Video Card Gone Bad?

[weiv0004]

Hello folks, quick question for you. About a month or two ago, I set up a quick HTPC setup pretty much to play my mp3 collection on my stereo system. After a few weeks I ended up reformatting the computer and just now got around to hooking it back up. Now, when I start it up, it will load windows ok, but when it gets to the screen where I would enter my password to login, it locks up with a plain black screen and eventually reboots. I think I've updated all of the drivers and what not so I'm not sure why it doesn't work. The video works just fine in safemode, but there is no audio this way. Any advice? Thanks!

System Specs:
Ati 9200 (Using RCA out for video)
ECS 741GX-M mobo
AMD athlon xp 2600+
512 generic ram

 

[Steaksauce]

spyware, virusscans done with updates and often? using onboard audio? Updated mobo drivers? run memtest86? Did you go on the net without firewalls? update to XP SP2?

 

[weiv0004]

Don't think its a virus/spyware problem. I keep my protections updated and computer runs fine from the onboard video on my monitor. I am using onboard audio, and I have updated the mobo drivers with the most recent ones available from the manufacturers website. It is updated to xp sp2. I haven't ran memtest, I'll see what that comes up with. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Steaksauce]

Start> Run > chkdsk/f to check your hard drive for errors if that memtest86 checks out fine. Doesn't really sound like a video card failure. ECS is suspect but we'll look at that later. PSU model and specs?

 

[weiv0004]

The hard drive and memory both check out fine. THe PSU is what came with the case, it says:

Just PC (USA) INC
Model FP-250U

Thanks!

 

[Steaksauce]

why did you have to reformat in the first place?

can't you reformat again?

I would move all of the files out of there, killdisk the hd, and do a fresh install, before blaming it on either the ECS, the PSU (shouldn't really ever use a psu from a cheap case), oh or the sound problem just might be a non-functional onboard sound since many of them just end up not working after a little bit.