Just confirming - Do I need a new video card?

[Fis]

I have an old (8 yrs or so?) Dell desktop running WinXP. I maintain it just to occasionally run some ancient software applications that I have not weaned myself from. The video card is an AGP 4x 128MB MSI GeForce Ti4200.

Suddenly the video output on this PC has all but disappeared. When booting up, the WinXP logo flashes briefly, but then it quickly does some funky splitting up and horizontal spinning for a few seconds (my apologies for lack of a better description), and then the monitors goes black. I've tried multiple monitors, with both analog and DVI outputs, and it does the same thing.

I'm just assuming I need a new video card, but I am just guessing. Was going to pick one up on ebay but just wanted to confirm here whether that's all I likely need.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[tweakboy]

Well you can try grabbing the latest WHQL from www.nvidia.com

First boot up PC then press F8 continusly and go into safe mode.

Get the nvidia latest WHQL from www.nvidia.com and install them. yes install them in safe mode. No need to uninstall anything. nvidia drivers take care of that for you.

If your still getting the issue then seems like the video card is dying. You would need a AGP video card which is hard to find these days. Guys can you mention couple cards for this guy.

How much can you spend ? Guys whats the fastest AGP video card 2900XT AGP ? or 7800 AGP ?

Youll get one of these two cards for about 50 to 80 bucks.

 

[toyota]

I have a 256mb 6600 AGP that works fine that I will sell for 19 bucks shipped. I even have some DDR1 memory I will throw in for free if you need it.

 

[Fis]

This is awesome. Let me say as a non-techie who knows just enough to be dangerous, I REALLY appreciate Anandtech forums. You are all so helpful.

So I never considered SAFE MODE. Thank you. It started up straight away. I got the latest driver from NVidia, rebooted the machine, and unfortunately, got the same crazy startup problem -- just a frenzy of flashing Windows logos before shutting off the video signal entirely.

As for a new video card, thank you for the recommendations, but one thing I do know is that I'm limited not just by AGP. This PC can only take a 4x AGP card, and the power supply is only 250W. That eliminates 90% of the AGP cards out there. It's not a problem though. I really don't need it to handle anything intense from a graphics standpoint. The Ti4200 had been more than enough. The tricky thing for me is figuring out which cards are 4X/8X (they are usually just labeled 8X), and which ones can run off a 250W PS. I'll take the 6600 if it meets that description, but I don't think it does.

I saw some PNY GeForce FX 5500 cards on eBay yesterday for under $20 but didn't act fast enough to nab them. There's an ATI FireGL Z1-128 coming up that I think I'm going to try to nab for cheap.

 

[toyota]

this is the exact card. I used in it an older Compaq pc with an Athlon 2400 XP and 250 watt psu and just a 4x AGP slot.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814133013

 

[Cerb]

I have a 256mb 6600 AGP that works fine that I will sell for 19 bucks shipped. I even have some DDR1 memory I will throw in for free if you need it.

How many times have you offered a 6600 on these forums? Do you have a collection, or do people just not take you up on it? ^_^

Anyway, that's a classic sign of either random pins not connecting (broken solder joint?), a problem RAM chip (you can't up and replace it), or damage to the GPU over time from a so-so PSU, or heat.

It can and does happen with any video card out there, and there's a 99% chance the video card has had it.

ATI's coolers back then sucked. I don't know the power use of the 9500, but I'd trust a Geforce a bit more, for such an aged computer, adding in aged components (at least half of the ATI-branded cards from back then that I've encountered have eventually had problems, usually symptoms typical of overheating).

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2006/08/video-card-power-consumption.html
Assuming that can be trusted, a plain 6600 should be fine.

P.S. Since Toyota quoted the pre-edit version: the X1-128 I was familiar with, and it was a 9700 (8-pipe) GPU. Turns out the Z1-128 is a 9500 version (4-pipe). They're probably CAD-specified 9500 Pro and 9500 cards.

 

[toyota]

How many times have you offered a 6600 on these forums? Do you have a collection, or do people just not take you up on it? ^_^

Anyway, that's a classic sign of either random pins not connecting (broken solder joint?), a problem RAM chip (you can't up and replace it), or damage to the GPU over time from a so-so PSU, or heat.

It can and does happen with any video card out there, and there's a 99% chance the video card has had it.

IMO, avoid that FireGL, if you're worried about power consumption. I'm >95% sure it is based on a 9700 or 9800 GPU. Also, the coolers ATI used sucked.

