Help!what's happening?!

[jpcegonho]

Is my computer dying? Yesterday suddenly the screen filled with a colored grid, and the PC was frozen. I started it again and after a while, the same thing happened. One hour after, i tried again and it was okay (backuped some files). Today it started nicely, but then, same thing, only that when i restarted it could't finished the disk check, and now, when i turn it on it doesn't even bips... Can any one help me on what's happening and if there's anything i can do to solve it?... It´s a XP 1600 on a Asus A7V266 board, with Windows 2000 Professional, had been running nice for 4 months, haven't changed or installed anything for some time ... thanks for your help

 

[vetplus40]

I had a similar (not exact)problem a few months back.My problem turned out to be a defective hard drive.It was a Western Digital 40 MB.It was just one of those things.

If ya don't ask..How ya gonna know.

 

[jpcegonho]

I really need some help here... The only thing that the computer does now is to turn on the LEDS and the cooler, no sign of BIOS. I heard there are some nasty virus that can cause this, Klez or Chernobyl, maybe's that... Either way i have to start by waking up the BIOS, right? Don't know how to do that, not sure of the problem, this is not looking good...Anyone can help?

 

[Crashman]

I think either your video card:
1) Died, or
2) Makes intermittant contact becuase it's not plugged in all the way or
3) The monitor cable is loose.

<font color=blue>At least half of all problems are caused by an insufficient power supply!</font color=blue>

 

[LED]

I got my money on #3.

This sig runs too hot.

 

[Hoolio]

It could be that the memory is loose, that stops Bios Post.

That would also be cause of the strange screens if the memory was loose. I read somewhere this can cause data loss on the HDD too, my bet is that the ram is not properly seated. Probably if it was knocked when moved, one of the clips may have come loose, also the ram contacts could be dirty.

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Crashman, I'm with you. I think it's the video card too. My guess is #1 or #2 though. Maybe it's just me, but my ASUS mobo here at work was notorious for a loose AGP slot. I had to actually bend the case slightly to keep the video card nestled in there firmly.

jpcegonho, out of curiosity, what video card are you using?

<A HREF="http://www.nuklearpower.com/comic/171.htm" target="_new">The corpse you find may be your own.</A> - Black Mage

 

[phsstpok]

No beeps ("bips" as jpcegonho says) rules out #3. I think this eliminates #1 as well but not sure. I never had a failed video card.


<b>I have so many cookies I now have a FAT problem!</b>

 

[slvr_phoenix]

I never had a failed video card.

I've had two. A Diamond Stealth and a Diamond Viper 330, both for my P133. I decided at that point that Diamond video cards just don't last. Oh, sure, 3 years each <i>sounds</i> good. Still, the Creative Labs 3D Blaster - Savage 4 has lasted longer than that.

And sadly, no, I don't have anything better on any of my PCs. I'm pretty sure Matrox's G400 has worse 3D performance than the Savage 4.

Anywho, my P133 <i>never</i> beeped. However, that doesn't answer the mystery of if a dead video card causes beeping or not, because I ripped that infernal pc speaker out of the P133 when I first got it. So even had the mobo beeped, I'd never hear it.

Who's brilliant idea what is to program music and sound for games on a PC speaker anyway? Some people should just be shot... Sometimes nothing is better than something.

<A HREF="http://www.nuklearpower.com/comic/171.htm" target="_new">The corpse you find may be your own.</A> - Black Mage

 

[phsstpok]

Nope, never had a failed video card. My first VGA video card (Paradise circa 1987) still works.

In 11 years of PC support (1987-1998) I only remember a couple of failed video cards out of thousands of PCs and Macs.

<b>I have so many cookies I now have a FAT problem!</b>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Just last week, my *sob* original Creative Labs Riva TNT died on me. Only lasted 3 years sadly. The 16Mb version with AGP 2x. My first graphics card before I got a Geforce2 Pro. Still using the Pro though, overclocked too!

"When there's a will, there's a way."

 

[baldurga]

I suppose that it was the only alternative in the past to have some "noise" to make games and alike more attractive.

But some skillfull programers don't have good ears and the result was, sometimes, horrible beeps combinations coming from the PC speaker.

DIY: read, buy, test, learn, reward yourself!