Graphics card question.

[Myrrh]

Okay so i got a new computer for christmas and because i'm both cheap and lazy i just took the old one out of my old computer and put it in my new one.

Anyways on to the point. Every once in a while my screen will fad black and my graphics will get all fucked up causing me to restart my computer. Even pics on the web get all messed it. I Had this problem on my old computer but i can't remember what i did to fix it. Could anyone help me out? And please please please keep the computer talk to a min. I know nothing about computer.... except how to kick them

 

[Acks]

It sounds like your card might not be getting enough power or it's overheating. Try leaving your case open and see if it happens.

 

[DarkMagnus]

Its overheating.

 

[Myrrh]

So..... will kicking my new computer work?

 

[Acks]

kicking might give it that extra air flow as it tilts back and forth

To solve overheating, you either need to use better fans and create a more open case by cleaning up the wiring, leave the case open, point a fan at that open case, or replace the stock cooler with something like an NVSilencer.

 

[Phraust]

What's the settup for the rest of your computer? Or do you know?

If it was over heating, typically the computer reboots or shuts off completely.
If it's Dirty Power your computer SHOULD tell you on boot up. (Mostly with ATI)
I had the wierdest problems that were the result of bugs on my graphics card... Litterally insects.... I was an avid Case modder/Power user/Computer junkie, and had more lights on my computer at one time than any 3 UFOs in Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" combined. It attracted bugs.

Sometimes somethign as simple as uninstalling all the drivers and software for the card, pulling it out, popping it back in, and reinstalling all the software just does the trick.

 

[Anttaru]

Sounds like a problem i had to solve for a friend who was running an ATI Rex.

His PC would restart or crash everytime the card did even the slightest task.
Basically the Driver on the CD that came with the card was useless.


So assuming the card is a Radeon

-Go to the ATI site and look up compatible drivers for the card.

-Most likely it will be a Catalyst driver.

-Download and install all nessary components that allow the new driver to run.

- Un-install you're old driver, and restart the PC. You're graphics will be low resolution when you do this. Very horrid indeed.

- Install the new Catalyst driver and restart.

Problem solved.

Maybe you're not running a Radeon card. Update the driver anyway. And be sure not to just install the new driver. Remove the old driver 1st, or else the new driver will conflict with the old driver.
Drivers are available for free download at the site of you're GPUs maker.

I hope that helps.

 

[Marajade]

I'll come take a look tomorow.

 

[Claudhert]

Anttaru's Sig makes me want to click those buttons

 

[Myrrh]

Ant, a computer friend did that for me and this still happens. And now it just shut off my monitor like a sleep mode type thing with a blinking light on the monitor. I hate computers....

 

[darkataxia]

Ant, a computer friend did that for me and this still happens. And now it just shut off my monitor like a sleep mode type thing with a blinking light on the monitor. I hate computers....

I think mine is doing the same thing. When the screen goes black does it say "No Signal" If that's the case he said he thinks the video card is either overheating or crapping out. I got a brand new video card for xmas but I had to send it back to Newegg because on of the soldered components on the board broke off during shipping...

 

[Anttaru]

Back to the Desktop.

- Click Start

- Run

- (In the Run window type) msconfig (System configuration utility appears)

- Go to the start up tab

Now you can see all the software that starts up with you're PC. Even spyware or viruses that runs in the background. To find out if any of these may be the problem, remove the checkmark from all of them. Turly the best way to start a software, is to start it yourself when you want to use it.
if you're running Norton Antivirus, leave the program titled ccApp up. Or if you can identify you're antivirus software leave it on.

- After following the above paragraph, make sure to click the apply tab before closing the System configuration utility window.

- When you apply then close the System configuration window, you'll be asked if you would like to restart the computer in order for the changes to take effect. So exit with the restart.

When you're system comes back up. See if it's now running stable. if you had tons of unwanted software in that check mark list, you would notice you're PC is running alot faster. If you're system is infact running stable then you know for sure the issue is one of those programs you stoped from loading upon start up.

.
.
.

Only if the above instructions cannot be done due to the PC crashing or rebooting itself while you are doing the above instruction, then you must start the PC in safe mode. If need be .....

Turn on the PC.

While it's starting up keep taping the F8 key. You'll see when it's really time to press F8 when the PC displays options to for you.

In most cases using the arrow keys, or tab key will allow you to select between different start up methods.
Select "Safe mode"

When it starts up you'll see a very basic low resolution OS desktop. non the less you can then apply the directions i have given you without the system crashing.
Again. If you can do the sustem configuration without having to go to safe mode, then do so.

 

[Vandoura]

If it a tempeture problem, you can monitior your temperture by using http://www.hmonitor.com/

you can try to find a crack or keygen on torrent for more extra feature.
if temp is very high on idle mode, then you need a bigger fan or new card

 

[Reality]

sounds like your resolution or refresh rate is being set too high, or out of range of what your current monitor can support