Video Problem

[Dave0523]

Let me make sure I have your troubleshooting tree down.

NO software/hardware changes between last working and not working.

NOT the card. (Works fine in another machine.)

NOT the software. (Booting with onboard video works.)

NOT the resolution from the OS. (I assume you tried cranking this down while you could see the machine in operation while using the onboard video. Also, you didn't mention seeing a BIOS splash, I assume a completely blank screen all during boot with video card?)

(Speaking of which, are there any POST beeps indicating that the BIOS can't find a video out when the card is in, or is that negated because there is an onboard vid chip?)

Hate to say it, but sounds like the slot took a dive. It can happen. If you're gonna take a run at the ASC, I would move all my data to the extra hard drive you mentioned and take it out. Might want to switch back the PS too, if you still have the old one. Make it as close to original spec as possible and see what they say.
Good luck!

oops! Forgot one. Do you use the same signal cable when going from onboard video to monitor that you use from video card to monitor?

You are correct on all assumptions. Everything was working fine when I shut down. Then 5.5 hours later, I turned on and no picture. No POST screen, no beeps (onboard video works) , monitor reports no signal and shuts itself off. And, yes, different cables; onboard is VGA, card is DVI (and , yes, I tried another DVI cable, so I know it's not that either; other card and cable are running wife's computer just fine.). I'll just take it into a repair shop myself and see what they can do for me, since I don't know which power supply is the original (have 3 in my "part" box).

--Dave

[sms001]

And, yes, different cables; onboard is VGA, card is DVI (and , yes, I tried another DVI cable, so I know it's not that either

Yeah, you seemed to have it down pat, but even the best forget a link in the chain once in a while. Oh well. Hope all goes well at the shop. On the other tentacle, how's the AC?

[Dave0523]

Yeah, you seemed to have it down pat, but even the best forget a link in the chain once in a while. Oh well. Hope all goes well at the shop. On the other tentacle, how's the AC?

They had to order a new cord. 5 business days. So, it's next Wednesday. And I'm in Florida, btw. So happy the window unit in the bedroom is working.

--Dave

[Dave0523]

OK, after 2 months of not bothering to take the box in, today I get home from my daughter's TaeKwonDo class, turn on the computer, and the monitor reports DVI input instead of VGA. Checked out Device Manager, and GeForce 7900 GS is listed instead of GeForce 6100 (on-board video). Weird. I have done NOTHING to attempt to fix the problem. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't look the gift horse in the mouth.

--Dave

[JustADude]

OK, after 2 months of not bothering to take the box in, today I get home from my daughter's TaeKwonDo class, turn on the computer, and the monitor reports DVI input instead of VGA. Checked out Device Manager, and GeForce 7900 GS is listed instead of GeForce 6100 (on-board video). Weird. I have done NOTHING to attempt to fix the problem. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't look the gift horse in the mouth.

--Dave

Okay, that's just WEIRD! Maybe an auto-update fixed the thing?

[Broomjockey]

Pfft. My computer's weirder. In addition to throwing fits at first which fixed themselves after I took it back to the store, it gives me DX10 effects when games run in DX9 mode, patches for Hellgate won't run correctly the first 4 times, but when I run it the fifth, it works, though it tells me it's crashed first, and other assorted insanities. And that's only this system that I had for 2 months.

My old one also went through the joys of renaming the video card, though that caused issues, not fixed them. That tower also had a wide variety of bizzare, unexplainable occurances. Just chalk this up in the win column, and hope that a hummingbird in Africa doesn't flap its wings.

[sms001]

turn on the computer, and the monitor reports DVI input instead of VGA. Checked out Device Manager, and GeForce 7900 GS is listed instead of GeForce 6100 (on-board video). Weird.

Sometimes gremlins totally rock.

[wolfie]

Are you using Vista as your operating system? Is there any chance that the computer was trying to play copyright-protected media? Vista is designed on the premise that even though you paid for the computer, it's not yours - it actually belongs to the publisher of the copyrighted media you're trying to play. If the media supports (D)igital (R)ights (M)anagement, Vista won't feed a signal over a high-quality digital link that doesn't support DRM, on the assumption that you're trying to pirate the content. Low-quality analog links are OK, because the signal is degraded.

DVI (from your add-in card) is a high-quality digital link, VGA is a low-quality analog link (component video packaged into a single connector). If, on a Vista system, you (for example) try to play a DRM-protected movie (such as HD-DVD), you can't watch it on a DVI monitor, but you can on a VGA monitor (unless your card is like the ATI All-In-Wonder I have, where the "native" connector is DVI, and to get a VGA signal you have to plug in a "dongle" to convert it to VGA.

If this "Vista + DVI + DRM" issue is your problem, the only solution is to upgrade your operating system to XP.

[Dave0523]

Are you using Vista as your operating system? Is there any chance that the computer was trying to play copyright-protected media? Vista is designed on the premise that even though you paid for the computer, it's not yours - it actually belongs to the publisher of the copyrighted media you're trying to play. If the media supports (D)igital (R)ights (M)anagement, Vista won't feed a signal over a high-quality digital link that doesn't support DRM, on the assumption that you're trying to pirate the content. Low-quality analog links are OK, because the signal is degraded.

DVI (from your add-in card) is a high-quality digital link, VGA is a low-quality analog link (component video packaged into a single connector). If, on a Vista system, you (for example) try to play a DRM-protected movie (such as HD-DVD), you can't watch it on a DVI monitor, but you can on a VGA monitor (unless your card is like the ATI All-In-Wonder I have, where the "native" connector is DVI, and to get a VGA signal you have to plug in a "dongle" to convert it to VGA.

If this "Vista + DVI + DRM" issue is your problem, the only solution is to upgrade your operating system to XP.

I'm proud to say that I'm running XP. My brother-in-law is beta-testing Vista (meaning he bought a laptop with Vista pre-loaded), and boy, does he hate it. I've had to try to get stuff working for him, and I now know I'll be sticking with XP as long as possible.

--Dave

[Dave0523]

Well, it turns out the problem was the motherboard the whole time. It finally gave out completely. Luckily it didn't take anything with it, so after replacing it, everything is again working fine. Amazingly enough, I did NOT have to re-install Windows. Just popped in the motherboard drivers CD, and had to reboot a half dozen times, but everything straightened itself out and works fine. Thanks for all the suggestions here, though. I appreciated it.

--Dave

[lordlundar]

patches for Hellgate won't run correctly the first 4 times, but when I run it the fifth, it works, though it tells me it's crashed first,

From what I've been hearing with the hellgate patches, that's par fpr the course.

[Broomjockey]

From what I've been hearing with the hellgate patches, that's par fpr the course.

Actually, it's gotten better since then. Like all modern games, they shipped it before it was really finished.