Hooray, I destroyed my computer!

Shilly · #1 11-02-2005, 05:54 PM

Well, I just got my new AGP video card today (ATI Radeon 9600 All-in-wonder), installed it, everything looked fine, and...black. I followed the instructions provided to a T so that I wouldn't screw anything up and have my computer be out of commission indefinitely, but it was not meant to be.

For those unfamiliar with the card, instead of VGA or DVI ports on the card itself it has an attachment to an adapter, from which come two VGA connections, and a connection to a remote control system. The VGA connections are labeled "1" & "2," "1" being the primary connection. I have tried every conceivable combination of monitors and connections, to no avail.

Do you guys have any idea what could be wrong? I uninstalled the old drivers before installing the card (per the instructions), but it is still not working. Should I cry? SCKM?

smoore · #2 11-02-2005, 07:55 PM

how many beeps when you turn it on?

correct: beep

bad video: beeeeeep beep beep beep, IIRC

Shilly · #3 11-02-2005, 08:06 PM

Thanks for the reply. I just hear one beep, although it's barely audible. There's definitely not a beep beep beep sound. Upon startup the computer hums really loudly for a few seconds, then goes idle.

smoore · #4 11-02-2005, 08:15 PM

ok, so the computer thinks the vid card is fine (single beep). check the connections. check them again. turn off the monitor. unplug/replug the monitor. try another monitor. find a geek, give him dinner and beer. last but not least, try your old card again and just return the new card.

always be sure to be touching bare metal when you're mucking about inside your machine. I do this by leaning my forearms on the chassis.

Shilly · #5 11-02-2005, 08:20 PM

Thanks for the advice. I've emailed ATI support and have been tinkering around with it all day. I have a few friends that are good with this kind of stuff, but I'd have to lure them over to my place first.

And thanks for the electrocution tips [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

smoore · #6 11-02-2005, 10:19 PM

heh, touching metal is to save your machine, not you. 1/10th of the static you can feel can fry any microchip. don't open things that say, "DONT OPEN ME!" and you won't get electrocuted.

whiskeytown · #7 11-02-2005, 10:52 PM

before you deinstall your old card, you're supposed to switch to 600x480 16 color just to be safe it comes back that way in config -

try safe mode. Or putting the old card back - if the new card is bad it'll short out startup sometimes -

RB

Shilly · #8 11-02-2005, 11:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
heh, touching metal is to save your machine, not you. 1/10th of the static you can feel can fry any microchip. don't open things that say, "DONT OPEN ME!" and you won't get electrocuted.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now you can see why it's not surprising that I was having trouble [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img].

Anyway, I took everything apart and put it back together, and removed a PCI card that I wasn't using. That seemed to do the trick. Thanks for all the help, hopefully I won't need to come back with any more questions.