Hello,

I want to ask for some help with my PC - something happened, which I cannot explain:

While I was playing a game, the image froze for 4 seconds, then it worked again and after 10 minutes it froze completely. I had to shut it down from the button. When I tried to start it again, the monitor never turned on ever since.

I know what you're thinking: video card failing. Ok, here's what I have done:
- I took out my video card and put it in another PC and it worked fine. That means that the video card is ok.
- I put in my PC a different video card and it also worked. That means that the rest of the PC is ok.

So what's the problem then ? Only when I put _my_ video card in _my_ PC the monitor doesn't turn on. The rest of the PC boots fine, but I get no image.

I have an NVIDIA GeForce 6600 gt and my mainboard is ABIT AW8.

Thank you.

--
Andrei Soare

Check Device Manager for problems. Try reinstalling/updating your video card drivers.

I can't check Device Manager, since I cannot turn on my monitor. And if I replace my video card and it will work, there won't be any problems.

And Video Drivers have nothing to do with BIOS for example, which also doesn't show up on my screen.

k027 is right. With the working card installed, download and save, for now, the latest drivers for the 6600GT. Uninstall all your existing drivers, shutdown, power off, UNPLUG, touch bare metal, and swap in the 6600GT. It should (in theory) come up in standard VGA mode, and allow you to install the new 6600GT drivers.

_________________
Bill, AFE7Ret
Freedom is NOT Free!

I don't understand what drivers have to do with anything. It should work even if I pulled out my hard drive - the monitor should still turn on.

Ok, I got it back, they told me that the video card was failing and that it would work or not randomly (perhaps they didn't know the exact reason either, but the card was definitely broken) and it's best to replace it - and so I have - and now everything works.

Well, that's what it was pointing too all along. I am glad you got it fixed and thanks for the followup.

I don't know what the shop did, but I note it was not random with you. It was confusingly consistent, it worked on one machine, and not the other. If you know they tried it in two or three test machines in the shop, then I would agree and that card is not salvageable.

If unsure how they tested it, before tossing that graphics card in the recycle bin, I would still want to test it again, but with a different power supply - one I knew was good, within tight tolerances, and of sufficient power. I would put the card back in a machine that it works with first and check for driver updates on the card maker's site - as mentioned earlier, they may include firmware updates that, if nothing else, might reset any defaults that some how became corrupted. I would also make sure the original PC had current drivers and the motherboard BIOS was current too.

I should have cautioned earlier to ensure you (as in any reader attempting this) prevent causing ESD damage to the cards and computers from a static discharge by always UNPLUGGING the computer and discharging yourself by touching the bare metal of the case before reaching inside, and often thereafter.

Before inserting the card, take a brand new pencil and very carefully, while being very ESD aware, slowly erase the card's contacts clean, both sides - being careful to only allow the erasure to make contact with the card's electrical contacts. Ensure the last swipe with the erasure on each contact is with a clean erasure. Clean denim jeans work great for cleaning erasures!

Never touch the contacts with bare skin - besides potential ESD damage, skin oils promote corrosion and grab on to dirt. Blast the contacts clean of erasure debris and dust with a can of compressed dusting gas, available just about anywhere.

If it still does not work when inserted in your computer with a good PSU, then some component (or combination of components) is creating an out-of-tolerance condition, causing the card and motherboard to fail the "handshake" and work together properly. Perhaps the card is flexed in such a way in that slot/case as to break contact across a microfracture. Or as we used to say back in my AF radio maintenance days, "FM" - not for Frequency Modulation, but for a certain type of Magic!

If still no luck, cannibalize the fan. If that card is passively cooled (no fan) I would keep the heatsink too - it is probably a good one - then toss the card in your precious metals recycle bin. If you don't have a precious metals recycle bin, start one, with that card as the first item - no need to poison the Earth any further.

_________________
Bill, AFE7Ret
Freedom is NOT Free!