My computer fizzed on me :<

• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-04-20 18:02
  Okay, so today I'm just browsing youtube and mabination when the screen just breaks on me, and I get no responses... it just froze. I turn the computer off and restart, but now the screen breaks on me even at the manufacturer's logo, and then the monitor goes into a "standby" mode because it says it can't detect the computer.
  
  Sometimes it wouldn't even go that far. The monitor doesn't recognize the computer being turned on at all.
  
  My worst fears came to light. I hope this isn't a hardware issue.
  
  Anyways, assuming its something to do with the ports, cable, or monitor, I grabbed a new monitor and tried again. Same results. The monitor just gives me a "no inputs" and goes to sleep.
  
  My computer has three ports. DVI and HDMI comes from my graphics card and VGA comes straight from my computer. I've been using DVI, so I wondered if its the cable's problem.
  
  I switched out to VGA, and now I can get on the computer. But obviously, now I'm running without a graphics card, which means I'm going on ultra chunky 800x600 resolution and I can't run many programs.
  
  Okay, so hopefully ist the DVI cable. I found a spare sitting around, so I switched it out. Same problem. Monitor either gives broken screen, or just goes to sleep.
  
  Personal diagnosis: Graphics Card is dead.
  
  Anyone have any suggestions, or think its a different problem? Does anything think I should try something to see if I can remedy the problem before I open up my emergency savings account to start shopping?
  
  Things I have done:
  Dust the graphics card
  See if everything is in place (pfft, as if I knew though)
  
  Things I'm going to try:
  See if its just the DVI port that is ruined, and try to see if I can't get it to work by plugging it into my TV with an HDMI cable.
• Yoorah wrote on 2011-04-20 18:22
  Yeah, sounds like your graphics card. Those things are not reliable. :( I'm curious, is it an ATI or an NVIDIA card?
  There's nothing you can really do besides testing the other port.
  
  You're lucky to have an on-board integrated graphics solution, though. :o You should find what IGP you have so that you can install its driver. It should be able to drive your monitor at full resolution and be usable for most things besides gaming.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-04-20 18:27
  Mmm, I THINK my older computer has a graphics card in it, so if I pull that out maybe I'll be able to play some lighter games like DFO and touhou at least.
  
  Or I think it has one. Might be integrated.
  
  Well anyways, thats it for gaming for me lol. Not enough money to buy a new computer and I'm not going to buy a new graphics card. I'll just save up and get a new PC since this one's getting pretty old. The hard drive in particular needed to be replaced as well.
  
  Edit: ATI Radeon. Had a good run I suppose. Its 4 years old now and I worked its ass off with Aion, Bioshock, Valve games, etc.
• Ampersand wrote on 2011-04-20 19:03
  VGA should be able to handle resolutions up to 1600x1200.
  
  Am I correct in understanding that your integrated (on-the-motherboard) graphics card has those 3 outputs? Have you tried using the HDMI port? If you don't have an HDMI cable, you can try getting an adapter like this one: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&cs_id=1041902&p_id=2080&seq=1&format=2.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-04-20 19:07

  Quote from Ampersand;417087:

  VGA should be able to handle resolutions up to 1600x1200.
  
  Am I correct in understanding that your integrated (on-the-motherboard) graphics card has those 3 outputs? Have you tried using the HDMI port? If you don't have an HDMI cable, you can try getting an adapter like this one: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&cs_id=1041902&p_id=2080&seq=1&format=2.

  
  
  Nu nu.
  
  My graphics card has 2 outputs. DVI and HDMI.
  My integrated has 1. VGA.
• Ampersand wrote on 2011-04-20 19:09
  oh... How odd =/ What model only has 2 outputs?
  
  Anyway, try to raise the resolution on the VGA out first, to see if you can get it to a decent usable size.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-04-20 19:15

  Quote from Ampersand;417092:

  oh... How odd =/ What model only has 2 outputs?
  
  Anyway, try to raise the resolution on the VGA out first, to see if you can get it to a decent usable size.

  
  
  Well I've been running it on 1024x768 for a bit now. Its a bit more usable I guess, takes me back to when I was like, 10 years old lol.
  
  I can't go any higher or the monitor will complain or it'll look retarded.
• Ampersand wrote on 2011-04-20 19:24
  What res were you running before on DVI?
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-04-20 19:25

  Quote from Ampersand;417101:

  What res were you running before on DVI?

  
  
  1600x1200
• Yoorah wrote on 2011-04-20 19:26
  Have you installed the driver for the integrated chip? O.o
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-04-20 19:28

  Quote from Yoorah;417105:

  Have you installed the driver for the integrated chip? O.o

  
  
  No. I actually have no clue what it is lol.
  
  I'm just taking the graphics card out of my old computer and replacing the one I have. Except its kinda hard to take apart :<
  
  HOW DO I TAKE THIS THING OUT.
• Yoorah wrote on 2011-04-20 19:35
  Graphics cards are held by 1 screw and usually a clip at the end of the PCIe slot.