The sound of a dying graphics card?

X14U2NVX

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Sep 5, 2012
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10,510
I don't quite understand it myself, but here's the situation:

So I shut off my computer every night before bed (so it can update, reset, ect.)
For the past 3 mornings, when I turn my computer on, the display does not work, I have tried both of my monitors on these three different mornings and none of them work
However, through the speakers, I can hear it boot into windows 7 (The theme plays)
If I turn the computer off and leave it alone for 4-6 hours (until after classes), and boot it then, it boots WITH display and no problems, the device manager reports no problems, and the computer runs completely normally.
There are no changes to it when I am gone to classes (except ambient room temperature, but surely that can't be the problem?)
The computer is clean, and has more than adequate ventilation, power supply, ect.
I have had/used this computer for nearly 2 years with only a few instances of this problem occurring few and far inbetween, again, randomly resolving themselves after I did nothing in specific. This is the first time the problem has occurred more than once in one month

Does this sound like a case of a dying/dead video card? I would check with another card, but I don't have one that's compatible with my mobo (other than my onboard graphics, which actually died a long time ago and I never resolved to replacing with a new mobo).

I will be posting specific specs later in the day as they come available to me (AKA my display comes up), but basic specs are:
8GB of DDR3 RAM, Intel Black Series Mobo, ATI HD Radeon Series 1GB Card (I'm sorry I can't be more specific atm, but I've always relied on my device manager to tell me what card I had), and 4.0x4 CPU.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I've already done as much re-assembly as I can, I just recently moved back to college and don't have the necessary tools with me to remount everything to the mobo to double check, but am looking for a time to go and get some.

ANOTHER EDIT: I just realized a possibility but I can't confirm it until after classes today, every time that the computer has successfully booted with video, the display was unplugged during the boot process and plugged in after it finished booting, will try when I get the chance, until then, another other ideas or suggestions for a permanent solution to hypothesized problem?
 

X14U2NVX

Honorable
Sep 5, 2012
6
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10,510
Bump

Also, my theory of leaving stuff unplugged and plugging it back in during/after boot turned out to be wrong, going to let it sit for a while and will update this thread when I make some progress.
 

X14U2NVX

Honorable
Sep 5, 2012
6
0
10,510
Okay, I managed to get display working after another cold boot and spam unplugging and replugging of my video cords... At this point I am certain that this is either a video card issue or a frayed wire(s) issue, so any input on those topic would be appreciated, and if anybody knows of a similar problem with AMD Radeon 6450's (I've done a quick googling, no problems like this), I guess just post it here, in the mean time, I"ll be tinkering with cables and the mounting of my video card.