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Video Card Problems


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#1
Jennc

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I have a compaq presario pc with windows xp. A couple years ago a friend helped me put in a Voodoo video card in and it worked fine until a few days ago. I would turn the computer on and I could hear it running fine with the green power light on. The monitor light would go green for a sec as if it was turning on then the light would turn orange. I wasn't sure what was wrong. At first I thought it was just the monitor so I had my dad bring his home from work. When I started up the computer the monitor read "no input". So I figured it had to be the video card itself. So my dad's friend put in one of his video cards, an All-In-Wonder Radeon PCI. When I start the computer it starts up along with the monitor as if there's nothing wrong. Eventually, after a couple minutes the screen will go black and the light on the monitor goes back to orange. The only way to get it on again is to turn off the computer and then turn it back on again. On another occurence, I was trying to troubleshoot the problem, which according to windows "The device is working properly", and all the letters on all menus, icons, etc became scrambled and blurred. I have no clue what to do. Can someone help me?
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#2
gerryf

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got a model number for the presario?

How about the voodoo and the Ati?

What videocard was in here originally, or was it integrated?

I'll tell you the way I am leaning, but this is pure speculation at this point....I suspect your power supply. The voodoo is a fairly old videocard and I think it's a 5volt card. The old Ati AIW may be as well.

If the power supply cannot sustain a steady voltage, your PC could be running (motherboard cpu and ram will use 3.3 volt part of power supply and harddrive will use 12volt part) and only the videocard would not be working....

The only things that use the 5 volt are the videocard in older systems (most use 3.3 volt rail now) and the power switch. You may have enough oomph to get you up and running, but power degrading to the point where the videocard drops.

Again, guesswork..need more info.
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#3
Jennc

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Compaq Presario 5004US , 5000 Series
it came with a 16MB Nvidia TNT2 M64 PRO Graphics Card but idk if it was integrated

I put in a Voodoo Video Card. . .I'm not sure of the model. .there were two different numbers on the back. On a white sticker was V555464. There was also N2544 on the back. It worked fine for atleast 2 years in my computer without a problem so I don't know how a power supply would suddenly change.

The card that is in now that I explained is an All-In-Wonder Radeon PCI.

Hope that helps you help me!
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#4
gerryf

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I understand, but there are about 7 varieties of All-in-Wonders....

well, not important at the moment....as is usually the case, compaq's website is not much help....

Near you printer port on the back, do you see a vga port to plug a monitor in...don't plug in, just asking?

It looks like there is an integrated videocard in it. What I would like to try is to test the internal one for the moment and see if that works where the pci-slotted one fails.
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#5
Jennc

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if I take the video card out there won't be anything to plug the monitor into.

Edited by Jennc, 08 July 2005 - 12:33 PM.

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#6
gerryf

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then no integrated....so, got a spare power supply around?

....before splurging on a new one, you can borrow one from another pc ... they are easy to install test..you do not even need to physically insert it in a machine.

I will set a power supply on a stack of books next to a case, unplug the existing power supply from the motherboard and drivers, then plug the external power supply into the motherboard and drives and fire it up....

just make sure that you match plug for plug....and take care when removing the power supply plug from the motherboard -- there is likely a little latch you have to free up -- and make sure you don't bend a capacitor off.
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#7
Jennc

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I don't have another PC that I can take a power supply from. I'm on my laptop right now . . .Are there any other solutions?. . .I'll go see what model radeon is in there.. . There are so many different numbers; where exactly on the video card is the model number?

Edited by Jennc, 08 July 2005 - 01:13 PM.

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#8
Jennc

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where exactly is the model number?. . here's a pic of the card, maybe this will help.

Attached Thumbnails

  • CIMG0323.JPG

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#9
gerryf

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cannot tell for sure, but if that is one of the first two AIW cards it was a 5volt card, which does match my guess.....Can you see RAGEII on any of the chip (probably under the fan on this card).
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#10
Jennc

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i see a chip that says ATI Rage Theater

but you said that the voodoo i had previously was probably a 5volt also. . the voodoo worked fine for two years so why would that be a problem. .
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#11
gerryf

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the problem is not the videocard, but the powersupply in the case
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#12
Jennc

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but I never changed the power supply. It could change on its own?

Edited by Jennc, 08 July 2005 - 01:57 PM.

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#13
gerryf

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power supplies go bad.

I replaced two in the last week
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