Dell Dimension 9200 help?

My son's Dell Dimension 9200 (with Win XP) keeps acting up. He says the
screen goes blank every 5 minutes, the fan on the graphics card speeds up.
The machine 'looks' like it's in a sort of power-save mode. ll he can do is
reboot, only to have the same thing happen all over again. He can still hear
videos btw, just not see them. Any ideas, anyone?

J

On Apr 8, 6:27*am, "Jim" wrote:
My son's Dell Dimension 9200 (with Win XP) keeps acting up. He says the
screen goes blank every 5 minutes, the fan on the graphics card speeds up..
The machine 'looks' like it's in a sort of power-save mode. ll he can do is
reboot, only to have the same thing happen all over again. He can still hear
videos btw, just not see them. Any ideas, anyone?

J

Sounds like an over-heating nVidia card (they have known issues)!

Jim wrote:
My son's Dell Dimension 9200 (with Win XP) keeps acting up. He says the
screen goes blank every 5 minutes, the fan on the graphics card speeds up.
The machine 'looks' like it's in a sort of power-save mode. ll he can do is
reboot, only to have the same thing happen all over again. He can still hear
videos btw, just not see them. Any ideas, anyone?

J


that sounds like a defective video card. you will need a pci-express
x16 type replacement video card. they cost anywhere from $30 on up to
well into the hundreds. tell us exactly what card you have in the
system for recomendations of a replacement that is as good or better
that what you have become used to. it would be very disapointing to
spend the time, money, and effort to end up with an inferior card. if
you don't recall what you have or don't have enough time to look it up
on the machine via device manager then visit the abreviated link below
to dell.com and enter your system tag number and a list of the original
system configuration including video card should appear...
http://tinyurl.com/ksgezb
this is what is involved in physically installing a repalcement (scrool
down to the section about the pci-express x16)...
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1402834

Hi!

Any ideas, anyone?

Bad video card most likely.

But...

1. If it's an nVidia card, check your drivers especially if you or
someone else updated them. nVidia had a pretty serious driver flub
recently.

2. Remove and reseat the video card, checking for excessive dust
bunnies.

3. Make sure the fan is operating (although it may be too late at this
point).

4. Check any external power connectors the card to be sure they are
firmly attached.

William

"Christopher Muto" wrote in message
t...
Jim wrote:
My son's Dell Dimension 9200 (with Win XP) keeps acting up. He says the
screen goes blank every 5 minutes, the fan on the graphics card speeds
up. The machine 'looks' like it's in a sort of power-save mode. ll he can
do is reboot, only to have the same thing happen all over again. He can
still hear videos btw, just not see them. Any ideas, anyone?

J


that sounds like a defective video card. you will need a pci-express x16
type replacement video card. they cost anywhere from $30 on up to well
into the hundreds. tell us exactly what card you have in the system for
recomendations of a replacement that is as good or better that what you
have become used to. it would be very disapointing to spend the time,
money, and effort to end up with an inferior card. if you don't recall
what you have or don't have enough time to look it up on the machine via
device manager then visit the abreviated link below to dell.com and enter
your system tag number and a list of the original system configuration
including video card should appear...
http://tinyurl.com/ksgezb
this is what is involved in physically installing a repalcement (scrool
down to the section about the pci-express x16)...
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1402834



Thanks! I've been advised that the card is a nVidia 7900GS 256MB.

J

Jim wrote:
"Christopher Muto" wrote in message
t...
Jim wrote:
My son's Dell Dimension 9200 (with Win XP) keeps acting up. He says the
screen goes blank every 5 minutes, the fan on the graphics card speeds
up. The machine 'looks' like it's in a sort of power-save mode. ll he can
do is reboot, only to have the same thing happen all over again. He can
still hear videos btw, just not see them. Any ideas, anyone?

J

that sounds like a defective video card. you will need a pci-express x16
type replacement video card. they cost anywhere from $30 on up to well
into the hundreds. tell us exactly what card you have in the system for
recomendations of a replacement that is as good or better that what you
have become used to. it would be very disapointing to spend the time,
money, and effort to end up with an inferior card. if you don't recall
what you have or don't have enough time to look it up on the machine via
device manager then visit the abreviated link below to dell.com and enter
your system tag number and a list of the original system configuration
including video card should appear...
http://tinyurl.com/ksgezb
this is what is involved in physically installing a repalcement (scrool
down to the section about the pci-express x16)...
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1402834



Thanks! I've been advised that the card is a nVidia 7900GS 256MB.

J


if you are just looking for a good replacement and not some high
performance and expensive upgrade then i suggest the following card...
supports directx10, areo (should you have or upgrade to windows 7), and
it a good value. you can spend a little less ($10?) but you get much
less. of course you could always spend more. and it has both dvi and
vga ports (not sure what you currently have or are using) as well as
s-video. under $40 delivered and $5 rebate if think it is worth the
effort...
http://tinyurl.com/yzjmkof

On 04/08/10 11:49, William R. Walsh wrote:
Hi!

Any ideas, anyone?

Bad video card most likely.

But...

1. If it's an nVidia card, check your drivers especially if you or
someone else updated them. nVidia had a pretty serious driver flub
recently.

2. Remove and reseat the video card, checking for excessive dust
bunnies.

3. Make sure the fan is operating (although it may be too late at this
point).

4. Check any external power connectors the card to be sure they are
firmly attached.

William

Good point about the drivers, I've read a bench elsewhere about their
recent bum drivers (197.13 IIRC).

One final note, if the card's still under warranty you should be able to
get a replacement at no cost (I had an nvidia card burn out a few years
ago). I'm still a dedicated nvidia user, however.