computer has crashed, graphics card problem?

[pechenegs]

Mobo MSI 6340KM133
40 gB Seagate
sdram pc133 256
graphics card s3 savage 4

Hi all, I’ve posted about this problem before, but can’t find the post on here since the changes at tek-tips.
My computer has conked out 3 times before, each time it revived itself after 3 days , It sometimes makes an eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek sound and then crashes. Once I cleaned out the PSU and it revived straight away. I thought therefore it was a power supply problem. One poster told me to keep the side panel off to see if this would help. I did this and it ran for a year with no probs. However, I recently cleaned out the computer and put the side panel back on, then it crashed again after a few days.

I tried a new 400 watt PSU and it had no change. There is no display what so ever. The monitor light comes on but just blinks on and off. After turning the computer on twice and off the processor beeps. I can hear the hard drive spinning and all the lights come on. I changed the ram sticks about with no effect. I unplugged all the drives and still nothing.

Therefore, I’m thinking it’s a graphics card issue. However it’s and on board graphics card S3 savage 4. I can see a one inch square thing with Via on the mobo with a little leaver top right, is this the graphics card? I think via technologies made the pro savage card? Can I easily replace an on board graphics card for another one, or could I buy a proper graphics card and install it? I have 3 available slots on the mobo, 2 above the modem which I think are for nic cards, but there is another one just below the modem which is not as long as the others, which sits above the audio sockets could this be for a graphics card?

Thx in advance
pech

 

[pechenegs]

also. Amd duron 850mhz

when computer is turned on first time, the lights all come on but it should actually cut off and then be powered on using the on/off power button, when turn on and off for a second time the processor beeps on shut down

 

[norty303]

Is this your motherboard?

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=131

If so then the slot on the far right (brown) is an agp slot and will support cards up to 4x AGP. You can't replace the onboard but will need to disable it in the bios before using an agp card.

Before you go any further i'd reset the bios either using a jumper on board or by removing the battery for 30 secs

 

[dragon0072002]

The question that I ask is do you have any case fans on your computer? Because the same problem happened to me before, but it was a CPU problem rather than a video problem. I would recommend that you take a look in your bios and try to clock down your computer, because I think that the settings are quite too high for either the CPU of the Video card. Even though that the video card is on the motherboard, you can still try to clock itself down. Clocking things down does help the integrity of the computer, it might run slow, but when you have a problem like this, you can't take any measures. I would say clock down your CPU and see what happens, and if that doesn't work I think it's time for a new processor

 

[pechenegs]

yes Norty it is.How do I get into the Bios when there is absolutely no display to the monitor. Yes, the slot is brown.
To dragon. I have 3 fans. one on the processor. one on the power supply box and another one above it which sucks in air.how would I disable the onboard graphics card, in the bios, but I can't get in there -?

Norty, what is a jumper and where is it on the mboard and where is the battery you mention?

thx for your input guys

cheers pech

 

[dragon0072002]

It depends on the BIOS alone. Every every motherboard has a certain BIOS. What kind of Processor are you running? Intel has their own BIOS and Athlon's have their own processors, but I would say that you go into your BIOs, and open up something that would be something of the onboard video card. That means that you have to purchase a seperate graphics card in order to do this.

 

[pechenegs]

hi dragon. I have a amd duron 850 mhz MSI mobo. So I need to buy a new graphics card? But would it work with the on board one still there? Or, would it initially at least allow me to access the BIOS and disable the onboard one? please advise.

thx again for your reply pech

 

[norty303]

OK, lets not confuse issues here....

If you have the manual for the motherboard look in there for the jumper location. It's actually called JBAT1 and it's just below the circular battery if you have the board with the connectors and slots at the top. The jumper should be on pins 1 + 2. Move them to 2+3, I normally also remove the battery. When you're doing this i advise turning off the power supply (at the very least the wall socket) but leave the power supply plugged in as it provides a good earthing point (touch case chassis before touching board)

Then move back to 1+2 and try rebooting. You may find it comes miraculously back to life. If not post back with results.

Yes you can use an AGP graphics card but you normally need to disable theonboard (in bios) or make the board boot looking first at the agp slot.

 

[pechenegs]

cheers norty, I now know what your saying, I downloaded the msi motherboard manual on a library pc, I now know where the battery is and the jbat, I'll try that later when I get home and post the results tomorrow as I'm having to use a library pc.

cheers pech

 

[pechenegs]

ok, i took out the battery and replaced after 30 minutes and moved the jumpers, it's still the same. i'll try and see if my friend has an old graphics card and try that.

pech

 

[Budley]

That "eeeeeeeekk" sound you described sounds like a leaky capacitor. I'd be looking for some bloated-looking capacitors on the graphics card. Sometimes the fluid will leak on to the circuit board and appear as a brown spot. If it looks clean, then check the motherboard. Goodluck.

 

[pechenegs]

cheers bud, I don't see any bulges on the capacitors. how would I check the mobo apart from taking it to a repair shop? I also have an onboard graphics card, I take it's the green sealed thing about 2-3 inches square.

pech

 

[pechenegs]

hi again, the computer is now working! I took it up to a computer shop and they stripped it down and rebuilt it, once they tried it, it booted up without any new parts. i think they just gave it a clean out. Would it be dust around the processor, this is the only area I couldn't get into to clean out?

cheers pech