HELP!! Graphics card problem.

[user]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Dell Dimension 8200, with two graphics cards driving 3 monitors:

Ti500 driving one DVI LCD (@1600x1200) (AGP)
FX5200 driving one DVI LCD and one non-DVI LCD (PCI)

The Ti500 failed - I think due to a fan failure; something in the Dell was
getting noisy - it stopped getting noisy and then the PC stopped loading
Windows. I swapped out the Ti500 and it booted OK on the two monitors on
the FX5200 (PCI).

So... dropped in a 9700Pro - Windows booted and it's AOK in 2D. I assumed
the problem was fixed ...

Until I tried 3D, i.e. Serious Sam 2; I bump the resolution up to 1600x1200
and I then get 'sparkles' on the screen and it's not long until either the
screen starts to "jump" and/or go blank intermittently and eventually the PC
crashes. I've loaded the latest ATI drivers and checked DirectX (9.0c).

Question: Is this most likely a power supply issue? The power supply is
250W. The old PC (Evesham) that I took the 9700Pro out of also had a 250W
PSU and similar drives; but with a 2.6Ghz instead of a 2.0Ghz P4 and one
less HDD. I know all PSU's are not the same, but it seems strange that the
9700Pro worked OK in the old rig and immediately hates the Dell.

Any advice most appreciated. I'd hate to buy a new 400W PSU and find that
nothing has changed.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I'd be surprised if it is the power supply. The 8200 actually is rated at
250W, but seriously underrated.

I have a 4550 with, I think, the same power supply. I've run it with three
video cards and three internal hard drives and it runs fine.

Might be cooling though.

Tom
"777" <777@anemail.address> wrote in message
news:cm4aui$k64$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
> Dell Dimension 8200, with two graphics cards driving 3 monitors:
>
> Ti500 driving one DVI LCD (@1600x1200) (AGP)
> FX5200 driving one DVI LCD and one non-DVI LCD (PCI)
>
> The Ti500 failed - I think due to a fan failure; something in the Dell was
> getting noisy - it stopped getting noisy and then the PC stopped loading
> Windows. I swapped out the Ti500 and it booted OK on the two monitors on
> the FX5200 (PCI).
>
> So... dropped in a 9700Pro - Windows booted and it's AOK in 2D. I assumed
> the problem was fixed ...
>
> Until I tried 3D, i.e. Serious Sam 2; I bump the resolution up to
> 1600x1200 and I then get 'sparkles' on the screen and it's not long until
> either the screen starts to "jump" and/or go blank intermittently and
> eventually the PC crashes. I've loaded the latest ATI drivers and checked
> DirectX (9.0c).
>
> Question: Is this most likely a power supply issue? The power supply is
> 250W. The old PC (Evesham) that I took the 9700Pro out of also had a 250W
> PSU and similar drives; but with a 2.6Ghz instead of a 2.0Ghz P4 and one
> less HDD. I know all PSU's are not the same, but it seems strange that
> the 9700Pro worked OK in the old rig and immediately hates the Dell.
>
> Any advice most appreciated. I'd hate to buy a new 400W PSU and find that
> nothing has changed.
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"777" <777@anemail.address> wrote in message
news:cm4aui$k64$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
> Dell Dimension 8200, with two graphics cards driving 3 monitors:
>
> Ti500 driving one DVI LCD (@1600x1200) (AGP)
> FX5200 driving one DVI LCD and one non-DVI LCD (PCI)
>
> The Ti500 failed - I think due to a fan failure; something in the Dell was
> getting noisy - it stopped getting noisy and then the PC stopped loading
> Windows. I swapped out the Ti500 and it booted OK on the two monitors on
> the FX5200 (PCI).
>
> So... dropped in a 9700Pro - Windows booted and it's AOK in 2D. I assumed
> the problem was fixed ...
>
> Until I tried 3D, i.e. Serious Sam 2; I bump the resolution up to
> 1600x1200 and I then get 'sparkles' on the screen and it's not long until
> either the screen starts to "jump" and/or go blank intermittently and
> eventually the PC crashes. I've loaded the latest ATI drivers and checked
> DirectX (9.0c).
>
> Question: Is this most likely a power supply issue? The power supply is
> 250W. The old PC (Evesham) that I took the 9700Pro out of also had a 250W
> PSU and similar drives; but with a 2.6Ghz instead of a 2.0Ghz P4 and one
> less HDD. I know all PSU's are not the same, but it seems strange that
> the 9700Pro worked OK in the old rig and immediately hates the Dell.
>
> Any advice most appreciated. I'd hate to buy a new 400W PSU and find that
> nothing has changed.
>


Go into BIOS (F2) and clear the NVRAM. (Caps Lock/Scroll Lock/Num Lock on,
then press ALT+E). Escape from BIOS and exit saving changes.

I also doubt that this is a power supply issue, though I honestly don't have
a clue as to what may be causing the problem. Your software preparation
sounds thorough enough.

Given that you've moved up from a 64mb to 128mb AGP adapter, I'm hoping that
perhaps BIOS may simply need a fresh look at your hardware configuration.

Other than that, I'd want to know if the 9700Pro exhibits the same problem
with the PCI adapters removed (temporarily) from the system. ?


Stew