Graphics Card issue?

[UKBraveheart]

Hi,

im not sure if this is a graphics card issue or not but can someone point me in the right direction?

Was in the middle of an online gaming session when out of the blue the screen went corrupt with different coulours and shapes coming up in the middle of the game then freezing.When i rebooted even the windows screen on reload is looking corrupt with different clours and garbles letters,cant even get to desktop as when the hard drive click to go to initial desktop screen it becomes what i can only describe as a multi coloured mix of dots and lines like looking at stars in the sky.My card is a nvidia gforce 8800gtx and as i said im not sure if this problem would be a GC issue or something else like a hard drive or proccessor issue.Any help in the right direction would be most helpful thanks:mad:

[maynardvdm]

Hi

 

Do you have the latest drivers for your Graphics card?

 

Check if it is the same in safe mode.

 

Start your computer in Safe Mode.

• If the computer is running, shut down Windows, and then turn off the power.
  
• Wait 30 seconds, and then turn the computer on.
  
• Start tapping the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Options Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again. If F8 doesn't work try F5.
  
• Ensure that the Safe Mode option is selected.
  
• Press Enter. The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.
  
• Log on with an account that has administrator priviledges, usually your own account (NOT the account named Administrator).
  

 

 

[UKBraveheart]

Thanks ill try that this evening and post back.

[Match]

Do you have an onboard graphics Chipset? You will have two monitor sockets on the back of your pc one on your graphics card and one that connects to the motherboard.

 

if you have you could try removing your graphics card and plugging the monitor into the other socket, but you may also have to go into the bios and enable the onboard graphics.

 

any quiries on how to do this don't be scared to ask, but could you tell us the make and model of your machine please.

[Dalo Harkin]

Just to add to what the others have said - the 8800GTX is a very hot running card and the GPU's own cooler is not sufficient on its own, can you let me know what case you have.

You probably need more cooling

[UKBraveheart]

I started computer in safe mode last night and it booted to desktop so i guess it is the grahics card that has fried.:mad:. I guess i better book it into the local pc repair shop now.Would i be right in thinking that most graphics cards faults are unfixable?

Also im sure the local pc repair shop will fit a new card for me, would £100 cover the cost of a half decent new card?I dont have to money atm to replace the 8800gtx with a like for like card as it cost over £300 2 1/2 years ago.

Thanks for the help anyway much appreciated....

[maynardvdm]

Hi

 

Before you do lets just make sure.

 

Have you tried updating the graphics drivers?

 

you can find it here : Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers

 

Also have you tried an different cooler for the card as Dalo suggested?

[Dalo Harkin]

If it boots in safe mode - then its not necessarily the GPU - you still need the GPU in safe mode -

It does sound more like your drivers

[UKBraveheart]

If it did happen to be the drivers how would i correct this as as i stated other than safe mode i cannot boot up to desktop?Is there a way to delete drivers from safe mode?Then start afresh..

[DirtyPolo]

You can boot into Safe Mode With Networking.

 

This will give you internet access, and then allow you to go to the links provided peviously and download the latest drivers for your card.

[BeeCeeBee]

Just a quick followup. In order to connect to the internet from safe mode you have to be connected to the router through the ethernet connection. If you are normally using wireless it will not work.

[UKBraveheart]

Thank you all,

Would i be right in thinking then that i can install the drivers in safe mode once downloaded?i know silly question but never had to do anything like this before:p

[Dalo Harkin]

Yes you can :)