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Could this be my motherboard?

E

ensign_lee

Senior member
Here's the problem. Building a new comp for the gf. Wherever that computer is supposed to show the color black, it shows black with all sorts of little green dots "snowing".

Now, my immediate instinct was "thatvideo card has crapped out on me". HOWEVER, when I move that video card to another computer (mine), this problem does NOT re-occur. And when I move the video card that was originally in MY computer over to hers (a video card that was already working), the same problem continues to occur on her computer. Which leads me to believe it's not the card itself.

Thinking perhaps it was a software problem, I did a clean reformat. Just wiped everything clean, and started from scratch. To my dismay, the problem did NOT disappear. :O

Safe to assume the mobo is the culprit? Or not so much?

For further info, Mobo is a P8Z68 Deluxe (her brother went stupid overkill on the mobo as a Christmas present), and I'm always using the primary PCI x16 slot. Cards I've used are ATI 5870 and ATI 5770.
 
ensign_lee said:
Here's the problem. Building a new comp for the gf. Wherever that computer is supposed to show the color black, it shows black with all sorts of little green dots "snowing".

Now, my immediate instinct was "thatvideo card has crapped out on me". HOWEVER, when I move that video card to another computer (mine), this problem does NOT re-occur. And when I move the video card that was originally in MY computer over to hers (a video card that was already working), the same problem continues to occur on her computer. Which leads me to believe it's not the card itself.

Thinking perhaps it was a software problem, I did a clean reformat. Just wiped everything clean, and started from scratch. To my dismay, the problem did NOT disappear. :O

Safe to assume the mobo is the culprit? Or not so much?

For further info, Mobo is a P8Z68 Deluxe (her brother went stupid overkill on the mobo as a Christmas present), and I'm always using the primary PCI x16 slot. Cards I've used are ATI 5870 and ATI 5770.
Click to expand...

Since you confirmed the video card was working, I'd say your assumption is correct.

"Snow" usually occurs from signal interference, it's not physical damage to the monitor.

I'd say do a BIOS flash and make sure you're using the latest BIOS from the manufacturer. Make sure the BIOS is up-to-date before proceeding.
 
It does sound like it could be the mobo but make sure all your drivers are up to date before you start RMAing stuff.
 
Oh, forgot to add. Interesting tidbit.

When I moved her video card to mine, at first (only for literally a few seconds) the snow re-occurred on mine wherever *I* was displaying black. But then my computer "fixed" the problem in a few seconds once I opened Catalyst Control Center. I still have no idea how, but thought that was interesting. What could that be indicative of?

Janas: Will try a BIOS flash when I get some.
Puppies: Yeah, when I did a clean reformat I started over with fresh new drivers for the ATI 5870. Is that what you were referring to?
 
Last edited:
ensign_lee said:
Yep. Catalyst 11.12, latest drivers.
Click to expand...

Im assuming its not the monitor, but it wotn hurt to check. If the problem happened on your computer, at all, even just for a few seconds id say that there is a good chance that its the video card. Try to RMA the mobo, it might be a faulty PCI-e lane and that might have done somthing to the card.
 
ensign_lee said:
Oh, forgot to add. Interesting tidbit.

When I moved her video card to mine, at first the snow re-occurred on mine wherever *I* was displaying black.
Click to expand...

ho ho so the truth comes out. That changes things quite a bit methinks. Try moving her power supply to your pc and see what happens.
 
Make sure you try her monitor and cable on your pc. Have had a bad DVI cable cause twinkling dots before.
 
*facepalm* I'm *so* dumb.

Green snow was because the DVI cable attached to her monitor was loose.

<---- idiot.

Though that's still weird why the green snow followed to my computer for a few seconds, but whatever.
 
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