video garbage, system continually reboots

[Bosconian]

I have a 4-year home-built PC running Windows XP SP2 which contains the
following:

P4 2.8MHz
Gigabyte GA-8IK1100 motherboard
LeadTek 6800 GT 256MB AGP graphics card
1 GB Corsair memory

The machine has operated flawlessly until this morning when video garbage
started to appear on the screen. It will now only reach the desktop (with
video garbage shown on the startup screens) and then immediately proceeds to
reboot.

I examined the inside and noticed the chipset fan was not spinning. I'm not
sure how long the fan has been dead, but I ran out and bought a replacement.
At first the new fan appeared to have solved the problem (video garbage
gone, no more involuntary rebooting), but soon after it started acting up
again (even with the spinning new chipset fan.)

I tried leaving the machine powered off for a long while. At first this
seemed to help for a short time (which might suggest a heat-related
problem), but now garbage appears immediately on bootup--even after a long
cool-down time. I'm wondering if something has now become permanently fried.

The machine previously never ran hot and lives in a temperature-controlled
room. The inside of the case is cleaned regularly. I tried reseating the
video card, but it didn't make a difference. I don't have access to another
AGP video card to test with.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience something similar before and what you
did to solve it.

All comments/suggestions sincerely appreciated.

 

[Fidelis K]

I have a 4-year home-built PC running Windows XP SP2 which contains the
following:

P4 2.8MHz
Gigabyte GA-8IK1100 motherboard
LeadTek 6800 GT 256MB AGP graphics card
1 GB Corsair memory

The machine has operated flawlessly until this morning when video garbage
started to appear on the screen. It will now only reach the desktop (with
video garbage shown on the startup screens) and then immediately proceeds
to reboot.

I examined the inside and noticed the chipset fan was not spinning. I'm
not sure how long the fan has been dead, but I ran out and bought a
replacement. At first the new fan appeared to have solved the problem
(video garbage gone, no more involuntary rebooting), but soon after it
started acting up again (even with the spinning new chipset fan.)

I tried leaving the machine powered off for a long while. At first this
seemed to help for a short time (which might suggest a heat-related
problem), but now garbage appears immediately on bootup--even after a long
cool-down time. I'm wondering if something has now become permanently
fried.

The machine previously never ran hot and lives in a temperature-controlled
room. The inside of the case is cleaned regularly. I tried reseating the
video card, but it didn't make a difference. I don't have access to
another AGP video card to test with.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience something similar before and what
you did to solve it.

All comments/suggestions sincerely appreciated.

The 6800GT is not a cool running card and needs active cooling. Video
garbage suggests that the GPU is damaged from overheating.

 

[Bosconian]

I have a 4-year home-built PC running Windows XP SP2 which contains the
following:

P4 2.8MHz
Gigabyte GA-8IK1100 motherboard
LeadTek 6800 GT 256MB AGP graphics card
1 GB Corsair memory

The machine has operated flawlessly until this morning when video garbage
started to appear on the screen. It will now only reach the desktop (with
video garbage shown on the startup screens) and then immediately proceeds
to reboot.

I examined the inside and noticed the chipset fan was not spinning. I'm
not sure how long the fan has been dead, but I ran out and bought a
replacement. At first the new fan appeared to have solved the problem
(video garbage gone, no more involuntary rebooting), but soon after it
started acting up again (even with the spinning new chipset fan.)

I tried leaving the machine powered off for a long while. At first this
seemed to help for a short time (which might suggest a heat-related
problem), but now garbage appears immediately on bootup--even after a long
cool-down time. I'm wondering if something has now become permanently
fried.

The machine previously never ran hot and lives in a temperature-controlled
room. The inside of the case is cleaned regularly. I tried reseating the
video card, but it didn't make a difference. I don't have access to
another AGP video card to test with.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience something similar before and what
you did to solve it.

All comments/suggestions sincerely appreciated.

False alarm. Turns out it was just corrupt video drivers. Shame of me.

I jumped to conclusions and immediately assumed it was a hardware issue. The
dead chipset fan (which has probably been dead for a long while) was just a
coincidence, but diverted my attention and took me down a wrong path.

Anyway, sorry to have wasted everyone's time.

 

[Bosconian]

False alarm. Turns out it was just corrupt video drivers. Shame of me.

I jumped to conclusions and immediately assumed it was a hardware issue.
The dead chipset fan (which has probably been dead for a long while) was
just a coincidence, but diverted my attention and took me down a wrong
path.

Anyway, sorry to have wasted everyone's time.

