Computer Error

[c50fritz]

Every time I boot my computer (starting last night with 2 crashes) my screen has wierd colors striping vertically. Once the dell startup loads my computer just automatically shuts down. Here's a video I took to show what it looks like:
YouTube - Computer Error

If you have any clue what my problem could be or how I could fix it please let me know.

 

[oldskool]

Video card getting frazzled maybe. What are your specs (hardware and software including OS) ?

 

[c50fritz]

I'm not completely sure off the top of my head. I have something like a 6200 Geforce card, I run on windows XP. I have like 2.5 gigs of ram. Sorry i'm really just not good with computers. Do I need to buy a new video card or what?

 

[oldskool]

Can't say yet, but do you have access to another video card ? It's going to be a "PCI" type card. Older ones are AGP and so you don't need to try one of those. You can tell the difference by the slots. They are relationally spaced differently so you would notice if you are trying to put an old AGP into a PCI slot.

 

[swibit]

if its quite a new PC.. see if it still comes under gurantee. If not, see how old your PC is and either buy the new videocard or perhaps invest in a new PC if its old..

 

[c50fritz]

Yes I have a second desktop I'll go try that. I'll post back after.

 

[oldskool]

It was weird but I had a problem not so severe as this, but that was to do with drivers.. as soon as I went on manufacturers website and downloaded the recommended drivers which I already had to begin with and reinstalled them.. every was good as new, no problems with video card since. Probably not like mine though.. probably hardware related but if your PC is shutting down straight away and your not good with computers.. if its quite a new PC.. see if it still comes under gurantee. If not, see how old your PC is and either buy the new videocard or perhaps invest in a new PC if its old..

Yeah, you could also try looking for updated drivers, but if you were doing fine and then the problem cropped up, I'm thinking the card is just worn out a bit.

 

[chesirecat1701]

the video card could be a prime culprit, as oldskool said it could just be out of steam (can't expect much from a retail produced solution)
straight up I'm suspect to that as a complete HDD failure, unless those vertical lines I saw in the video are consistent as soon as you hit the power button, because the del% logo is pre written into that motherboard's CMOS start up process it would then screw up as either A) the vid card squawks B) the HDD fails to load or maybe even C) the ram won't load the OS (that what windows is doing when you see the initial loading bar)