Trouble with monitor turning off and random crashes.

[M16]

Hello again Tech-Forums! Its been awhile since I posted.
I would have done a search but I have to go to work in a little bit and I need to get this taken care of so I can get my WoW fix. Sorry if this has been posted.

At first my monitor will randomly turn off while the computer still functions. This happened to me before and it turned out to be a failing hard drive. One day it started doing the same thing. I would hard boot it and it would work just fine.

Then one day I was playing WoW and I had a full computer crash. The monitor will freeze and the computer will play the same note of sound over and over, but the sound will very very slowly progress. The next day the same thing happened, hard booted and now I get random lines when the computer starts. (This is before and while windows starts) It will get up to the Windows loading bar, after that the monitor will go on stand by.

I started it in save mode with still the same lines. It won't let me adjust the resolution. I was able to uninstall the graphics card driver. Then with restarting it normally it loaded up just fine (with lines). I then installed the graphics card driver again, restarted, and the same thing happened.

My graphics card is 6 years old to I am figuring that is dying. I am wondering if that is the cause then why would by computer completely freeze like it did. It seems like the graphics will just give out resulting in the monitor going to stand by. I just hope, hope that nothing is wrong with CPU/ MOBO/ RAM. I am thinking about just buying a new GPU and hard drive since the hard drive seems like it has been acting up too. (Even tho its not even 6 mounts old yet) I do keep the computer on stand by a lot with only shutting it down/restarting once a week. By doing that I have noticed hard drives don't last as long.

I just don't want to buy a new GPU and hard drive and it turns out that is not the problem.

Here is a video of what happens when I start it up.
Normaloperation.mp4 video by M16 - Photobucket

Here is a normal boot after driver uninstall.
Afterdriveruninstall-1.mp4 video by M16 - Photobucket

My system specs. with approximately how long it has been in use.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E7200 @ 2.53GHz (1 to 2 years)
Memory: Crucial 4GB DDR2 (2gig 1 to 2 years) (next 2 gigs 3 to 5 months)
Hard Drive: Western Digital 500GB (6 months)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS (6 years)
Monitor: Hanns G 19" Widescreen (3 years)
Sound Card: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio) (1 to 2 years)
Speakers/Headphones: Logitech USB Headphones
Keyboard: Logitech G15
Mouse: PS/2 Compatible Mouse
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R LGA (1 to 2 years)
Computer Case: Ultra X-Blaster ATX
Power Supply: Corsair 750w 80+ (7 to 8 months)

Sorry if this is a stupid post and thank you for any help.

 

[Thomas]

Nice to see someone ask a question and provide good info up front

I read thru your issue and then watched your video. Yea your card is done it would appear. If you have the means to replace it you should. You could verify this simply by booting up with a borrowed card.

I'll mention this incase you don't presently have the means to replace the card. You can do the oven repair method it most likely will get you another 6 months to a year from the card. I have done this numerous times and would say I have a 75% success rate and generally the repair lasts 6 months to a year. Obviously at present you have nothing to lose. If you are inclined to do the repair I will walk you thru the steps.

 

[M16]

Thank you Thomas your your reply. Trust me, this isn't my first rodeo.
I am interested on having my card work longer but since its on its last leg I think its best to just replace it.
Unfortunately I am pretty much the only person I know that knows the the guts of a computer. So I won't be able to borrow/test a card.

I will definitely be ordering a new GPU and hard drive. (The hard drive in going to go out sooner or later so why not, wish it could be a SSD but I'm not made of money lol) I will definitely submit my experiences with that once I am able to.

Thanks again bro!

Any more information from anybody will be highly appreciated.

 

[Thomas]

Well if you wanna try to get it working till your new card comes then you can try the following.

1: Preheat your oven to 400

2: remove the heatsink from the card gently.

3: use a small cookie sheet and make 4 balls of foil to prop the card on like legs.

4: put the card on the foil balls on the cookie sheet

5: put it in the oven for 10 mins. no longer or the solder could melt too much.


Like I said we have done this at the shop and I have myself aswell and it seems to work about 75% of the time but you got nothing to lose....

 

[M16]

Yep the graphics card was out. Replaced it with GeForce GTS 450 1GB GDDR5. Defiantly a great upgrade from the GeForce 7900 GS.
R.I.P.

Thanks again Thomas for your help. I didn't know you can heat up a graphics card and it could make work better, but If you do put the card in the oven at 400 degrees wont that melt the plastic on the card?

 

[Yami]

Thanks again Thomas for your help. I didn't know you can heat up a graphics card and it could make work better, but If you do put the card in the oven at 400 degrees wont that melt the plastic on the card?

Not if it's only in there for ten minutes.

 

[M16]

Not if it's only in there for ten minutes.

Oh I see. Thanks Yami. That's some pretty strong plastic. lol