[CleaPet]

I was having major graphics problems, like streaking, the desktop splitting and icons showing twice, the monitor would black out for a moment or two, and sometimes the desktop wouldn't load on initial startup. I was advised I needed a new graphics card but that it could possibly be the PSU, so I decided to replace that first.

Tonight I replaced it -- it didn't work at first then I waited 2 min per the troubleshooting and tried again -- computer booted up as normal and I hit F2 for system defaults when it detected the new hardware. Then I had the same graphics/bootup problems as before and had to reboot twice. Still worked. Then I turned computer off so I could screw the PSU in place for good and put case back on. Now the harddrive (I think) beeps on startup, the DVD and CD drives' lights go on for a second and then go out, and the monitor won't turn on at all. All the fans are working and comp is running though. I opened it up again and made sure all connections were secure -- still wouldn't work. I have a second computer in the home and I opened that one up to make sure I made the right connections -- yep, I did -- still won't work.

I have 2 major problems but I need to tackle this PSU problem first. Please advise, thanks.

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Sounds like your graphics card is toast. Which is what I would have replaced first.

Anyway, do you have another graphics adapter you can swap in just to test?

[-=blaster=-]

Sounds like your graphics card is toast. Which is what I would have replaced first.

Anyway, do you have another graphics adapter you can swap in just to test?

[CleaPet]

Eh, no...but I guess I need a new card. Hope that's all it is. Thanks for info, though -- good to know it's clearly something.

[CleaPet]

o.O

What graphics card can I get? Can you tell me the highest I can go without wasting money on frills I can't use and then I can go down in quality based on price? The one I fried was a GE Force FX 5200, I know it was PCI capable, have no idea if that's different from PCI Express. It also had a DVI hookup. I have:

- Pentium 4
- I think it's 1.5, can't tell now
- 512 ram
- the new power supply is 400, up from 350
- Hyundai L90D+ LCD Monitor

Please help -- I want to be able to run Age of Empires III at least, and I'd like another Nvidia -- but I can't tell why some 6 series are more than some in 7 series. Also, I'm not interested in DX10 or the new tech that's coming out in September, DX9 should be fine for me, I think. But mainly I don't want to spend money on something I can't use because of my PC specs.

eta: ah, I need an agp card, apparently -- that limits options considerably.

eta2: going with XFX PVT42KVDE3 Geforce 6800XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 AGP 4X/8X Video Card -- stop me now if it's the wrong one!

Edited by CleaPet, 15 August 2006 - 11:08 PM.