Video card piece important? 1

[zipp080]

Today when I took out my video card I noticed one of the tall cylinders on the card ( dunno what they are called), was really lose and about to fall off, so I nudged it a bit and it came right off. Well my computer started up with it, and I am currently installing windows XP because, it is a new system (but old card, ti4200), anyways, was that piece important?

The piece is silver and has 3 numbers on the top

2D
330
6V

 

[edfair]

Probably a capacitor. And if it is working, it wasn't critical.
Might get some jitters on screen.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[SirNuke]

I agree, but you may want to consider getting a replacement if this computer needs to be very, very stable (24/7 webserver or something like that)

SirNuke

 

[ImpetusEra]

Sounds like a capacitor and regardless of whether it works or not it should be replaced as they put it there for a reason. Bring the piece down to radio shack and see if they have one there and solder it on.

 

[TriRyche]

Might be a good idea to get the component or the card replaced before it starts taking out other components.

 

[ANFPS26]

It's probably just a filter capacitor and as Ed said if the card is still working don't worry about it. It won't harm anything. If you replace it you have to have the basic solder skills involved and have to watch your polarity when mounting the new capacitor. If it still works, ignore it.

Jim

 

[ImpetusEra]

So if a power supply blows a fuse and you stick a paper clip across the contacts it's ok because it works? I think it's bad advice to say an electrical component is ok just because it still works after a part is removed. If it works fine without it then it wouldn't have been there in the first place.

 

[ANFPS26]

That's a ridiculous comparison. No one suggested shorting something out. You have no knowledge of electronics, apparently. It's just a capacitor that had been loose for some time anyway. If he sees no ill affect from it being missing--then what the hey? Why get your pants in a wad over something so trivial??

Jim

 

[ImpetusEra]

It's just a capacitor", or, "it's just a fuse". Both alone they look like little moot pieces, but they all work together to make something much larger work properly and SAFELY. The point is, suggesting that just because something works fine, it is ok to NOT repair it is ridiculous. If the ground prong breaks off an electrical cord the device still works fine, right? It is now no longer safe though, but hey, it was just a little piece of metal. It's just plain unprofessional to tell someone not to bother with making an attempt at a repair. This person should be informed of the correct repair along with what "side effects" can occur by just leaving it be. Then it can be their choice as to how much they wish to pursue repairing it. Personally I’d like to know all my options rather than just the easy one that could result in a fried component. When you take someone with little knowledge about electronics and teach them "that as long as it works it's ok" then you ARE going to see paper clips in the place of a fuse.

 

[ANFPS26]

I'm not going to debate this silly issue anymore with you. I suggest he take the card to a repair shop and have it fixed. How's that? If it was mine I would replace the capacitor with a new one. But I have the soldering iron, the know-how, and I know which way to turn the polarity. If the original poster can do all that, then fine. That's the proper way to do it. If he doesn't have the know-how, then he'll probably blow the card up trying to repair it.

Jim