help: Voodoo3 3000 AGP problems?

[Darq]

Hey guys -

I just bought a Dell Dimension 4100. I replaced the ATI Rage card with a Voodoo3 3000 AGP about 10 days ago... things we're looking OK. Last night I left the computer on overnight, only to wake up and find the computer frozen.

I rebooted, and the first text that normally says "Voodoo3..." would only show partially (most letters were blank).. there was also a lot of indistinguishable text on the screen... as the bootup would continue, there would be vertical lines on the Dell Title Screen and the Microsoft ME title screen. The computer would never successfully get to the desktop...

If I tried rebooting, sometimes the computer would get me into Safe Mode (I just guessed that it was Safe mode, since I couldn't read the crazy text that was being displayed). When the desktop would finally appear, the computer would freeze a few seconds after I moved my mouse.

I already gave my ATI AGP card to my out-of-state brother, so I didn't have a spare AGP card to try. Instead, I opened up the new Voodoo3 3000 PCI card that I had (I was planning on returning this one), and tried that instead. No problems so far.

I don't know anything about overclocking, fans, etc. However, the Voodoo3 AGP card was pretty hot when I took it out.

Any ideas? Dell seemed to mention a timing issue with some batches of Voodoo3 cards and said to get a replacement. 3dfx said it could be the motherboard and they couldn't keep sending me replacements if this kept happening (they've never sent me a replacement in the past). I still haven't talked to Onvia, where I got this card.

Anyways, I'm at a loss, and I hope you guys could, at the very least, educate me on what I should be looking for.

Thanks,
Darq

 

[Rickr]

My guess is a bad card. Return it and get a new one and you should have no problems.

 

[Dark4ng3l]

Yea looks like the chip(or the bios chip) got damaged. Get a new card

 

[GAZZA]

The V3 3k are notoriously hot chips , even the heatsinks are untouchable even at default speed.
Sounds like either a bad card or possibly the heatsink isnt sitting correctly or no thermal compound in between.
I'd take it back myself and get a replacement .

 

[Darq]

Ok... thanks guys. Should i look into buying a 486 fan or something? Or should I just leave the cover off my computer for now on?

 

[BFG10K]

Try downloading some overclocking software and underclock the card. It runs at 166 MHz(?) now so try something lower like 150 MHz.

If you do find it works when you underclock the card you can either put a fan on it or return it (I would return it).

 

[oldfart]

Dont listen to BFG. He is an Nvidiot troll. If you want to keep everything nice and cool, you can use a slot cooler like this one by AOC. It will keep the video card and the whole system nice and cool.

 

[aUt0eXebat]

thats weird, i got a dell dem. 4100 with that ati vid card, and replaced it with the same v3 3k card. but mine dosnt freeze... try d/l the new software for the card. www.3dfxgammers.com

 

[oldfart]

He may have just got a bad card (it happens). I know many people with Voodoo 3 cards and they are about as stable a card as you will ever find. They do run a bit on the hot side though. Be bure to keep the slot under it free.

 

[BFG10K]

Dont listen to BFG. He is an Nvidiot troll.

Did you even read what I suggested?