Do I need a new video card?

[x39363440845]

I've had this computer for a little over a year now. Just recently (two days ago) it started freezing up while I was playing WoW. It seemed to me like something was overheating, but all the temps I was reading were fine. The problem progressively got worse and now when I start my pc, I cant get into the BIOS, and when it gets to the point where it should be in windows, all I see is...tetris blocks or something. My mobo doesn't have an on-board vid card so I cant really tell if its my vid card that fried or if it's something else. Any suggestions?

 

[Trotter]

Initial thoughts...

Check the GPU fan, make sure it is running.

Blow out the GPU heatsink.

Possibly the PSU going bad.

Possibly the Card going bad.

Card may need re-seating.

Drivers may be corrupted and thus need to be downloaded and reinstalled.

 

[x39363440845]

Initial thoughts...

Check the GPU fan, make sure it is running.

Blow out the GPU heatsink.

Possibly the PSU going bad.

Possibly the Card going bad.

Card may need re-seating.

Drivers may be corrupted and thus need to be downloaded and reinstalled.

The fan runs, I blew out the entire computer. Could be the psu (hope so, it'd be cheaper to replace), and I re-seated the card. Can't see anything on the computer so I can't install new drivers. I can't even get into safemode or bios.

 

[x39363440845]

Here's a picture I took of my monitor. This is all I can see when I turn on my computer.

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/1259/dsc01320nr1.jpg

 

[Trotter]

Can you get hold of another monitor to try on the computer to rule out the monitor?

 

[x39363440845]

Can you get hold of another monitor to try on the computer to rule out the monitor?

I don't think the monitor is at fault here because the night before it started doing whats in the picture, the computer would freeze up and whatever music I was playing would start skipping. Though I know that this particular model of Sceptre monitors has trouble with their dvi ports, but again I dont think that would cause my computer to freeze.

 

[markkleb]

Do you have access to a different PS? (especially if yours isant a first tier one)

what kind of hardware are you using?

 

[x39363440845]

Can you get hold of another monitor to try on the computer to rule out the monitor?

OK Mr. Genius, I tried a different monitor and was actually able to get into safe mode. I deleted my old drivers and it quit doing that zebra stripe tetris blocks thing, but I'm still getting these dots and lines all over my monitor.

 

[spikoman69]

My thought is, probably the video card is wacked. What brand is it? You could RMA directly to the company, and they will send you a new one back. Sometimes, depending on the card, you might get lucky, and they send you a slightly better/newer card.

 

[Nagasama]

try a different cable as well.
and, IMHO...you always need a new video card. at least, i do.