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2006/08/video-card-power-consumption.html
Assuming that can be trusted, a plain 6600 should be fine.

lol, I only have just the one card. I think I have offered it at least 2 other times but no one actually took me up on it.

 

[bryanW1995]

I have a 6600 gt that I would part with, but it's pci-e. And mom would probably complain if I took it out of her computer. Amazingly, I had to replace the hsf on it 5 years ago but it's run like a champ ever since.

 

[Fis]

@Toyota, sounds good, then. Thanks. I'll PM you.

 

[Fis]

Hi all. So I purchased Toyota's 256mb GeForce 6600 (which I received promptly, thank you).

Unfortunately, the PC won't start up with this new card installed. With my old Ti4200, I can get at least part-way through the Windows startup before the video signal fritzes out, and I was able to enter Safe Mode without a problem. With this card, the fans (both CPU and GPU) start spinning, but the monitor never wakes up, and the PC doesn't boot (I know because in addition to no video signal, there's none of the telltale beeps of the startup process, and hitting F8 doesn't help).

Toyota said this card worked in a PC with 4X AGP and only a 250W power supply, even though the card specs list 300W as the minimum. Could it be that my 250W power supply isn't as capable as Toyota's? What are we missing?

 

[ocre]

have you tried your old card to see if it still boots in safe mode?

 

[Cerb]

:'( The 6600 officially should work fine in 4x slots, and if your PSU was too weak to boot up with it, your Ti 4200 would have been causing regular unexpected reboots.

At the least, try resetting the CMOS.

 

[happy medium]

A 6600 agp will work with a Dell 250 watt psu, I had a 7800gs in a similar setup.

 

[blanketyblank]

maybe your psu has degraded to the point it can no longer send enough power to be considered a 250 watt psu any more.

 

[Fallen Kell]

PSU degradation is possible. If the caps start going, it can easily be out of spec and may not be able to handle sudden changes in power draw (such as powering up a 3D video card). Might be time for a new power supply, but I think you are now at the point where you are throwing good money at a money pit and should consider replacing the system. With the Black Friday deals abounding, you can probably find a decent deal on a new desktop in the $400 range. I think you got your money's worth out of that Dell, and am surprised you havn't had blown capacitors on the motherboard as that was around the time of the cheap Chinese (Taiwanese) caps using a stolen formula which was incomplete and allowed aluminum to dissolve into the fluid and a buildup of hydrogen gas to occur instead of the hydrogen being dissolved back into the fluid like the Japanese capacitors do (using the complete formula).

 

[Fis]

Thanks for all of the responses.

Yes, the Ti4200 still gets me to safe mode but the 6600 doesn't.

@Fallen Kell, I actually have newer PCs and rarely touch this one. I am trying to finish clearing some old files off of it before wiping it clean and donating it to a better cause. Some of them are in old Win95 software that I'd like to convert and save before getting rid of the PC.

@Cerb, I tried your suggestion re the CMOS. At least I think I did. I removed the battery from the motherboard and unplugged it for a 1/2 hour. No change.

Any other ideas? Should I buy a Ti4200 on eBay?

 

[toyota]

I wish I knew of a way to help. I feel bad that you paid for a card yet are no better off than before. I am 100% positive that the card worked fine for me though or I would have never sold it.

 

[LoneNinja]

Would it be possible to put your hard drive into another computer to get your files you need off of it that way? I'm not sure what types of files you need, but as long as the hard drive is fine, there is a way to get those files.

 

[Fis]

Would it be possible to put your hard drive into another computer to get your files you need off of it that way? I'm not sure what types of files you need, but as long as the hard drive is fine, there is a way to get those files.

Definitely. I just hate to send the PC to recycling that way. It should work! I tried removing the PCI cards (firewire, USB, WiFi) and disconnecting the 2nd hard drive to reduce the power draw. Same result. Really tempted to try a different card but don't want to waste my time either.

 

[MustangSVT]

Have you set the resolution and color dept in safe mode?
Try to set it to somethign like 800 x600 16bit and apply and restart into normal mode.

from the description it seems more like a software issue.

(just checking incase you haven't tried it yet)

 

[PrayForDeath]

Have you set the resolution and color dept in safe mode?
Try to set it to somethign like 800 x600 16bit and apply and restart into normal mode.

from the description it seems more like a software issue.

(just checking incase you haven't tried it yet)

His PC won't start with the new card. Doesn't sound like a software issue to me.

Your best bet would be to back-up all the data on your drives and just get rid of this machine instead of wasting any more money on it.