My video card went blind!
Both video output ports on my Ti4600 died. The Computer will boot with it in the comp (I can hear Windows booting), but there is no video output on either the VGA or DVI ports.
Without the card, the computer refuses to POST (I get the "video error" beep). This proves the video card thinks it's working, but it's not. I have a, ATI 7500 in there now and it's working just fine, so it's not the mobo.
Any ideas on what I could do to get it fixed? I tried RMAing the card, but A-Open won't take it (It's warranty ran out in January).
Perhaps it's time for an upgrade?
Without the card, the computer refuses to POST (I get the "video error" beep). This proves the video card thinks it's working, but it's not. I have a, ATI 7500 in there now and it's working just fine, so it's not the mobo.
Any ideas on what I could do to get it fixed? I tried RMAing the card, but A-Open won't take it (It's warranty ran out in January).
Perhaps it's time for an upgrade?
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Comments
Try the card in another computer, and totally reset CMOS-- in fact, stick a new CMOS battery in it. IF the motherboard has an embedded video circuit, try the embedded video connection. What CAN happen is this, the CMOS battery can die, and baords with embedded video will default to the embedded circuit for feed. Other possibility is that the CMOS battery has died and the default parameters are out of range for monitor.
IF none of these work, look for CAPs and amps that look strange, discolored, bulging, leaking, on motherboard. IF BIOS does not beep, not only does CARD think it works, BUT BIOS thinks card is working too. So, could be defaults for video got messed up as battery got drained below a certain point, or the power circuitry is damaged, not feeding anough wattage for output, or card died. Time to do some switching around of things, CMOS battery is common cause of messed up settings.
Also, stick an old PCI video card in, se if you get video there, and if so DO change out the CMOS battery. Soem boards insist on PCI card for video if BIOS has redefaulted settings to a pure PCI modal default when CMOS battery gets so drained that your AGP settigns get corrupt.
IF the dang battery is new, reset the CMOS with jumper for that, if not replace. Worst case, you spent about $2.00 making sure it is the card or power circuitry in motherboard-- and it is not money wasted, keep the battery if that fix does not work. Thus, worth a try.
CR2032 or DL2032 cells are most common for CMOS batteries in modern computers. DL is a Lith cell, CR is older Chromium Dioxide based cell type.
Since it appears to boot and beeps with card out, I think it is likely NOT card itself or only card that is at fault.
Aopen cards are tuned for Aopen mainboards, first and foremost. They make reliable mid and economy grade boards-- they are not truely high-end mfrs, they are positioned as midgrade and economy suppliers. For people that need that and are on limited budgets, I have used Aopen stuff and tell customers the limits when I know them and do so. Sapphire these days has a VERY good rep, much better than average though not universally perfect. I would say go with a Sapphire myself for an upgrade, sometime fairly soon if nothing else is wrong with the computer mainboard. The trick is to find out what is most broke as best as you can before you buy one piece and end up buying much more than just a card.