Defect in graphic card?

When I restart my computer (when it has been turned on a while), my
Point-of-View TI-4280 draws some wrong characters, at random locations. It
happens only when I am in text-mode. In the DOS prompt in Windows, there are
some columns which are mostly blank. On the boot screen, there are random
characters instead of spaces. The problem began first 4 months after I
bought my graphic card. I exchanged it then, and got another card of same
model.

It worked fine for 2 months, and now the second card has the same problem.
Does my motherboard (Asus P4G8X) provide a voltage which is too high, is it
an error that can be fixed with software-updates, and what can the problem
be due to? I have a Thermal Take Xaser II cabinet (5 fans) with an average
temperature at 26°c (78.8°F), so I don't think it has been superheated.

Hope you can help me.

On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 15:28:12 +0200, In this world we created "Mads Noe"
wrote :

When I restart my computer (when it has been turned on a while), my
Point-of-View TI-4280 draws some wrong characters, at random locations. It
happens only when I am in text-mode. In the DOS prompt in Windows, there are
some columns which are mostly blank. On the boot screen, there are random
characters instead of spaces. The problem began first 4 months after I
bought my graphic card. I exchanged it then, and got another card of same
model.

It worked fine for 2 months, and now the second card has the same problem.
Does my motherboard (Asus P4G8X) provide a voltage which is too high, is it
an error that can be fixed with software-updates, and what can the problem
be due to? I have a Thermal Take Xaser II cabinet (5 fans) with an average
temperature at 26°c (78.8°F), so I don't think it has been superheated.

Hope you can help me.


Boot to safemode/Device Mangler and remove ALL entries for the display
adaptor and re-booot and let windows re-install it and look for
updated drivers.
HTH



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On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 15:28:12 +0200, "Mads Noe"
wrote:

When I restart my computer (when it has been turned on a while), my
Point-of-View TI-4280 draws some wrong characters, at random locations. It
happens only when I am in text-mode. In the DOS prompt in Windows, there are
some columns which are mostly blank. On the boot screen, there are random
characters instead of spaces. The problem began first 4 months after I
bought my graphic card. I exchanged it then, and got another card of same
model.

It worked fine for 2 months, and now the second card has the same problem.
Does my motherboard (Asus P4G8X) provide a voltage which is too high, is it
an error that can be fixed with software-updates, and what can the problem
be due to? I have a Thermal Take Xaser II cabinet (5 fans) with an average
temperature at 26°c (78.8°F), so I don't think it has been superheated.

Hope you can help me.


I'd suspect the video card's capacitors. From the pictures I just saw
on the 'net it looks to be a cheaply constructed card and so the caps
would be more likely to fail, sooner rather than later.

You might have POV replace it under warranty again but if they keep
sending you the "same" model new card with marginal capacitors the
only long-term solution might be replacing the capacitors or buy a
different card. You might express your concern with POV and see if
they'd replace it with something else.

The following link shows those caps I'd replace (assuming your card is
the same as pictured or similar enough) and the replacement order from
more to less likely to need replaced (which is only speculation based
on observations of other TI4200 cards).
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/pov_Ti-4280_caps.jpg


Dave

"kony" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 15:28:12 +0200, "Mads Noe"
wrote:

When I restart my computer (when it has been turned on a while), my
Point-of-View TI-4280 draws some wrong characters, at random locations.
It
happens only when I am in text-mode. In the DOS prompt in Windows, there
are
some columns which are mostly blank. On the boot screen, there are random
characters instead of spaces. The problem began first 4 months after I
bought my graphic card. I exchanged it then, and got another card of same
model.

It worked fine for 2 months, and now the second card has the same
problem.
Does my motherboard (Asus P4G8X) provide a voltage which is too high, is
it
an error that can be fixed with software-updates, and what can the
problem
be due to? I have a Thermal Take Xaser II cabinet (5 fans) with an
average
temperature at 26°c (78.8°F), so I don't think it has been superheated.

Hope you can help me.


I'd suspect the video card's capacitors. From the pictures I just saw
on the 'net it looks to be a cheaply constructed card and so the caps
would be more likely to fail, sooner rather than later.

You might have POV replace it under warranty again but if they keep
sending you the "same" model new card with marginal capacitors the
only long-term solution might be replacing the capacitors or buy a
different card. You might express your concern with POV and see if
they'd replace it with something else.

The following link shows those caps I'd replace (assuming your card is
the same as pictured or similar enough) and the replacement order from
more to less likely to need replaced (which is only speculation based
on observations of other TI4200 cards).
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/pov_Ti-4280_caps.jpg

S'funny, I have this same problem with an old S3 3D 8Mb AGP card on a BX
chipset board. At 66MHz bus it's fine but at 100 it has artifacts all over
the BIOS screens but is absolutely fine in Windows. (This is running a celly
600@900). I don't understand it as it's my understanding that the AGP bus is
back in spec at 100MHz. (MS6163 Pro).
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On Sun, 5 Oct 2003 11:25:27 +1300, "~misfit~"
wrote:


S'funny, I have this same problem with an old S3 3D 8Mb AGP card on a BX
chipset board. At 66MHz bus it's fine but at 100 it has artifacts all over
the BIOS screens but is absolutely fine in Windows. (This is running a celly
600@900). I don't understand it as it's my understanding that the AGP bus is
back in spec at 100MHz. (MS6163 Pro).

