[Daisky]

I have had my computer for about 4 years & I installed a VGA card in it from the begining.Each year the VGA card gets broken & I have changed until now 4 VGA cards(at a rate of one VGA card per year).So can sombody tell me what is the problem ?Is there something wrong with my computer so that it makes the VGA card get broken or that is the life span of VGA cards or something else?

[coastie65]

Daisky, on 11 May 2012 - 06:27 AM, said:

I have had my computer for about 4 years & I installed a VGA card in it from the begining.Each year the VGA card gets broken & I have changed until now 4 VGA cards(at a rate of one VGA card per year).So can sombody tell me what is the problem ?Is there something wrong with my computer so that it makes the VGA card get broken or that is the life span of VGA cards or something else?

Hi. Are you sure they are broken? That is an awful big turnover of cards. If I were to guess, I would say you are quite possibly haven't driver issues and unnecessarily replacing cards. Maybe some explaination of the problems would be helpful.

This post has been edited by coastie65: 11 May 2012 - 06:56 AM

[Daisky]

Hi coastie65 to explain what happens ,I would be working on my computer then the screen just goes black (happened one time) or when I turn my computer on nothing appears on the screen & I would shut it down & turn it on several times but nothing appears on the screen but the computer would be perfectly turned on without any problem(happened 3 times)so I attach the moniter cable(I don't know its exact name)to the built in VGA & everything is fine so I change the VGA card & I can use it through the new VGA again.

This post has been edited by Daisky: 11 May 2012 - 12:09 PM

[coastie65]

Daisky, on 11 May 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

Hi coastie65 to explain what happens ,I would be working on my computer then the screen just goes black (happened one time) or when I turn my computer on nothing appears on the screen & I would shut it down & turn it on several times but nothing appears on the screen but the computer would be perfectly turned on without any problem(happened 3 times)so I attach the moniter cable(I don't know its exact name)to the built in VGA & everything is fine so I change the VGA card & I can use it through the new VGA again.

Hi, at first blush that would sound like a bad card for sure. What kind of interface is the card and what I mean is it PCI, AGP , or PCIe. If PCI, you need to go into the DEvice Mangaer and diasable the Onboard graphocs chip set. With AGP, I don't reall y know as I haven't used one, but would suspect so. With PCIe, that normally will automatically disable the onboard stuff when you plug the card in, but always a good idea to check anyway. DEpending on the card, a lot of those thing have an additonal power source from the power supply as there isn't enough from the bus ( slot ). You need to have the extra plugged in ( Usually a 6 pin plug that would be marked PCIe, if it is a PCIe card ) PCI & AGP doesn't require this. It is hard to believe that many cards would die that fast. I just gave my Sister a desktop with a card that has been in there for quite a while with no problems at all, and I am a heavy gamer.

[waldojim]

We had a similar problem with a machine around my house for several years. For the sake of asking do you know who made the machine? Better yet, can you post the details of the machine?

We eventually figured out that the one we had doing this had a bad motherboard, in that the power wasn't being converted correctly, and the dirty power was cooking not just the video cards, but monitors as well!

[Daisky]

Good news everybody I took the VGA card to the shop & they fixed the card they said that the fan wasn't working so they replaced it so do you think that the other cards had the same problem?And could the problem be with the computer which is causing this?

Coastie65 I don't know exactly what you are talking about but I will list the kind of VGA cards that I have used & am using:

GT 1GB DDR2 PCI-E HDTV+HDCP
PCI-Express 2.0 9500 GT 1GB DDR2 1 X DVI + 1 X VGA
220 1GB SDDR3 PCI-E VGA+DVI+HDMI

I think that all of them are PCI-e & I think that they disable the built in VGA automatically because that is what I observed once(When the VGA card was working the built in VGA didn't give a picture)

Secondly they either were installed automatically by windows (The second one) or they were installed by the shop (the first & last one).I don't think there is an additonal power source from the power supply to the VGA card.

Waldojim I am in Lebanon & the shop where I bought my computer from assembled the computer & ofcourse the CPU is Intel.

The details are :
Motherboard Intel G31/DDR2/VGA
Core2Duo 2.6GHz Intel CPU
Hard Disk 250GB 7200 SATA
Case Enlight ATX 350W blk/slv
DVDRW 16x Sony/Optiar
DDR2 1GBingston 240pin
ViewSonic LCD VA703

[mjd420nova]

So many things to look at. My first might be the power supply, 350 watts doesn't seem to provide enough reserve power, being maxed out most of the time. This can cause so strange power fluctuations that would manifest itself in the most sensitive device. Being that the card itself gets its most critical supply from the MOBO even with the seperate plug in directly from the power supply to the video card. Being a recurring fault with multiple cards, I suspect a broken connector on the MOBO that the videocard plugs into. I seen a few of the on all three connector types, PCI, PCI-E and AGP. A small crack or fracture in the plastic would allow a bad connection and a loose connection will decrease the voltage suppled slightly and increase the current. Severe cases might exhibit a discoloration of the connector or even a cold solder joint, making itself worse and upping the current. The card repaired, was it just the fan?? Or was there another fault??