Scratch that, the video garbage is back. Interestingly it went away after
reinstalling the drivers, but the problem persists after rebooting.

 

[Bosconian]

The 6800GT is not a cool running card and needs active cooling. Video
garbage suggests that the GPU is damaged from overheating.

Thanks for your reply.

That's interesting. The card has never been overclocked and has worked
flawlessly for two years. The chassis is well-ventilated and vacuumed
regularly.

You might be right, but it's just weird the card just now started giving me
problems after all this time.

Bottom line, you're suggesting the card needs to be replaced?

 

[Bosconian]

The 6800GT is not a cool running card and needs active cooling. Video
garbage suggests that the GPU is damaged from overheating.

I just felt the graphics card and it feels very cool to the touch. You might
not be familiar with this particular LeadTek card, but it has a huge brass
heatsink and fan on it. As a result it runs relatively cool.

You still might be right, but it just strikes me as odd.

 

[Bosconian]

The 6800GT is not a cool running card and needs active cooling. Video
garbage suggests that the GPU is damaged from overheating.

Another note. I can successfully boot in safe mode (using generic video
drivers), albeit with the same video garbage.

 

[JAD]

Thanks for your reply.

That's interesting. The card has never been overclocked and has worked
flawlessly for two years. The chassis is well-ventilated and vacuumed
regularly.

You might be right, but it's just weird the card just now started giving
me problems after all this time.

Bottom line, you're suggesting the card needs to be replaced?

use the video card in another machine
integrated video available?
more than one stick of memory? remove one/swap if the garbage continues

 

[OSbandito]

<...>

Can you pull the graphics card and try running off the native vid
support on the MB?

 

[Louie]

Another note. I can successfully boot in safe mode (using generic
video drivers), albeit with the same video garbage.

I had a similar problem with an ATI AIW 9800 Pro. Video garbage, wouldn't
post or boot. Installed a ATI 7500 and the PC ran fine. RMA'ed the card
and received a *new* one within 2 weeks. Haven't tried it yet as I am
satified with the 7500. Just my .02.

Louie
Gainesville, FL
(eat the flies to email)

 

[Bosconian]

<...>

Can you pull the graphics card and try running off the native vid
support on the MB?

Nice idea, but the mb doesn't have on-board video.

 

[Bosconian]

use the video card in another machine
integrated video available?
more than one stick of memory? remove one/swap if the garbage continues

Unfortunately my other newer rig doesn't have a AGP slot.

The mb doesn't have on-board video.

The memory sticks is an interesting idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

Incidently I restarted the machine this morning and it started up without a
hitch. If the problem persists, I'm going to opt for a new graphics cards.
The XFX GeForce 7600 GT 256MB seems like a solid choice and a moderate
upgrade from the current 6800. They're also offering a $25 rebate through
the end of the month.

 

[Bosconian]

I had a similar problem with an ATI AIW 9800 Pro. Video garbage, wouldn't
post or boot. Installed a ATI 7500 and the PC ran fine. RMA'ed the card
and received a *new* one within 2 weeks. Haven't tried it yet as I am
satified with the 7500. Just my .02.

Louie
Gainesville, FL
(eat the flies to email)

The card is over two years old and the warranty has long expired.

I just fired up the rig this morning. Worked fine for several minutes and
then shutdown--same problem.

I'm pretty much convinced now it's the graphics card. I'm going to order a
new one today.

Good information. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Fidelis K]

The 6800GT is not a cool running card and needs active cooling. Video

Thanks for your reply.

That's interesting. The card has never been overclocked and has worked
flawlessly for two years. The chassis is well-ventilated and vacuumed
regularly.

You might be right, but it's just weird the card just now started giving
me problems after all this time.

Bottom line, you're suggesting the card needs to be replaced?

Even with_active cooling_the 6800GT runs around 50-60 C at idle and reaches
over *90 C* after some use (especially 3D gaming). nVidia reports that the
max threshhold temperature for the 6800GT is 120 C. If you recently ran some
3D apps when the fan was not working, your GPU's temp might have been close
to it. If it's indeed the GPU problem, I bet that the fan died very
recently, thus giving you problems after 2 years.

 

[sdlomi2]

Scratch that, the video garbage is back. Interestingly it went away after
reinstalling the drivers, but the problem persists after rebooting.

I just this week fixed a client's pc with *exactly* the same symptom.
Had an inexpensive video card, and I tried an even cheaper, new-but-old
card, and it fixed the problem. For you to be sure, why not buy/borrow a
really cheap card & try before buying a new expensive vid. card? Repair
shops should have a known good, and simple one for a couple of bucks. HTH.
s