No POST! Is my Radeon 8500 card dead?

[ImodiumAD]

That's what I'm trying to determine before buying another card. OK, I'll list here the system's specs and then describe the problem.

Athlon XP 2.0+
Shuttle AN35N Ultra 400 mobo
Award Bios (can't remember ver. number)
512 MB RAM
ATI Radeon 8500
Power Supply: Antec PP-352x 350W (connected to an APC Back UPS LS 500)
Windows XP Pro

Some evidence seems to point out that the card is on its last legs, but I want your opinion first.

Several times in the past 10 months or so I've had this Windows error msg after the PC crashes (a few times with Ragnarok Online and more recently with City of Heroes):

================
//
// Watchdog Event Log File
//

LogType: Watchdog
Created: 2005-06-24 18:15:47
TimeZone: 240 - Atlantic Standard Time
WindowsVersion: XP
EventType: 0xEA - Thread Stuck in Device Driver

//
// The driver for the display device got stuck in an infinite loop. This
// usually indicates a problem with the device itself or with the device
// driver programming the hardware incorrectly. Please check with your
// display device vendor for any driver updates.
//

EaRecovery: 1
ShutdownCount: 22
Shutdown: 0
EventFlag: 1
EventCount: 1
BreakCount: 1
BugcheckTriggered: 1
DebuggerNotPresent: 1
DriverName: ati2dvag
DeviceClass: Display
DeviceDescription: RADEON 8500 SERIES
HardwareID: PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_514C&SUBSYS_013A1002&REV_00
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
DriverFixedFileInfo: FEEF04BD 00010000 0006000E 000A198E 0006000E 000A198E 0000003F 00000008 00040004 00000003 00000004 00000000 00000000
DriverCompanyName: ATI Technologies Inc.
DriverFileDescription: ATI Radeon WindowsNT Display Driver
DriverFileVersion: 6.14.10.6542
DriverInternalName: ati2dvag.dll
DriverLegalCopyright: Copyright (C) 1998-2004 ATI Technologies Inc.
DriverOriginalFilename: ati2dvag.dll
DriverProductName: ATI Radeon WindowsNT Display Driver
DriverProductVersion: 6.14.10.6542

================

After reboot I usually could keep using it, thought I updated the drivers just in case. Today, however, it wouldn't boot. Award Bios gave the "1 long, 2 short" beeps that mean:

"Either video adapter is bad or is not seated properly. Also, check to ensure the monitor cable is connected properly."

So I disconnected the video cable, took out and then reinserted the card, and restarted the machine. The BIOS for some reason went back to default settings, prompting me to make the necessary changes. I did that (basically all I do is change the system bus from 133 to 200, so that it would run the Athlon XP at its proper speed), but then the system wouldn't even POST. I started to really freak out there.

So, I cleared the CMOS, did all that again, and the scene repeated itself. I decided to leave it at 133, and see what happened... it booted into Windows XP normally. However, whan I shut it down and turned it back on, again, no POST.

Could all this headache be the product of having a dying/dead video card? The installed fan on the Radeon moves, so I now it's getting power, but that's it (BTW, all fans in the enclosure work, including the PS fan). Should I go ahead and buy a new one, or do you think it could be something else?

 

[garebo]

I would also consider testing or swapping out the power supply, although, with the info you are providing i would say its likely the vid card. IN addition, you dont have a cheap, standard power supply either, you have an antec, which is a good one. Still, i dont know how old it is and if its seen any shocking situations.

Can you try another power supply and\or another video card or onboard video to see if thats the problem?

I imagine you have already uninstalled all old video drivers and installed the latest vid drivers and not just installed latest and left old drivers there as well.

Last, im sure its good, but its easy to check the battery and make sure its holding at around 3 volts.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

One thing i forgot, a long shot, but who knows. Use an eraser and clean the gold fingers on the video card.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[ImodiumAD]

If my memory serves me well, I think I bought the Antec case (with its PS) around 2002. So I've been using that power supply for around 2-3 years. I always had it plugged to an APC UPS, and has never blown, fizzled or smoked in all that time

Ah, and yes I did clean the gold fingers of the AGP card before pushing it back in... forgot hat detail

I don't have any power supply at hand to check it out. I mean, I had one, and I gave it away... I also had an extra vid card a while back, which I also gave away... crap like this always happens when I give things away . Next time I do an upgrade, I'll make sure to store those things in a vault for issues like this one.

I have another PC (my main computer) with two GeForce cards in SLI mode. Problem is, they are PCI Expres cards, and the Shuttle mobo is AGP... so I guess I'll have to buy a new card anyway, and maybe another PS to cover all the bases...

 

[ImodiumAD]

Ah, the battery... you mean the CMOS battery... hmm, I bought the Shuttle mobo on August of last year... could it become bad in so little time?

 

[garebo]

Not usually, but they CAN go at any time. Who is to say how old the battery was when it was first put in the shuttle motherboard in the first place? I have seen them be out of range when still relatively new. We all usually have a battery tester around the house anyway.
I dont think it is the battery, its just that its easy to test and gets one thing out of the way.




Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[ImodiumAD]

I'll put it in my checklist then, thanks

 

[garebo]

Like i said, its not likely to be the battery, but, here, have a look at this one. In the end it was the darn mouse, who could guess!

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1044778

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[ImodiumAD]

Hah, thanks for the link. That WAS really weird

Having no battery tester at hand, I bought a new one half an hour ago. Unfortunately, no change. I'll see if I can ask a friend for a spare vid card to test it, or just go ahead and order a new one.

 

[felixc]

Just for the record, when the system emits beeps, it means that the CPU itself is up and running. It just did not reach a point in the POST sequence where it can display something.

So you're saying that the system works fine with the CPU bus at 133MHz? Hmm.. It may not be the video card that is getting tired. There's nobody around who has a spare AGP or PCI card collecting dust, fo you to try?

Felixc

 

[ImodiumAD]

Well, its not working now. What I meant was that, once I clear the CMOS, the machine boots up, and if I leave the BIOS default setings, it boots into Windows. However if I restart it, the PC doesn't boot.69

*sigh* I think you're suggesting that the CPU may be the one giving trouble. I'm starting to get a headache

And, no, unfortunately none of my friends (those with PCs anyway) have a spare card.

Anyway, I guess I'll know for sure once the new PS and graphics card arrive sometime next week. I planned to eventually upgrade those parts, so its no big deal. However, I'll prepare myself psychologially just in case it's the CPU or something else :-/. At least then I'll have spare parts of my own for any future event.

Ed.