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Video card just went Poof!
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Posted by: Chako
Well, as some of you know, I bought about a week ago, a Hercules Geforce MX400 32 Meg video card. Well it lasted only 7 days then gave up the ghost. Maybe someone out there can help me try to figure out what is going on. Here goes….
A few days ago, when I turned on my computer, the computer posted and booted up, but I would only get a flashing white horizontal cursor in the upper left hand corner. The rest of the screen was black. When I hit the reset button on the case, the computer would go into safe mode. After rebooting after safe mode, the computer would boot up ok, but my screen was 16 colors, 640x480 resolution. If I touched either the resolution or upped the color setting, I would be forced to reboot, thereby giving me the same little blinking cursor.
Now I took out all cards other then the video card, reformatted the HD’s and reinstalled Win98-2nd ed. This did not fix it. I tried several different drivers for the video card at this stage to no avail. I then reformatted the HD’s once again and installed WinMe to no avail (I do find that ME is actually working this time….guess it likes the newer hardware). I even tries to re-seat it into the AGP slot several times in case something was not making a connection. Even tried different DirectX versions just for fun. I also looked at IRQs, DMAs, and what nots. Everything was fine there. At this point, I am starting to think I am masochistic!
I had the same thing happen to my old Diamond V770, I ended up shipping it back and getting another one in the mail from the company.
However, seeing that this has occurred to me twice so far, I am wondering what could be the problem. I shall give my system stats just in case something could be useful.
Thunderbird 1.2G 266FSB w/stock retail boxed cpu cooler
Asus A7v133 Raid
ATA 100 40 Gig Fujitsu
ATA 66 17 Gig Fujistu
2 sticks of Azen Cas2 256Meg PC133 RAM
Soundblaster live
Hercules Geforce2 MX 400 (not working, I am now using my old Creative TNT2 ultra)
D-Link 10/100 Ethernet card
SGII SCSI card
17" KDS Visual Sensations VS-7E monitor
Mitsumi 6x4x24 CDRW
Aopen 50X CDROM
Toshiba 4X SCSI CDROM
ZIP100 SCSI
Brother 1020 Laser printer parallel
HP 932C Inkjet printer
Microsoft Intelimouse optical USB
Mag Inoscane Flat bed scanner parallel
Microsoft force feedback joystick serial
Logitech vibration feedback gamepad USB
Palm cradle off a serial port
Belkin 4 port USB hub
D-Link 4 port Ethernet hub
Altec Lansing 4.1 speakers
I have just ordered a Radeon 64DDR vivo to replace the MX card. The store has agreed to take this one back and give me credit towards another graphic card. However, I am still interested in why this one refused to give me more then the very basic screen options. Any help would be appreciated.
Posted by: Canis Lupus
Hmmm, one thing you could have checked is if the monitor entry in the Device Manager was set correctly to reflect either the brand of monitor you are using, or a Plug and Play Monitor. If it had said "Unknown Monitor" then it could contribute to the video problem. I had the same problem with my Dell two years ago when I reformatted - it refused to change its color and resolution until I installed the monitor's .INF files and changed the monitor type to the proper one.
Of course, this is just in my case, and may not apply to your problem. Otherwise, my guess is that it was probably a defective video card...
Posted by: Chako
Laggy that was the first thing I checked. Everything looked ok there. It properly stated my monitor brand etc. I am also thinking it is a defective card. Go figure, 2 cards go the same way in as many years, and I don't even overclock em!
Posted by: Freak
Did you try deleting the drivers manually? The whole folder I mean. That's what fixed my display card problems.
Posted by: Chako
Hmmmm....no, can't say I tried that. However, I would format the HD's and start from scratch, which would amount to the same thing right?
Posted by: TotalRecall
Yes, Chako. Reformatting would rid the system of any older drivers.
I agree, it must be a defective card (or maybe a chipset flaw) which causes this.
On a side not, i'm starting to think every KDS VS-90SN is doomed. I've had to call up the company and get them to replace my monitor 3 times. So, i'm on my 4th KDS monitor and it looks like it's also going to die.
When I first boot up, the monitor will act strange, sometimes appearing to not recieve a picture and showing a blank screen. Turning the monitor off and back on fixes the problem.
It will also..umm, become "wavy" like and have weird contractions before completely shutting off (but, upon turning the monitor back on, it works again). I guess I should call KDS and warn them of a monitor about to die...*sigh*. 
Posted by: Chako
Excellent point. I never thought of a chipset flaw. Anyone know if there is some problem with Geforce2 MX400 and Via KT133A north bridge, and a Via 686B south bridge?
Posted by: Null Actor
There are no problems with that.
But normally, if there is anything showing on your screen, then the problem ISN'T the video card.
Sounds more like bad drivers or something... did you maybe accidentally install drivers and pick the wrong card? Like maybe you accidentally picked geforce 2 instead of gf2 mx. It can happen.
Posted by: Ion Silverbolt
My vote goes to static electricity damage. Since it worked ok for a week or so and you have already tried several drivers. Sometimes if something on the video card gets zapped during installation, the damage may not show up until weeks later, or just end up being unstable.
One quick thing you could try is to load the VIA driver in normal mode and set your CMOS settings for video to more compatible settings. Such as a lower AGP speed or disabling some of the cache settings.
Posted by: Chako
Well I got the Radeon 64DDR vivo today, and just installed it. It was definitely something wrong with the card. I brought it in about an hour ago and their tech checked it out, and got the same results. Now as for static charge…that is always a possibility. I do take all the precautions; working in a safe area, touching grounded metal before touching sensitive parts, wearing a static strap. Regardless, static can rear its ugly head and zap electronics.
Now I had a problem with a TNT2 Ultra...same thing...only it went about 2 months after buying it. Good thing this one went in only 6 days because I hate dealing with RMO numbers, tech staff on phone lines, etc.
Posted by: Ion Silverbolt
I hear you there. I won't even order from places that use styrafoam packaging. That stuff holds more static charge than a blow dried sheep...hehe
Mushkin is a goodplace for memory. They ship their memory in huge plastic baloons. 
Posted by: Kdr Kane
Man, I hate to differ with some of you. I worked too many years with miniature components. Static electricity is overrated. Engineering practice has made all of the inputs on integrated circuits protected from static electricity. Now, I'm not saying you should disregard every precaution. I'm just saying that if static electricity was your problem, you would have seen it right off on the install of the board.
The manufacturing process has a set standard failure rate of 2% for all manufactured goods. This can rise up to 5% for poor quality facilities. So, you can always be assured that 2% of all of your purchases are going to fail within the first 90 days.
So, I am usually happy with a 90 day warranty on electronics. And I never buy an "extended" warranty. Companies make a killing off of those little add-ons.
Chako, if you liked the card, try the same model in exchange and feel somewhat confident. However, I usually change brands when it seems I may have possibly worked into a bad stock lot at a particular store.
Posted by: Ion Silverbolt
Actually something damaged from static electricity may actually perform normal for a while. But the damage increases with use. Kind of like a small tear in something. It eventually gets bigger and always rips in that same spot when force is applied against it. And it usually doesn't take long to find out.
As for the risk, why take the chance with most hardware costing a minimum of 100$? I also think the risk is still high. I know someone who grabs his stuff by the chips all the time. I tell him that's stupid but he keeps doing it and is always frying memory or hard drives.
Climate conditions are also a big factor. Where I live, it gets really cool and dry in the winter. I'm always getting zapped by something. It's not near as much a problem in the summer when the humidity is up.
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