Video card problems (PC won't start)

[Teh Luckinator]

Athlon XP 1800+
Gigabyte 7VRXP MoBo
512 DDR266 RAM
PNY Geforce 4 Ti4400

It always happens when I start up my computer. When I start it up, the screen flashes a bunch of colors and lines. Before I could just reboot it a couple of times and it would be fine, but that doesn't work anymore.

Now, whenever I try to restart it, it just keeps flashing. FOREVER. I can't even get into safe mode since the computer starts up, and I've put in another Graphics card. It's some Diamond one from my OLD, 120 MHZ computer. D= It's a PCI Slot one, and it works just fine.

So could it be my grapihcs card, or the AGP slot perhaps? I would try updating my drivers... but I can't get the GeForce 4 to work.

And I tried putting in BOTH graphics cards at the same time. It's the same as just having the GeForce 4 in it. It just flashes colors.

[glc]

PNY is lifetime warranty I think - start the RMA procedure.

[rbraun21]

Sounds like a bad card or faulty drives, maybe try another card and update the drivers and see if that helps

[Teh Luckinator]

I don't think it's faulty. It worked when I first got it in around November, until yesterday. Could something have short circuited? I didn't touch it at all, it did the flash thing before i opened the case and tinkered around with the card, "You know, that old chestnut." =D

[Alfie]

Video cards can be faulty,many times it's the memory on the board that is the culprit,remove the card,clean the edges and reseat it,make sure it's fully seated,start the computer,if it has a fan,make sure the fan is working,same results?
If it happens in bios screens,card is probably faulty,contact manufacturer and rma it.
PNY is very good about rma's.

[Teh Luckinator]

I read up on other people having trouble with their video cards. Then I came across someone suggesting that they check their power supply. Well, it fixed the problem for them, and it may for me.

On the box, it says the minimum requirements for the graphics card is 350 Watts of power. My power supply is only 300 Watts. Could this be the problem? The person had the same boot up problems as me, and fixed it the same way. He rebooted. So before I go out and buy a power supply, I'd appreciate some input. =D

[glc]

A customer of mine ran the same card in a Dell with a 200w power supply for 6 months and it worked just fine. Its now on a 300w power supply and still works fine. RMA the card.

[Teh Luckinator]

RMA it is. =D I'm gonna mess around with it a little more. AND TH EN I'll RMA it.

[Teh Luckinator]

I tried a new power supply, and it still didn't work, so now I'm RMAing it.

It's still weird though, the card worked for a while. Is there any reason why it stopped working all of a sudden?

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Teh Luckinator It's still weird though, the card worked for a while. Is there any reason why it stopped working all of a sudden?

Parts die...they just do. It has nothing to do with anything you did.

I've had a modem and video card work in a system for years and then one day they each just stopped working (not on the same day though). I've lost a lot of hard drives and CD-ROMs, but they're mechanical devices and wear and tear takes it's toll.

Cricket

[Jomama]

Its like, when did you expect the light bulb to quit working? When it was off?