Computers are hell (part II)
 

Ok it's time for some more hardware headache. :shifty: This time I decided to uppgrade my graphics card a GeForce 6800GT. I got a really good deal on a GeForce Gainward 7900GTX and wnet home with a smile on my face.

Not smiling now. Short story is, every time I boot up the computer completley hangs/freezes as it's about to get into windows. Hard shutdown is only way out. I can't get into windows in safe mode, same thing happens. I have checked all power connecters to the card, tried every configuration I can think of. I have a 500w Cooltek Psu, which should be enough. But no go. During Post the card is detected, memory on card seems ok and monitor shows everything alright, but then just as the windows welcome screen should appear it hangs. I tried the card in a friends machine. It worked there... So I thought I need a clean windows install. Tried that, but behold, everything is fine untill the screens shows where you choose if you want to insatall or repair windows, the computer freezes again. Hard shutdown... :damn:
Right now I'm stuck and out of ideas. Anyone got some to spare? :hmm:

Cheers Porphy

First thing I'd try ir put your old card in and remove any last trace of the old drivers. Then set it to generic VGA as the driver to use. Then put your new card in and install the NVidia generic drivers. If that doesn't work, let me know.

-S

I would wonder how you got a "good deal". There was a time that I thought I got a "good deal" on a video card only to find out it was flaky and the computer shop wouldn't take it back.

He's got a point - might be a flakey card. Try my deal first however.

-S

Hi

Thanks for advice. I tried your thing earlier Subman, but I get the same problem. Computers freezes with screen black and cursor stuck right before windows welcome screen.
And yes Sonar "a good deal" is when you acctually get something that works out of the box and in your computer. Seems rare though. I guess the more happy you are with your new hardware (and especially if you got a nice price) the more likely you will have problem with it, even this simple thing turned out to be a chore.
At simhq someone thought I should try another PSU. But I don't want to by a new PSU. This one is quite new and it should handle this, at least boot with the card into windows. Something is not right though...

Cheers Porphy

I think you know why you got a good price now. Sorry to hear that. Last test - pop it into another system to see if it does the same thing. If that is the case, RMA's will become your friend! ;)

-S

The bad thing is that it did work in my friends computer, at least it booted into windows. And he has a weaker PSU than me...
Yes, it looks like the "good deal" is going back from where it came. But I really want this card, the cooling seems very quiet as well, which is a major pro in my book.

Cheers Porphy

You may have just hit the head on the nail - get some better airflow.

Also, do a memtest to see if your memory is causing you grief. Its hard to diagnose a system by what you describe. The fact that it is locking up from a repair tells me that it might not be your card. You may have fried something in it while plugging in the new board. Try the memtest:

http://www.memtest86.com/

-S

PS. ALso reset your BIOS back to its defaults.

Solved this! And now I feel stupid :dead: My psu have two cables from the Pci-e output. On a closer look the one that was unused and tucked away with other cables had a small flag "Pci-e graphics connector" on it. Oh... switched cables and voila! Computer boots with no problem. Might be that this was a good deal after all... :hmm: It pays to be thorough even with simple tasks. Time to see what the card can do. Thanks for the advices anyhow.

Cheers Porphy

You mean you never had the PCI-E power connector plugged in? No wonder. WHat I find weird though is that it actually 'posted'. It should even post without the power connector.

-S

Well, both yes and no. I had a cable connected from the Pci-e connector in the psu. Thing is it has two cables from there, and I had plugged in the wrong one.

Cheers Porphy

Put your BIOS setting back to default/Safe settings. Just make sure your display settings in the bios are set to AGP or PCI-E then reboot.

When you disabled the 6800 did you first delete the drivers in windows, then update with forceware driver 92.91 after install of new card. I dont think its a faulty card if your card worked in your friends PC.