Can I ask a stupid question?

lg5000

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

Which part is broken on a computer when your screen suddenly decides to dispaly patches/stripes of various colours and your computer does.. exactly nothing?

How'd I get the effect? I dunno, I was in UW at the time, had spent about 2 hours down there.

Has it happened before? Yes, twice. At the time, I opened up the box and found a layer of dust over the fan which was supposed to cool down the video card... So, would this problem indicate that I did hurt the card too much, or is it something else which is easier to fix than spending a interesting amount of money on a new card?

Also, if it is the graphics card, what's a nice new one to get that doesn't cost the world?

Oh yeah, before I forget... below is what I have inside my comp atm

Athlon XP3000
1gig ram (2 x 512mb)
nvidia 5700fx card
Win2000
Old hd
No idea what type of motherboard, I think Nvidia though.

TheArrow

TheArrow

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

USA

The Illuminati [Illu]

Mo/

Typically artifacting like that happens when your GPU is starting to overheat. The fact that you found dust covering the fan only supports this. If it's only happened recently then your card should be fine, just make sure you clean out the dust from your case regularly since dust can cause all kinds of overheating issues.

Also, the only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked.

Seef II

Seef II

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

US

R/Mo

Not a stupid question, but if there was dust on the fan, you should've cleaned it out.
It's the video card overheating - what you saw were artifacts. If you see them, bugger out of GW ASAP and start dusting out your computer.

Riplox

Riplox

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

North Carolina

Shrophire Protectors [Lion]

W/

At this point, I would get out my leaf blower and blam some air into the case. Woosh! Dust all gone!

lg5000

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

gah, I mis-explained it.

The video card HAD dust on it last time this happend.. about a month ago. And I de-dusted it feeling somewhat stupid for letting it get to that stage in the first place. Since then, I've been running the system open with a fan blowing onto it, and it only re-occured over the weekend that one time.

Artifacts... uhh.. you couldn't log out of anything, there was nothing to see as such, other than something resembling modern art (lots of stripes and rectangles horizontally stacked). And it hit without warning. btw, what do artifacts look like?

refused

refused

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2006

Alabama ;/

Unknown Warriors[UW]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lg5000
btw, what do artifacts look like?
Answer
Well, you pretty much answered it

Quote:
Originally Posted by lg5000
(lots of stripes and rectangles horizontally stacked).

lg5000

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

LOL, so my lack of knowledge of computers in general is showing through nicely.. what should the temperature of the video card be while I'm playing btw?

Seef II

Seef II

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

US

R/Mo

Less than 90 C. The lower, the better. Ideally, you'll idle at around 30-45, and load at 45-60, but lower is better.

lg5000

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

Hmm.. without GW, it's at about 34, the highest I've seen it was 70 (that was the point that I checked for dust) and currently, it's about 50-55 while playing.

Thanks for the info

Riplox

Riplox

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

North Carolina

Shrophire Protectors [Lion]

W/

I think I've had the same problem. Can you take a screenshot of it when it happens and then post it here?

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by lg5000
Hmm.. without GW, it's at about 34, the highest I've seen it was 70 (that was the point that I checked for dust) and currently, it's about 50-55 while playing.

Thanks for the info
if the card is still under warranty send in a trouble ticket to their tech support so you can have a record of problems before it goes out of warranty

they may simply send you a RMA to replace the card.

Blade Rez

Blade Rez

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

Fairfax, VA

Shadows Of Nightmares (KoN)

W/

4$ PCI slot fan from newegg ftw?....

lightblade

lightblade

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Etereal Guard

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheArrow
Typically artifacting like that happens when your GPU is starting to overheat....
Not just for GPU, it is also possible for CPU overheating, or even PPU


Also, manufacturers claim their processor can withstand 140C. The truth is that your computer pretty much stop functioning at 70C

lg5000

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

Thanks for the additional info.

As for a screen shot.. uhh.. short of having a camera next to me while playing and taking a photo, there's no way of getting a screen shot.. like I said, the screen goes modern-art on me, and I can't see anything anymore. Considering I actually have to reboot when it happens, I don't think I can get a screen shot, which is annoying considering that a screenshot would help identify the problem.

http://www.undergroundarts.co.uk/Eba...(400by300).jpg

That link comes about as close as I can find to what the comp looks like, just add more lines into it and the green/pink/white combination that screens tend to have.

And the warranty.. this is my first comp which has lasted over 2 years.. so.. no warranty anymore. (No, neither myself nor family members overclocked/played with the predecessors)

Blade Rez

Blade Rez

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

Fairfax, VA

Shadows Of Nightmares (KoN)

W/

Just use prnt Screen.... on your keyboard

TheLordOfBlah

TheLordOfBlah

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

California

None

Mo/N

Yea, print screen saves it into your /guild wars/screens folder. Restart after that adn the screenie should be there.

Mustache Mayhem

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

BEN

R/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blade Rez
4$ PCI slot fan from newegg ftw?....
be careful with this.. those slot coolers blow air out the case- your video card blows it into it's sink upside down.. usually have to mod the slot cooler to blow the other way.. after the mod take the bottom half of the cooler off too for even better results

Seef II

Seef II

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

US

R/Mo

I think they're talking about a PCI card that's parallel to the slot and blows up towards the video card, not any exhaust thing.

Mustache Mayhem

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

BEN

R/N

yeah this is what he's talking about..
http://www.newegg.com/product/Produc...se+cooling+fan

they blow out- I dunno why they even make these things really.. you have to mod em (cut the support out and glue the fan onto the other side- it's not that hard really but most new modders will just install it stock under thier video card- end up with 2 fans blowing opposite) you get better cooling by taking the bottom half of it off too for extra airflow- reversing the leads won't make the fan reverse- they have a regulator installed.. tried that before) get one that's least 35 cfm, mod it and you'll have really nice air cooling

Blade Rez

Blade Rez

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

Fairfax, VA

Shadows Of Nightmares (KoN)

W/

Or the 8.99 Antec which is an exhaust

Mustache Mayhem

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

BEN

R/N

=\ I dunno why I post in here lol nm