATI software and driver, switch to the default PCI video card, then reboot, then reinstall the current ATI driver? Directions specifically on how to do this at ATI website. Dave Hi Dave: Thanks for your help. Unfortunately, my motherboard doesn't have on-board video. The image of the Welcome Screen does look like 640 X 480. Here's possibly another clue: I'm starting to see thin, purple, vertical lines as well. I think the easiest way to go is to 1) try a different cable and 2) try a different video card. Video cards - the kind I need - are cheap these days. That will at least eliminate the cable and the card as the source of the problem. I replaced the power supply about 2 years ago, but it's the same stock PSU that Dell puts into a computer. These are not high quality devices. So my next step - after the cable and card - will be to have the power supply tested. I'm fairly confident it's not the monitor, since I had this with my previous monitor as well. What a pain! Thanks to the newsgroup for all the help. M and D > [XP Home SP 2] > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > on how to do this at ATI website. > Dave Never did I indicate you had onboard video, or reference that in a possible solution... Later. No, forget it. Dave Hi Dave: Thanks for your help. Unfortunately, my motherboard doesn't have on-board video. The image of the Welcome Screen does look like 640 X 480. Here's possibly another clue: I'm starting to see thin, purple, vertical lines as well. I think the easiest way to go is to 1) try a different cable and 2) try a different video card. Video cards - the kind I need - are cheap these days. That will at least eliminate the cable and the card as the source of the problem. I replaced the power supply about 2 years ago, but it's the same stock PSU that Dell puts into a computer. These are not high quality devices. So my next step - after the cable and card - will be to have the power supply tested. I'm fairly confident it's not the monitor, since I had this with my previous monitor as well. What a pain! Thanks to the newsgroup for all the help. M and D > [XP Home SP 2] > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > on how to do this at ATI website. > Dave > Never did I indicate you had onboard video, or reference that in a possible > solution... [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] >> on how to do this at ATI website. >> Dave I had the same problem with an older PC and a radeon 7000, just before ditching the PC. When the new PC started having video screen boot (push) problems, I ran the computer without protection for another month. When the APC unit I had the PC plugged in to started to drop cycle rapidly, I shut down the PC, and disconnected the items plugged in , One-by-one, and found the culprit was the monitor (an old Gateway EV70). Hope this will help you some, as often the Video Card is NOT the culprit. SignatureLester Stiefel In Romans 1 there are qualities of Unregenerate man listed which describe him in the last days. Is your quality found on this list?? [XP Home SP 2] The story so far (briefly): When I restart my computer, the Welcome Screen is noticeably pixilated and the colors are off. In addition, thin, vertical purple lines appear. Eventually my monitor goes black, and I need to power off my computer. This only happens on a restart -- when my computer starts from 'cold' the problem does not happen and I can use my computer normally. I received lots of good ideas from this group. One suggestion was to power off my monitor when this happens. THIS WORKED! As soon as I see the psychedelic Welcome Screen I power off the monitor, count to 5, power on the monitor and...voila! The image is perfect - the way it should be. Does this 'clue' suggest to anyone what the root cause of the problem is? Thanks again for your help. M and D >> Never did I indicate you had onboard video, or reference that in a possible >> solution... [quoted text clipped - 82 lines] > Hope this will help you some, as often the Video Card is NOT > the culprit. > [XP Home SP 2] > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thanks again for your help. Power... Either that of your video card/motherboard/power supply to initialize the monitor properly or the one on your monitor. SignatureShenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html "Power...Either that of your video card/motherboard/power supply to initialize the monitor properly or the one on your monitor." Excellent ...thank you for that. If I try my monitor on a different computer and get the same problem...would that indicate that the monitor's built-in power supply is the cause? If so, I guess I have a warranty claim (since my monitor is still under warranty.) If I try my monitor on a different computer and /don't/ get the same problem...would that indicate that my computer's power supply is the cause? If so, I guess replacing the power supply is the answer. P.S. It's midnight here, so I'll be reading your response tomorrow. Thanks again. M and D >> [XP Home SP 2] >> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Either that of your video card/motherboard/power supply to initialize the > monitor properly or the one on your monitor. |
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