Need Help badly

[ma]

Hello all,

I apologize for long post.
I have reached to the end without a solution.
I have spent just so much time searching Google to no avail.

Here is my problem:
After a few hours using my PC, the icons on my desktop get these
small vertical lines overlay them. At which time the quality of
video is at its worst.
I use my PC for editing video. I get good results (edit, save, burn
DVDs) until this video corruption occurs. Then I have to turn the PC off
or restart, or sometimes run DXDIAG and the problem goes away for a
while and comes back again. Need any idea that may help.
I am suspecting -
overheating video card, or processor
Not enough power supply
Or something else?
I do not want to spend more money for no good results.
I do not have any layout of the motherboard (Dell wouldn't
publish them, or I not smart enough to get it).
Even if I buy a fan, I do not know where on the MOBO to
connect it due to lack of board layout.

Here is what I have:
DELL Dimension 8250 with P4 2.4 GHz processor
250 Watts PS
1 Gig RDRAM
ATI Radeon 9700 (non-pro)
Adaptec Capture card
Firewire PCI card (with cable attached to it with other end loose)!
SB Sound card
Two 60 Gig Hard disk drives one floppy
Two DVD drives (one DVD Rom, the other Burner)

I do not have much luck with the motherboard and BIOS. Dell has
totally paralyzed me on them. I have latest video drivers from ATI.
I have not over any thing.

Appreciate any help!

Mike

 

[JAD]

take the cases sides off
check the fans
for temp problems

PSU are checked by either having a spare or whippn out the 3.5 mulitmeter and check your voltages
make sure the vid card is well seated

memory check would be in order memdoctor or search google... i heard that MS was going to come out with a memory testing
utility...i don't hold a lot of faith in software based mem checks though.

 

[Tom Lake]

Here is my problem:

After a few hours using my PC, the icons on my desktop get these
small vertical lines overlay them. At which time the quality of
video is at its worst.

250 Watts PS

That sounds rather puny for a P4 system with as many options as yours has!
Does the Dell use a standard ATX power supply? If so, I'd go with a good
brand 350-400W supply.

Tom Lake

 

[Chimera]

That sounds rather puny for a P4 system with as many options as yours
has! Does the Dell use a standard ATX power supply? If so, I'd go
with a good brand 350-400W supply.

Tom Lake

Dell haven't used standard ATX psus in the past, so be very careful there.
If you suspect heat is the culprit, when it happens stick your hand in the
case and have a feel to see what is hot. In 2D mode, I doubt the graphics
card will be working that hard. My first move would be to swap out basic
parts like graphics card & ram to see if that makes a difference. Sounds to
me like a suspect video card, or maybe a psu problem.

I personally avoid dell machines as I like to have total control over what
goes inside my case, but since you did buy it through dell, it should be
their problem too.

 

[Michael W Ryder]

Hello all,

I apologize for long post.
I have reached to the end without a solution.
I have spent just so much time searching Google to no avail.

Here is my problem:
After a few hours using my PC, the icons on my desktop get these
small vertical lines overlay them. At which time the quality of
video is at its worst.
I use my PC for editing video. I get good results (edit, save, burn
DVDs) until this video corruption occurs. Then I have to turn the PC off
or restart, or sometimes run DXDIAG and the problem goes away for a
while and comes back again. Need any idea that may help.
I am suspecting -
overheating video card, or processor
Not enough power supply
Or something else?
I do not want to spend more money for no good results.
I do not have any layout of the motherboard (Dell wouldn't
publish them, or I not smart enough to get it).
Even if I buy a fan, I do not know where on the MOBO to
connect it due to lack of board layout.

Here is what I have:
DELL Dimension 8250 with P4 2.4 GHz processor
250 Watts PS
1 Gig RDRAM
ATI Radeon 9700 (non-pro)
Adaptec Capture card
Firewire PCI card (with cable attached to it with other end loose)!
SB Sound card
Two 60 Gig Hard disk drives one floppy
Two DVD drives (one DVD Rom, the other Burner)

I do not have much luck with the motherboard and BIOS. Dell has
totally paralyzed me on them. I have latest video drivers from ATI.
I have not over any thing.

Appreciate any help!

Mike

If you suspect the video card is getting overheated you can install a
slot fan in the space below the video card to cool it. I used one to
get rid of my problems with a 9700 Pro. In 3D games I can feel the heat
coming out of the fan.

 

[Skid]

Hi, Ma.

Those symptoms sound suspiciously like an overstressed or overheating video
card. Many people who overclock the memory in their cards see those
corruption lines after playing games or running benchmarks long enough to
get it hot.

Since yours isn't overclocked, it might just be too hot or defective.

Any chance you could borrow another video card to test? Also, as another
poster suggested, take the case off and aim a fan at it to see if it's
caused by heat buildup in the case.

Either way, it's something Dell should fix -- once you isolate the problem.

Good luck.

 

[DaveW]

You have a VERY small power supply for the number of drives and cards you
are using!!!

 

[ma]

As long as I know NO. I have heard one has to
modify the case to fit an standard PSU.
There may be one available via mail order, and
I have learned my lessons about mail orders (look at DELL).

Mike

 

[ma]

I tested RAM over 18 hours the other day, no errors (used memtest 3.0).
I will try VID next to see what happens.

Mike

 

[ma]

I have been thinking about installing a fan, but I do not have
board layout. But I guess a slot fan is a good idea.
I assume it gets the juice from PCI slot?

Mike

 

[Michael W Ryder]

I have been thinking about installing a fan, but I do not have
board layout. But I guess a slot fan is a good idea.
I assume it gets the juice from PCI slot?

It gets its power from a hard drive connector. It comes with a splitter
if you don't have any spare connectors.

 

[ma]

Hi Skid,

Yes, I can borrow an ATI AIWA 9700 PRO for a while.
BTW, DELL cases aren't removable, they are hinged.
It is difficult to test for anything.

I tell people that DELL is for those who want to play solitaire games,
and some word processing. If you want to rock, stay away from DELL.
I made a mistake, and paying for it.

Mike

 

[ma]

This is what DELL installs if you buy from them.
They short change as far as they can. I guess that's how sell it so cheap.

Problem is DELL's psus are not standard. I do not know where to
buy one that will fit w/o modification and not mail order if I can help.

Mike

 

[ma]

Thanks.
So then it always runs as long as the PC is on? There is no control?

Mike

 

[Michael W Ryder]

Thanks.
So then it always runs as long as the PC is on? There is no control?

The one I bought doesn't have any controls but it helps to cool the case
so I don't worry about it.