Is this a blown graphics card?

[xxxpigeonxxx]

My family was using my computer earlier today and claimed to hear a pop inside of it. later, i booted up my pc, everything worked fine but it went to sleep and the video would not turn back on. I tried turning it off and unplugging it, reseting my bois ctrs, still no video. could the pop have been a blown capacitor? if so, why did the card work at first but not anymore.

its an evga 8600 gts, sadly i did not register it i believe so no rma. the slot is pci express 16 1.0, will a 2.0 card work in my slot as there are not many 1.0 cards left

 

[rolli59]

PCI-e 2.0 is backwards compatible with 1.x so no worries there! inspect the card if it blew something you should see it!

 

[xxxpigeonxxx]

well it was the only working computer i had in the house, so i dont have time to wait around too much for replies here. i am a computer science major so my computer is like an extension of my body to me. The only thing i saw that looked really out of place was that one of the capictors on the card was not flat at the end, but looked tapered. Actually just checked it again, yea a capictor blew on the card. What could be the causes?

I built the computer three years ago. The power supply was a antec neo he 550. Could it be a power surge. The computer is only hooked up into a crappy little power strip. I am going to replace that with a ups (sp?) because i am reading thats way better. if so can someone point me in the direction of a good one thats reasonably priced. I doubt the cap blew because of too much heat. Its winter here and we keep it a nice chill high 50 degrees in the computer room and i have plenty of air flow in the case.

 

[rolli59]

Capacitors can fail just by them self's not all of them are quality products. But in any case when you get running again check the voltages to make sure that you don't have a failing rail on the PSU.

 

[xxxpigeonxxx]

How would I check the voltages. would HWMoniter list all of the voltages. or some other freeware be able to check

 

[rolli59]

I find it always best to look at it in BIOS all these third party monitoring utilities are found to be inaccurate many times. I have actually used ASUS probe with Asus boards and MSI core center with MSI boards and found them both displaying them same as the hardware monitor in BIOS.

 

[nforce4max]

Just replace the card unless you know how to replace the bad caps and have the tools on hand as well the replacement caps that are the right rating. I had to recap my 8800gtx when three caps had broken off before I had received it and were missing but that didn't stop me.

 

[xxxpigeonxxx]

I am using an asus board, but i could never get asus probe to install. I am not the worlds best solderer but i shall definately save this card to try to repair it and upgrade a friends pc. New video card is on its way and should be here by thursday. lets hope the cap did not take anything else out with it.

 

[vvhocare5]

I had the same thing happen on a 3 year old NV card. It stopped working one day - I pulled it and 3 caps had clearly burst through the cans. It was a good PS (doesnt really mean anything). Put in a newer card and its been running for several months.

There are some very sketchy quality cards out there.

Either repair it or toss

 

[westom]

I am using an asus board, but i could never get asus probe to install. I am not the worlds best solderer but

Every 'defective' part woudl be wild speculation. As you learn science, learn how 'shotgunning' is irresponsible reasoning.

Never start by fixing anything. Always first collect all facts. In your case, every necessary number could have been obtained in one minute. Using those numbers, the very next reply says what is defective AND why you would know that is the only part to replace.

I see nothing that suggests a bad video card.

Completely normal is for electronics to fail without any visual indication. Also normal is for a defective power supply to boot a computer - then start causing problems months or a year later. So how do you 'see' a failure? That always starts with tools that cost less than a hammer - and that is often sold in stores that also sell hammers.

See those wires from power supply to motherboard? Use 3.5 digit multimeter (in 20 VDC range) to probe each listed wire inside that nylon connector. Good diagnostic procedure says to disconnect and remove nothing. Just get facts.

Start with the purple wire. It should measure something around 5 volts. All three digits are critically important if you want knowledgeable assistance.

Next measure the green and gray wires both before and as the power switch is pressed. Those numbers will report on the condition of more than half your system.

Also useful would be voltages on any one red, orange, and yellow wires as the power switch is pressed.

This is what they mean on CSI: "follow the evidence". Nothing posted previously does that. You have two choices. Either keep replacing perfectly good parts until something works (shotgun). Or spend one minute to get numbers. Then actually learn how a computer works when the reply teaches you things you never knew (as well as identify the suspect without wild speculation).

Some myths need be eliminate immediately. An undersized power supply never blows up. Even those with minimal computer knowledge know all power supply outputs can be shorted together when powered. And that never damages a minimally acceptable supply. Load cannot damage a supply. And a supply cannot damage other computer parts. Reasons why should be known to any computer literate person.

UPS does nothing for hardware protection. Does not claim to. Connects a computer directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode. Again, that UPS solution demonstrates how many only know what they were told to believe. That UPS is only for data protection from blackouts. Obviously blackouts are not surges. And are not destructive to any electronics hardware. More science that contradicts popular urban myths. Your choice. Either believe an overwhelming majority. Or learn from one who has even designed this stuff decades ago. Get the meter. Then have useful answers without wild speculation.

 

[rolli59]

Every 'defective' part woudl be wild speculation. As you learn science, learn how 'shotgunning' is irresponsible reasoning.

Never start by fixing anything. Always first collect all facts. In your case, every necessary number could have been obtained in one minute. Using those numbers, the very next reply says what is defective AND why you would know that is the only part to replace.

I see nothing that suggests a bad video card.

