Grahpics Card Overheating?

[j4ckaL]

When playing games the computer monitor will go into stand-by mode just like it does when you turn off the computer through windows. Then when I turn the monitor off and back on, I get a black screen with a message saying,

Self Test G
__________________________

Check PC and Signal Cable R
__________________________

Monitor is Working B



This message flashes on and off the screen for a while and then the montior goes back into stand-by mode. The only way to turn off the PC is by the power button. The only time this happens is while gaming. I checked the CPU, motherboard, and HDD, temps and they seem fine. I don't know how to check the graphics temps but I recently installed this graphics card and then a short while after installing it (less than a week) it started doing this.

The system specs:
mainboard: First International Computer, Inc. AU31
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD TCB431B
Northbridge: nVidia nForce2 IGP
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2800+
Memory: DDR-SDRAM PC3200 (200 MHz) - [DDR-400]
Video Card: ATI RADEON 9600Pro AGP 128MB
Monitor: emachines eView 17f3 17" CRT (Plug and Play)
Operating System: Windows XP Home SP2
Direct X Version: 9.0c


I think perhaps the video card might be overheating? I dont' know where to check the temps on it though, I looked in the BIOS hardware monitor, the Catalys Control Center, and in PC Wizard. How can I check the temps of the video card?

 

[CrazeD]

Sorry, that card does not have a temperature probe. You cannot check the temps with that card.

I'm going to put my money on drivers or the powersupply.

 

[j4ckaL]

Well it has the latest drivers from the Ati website and the powersupply is a 250W which is the recommended wattage for that card. The strange thing is that this problem wasn't there when the card was first installed. Everything worked fine for the first week or so and then it started doing this with increasing frequency.

 

[FlashDude]

I am putting my money on it being the powersupply or motherboard. Make sure the hs/f isn't plugged with dust bunney's and check your system temps.

I would try a new Psu first (250watt? dude that is not enough) then I would format and reinstall everything, and if the problem is still there start looking for a new board.

 

[j4ckaL]

My mistake, the power supply is acually a 300W.

The card was in fact overheating just like I thought. I ran the computer with the side panel off and the fan on the card was not spinning at all. I'll have to RMA it.

 

[FlashDude]

Cool beans.