how to test/know if my video card is fried? at DVinfo.net

Nathan Quattrini · October 24th, 2007, 02:30 PM

Are there any free diagnostics out there that will tell me if the video card is fried? Windows hardware never seems to know a thing.

Alessandro Garabaghi · October 25th, 2007, 10:29 AM

plug in a different one and see if it works in the motherboard...

How can you see windows if ur video card is fried? are u using a different video jack? Onboard ? if u have an onboard and a video card maybe u should try to disable to onboard one from the bios?

Nathan Quattrini · October 25th, 2007, 01:33 PM

how do i know if there is onboard?

Giroud Francois · October 25th, 2007, 05:30 PM

if you are asking , you better should leave that to a specialist...

Heiko Saele · October 26th, 2007, 02:16 AM

First question should be what's the problem exactly. You seem to be getting a graphics output, otherwise you couldn't see anything at all. So, do you get error messages? Faulty graphics?
Maybe all you need is a new driver installation for the card. However I second Giroud when you don't know if your graphics is onboard or not then I guess you should ask someone to help you with that (and I mean not on a forum - you already did that obviously - but someone who can actually look at your machine)

Dave Robinson · October 26th, 2007, 07:27 AM

Can you get to the machines BIOS?> Or do you see nothing at start up?

If you can get to your BIOS by pressing F2 or del, find the section relating to your graphics card. It will be listed as VGA / GPU, write down all the info and post it here. Also if you can get to your operating system before any issues occur just try downloading the latest drivers.

I assume you're not attempting to overclock the GPU?

If you can't get to the BIOS read on.

Get the manual for your motherboard out or download one and when you turn the machine on listen for the POST beep. You should be able to decode the beeps from a table in the manual. Some common GPU errors are 3 short beeps one long = no GPU found. In other words the card is toast. Bin it. But check with your specific motherboard manual for the correct tranlsations of the beeps. That is just an example above.

To check if you have onboard graphics look at the back of your machine you will see a blue 'D' plug (VGA) or a white 'D' plug with a perpendicular pin at one end (DVI) it should be what you are plugging your monitor into now. That is your graphics card. Now look for another version of the same connector closer to the power supply of your machine, it will be clustered with the USB, PS2 and other connectors. If it's there you have onboard graphics, if not, then you don't. BTW some cards have both VGA and DVI ports onboard, they're interchangeable so just go with whatever your monitor uses natively.

If you don't know much about computer hardware you shouldn't attempt changing the card yourself. Having said that for someone who does know what they're doing, swapping out Graphics cards is very easy so make sure your local IT shop doesn't try to charge you too much to change it for you. It should take around 15 minutes including prep and reboot, and then up to an hour or so to download and install new drivers, so work out how much that 'should' cost you and don't pay anymore. Or buy a book on PC hardware and do it yourself. Just remember, do NOT use a magnetic screwdriver. ;-)

I'm fed up of seeing losers in the IT industry trying to sting the general public with hideously inflated prices for incredibly simple pieces of work.

What is the make and model of your computer btw? If it's a well known brand I'll be able to tell you if you have onboard graphics, and what kind of mother board you are using.

Nathan Quattrini · October 26th, 2007, 09:54 AM

I have a GeForce 6200 with TurboCache. The fan died and I don`t know when. But for the last month all my editing software has been laggy and freezing, thus I figured it was the car overheating once we found the fan was dead. We replaced the fan to no avail. The editing software used to be fine. So i figure maybe something on the card got baked to a point where its hindered, not completely down and out.

computer info
www.kiukle.com/temp/editbay.txt

October 24th, 2007, 02:30 PM	#1
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	how to test/know if my video card is fried? Are there any free diagnostics out there that will tell me if the video card is fried? Windows hardware never seems to know a thing. __________________ Cinematography Site

October 25th, 2007, 01:33 PM	#3
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	how do i know if there is onboard? __________________ Cinematography Site

October 26th, 2007, 09:54 AM	#7
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	I have a GeForce 6200 with TurboCache. The fan died and I don`t know when. But for the last month all my editing software has been laggy and freezing, thus I figured it was the car overheating once we found the fan was dead. We replaced the fan to no avail. The editing software used to be fine. So i figure maybe something on the card got baked to a point where its hindered, not completely down and out. computer info www.kiukle.com/temp/editbay.txt __________________ Cinematography Site

October 25th, 2007, 10:29 AM	#2
Alessandro Garabaghi Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 132	plug in a different one and see if it works in the motherboard... How can you see windows if ur video card is fried? are u using a different video jack? Onboard ? if u have an onboard and a video card maybe u should try to disable to onboard one from the bios?

October 25th, 2007, 05:30 PM	#4
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	if you are asking , you better should leave that to a specialist...

October 26th, 2007, 02:16 AM	#5
Heiko Saele Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wurzburg, Germany Posts: 316	First question should be what's the problem exactly. You seem to be getting a graphics output, otherwise you couldn't see anything at all. So, do you get error messages? Faulty graphics? Maybe all you need is a new driver installation for the card. However I second Giroud when you don't know if your graphics is onboard or not then I guess you should ask someone to help you with that (and I mean not on a forum - you already did that obviously - but someone who can actually look at your machine)

October 26th, 2007, 07:27 AM	#6
Dave Robinson Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Conwy, Wales Posts: 208	Can you get to the machines BIOS?> Or do you see nothing at start up? If you can get to your BIOS by pressing F2 or del, find the section relating to your graphics card. It will be listed as VGA / GPU, write down all the info and post it here. Also if you can get to your operating system before any issues occur just try downloading the latest drivers. I assume you're not attempting to overclock the GPU? If you can't get to the BIOS read on. Get the manual for your motherboard out or download one and when you turn the machine on listen for the POST beep. You should be able to decode the beeps from a table in the manual. Some common GPU errors are 3 short beeps one long = no GPU found. In other words the card is toast. Bin it. But check with your specific motherboard manual for the correct tranlsations of the beeps. That is just an example above. To check if you have onboard graphics look at the back of your machine you will see a blue 'D' plug (VGA) or a white 'D' plug with a perpendicular pin at one end (DVI) it should be what you are plugging your monitor into now. That is your graphics card. Now look for another version of the same connector closer to the power supply of your machine, it will be clustered with the USB, PS2 and other connectors. If it's there you have onboard graphics, if not, then you don't. BTW some cards have both VGA and DVI ports onboard, they're interchangeable so just go with whatever your monitor uses natively. If you don't know much about computer hardware you shouldn't attempt changing the card yourself. Having said that for someone who does know what they're doing, swapping out Graphics cards is very easy so make sure your local IT shop doesn't try to charge you too much to change it for you. It should take around 15 minutes including prep and reboot, and then up to an hour or so to download and install new drivers, so work out how much that 'should' cost you and don't pay anymore. Or buy a book on PC hardware and do it yourself. Just remember, do NOT use a magnetic screwdriver. ;-) I'm fed up of seeing losers in the IT industry trying to sting the general public with hideously inflated prices for incredibly simple pieces of work. What is the make and model of your computer btw? If it's a well known brand I'll be able to tell you if you have onboard graphics, and what kind of mother board you are using.