Completely normal is for electronics to fail without any visual indication. Also normal is for a defective power supply to boot a computer - then start causing problems months or a year later. So how do you 'see' a failure? That always starts with tools that cost less than a hammer - and that is often sold in stores that also sell hammers.

See those wires from power supply to motherboard? Use 3.5 digit multimeter (in 20 VDC range) to probe each listed wire inside that nylon connector. Good diagnostic procedure says to disconnect and remove nothing. Just get facts.

Start with the purple wire. It should measure something around 5 volts. All three digits are critically important if you want knowledgeable assistance.

Next measure the green and gray wires both before and as the power switch is pressed. Those numbers will report on the condition of more than half your system.

Also useful would be voltages on any one red, orange, and yellow wires as the power switch is pressed.

This is what they mean on CSI: "follow the evidence". Nothing posted previously does that. You have two choices. Either keep replacing perfectly good parts until something works (shotgun). Or spend one minute to get numbers. Then actually learn how a computer works when the reply teaches you things you never knew (as well as identify the suspect without wild speculation).

Some myths need be eliminate immediately. An undersized power supply never blows up. Even those with minimal computer knowledge know all power supply outputs can be shorted together when powered. And that never damages a minimally acceptable supply. Load cannot damage a supply. And a supply cannot damage other computer parts. Reasons why should be known to any computer literate person.

UPS does nothing for hardware protection. Does not claim to. Connects a computer directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode. Again, that UPS solution demonstrates how many only know what they were told to believe. That UPS is only for data protection from blackouts. Obviously blackouts are not surges. And are not destructive to any electronics hardware. More science that contradicts popular urban myths. Your choice. Either believe an overwhelming majority. Or learn from one who has even designed this stuff decades ago. Get the meter. Then have useful answers without wild speculation.

You could have saved your self a lot of writing by reading first. The OP has inspected the card and found a blown capacitor. It was as well suggested to him to check the voltages!

 

[xxxpigeonxxx]

Just installed the new card and for the first time posting from my computer(ie the graphics card was what was wrong.)

In bios these are what my voltages read
VCore 1.32
Memory 2.14
1.2V HT Voltage 1.26
NB 1.24
SB 1.55V
CPU VTT 1.26
DDR2 Termination 1.07
3.3V 3.16
5V 4.91
12V 11.71V

the last three are a little below, is that or anything else up there a problem?

 

[rolli59]

They are within the ATX specs of +/- 5% http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX

 

[westom]

In bios these are what my voltages read ...
3.3V 3.16
5V 4.91
12V 11.71V

the last three are a little below, is that or anything else up there a problem?

If numbers were from a 3.5 digit multimeter, then it is a defective supply. Yes, numbers are above the 5% limit. But other parameters also apply which include a the meter reads voltages.

For example, that 3.3 volts can be constantly dipping well below 3.1 (below 5%) and would read 3.16 on the meter. Two defective voltages are 3.3 and 12.

Software does not measure voltages. The motherboard contains a meter that typically has poor calibration. Nothing in software can fix that. Always calibrate an onboard volt meter with a 3.5 digit multimeter. IOW voltages may be OK or may be defective. Nobody can say until you calibrate with a multimeter.

Also understand why swapping supplies is bad diagnostic procedure. A defective supply will still boot a computer - as your numbers suggest. Just another reason why power supplies must be confirmed using a meter. Why swapping says so little.

Two reasons why the supply may be defective. 1) Undersized. 2) Failing filters or regulation. Should you replace that supply, confirm that new supply is functional using a meter. Again, a defective (or undersized) supply can still boot a computer. But the meter will identify defects sometimes even months or years before that defect causes computer failure.

 

[sabot00]

PSU's can blow.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/668/8

They can take other components with them, when it blows there can be a huge & sudden drop, which can kill cards.

 

[Crazy-PC]

Just installed the new card and for the first time posting from my computer(ie the graphics card was what was wrong.)

In bios these are what my voltages read
VCore 1.32
Memory 2.14
1.2V HT Voltage 1.26
NB 1.24
SB 1.55V
CPU VTT 1.26
DDR2 Termination 1.07
3.3V 3.16
5V 4.91
12V 11.71V

the last three are a little below, is that or anything else up there a problem?

No problem for this value. Probably your previous 8600GTS is fail by chance. Some previous 8000 series card were easy to fail, I had 8500GT and 8600GTS failed by early of year 2008 so I stop using such suck cards. Same system works fine with other display card for a long while. It is also true that the poor stability or the actual continuous power of your PSU would be a major factor on display card problem; check if your PSU is goog enough to provide stable power for your display card.

 

[xxxpigeonxxx]

well it was a blown cap that took the card out. I really dont think the psu is defective or being undersized. I feel like the cap just blew out of sheer poor luck

 

[westom]

well it was a blown cap that took the card out. I really dont think the psu is defective or being undersized. I feel like the cap just blew out of sheer poor luck

Most parts fail due to manufacturing defects. Remember electrolytic capacitor failures some years back due to a counterfeit solution? Those defective capacitors sometimes worked for years before causing electronic failures. Most want to blame surges, etc only because it was working yesterday rather than learn how manufacturing defects (that can sometimes exist for month) cause sudden failures only today.

Meanwhile, power supplies cannot cause damage to other computer parts (assuming it is not a 'dumped into the market and missing essential functions' discount supply). Your failure is typically of a manufacturing defect. Without further information, we can only speculate.