Computer Died. Please Help

[TwistedBishop]

Indeed it was. Took me a bit to find where it was labeled but it does say PCIEX16, it is the only black PCI slot and it has a retaining clip.

Great. You can buy a very inexpensive PCIE video card that should give you equal or better performance to whatever your previous integrated graphics solution offered.

Looking at NewEgg, the cheapest Nvidia card of the recent releases is the 8400GS at $35 with a $10 mail-in rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130316

I would suggest spending a bit more for a more capable PC gaming card, if you have any interest in such things. Something like the 8600GT is $50 (after a $30 mail-in rebate) and it will give you far better performance than the 8400GS.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130085

After you receive the card, simply slot it in and hook up the monitor's cable. There's nothing else to it.

 

[Thanee]

There's nothing else to it.

Except praying that it's not the PSU.

Depending on what you do with the computer, the video card is useful nonetheless, though.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Rackhir]

After you receive the card, simply slot it in and hook up the monitor's cable. There's nothing else to it.

Some cards require an additional power connection. Usually it's the same connection as for a Hard drive or the power supply has a dedicated connector for this. Most lower end cards shouldn't require it, but I did just install one that did and it wouldn't function until the additional power connector was hooked up.

 

[TwistedBishop]

Some cards require an additional power connection. Usually it's the same connection as for a Hard drive or the power supply has a dedicated connector for this. Most lower end cards shouldn't require it, but I did just install one that did and it wouldn't function until the additional power connector was hooked up.

Right, the more powerful cards do require power. But since neither of the ones I linked did, and I'm guessing the OP doesn't have a need for higher end gaming given his use of integrated graphics previously, it didn't seem worth mentioning.

 

[Fenris]

Well it was the Video card. I replaced it and lo and behold it worked. Thanks so much to all f you who offered help and especially Twisted Bishop.
The suggested cards were a help as it gave me a frame of reference when shopping. I wetn a little low (the 7200) for a lower price, because I was reluctant to spend more until I knew that was the problem, and honestly, my gaming needs are n very high.

But it works, it was an easy replacement, and it is one less stress now. Thanks again so much.

 

[Thanee]

Good to hear, that it was the easy part.

Bye
Thanee

 

[TwistedBishop]

That's great news. I'm glad we could help.

 

[ki11erDM]

Well it was the Video card.QUOTE]

This is really just to get you to back up more often but:

If you onboard video died then odds are good you are going to have other issues with that mother board. I just have a hard time believing that is going to be your only problem with that board over the next year. Just a word of warning : )

 

[Fenris]

Well it was the Video card.QUOTE]

This is really just to get you to back up more often but:

If you onboard video died then odds are good you are going to have other issues with that mother board. I just have a hard time believing that is going to be your only problem with that board over the next year. Just a word of warning : )

Good advice. I shall.

Which leads me to another question: Could I have done anything to have caused this or is this merely bad luck on that component?

 

[ki11erDM]

Odds are it was just bad. The only thing I can think of that you could have done was overclocked the onboard card and burned it out. But from reading your posts you don’t sound like that kind of person. hehe.

I have seen the end results of one person spill water into the vent holes on the back of their CRT which caused a rather energetic monitor failure... it did fry the video card and left the rest of the system ok.

And I guess you could have destroyed the VGA/DVI port some how… but again that is not very likely.

If you feel like opening your case again you could look for something like this on your board: http://www.pavelec.net/adam/CapsCrop.sized.jpg

If you see that bit of corrosion on the cap of the capacitors you know for sure what your issue was… not that it helps a lot…