Computer Help (Video related) Needed

I bought a Dell 4600 about a year ago, (P4 3.0, 1GB RAM, CDRW, DVD)and added the Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB AGP card that I had from my old rig. In the last week I have had this happen to me twice: I press the power button for the computer and I hear it power up and begin booting WinXP. However, I get no video signal to the monitor. There is no error message or the <beep> that you get if there was no video card or a display device connected. As I recall, the machine wouldn't even boot if that was the case. The first time it happened, I tried a different monitor and that wasn't the issue as it did the same thing on both an LCD and a CRT monitor. I then removed and reseated the video card and it worked again. Worked fine for about a week and then this morning it happened again. Can anyone offer a suggestion as to the cause? I suppose a dying video card is one thing, but the warranty on the computer itself expires soon and if it's a mobo issue, then I need to contact Dell ASAP. I'd hate to buy a video card and find out it's the computer itself. The biggest problem is that it happens so (relatively) infrequently, that trying to pinpoint the issue may carry me past the warranty period. I can only hope that someone has experienced or troubleshot a similar problem and can shed some light on the real issue. Thanks.

"Darus" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1130778988.746426.99100 @g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Quoted text (10 lines)

> I bought a Dell 4600 about a year ago, (P4 3.0, 1GB RAM, CDRW, DVD)and > added the Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB AGP card that I had from my old rig. > > In the last week I have had this happen to me twice: > > I press the power button for the computer and I hear it power up and > begin booting WinXP. However, I get no video signal to the monitor. > There is no error message or the <beep> that you get if there was no > video card or a display device connected. As I recall, the machine > wouldn't even boot if that was the case.

Hi Darus. There have been some well publicized, but never solved issues with Radeon cards that don't boot. I've got a 9800pro that was doing it, exchanging it for a new one solved it. What usually works is: before booting up or when it fails to boot, disconnect the power supply, either by turning it(the power supply) on and off with it's power switch if it has one or just unplug it and then plug it back in, then reboot. If you still have time to exchange the card under warranty I would suggest you do. Don read up: http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=42582 &STARTPAGE=9&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

Did you plug in the 12v power connector into the 9800P? "Darus" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted text (30 lines)

>I bought a Dell 4600 about a year ago, (P4 3.0, 1GB RAM, CDRW, DVD)and > added the Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB AGP card that I had from my old rig. > > In the last week I have had this happen to me twice: > > I press the power button for the computer and I hear it power up and > begin booting WinXP. However, I get no video signal to the monitor. > There is no error message or the <beep> that you get if there was no > video card or a display device connected. As I recall, the machine > wouldn't even boot if that was the case. > > The first time it happened, I tried a different monitor and that wasn't > the issue as it did the same thing on both an LCD and a CRT monitor. I > then removed and reseated the video card and it worked again. Worked > fine for about a week and then this morning it happened again. > > Can anyone offer a suggestion as to the cause? I suppose a dying video > card is one thing, but the warranty on the computer itself expires soon > and if it's a mobo issue, then I need to contact Dell ASAP. I'd hate to > buy a video card and find out it's the computer itself. > > The biggest problem is that it happens so (relatively) infrequently, > that trying to pinpoint the issue may carry me past the warranty > period. > > I can only hope that someone has experienced or troubleshot a similar > problem and can shed some light on the real issue. > > Thanks. >

"Don Scurlock" <[email hidden]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:[email hidden]...

Quoted text (22 lines)

> "Darus" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1130778988.746426.99100 > @g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > >> I bought a Dell 4600 about a year ago, (P4 3.0, 1GB RAM, CDRW, DVD)and >> added the Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB AGP card that I had from my old rig. >> >> In the last week I have had this happen to me twice: >> >> I press the power button for the computer and I hear it power up and >> begin booting WinXP. However, I get no video signal to the monitor. >> There is no error message or the <beep> that you get if there was no >> video card or a display device connected. As I recall, the machine >> wouldn't even boot if that was the case. > > Hi Darus. There have been some well publicized, but never solved issues > with Radeon cards that don't boot. I've got a 9800pro that was doing it, > exchanging it for a new one solved it. What usually works is: before > booting up or when it fails to boot, disconnect the power supply, either > by > turning it(the power supply) on and off with it's power switch if it has > one or just unplug it and then plug it back in, then reboot. If you still > have time to exchange the card under warranty I would suggest you do. Don

Yes, same problem here with a 9600 Pro. This helps for me: Turning off the power supply -> pressing the ATX-Power-on-button a few times -> turning power supply on again -> booting system > read up: > > http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=42582 > &STARTPAGE=9&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear >

1. Yes, the power supply is connected to the card. 2. No exchange of the card, it's about 2 years old. 3. Without having read the link provided (yet, I will though. Thanks), is this an issue that comes up "at any time" or is it noticed right away and continues until replaced? Seems a bit odd that it worked great for 2 years and then all of a sudden exhibits problems that ppl. have had as soon as they originally installed the card. I suppose it's possible. Here's something else that I have noticed. (Again it's a Dell.) When it does boot correctly, the green power light on the case lights as well as the busy light for the hard drive. When the video fails to work, the same power light does not work. I can hear the computer running and can see the green power light on the mobo. The 2 optical drives initialize and flash the "in use" lights briefly as well. Just the power light acts differently.

