Video card problem.

[eyeCpc]

All video cards like drives are backward compatibile to the same type of slot. You wouldn't see a PCI-E card in an AGP slot while the 2.0 will back down for the 1.1 slots simply as a newer replacement card.

In order to realize the full potential you would expect from a 2.0 card you would need a matching board. By the time you plan the next build however you might be looking at a 9900 or 4870 card and regret spending too much now however

The choice of which card is still yours to make while being reminded of worth or waste to get the same out of a 1.1 model card with a much lower price tag. That's just a thought there to consider. If you were planning a new build in the next few months a wait for just that right card and saving more for it by spending less now is the idea.

For simply testing the slot itself any PCI-E card you can borrow just to see would save bringing the case in to a repair shop. Of course are you sure the old card was what went doa on you?

It most likely was but borrow any old PCI-E 1.1 16x card and you will know for sure. A year tuner card went without warning here showing expansion cards for the most part always go while a slot will remain good for the lifetime of a board.

 

[Chuck122]

Well I ordered that new card. I plan on building or buying a new PC in the near future, but the games I play aren't too graphic intense. I mostly play WoW, but in the future i'd like to try some of these other games coming out. I think the card I chose is good enough for the time being and if this new card doesn't work then I am pretty sure my slot is ****ed somehow. If that's the case I suck and I will keep the card until I can get a new PC. I'll obviously bring the card to someones house and test it on their PC to make sure first.

 

[Chuck122]

The monitor is working fine. When I hooked it up to the video card the green light would not turn green. It was orange like I had shut my PC off. Hook it up the fantastical onboard card and it works.

 

[Chuck122]

If this next card does not work I think I am gonna buy a new motherboard so that it will work. Anyone have any suggestions on a good motherboard that will be good to go for the next year or couple years?

 

[eyeCpc]

One reason I suggested borrowing a card if you needed to was to see if the slot or card was the problem. Generally you see a card fail or come in defective before seeing a bad slot simply since that is only a riser mounted on the board with contacts on both sides of the opening you insert card down into including retainers.

For the price of the card you should be able to get into a new board that will run the same memory as well as cpu. You just have to go through an authorized Sony dealer/repair center! is right since you will be paying for not only the replacement board but labor for seeing new preinstall of Windows for the new board as well as installation charges.

 

[Chuck122]

Im newb to motherboards, but I would just be getting a new motherboard. I wouldn't have to reinstall everything would I? What would you suggest I do. For some reason what you said didn't really come clear tome. I also havent slept in two days. Can you clarify? If I get the new motherboard I'd have to reinstall windows and re install all my programs? Is that what your saying? How much would that cost? Can't me and the guy I know do it ourselves?

 

[eyeCpc]

The main problem right off is you have a prebuilt system not a custom build you put together yourself. An authorized service center you would have to go through to see a new board put in would put a new preinstall of Windows on there since that will be bonded to the new board. You later simply reinstall any programs you added since it was bought new.

If you want to see a service warranty the service center/repair shop would install the board and preinstalled copy of Windows for you there depending on what they charge for shop rates. If you and your friend simply install a new board without ever having worked on any system you likely fail to see it running at first.

Even when first starting out building custom cases it's trial and error without any guaranty on the work done. But that's what everyone goes through. I was already in the electronics field when first starting off with some of those old IBM and AST systems while having spent some time at DEC back in the 80s.

If you are ablle to order a matching replacement board yes you would have to reinstall everything including the necessary updates for chipset, sata/RAID controllers, video and audio drivers, etc. you have to look up at the support site. The problem is then needing a set of recovery disks matched for the new board or buying a full install disk of the version of Windows you are running seeing a reformat of the drive. You would starting over fresh in order to see everything up and running.

 

[Chuck122]

UGH. The kid that is putting the motherboard in knows all about how to build them and that and I think he'd know that and he said I wouldn't have to re install everything.

How much would it cost if I had to do all that with a repair center or whatever?

 

[eyeCpc]

The thing to remember is you have a prebuild system seeing a preinstalled OS. The serial numbers seen at the time it was shipped are tied into the prepackaged OS and recovery partition. Once you swap out the original board in particular that's an automatic major hardware change for a bound copy of Windows.

Despite XP's repair install option don't forget you are not working with a full install XP disk where that was first used. You may likely see Windows reinstalled without reformatting the drive and losing everything stored while a clean install with a new board is the first thing advised.

Each repair shop depending where you go will have a different price chart depending on what is being done. A store like Circuit City may charge $125- while a mom + pop shop that does have a Sony validation may only charge $80-. You could also see the reverse where an independent will charge more. But they have to warranty their work despite your friend having some experience?

 

[Chuck122]

He isn't so much a friend as he is a guy I work with, but he build's computers and he knows his stuff. If I got the new board myself what would we have to do to get it up and running? I honestly do not care if I have to re install everything. ****, it would probably be good to get rid of all this crap on my PC that I have. I just wont look forward to re installing all my games, but if I have too then so be it. Would I just get a motherboard and buy windows? Or is there some special stuff I gotta do?


EDIT: BTW, thanks for all your help I know im a newb and you are probably laughing or getting annoyed of me and my questions. But I appreciate it greatly.