GPU won't display?

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03-20-2009, 05:45 PM
HiTempguy1

GPU won't display?

OK, here goes my long a$$ question/explanation:

I have a compaq computer which I recently installed an EVGA Nvidia 8600GTS in. Great, right? Everything was working perfectly fine, never gave me a problem.

Then the other week, the screen started going black and only displaying (sort of flickering) certain portions of the screen where I had the mouse pointed at. This only happened after I had been playing Richard Burns Rally, and then left the launch menu open while doing other stuff on the computer.

Finally, today Java said it had an update to install. I did this, and it crashed while restarting (it wouldn't shutdown). So I turned the power off, waited a minute, then fired it back up. This is where the suck starts; either the GPU or the processor (I cannot tell) "clicks" 5 times in a row. The computer then fires up and oes its thing, BUT there is no display. If I hook up my onboard graphics, they are turned on (without having restarted it again or anything). THis must be some sort of fail safe mode I would guess, as I had the bios changed to run the graphics from the pcie slot (didn't want legacy driver interfering). So I checked things out, uninstalled the java update, removed my drivers, took the card out, checked if there was anything wrong, put it back in, and it still does the "5 click" thing with no display.

In between the yanking of the card and putting it back in, I fired the comp up with the onboard graphics selected in the BIOS. Perfect, no problems (except for not having any drivers installed). Thats when I turned off the computer, put the card back in, and tried to get things working again.

And now I am here, a very, very sad beyonder :( Please help? It'd be greatly appreciated!
03-20-2009, 05:53 PM
eblend

from your explanation sounds like your card is dead since your able to power on without it in place, or could be your power supply that isn't up to spec to for a more powerful card, and finally gave up being able to provide the load requested. I would try a different power supply. Also double check all the caps on your motherboard
03-20-2009, 06:01 PM
HiTempguy1

Quote:

or could be your power supply that isn't up to spec to for a more powerful card, and finally gave up being able to provide the load requested.

So, you are sayin that the PSU COULD supply it with juice for a while, but got pissed at me and has taken a perma-break?

That would make sense, considering its the OEM 250W PSU.

I was reading another thread, and you said the same thing about the caps. BUT I DON'T WANT TO! :( I guess I will though...

I'm going to bring the card down to the 'rents with me this weekend. They have a very similiar comp setup (AMD dual core, 2 gigs ram, HP/compaq brand) and see if it works in there. Good thing it is EVGA, lifetime warranty!

I would assume you don't know what the clicking is; can anyone verify? Seems odd that it would give 5 very specific clicks, before everything powering up.
03-20-2009, 06:03 PM
jswankster

if you have a PC speaker inside it , could be a BIOS error causing 5 clicks...
03-20-2009, 06:20 PM
HiTempguy1

Quote:

Originally posted by jswankster
if you have a PC speaker inside it , could be a BIOS error causing 5 clicks...

If there was a BIOS error, the computer probably wouldn't fire up though, right? I would probably only be able to enter the BIOS (if I was lucky). I haven't EVER tried to flash the BIOS, so I don't think it would be giving me a hassle.

And I think I found my problem anyways EBlend. Guess what looks like it popped on the GPU? A cap! The top has been pushed upwards with a break running almost all the way through it. *sigh*

Edit-
Read this:

http://www.badcaps.net/forum/printthread.php?t=5919

First link on google that comes up when typing in the capacitor that popped. FZ76 is the model. It even is asking specifically about an 8600GTS. FML ($80 hard earned bucks probably up in smoke).
03-20-2009, 07:01 PM
eblend

figured. Didn't you say the card has lifetime warranty?
03-20-2009, 07:14 PM
eblend

also if its just one cap you can easily replace it, costs all of like $1 dollar for a cap, then just unsolder the old one and solder the new one
03-21-2009, 12:04 AM
HiTempguy1

Quote:

Originally posted by eblend
also if its just one cap you can easily replace it, costs all of like $1 dollar for a cap, then just unsolder the old one and solder the new one

Working on it. I hate electronic soldering though (I'm just terrible at it), and I am trying to find somebody else with a slightly higher skillz level then I posess to do it. I'll probably get them to replace all of the caps if the price is reasonable, as it sounds like the ones on it are shitty. Thanks for your help!
03-21-2009, 09:43 AM
Mibz

Quote:

Originally posted by HiTempguy1
And I think I found my problem anyways EBlend. Guess what looks like it popped on the GPU? A cap!

I can't believe I have to start taking this seriously.... I just thought eblend had a string of really bad luck.
03-23-2009, 02:28 PM
eblend

Quote:

Originally posted by Mibz
I can't believe I have to start taking this seriously.... I just thought eblend had a string of really bad luck.

I used to work as a computer tech a few years back and you see a ton of consumer PCs get busted caps, seen em on just about every device imaginable (including dial up models :)) Thanks god enterprise grade hardware I deal with now (servers) don't have this problem and are actually reliable.