FurryHead 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 (edited) Hey everyone. (Sorry, mistakenly added 'AV' in the card description - I got that confused with my laptop's card, ignore it)I have a old desktop computer manufactured about 11 years ago, and it came with a nVidia GeForce 256 graphics card installed. (Not built-in; it came as a PCI card pre-installed)Now, for the past few years this card has worked perfectly fine. Until recently.Recently, my screen has abruptly started adding weird-colored lines across the screen, then promptly freezing my entire computer - keyboard, mouse, screen, all not working - and I have to power off/reboot using the power button.I ended up changing out the card with a ever older one that can't display anything higher than 800x600x16 resolution - which quickly got on my nerves.I've since put the nVidia card back in, and so far it's working fine - except for two times it's distorted the screen's color, then returned to normal.This has only happened about a year after I got linux, but I have no way of checking the card with a windows computer (the hard drive on my PC is too small).What could be causing this? I've checked the fan on the card, it's a bit dusty (after blowing compressed air at it) but it moves freely. Is there any way to fix this before it completely goes out (and I have to deal with 800x600x16 for the rest of this computer's life)?Thanks in advance! Edited April 3, 2011 by FurryHead (see edit history) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yordan 10 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 I had this problem, and it ended with a motherboard+graphic card replacement.Hope it's not your case, but could be.During about one month I could boot under puppy Linux (which has a very poor nvidia driver), and after half an hour Windows accepted to boot correctly. Until the motherboard simply died.Now I have a brand new motherboard and a brand new graphic card, and I'm happy. And I'm poor because this costed a lot of money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FurryHead 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 Eeeeek! So apparently it's not repairable? Great, just what I needed - To be stuck with 800x600x16 resolution for ages.Thanks for the info, though. At least I know I have to start saving up for a new computer now, then. haha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yordan 10 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 Thanks for the info, though. At least I know I have to start saving up for a new computer now, then. haha.Not necessarily for a new computer, but at least for a graphic board! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xarex 1 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 (edited) If it's working on the hardware end, did you try to update the driver or even roll it back? Might just be worth it to get on Ebay and find a newer but cheap NVIDIA card or motherboard. If you can, try the video card in another computer to make sure it's not the computer.But 11 years is good ol' damn reliable. Might be time to let go. Edited April 3, 2011 by Xarex (see edit history) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FurryHead 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 Well, Xarex, it can't be my computer because I was using another video card (Cirrus something, IIRC) and it worked fine. I have no other computers, other than a laptop, so I can't test the nVidia in another computer.I'm personally guessing that it's a memory module that has gotten corrupted, but I can't be sure - I am an idiot when it comes to hardware.On a side note, anyone know how to fix a IDE HDD that (I think) has gotten fried? AFAIK, nothing happened to it but it's no longer being recognized by the motherboard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xamire 0 Report post Posted May 30, 2011 Go download hardware monitor from cupid.com. It will tell you every temperature in your computer. Let the computer run, like you normally do (gaming etc) and just keep checking the temps. It could be, that your thermal paste is old and dried up. Sounds like your card is overheating, and freezing out. But then again, it could just be faulty vram, bad chip, or anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
