Broken Graphics Card? (Photos)

[w0w0w0w0w]

My Dad's Geforce 8800 GTX has started producing weird artifacts when the computer is POSTing and the pc hangs when you get to the Windows XP user chooser screen.

Photos:
1. http://i47.tinypic.com/34e8d1x.jpg
2. http://i47.tinypic.com/n3k745.jpg
3. http://i48.tinypic.com/30i954w.jpg
4. http://i45.tinypic.com/90cdfr.jpg

Could the graphics card have been damaged somehow due to overheating? Nothing is overclocked in the pc.

Thanks for any insights.

 

[Arkadrel]

Doesnt have to be the graphics card, but theres 1 sure way thats quick and easy that lets you rule out if it is or not.

take a differnt graphics card, put it in your dads pc and boot it up.
If same s*** happends, its NOT the graphics card but something else.
(takes like 4 min, to swap 2 graphics cards from 2 pcs at most)

Currently Im leaning more towards.... it not being the graphics card.
That could be any number of things, either software or hardware related (ram ect).

So test your way forwards until you locate the problem.

 

[hans007]

wasnt the 8800 series the nvidia series that could be fixed by baking them in an oven. my friend did this and it worked to reflow solder.

 

[ShintaiDK]

8800GTX is from late 2006. Might simply be age showing. Perhaps its just time to get a new better card if it is the GFX card thats the fault.

 

[VirtualLarry]

might be a PSU failing.

 

[w0w0w0w0w]

memtest86+ has been running for an hour and is on 50% of the second pass and shows no errors so it doesn't seem to be the ram. I have an old 8800 GTS 320 which I might try dropping in...

Thanks for your help

 

[WT]

I'm betting on failing solder traces which was infamous and pretty much a given on 8x00 series cards from that era.

I hate to link the Inq, but its for the most part an accurate story: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1038400/nvidia-g92s-g94-reportedly-failing

 

[Wall Street]

The "pattern" would suggest that it could be a GPU memory error. Have you at least popped open the machine to make sure the fan isn't choking on dust?

 

[WT]

After looking at the pics (guess I should do that first before commenting), I may be changing my mind on this one. I have an XFX Alpha Dog 8800GT that does the same distortion as OP's, and I can assure you it isn't the PSU, as I've tested it in different rigs, some with brand new PSUs. I'm leaning towards bad RAM on the card itself now.

 

[2is]

My unscientific calculations says its 99% video card and 1% everything else.

If you were ever looking for an excuse for a new card, you've found it. If not, you can always try baking it for 10 minutes.

 

[w0w0w0w0w]

It's the graphics card. I just tried my old 8800 GTS and the artifacts are gone.

Thanks again.

 

[KompuKare]

Yes, as much as I like to blame Nvidia for their poor QA and CS, this looks far more like a video card RAM error. So either RAM chips are going bad or the memory chips solder connections are failing.

Anyway, bumpgate was G92 while 8800 GTX (G80) were not affected. G80 parts can fail but mainly due to old age not a design fault.

Although having said that: a CPU from the 90s or even the 80s is most likely still 100% functional (if hopelessly slow) as are a lot of the graphic cards from that era (Matrox, ATI etc) so clearly the longevity of computer parts has gone down. I'd mostly blame heat but even P-II or P-III CPU generated a lot of heat too...

 

[joshhedge]

Have you tried cooking it?

 

[The_Golden_Man]

Bake it. 200c degrees for about 10 minutes.

BTW: Strip the cooler off first.