[coastie65]

Daisky, on 12 May 2012 - 03:34 AM, said:

Good news everybody I took the VGA card to the shop & they fixed the card they said that the fan wasn't working so they replaced it so do you think that the other cards had the same problem?And could the problem be with the computer which is causing this?

Coastie65 I don't know exactly what you are talking about but I will list the kind of VGA cards that I have used & am using:

GT 1GB DDR2 PCI-E HDTV+HDCP
PCI-Express 2.0 9500 GT 1GB DDR2 1 X DVI + 1 X VGA
220 1GB SDDR3 PCI-E VGA+DVI+HDMI

I think that all of them are PCI-e & I think that they disable the built in VGA automatically because that is what I observed once(When the VGA card was working the built in VGA didn't give a picture)

Secondly they either were installed automatically by windows (The second one) or they were installed by the shop (the first & last one).I don't think there is an additonal power source from the power supply to the VGA card.

Waldojim I am in Lebanon & the shop where I bought my computer from assembled the computer & ofcourse the CPU is Intel.

The details are :
Motherboard Intel G31/DDR2/VGA
Core2Duo 2.6GHz Intel CPU
Hard Disk 250GB 7200 SATA
Case Enlight ATX 350W blk/slv
DVDRW 16x Sony/Optiar
DDR2 1GBingston 240pin
ViewSonic LCD VA703

Hi. Hadn't given the fan any thought, but that could certainly be an issue ( over heated GPU ). mjd does make a good point about the Power supply. Not sure what the power supply requirements are on the 9500GT, but maybe 400w. I will have to look into that. The Power Supply in there is one I have never heard of and somewhat suspect as to the quality and how much it is really delivering. You answered the question, it is a PCIe card which is good and yes, it would have disabled the onboard Graphics when you plugged the card in. As fr drivers, I usually go to the Card manufacturer ( Nvidia in your case ) and get the latest WHQL drivers for the card ( I never use BETA ).

[Daisky]

Mjd420nova it was only the fan that wasn't working.

I think I should check my computer to see if it is breaking the VGA cards.

This post has been edited by Daisky: 13 May 2012 - 04:10 AM

[coastie65]

Daisky, on 13 May 2012 - 04:08 AM, said:

Mjd420nova it was only the fan that wasn't working.

I think I should check my computer to see if it is breaking the VGA cards.

Hi. As mjd has stated, it could well be a problem with the power supply ( PSU ). You would do well to look for something like Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, Seasonic, Antec Earthwatts, or Silverstone. They are good and reliable.

This post has been edited by coastie65: 13 May 2012 - 04:44 AM

[Daisky]

Coastie65 exactly what are these things that you listed?

Something occured to me.I watch many tv series on my computer & I rewind & rewatch a scene several times (maybe a psychological problem)to the extent that some 20 minutes episode takes me about an hour to watch so does that affect the VGA card (since the VGA card is also used to improve the picture for video clips played on the computer)?

[coastie65]

Daisky, on 13 May 2012 - 04:53 AM, said:

Coastie65 exactly what are these things that you listed?

Something occured to me.I watch many tv series on my computer & I rewind & rewatch a scene several times (maybe a psychological problem)to the extent that some 20 minutes episode takes me about an hour to watch so does that affect the VGA card (since the VGA card is also used to improve the picture for video clips played on the computer)?

Hi. Those are reliable Power supplies that I know are good and deliever reliable power. I think the one in there may be faulty to some degree. I can tell you this, if it is, it can not only messs up a video card, it acn potentially mess up the motherboard. Those thing are a lot more important than most people think. As to the rewind thing, it shouldn't be a problem.

[waldojim]

coastie65, on 13 May 2012 - 04:40 AM, said:

Daisky, on 13 May 2012 - 04:08 AM, said:

Mjd420nova it was only the fan that wasn't working.

I think I should check my computer to see if it is breaking the VGA cards.

Hi. As mjd has stated, it could well be a problem with the power supply ( PSU ). You would do well to look for something like Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, Seasonic, Antec Earthwatts, or Silverstone. They are good and reliable.

You are right, that power supply is very suspect:
http://www.newegg.co...82E16817103609R
+3.3V@28A, +5V@30A, +12V@18A, -5V@0.3A, -12V@0.8A, +5VSB@2A

That thing is rated for 150watts on the 5v, and only 216 on the 12V rail. It also has no PFC. Sounds like a very old P3/P4 design with a heavy 5v bias. This sucker was never meant for use in current machines.

Right now, the Antec VP450, and Corsair CX430 seem to be the budget PSU's of choice.