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Ordered a new Graphics Card yesterday. GeForce 7300 GS. Mid priced unit that should knock the socks off my old FX5200. Fingers crossed!

Jimmy

The big problem with subbing the video card or, even worse, using the onboard excuse for graphics is that this is such an intermittant fault it’s hard to scientific at all. I’ll consider upgrading my ageing Video Card anyway and see if that does it. At least I’ll get faster graphics even it doesn’t fix the problem.

Am I to assume that there are no batteries anywhere in the computer that may need replacing?

Jimmy

Things are getting a bit worse!

The malady has changed a bit. The computer still doesn’t start every time, but now, when it does start, it goes to the ‘Welcome’ screen, I type in my password and the computer loads my settings, the Desktop appears and….then the computer loses video output. Only sometimes though. It is working OK now and is perfectly stable. It doesn’t shut down, it just loses video output.

Does someone know if this could be a PSU problem, or perhaps some kind of battery problem? Can I tell what the readings for voltage outputs in the BIOS mean? I still don’t think it’s a Graphics Card fault…..unless someone knows different!

Help!

Jimmy

Haven’t had that yet!

Jimmy

Hi Jan,

Seems to have pretty much fixed itself at the moment! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with something like the PSU or the BIOS battery. It’s something like that. I checked the Voltages whilst I was bumping about in the BIOS settings and they seemed OK. (I think?)

Anyway, it seems to have settled down just now, but I’ll keep this thread going until I find the solution….
Thanks,

Jimmy

Thanks guys. It isn’t an XP problem in any way. If the computer can just get past the first few seconds on Power Up then everything boots fine. I do think that disconnecting the DVD would be interesting to try! I don’t really use it very often anyway as I have a DVD RW installed too.

I’ll get back t’ya.

Jimmy

Now that I’ve played around a bit with it I’m starting to realise that this has nothing to do with the boot sequence, but more to do with the ‘Power Up’ BEFORE the boot sequence starts.

I actually removed the DVD from the Boot sequence altogether but it is still the first thing that lights up after the power button is pressed. It’s at this point, within a second of pressing the power button that things either start up (yay!) or it all stops (boo!).

Any help?

I ran the Microsoft RAM test DooDah and all is well.

Jimmy

The video card is fine. It’s during the boot sequence that things go wrong. As soon as the computer starts the boot process properly the video is fine. It’s just getting past the DVD Rom that’s the problem.

I swapped the BIOS boot settings a round and the computer still stumbled at the DVD Rom bit. But only once. I’ll try it a while like this then perhaps try and remove the DVD from the boot sequence altogether.

Thanks, though, for your input.

Jimmy

Thanks Al! I’ll have a go! Cross your fingers…..

Jimmy

Pretty sure the video card is OK. It’s prior to that that things go wrong.
Never messed about in the BIOS before, so not sure what to do! How do I get into the BIOS? A talk through would be helpful.

Ta,

Jimmy

Nope. That didn’t fix it. There is a light on the front of the DVD rom. OK. When I press the start button:

The power light comes on.
The HDD starts up.
The light on the front of the DVD Rom flashes once.
Then nothing.

Do it again and instead of the DVD Rom light flashing only once and stopping, it flashes once, slight pause, then flashes twice and away we go.

Could this be the DVD Rom at fault. How do I check this? Can I take it out of the startup sequence and see if that helps? I also have a DVD RW built in so I couild use it instaed for booting up. Help! I frightened that it won’t start at all one of these times and I’ll be in deep doo doo.

Thanks,

Jimmy

New BIOS update is only a little younger than the existing one and I’m a bit wary about which one to use and how to install it. I’ll leave it just now.

The startup Boot order is HDD, DVD Rom, Floppy. This, however fits nicely with what may have been happening, as the HDD started, the DVD Rom flashed once then…..nothing. ie the floppy not kicking in.

Anyway, we’ll suck it and see.

I downloaded that SIW utility and there doesn’t actually seem to be a mainboard temperature sensor installed.

Thanks for now!

Jimmy

OK. Been inside, removed and replaced RAMs and checked all connections. Found a dicey connection to the floppy drive?

Anyway, the computer restarted fine, first time. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that much at this stage as the computer sometimes started first time before, especially when it had only been off for a short time.

I have SiSoft Sandra 2004 which is a useful tool. One thing it keeps telling me is that the ‘Main Board is running at too high a temperature. Currently 255C! I think this is nonsense. Anybody know how to check if this reading is valid.

I’ll check for an updated BIOS for the board.

More ideas welcome, I’m listening.

Jimmy

Thanks! I have already cleaned the inside of the chassis. One of the fans was noisy and I though that might have been the problem. The fan is now quiet and the inside of the computer is immaculate.

The motherboard is: Leadtek Research WinFast nVidia CR18D/G. There are two banks of RAM (2×256). The computer is 4 years old and was manufactured by Carerra.

The odd thing is the intermittancy of the problem. Like a Computer startup lottery!

I’ll pop back inside the case and give everything a good wiggle!

Jimmy.

Update.

Popped the Open Office installation files onto a CD and took it the MIL’s. Installed perfectly in minutes! Ticked the boxes during installation that enables the programme to run Microsoft Office files and away you go! She’s lovin’ it!

Absolutely blinking marvellous!!!

Thanks all. Again.

Jimmy