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Thread ID: 79225	2007-05-13 02:01:00	Video card dead?	johcar (6283)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
549419	2007-05-13 02:01:00	OK - now I have my new PC sorted out (internet connection problems with Woosh), I thought I would turn on the old one (since it's worth nothing) and play with Linux - since it's a P4 1.7 with 1GB RAM, I thought this might be an ideal candidate for Linux... When I fired it up, after it had been sitting sulking in the corner for about three months, it gave one long and two short beeps - the monitor displayed "No video signal". After googling this error, it appears that one long/two short means "Video Card Error". Which is not particularly helpful in itself since I had already checked the connection between the monitor and PC case. What's the next step? The card isn't very old - from memory it's an Nvidia 256MB - probably about two years old. Are there any other diagnostics or tweaks I can try, or is it likely that the card is just plain dead? I have opened the case and wiggled the video card, but it looks to be seated OK....	johcar (6283)
549420	2007-05-13 02:09:00	Do you have a inbuilt graphics on the motherboard? if so, try and use that to see what happens. Otherwise, the best way to check is to try your old card in another computer	bob_doe_nz (92)
549421	2007-05-13 04:54:00	Reseat video card	Agent_24 (57)
549422	2007-05-13 04:56:00	pull the card out completely, stare at it a while and then stick it back in	Agent_24 (57)
549423	2007-05-13 04:57:00	arrgh stupid internet made me think it hadn't posted first time...	Agent_24 (57)
549424	2007-05-13 06:50:00	pull the card out completely, stare at it a while and then stick it back in Did this, fired up again, no go . Repeated, adding the important step of swearing loudly at it and fired up again . Still dead . Luckily, I had kept the card I upgraded from - plugged that in and all systems go . How long should a video card last? Since there's no moving parts, I would have thought practically forever . . . . Although I suppose there's always the chance of a stray electron clobbering a diode the wrong way . . .	johcar (6283)
549425	2007-05-13 07:44:00	yeah, it shouldn't just randomly die after 3 months - I have a 386 machine with cards from 1989 that still work perfectly, but maybe those were built to a higher standard... I take it both the old card and new one were the same bus type (AGP or whatever) You could try cleaning the contacts on the new card, if they seem dirty or anything	Agent_24 (57)
549426	2007-05-13 09:27:00	yeah, it shouldn't just randomly die after 3 months - I have a 386 machine with cards from 1989 that still work perfectly, but maybe those were built to a higher standard... I take it both the old card and new one were the same bus type (AGP or whatever) You could try cleaning the contacts on the new card, if they seem dirty or anything Cheers, yep - both went into and came out of the same slot and the contacts look pretty bright and shiny. I might just try to find the receipt and take it back to the retailer. You never know your luck... :thumbs:	johcar (6283)
549427	2007-05-13 09:56:00	Just because there are no moving parts DOES NOT mean it has less chance of death... is it a passive cooled card? They are designed to last 10 years at least under normal working conditions (not excessive temps and over clocking etc) (well I know CPUs are anyway)	The_End_Of_Reality (334)
549428	2007-05-13 10:05:00	Just because there are no moving parts DOES NOT mean it has less chance of death... is it a passive cooled card? They are designed to last 10 years at least under normal working conditions (not excessive temps and over clocking etc) (well I know CPUs are anyway)Yep - a pretty brushed aluminium heat sink with an equally pretty sticker of an eagle (it's an Nvidia FX5700 - cost $230 when I bought it). This card has not been 'fiddled' with at all and has given sterling performance up until this point... Shop visit will be made!!!	johcar (6283)
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