I keep forgetting..... In the event that I <DO> need to go with a new card (and I hope I don't), based on the specs above, what would be a good fit? I am typically 1 generation behind in technology simply because I refuse to pay the outrageous prices for technology that hasn't been implemented by the mfg's yet. What would a good "shoot for the moon" card (very pricey) and what would a good compromise card card be? Primarily, the computer is used for GTL, rFactor and NR2003. Thanks again.

> When the video fails to work, the same power light does not work. Try swapping out the power supply. If that's not the issue you can always return the power supply.

Be carefull, Dells have special powersupplys (or least they did for a while) they look identicle but the multi wire plug that goes to the motherboard, are wired differently. Jeff Reid enlightened us with: >> When the video fails to work, the same power light does not work. > > Try swapping out the power supply. If that's not the issue you > can always return the power supply.

PlowBoy wrote:

Quoted text (10 lines)

> Be carefull, Dells have special powersupplys (or least they did for a while) > they look identicle but the multi wire plug that goes to the motherboard, > are wired differently. > > > Jeff Reid enlightened us with: > >> When the video fails to work, the same power light does not work. > > > > Try swapping out the power supply. If that's not the issue you > > can always return the power supply.

Yes, they are proprietary. I can't see the psu being the cause as it hasn't affected anything else. I have plugged other free molex connectors to the gpu and I still get the issue.

"Darus" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1130789216.846484.11010 @g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > is this an issue that comes up "at any time" or is it noticed right > away and continues until replaced? Seems a bit odd that it worked great > for 2 years and then all of a sudden exhibits problems that ppl. have > had as soon as they originally installed the card. I suppose it's > possible. Mine started doing it shortly after purchase, and seemed to get worse after I installed a Artic Cooling VGA Silencer cooler(coincidental I think, and it didn't improve with the OEM cooler replaced) Various tricks seemed to cure it(cycling the power supply, using the secondary video output, changing power supplies) but it always returned, and progressively got worse. It is without question a design flaw in the card. Even though it's out of warranty, considering the publicized history of the problem it might be worth making a stink and trying to get it replaced, not much to lose. Don

"Darus" <[email hidden]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:[email hidden]... > 1. Yes, the power supply is connected to the card. > 2. No exchange of the card, it's about 2 years old. You don�t need to replace it until it really gets on your nerves. It�s not a faulty card I think, it�s a bad design of the card or the drivers, I tend to say drivers, because I never had the problem in Windows Me. > 3. Without having read the link provided (yet, I will though. Thanks), > is this an issue that comes up "at any time" or is it noticed right > away and continues until replaced? Seems a bit odd that it worked great When I was still using my 3dfx Voodoo5 the Radeon was used in another system running Windows Me without a single problem. In my system running Windows Me everything is ok, too. Only with XP it�s making trouble. > for 2 years and then all of a sudden exhibits problems that ppl. have > had as soon as they originally installed the card. I suppose it's > possible. Perhaps you did update drivers or OS!?!

Quoted text (7 lines)

> Here's something else that I have noticed. (Again it's a Dell.) When it > does boot correctly, the green power light on the case lights as well > as the busy light for the hard drive. When the video fails to work, the > same power light does not work. I can hear the computer running and can > see the green power light on the mobo. The 2 optical drives initialize > and flash the "in use" lights briefly as well. Just the power light > acts differently.

My lights are the same in both cases. My system really seems to boot up correctly, just without showing a picture. I can shotdown it using keyboard-shortcuts. I forgot to tell you what did reduce the frequency of the problem: Go to the screen which should be called "services" in the English version of XP. There you have to disable "Ati HotKey Poller" and "ATI Smart". You don�t loose performance by doing that, those two services are pretty useless. Summary: On my system the problem only occurs when booting XP with a cold start when the ATX-PSU was left on. I have everything connected to a connector strip which has a seperate on/off-switch to cut the power completely, so I use that switch and the problem is "solved" :-) Best regards Stephan

How many watts is your p/s? You may need a more powerful p/s. 300 watt minimum is what I have read the 9800pro takes..