Is my graphics card dead?

senan.f.b.kelly

Prominent
Jan 4, 2018
3
0
510
Hello, I recently bought a refurbished Dell Precision T3500 from a trusted seller on ebay. It does not have a graphics card. So when I turn it on, a few of the diagnositic lights [link] turn on for a few seconds, until they're all off and the power LED is solid green.

So I presume it's working. I then bought an old graphics card on ebay (I think it's a Quadro 3400) and stuck it in, and connected a 6 pin power thing.

When I turn on now, I still get the solid green light, but now lights 3 and 4 are on for about 5 seconds. It then turns off and on and does the same thing over and over again.

Would really appreciate any help.
Thank you
 
Solution
The Dell BIOS requires VESA mode 103. If the card doesn't support that resolution them you could get nothing in the BIOS. I would find out exactly what card you have, and then find out if it's compatible with that computer. I don't know about Quaddro cards but Radeons after R9-380 (285) won't work, older R7, and HD 7xxx cards are OK.

senan.f.b.kelly

Prominent
Jan 4, 2018
3
0
510


I'm afraid not, I bought the 'new' one because I don't have any at all. btw this machine won't need a graphics card in future, it's gonna be in a closet.
 
Boot into Safe Mode with Networking (F8) and load the GPU drivers from there. There might be old GPU drivers that need to be removed first. Any video card should run in Safe Mode. AMD cards GCN3 and up have an issue with the Dell BIOS. But this usually shows up as an error message during POST. But if that IS a GCN3/4 card you need another card.
Here are some builds with that system. You will notice almost no AMD video crads there.
http://www.userbenchmark.com/System/Dell-Precision-WorkStation-T3500--/2522
 

senan.f.b.kelly

Prominent
Jan 4, 2018
3
0
510
thank you for your replies


I will try that, thanks.



The machine doesn't have an operating system yet. I doesn't have integrated graphics for me too see safe mode if it did either :(

 
The Dell BIOS requires VESA mode 103. If the card doesn't support that resolution them you could get nothing in the BIOS. I would find out exactly what card you have, and then find out if it's compatible with that computer. I don't know about Quaddro cards but Radeons after R9-380 (285) won't work, older R7, and HD 7xxx cards are OK.
 
Solution