What method did you use to set the FSB?

I suspect the problem you're running into is that some boards, once
they post at a certain FSB/AGP ratio, can raise the FSB but the ratio
for the AGP remains the same. So, to get the ratio correct the system
must initially POST at the higher FSB rate. I am not sure that it
applies to that particular board but assuming the CPU is happy @
900MHz it seems the likely problem.

Different ways to get the higher FSB before POSTing might include:

- FSB jumper on the board

- Slotket jumper

- Slip a 2mm long piece of ribbon cable insulation over the CPU BSEL0
pin and slightly ream-out the corresponding socket hole so it fits.
On this pic it's the pin to the right of the one featured:
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/s370_bsel1_133FSB.gif

- Break off same BSEL0 pin


Dave

"kony" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 5 Oct 2003 11:25:27 +1300, "~misfit~"
wrote:


S'funny, I have this same problem with an old S3 3D 8Mb AGP card on a BX
chipset board. At 66MHz bus it's fine but at 100 it has artifacts all
over
the BIOS screens but is absolutely fine in Windows. (This is running a
celly
600@900). I don't understand it as it's my understanding that the AGP bus
is
back in spec at 100MHz. (MS6163 Pro).

What method did you use to set the FSB?

Option in the BIOS. It goes from 66MHz to about 155. It was my understanding
that at 100 it put the AGP back in sync.

I suspect the problem you're running into is that some boards, once
they post at a certain FSB/AGP ratio, can raise the FSB but the ratio
for the AGP remains the same. So, to get the ratio correct the system
must initially POST at the higher FSB rate. I am not sure that it
applies to that particular board but assuming the CPU is happy @
900MHz it seems the likely problem.

Yep, the CPU is happy. Prime95 runs for 24 hours with no errors and the HS
is hardly warm to the touch. (I used AS3)

Different ways to get the higher FSB before POSTing might include:

- FSB jumper on the board

- Slotket jumper

Niether avialable.

- Slip a 2mm long piece of ribbon cable insulation over the CPU BSEL0
pin and slightly ream-out the corresponding socket hole so it fits.
On this pic it's the pin to the right of the one featured:
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/s370_bsel1_133FSB.gif

- Break off same BSEL0 pin

OK, I wouldn't have thought this was needed as the board supports 100MHz FSB
PIIs and PIIIs.

Thanks.
--
~misfit~


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On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 15:06:23 +1300, "~misfit~"
wrote:


- Slip a 2mm long piece of ribbon cable insulation over the CPU BSEL0
pin and slightly ream-out the corresponding socket hole so it fits.
On this pic it's the pin to the right of the one featured:
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/s370_bsel1_133FSB.gif

- Break off same BSEL0 pin

OK, I wouldn't have thought this was needed as the board supports 100MHz FSB
PIIs and PIIIs.

It doesn't matter if the board/chipset natively supports the FSB
speed, I've had to do it several times for o'c Tualatins to 133 too,
was the initial topic prompting the marking on above linked pic.

If the CPU can run 900MHz without any voltage increase, I'd probably
break the pin off, since the CPU could still be moved to another board
someday and would work at 900Mhz, or use the insulation if it needs
voltage increase.


Dave

"kony" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 15:06:23 +1300, "~misfit~"
wrote:


- Slip a 2mm long piece of ribbon cable insulation over the CPU BSEL0
pin and slightly ream-out the corresponding socket hole so it fits.
On this pic it's the pin to the right of the one featured:
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/s370_bsel1_133FSB.gif

- Break off same BSEL0 pin

OK, I wouldn't have thought this was needed as the board supports 100MHz
FSB
PIIs and PIIIs.

It doesn't matter if the board/chipset natively supports the FSB
speed, I've had to do it several times for o'c Tualatins to 133 too,
was the initial topic prompting the marking on above linked pic.

If the CPU can run 900MHz without any voltage increase, I'd probably
break the pin off, since the CPU could still be moved to another board
someday and would work at 900Mhz, or use the insulation if it needs
voltage increase.

OK, thanks. Food for thought. I'm toying with the idea of trying a higher
FSB. I haven't yet as I was just pleased to get 900 out of it. I've since
heard of others getting over 1GHz out of these CPUs. Did I mention it's in a
slocket?
--
~misfit~


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On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 18:12:56 +1300, "~misfit~"
wrote:



OK, thanks. Food for thought. I'm toying with the idea of trying a higher
FSB. I haven't yet as I was just pleased to get 900 out of it. I've since
heard of others getting over 1GHz out of these CPUs. Did I mention it's in a
slocket?

I still have a Celery 600 "c" core around here somewhere, will do
1.2GHz at 1.85V, though it was just barely instable at that speed in
two different slotkets, only stayed stable @ 1.2 on a S370 board.

Mine is atypical though, most would only hit slightly under 1.2Ghz
until the "d" core, which is a shame since hitting 133FSB (& 133 Mem)
really helps a Celery, though if your board has 1/4 PCI divider option
at 124 FSB, that might be another good option. These weren't BX
boards though, you may need a decent northbridge 'sink to approach
133FSB.


Dave

"kony" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 18:12:56 +1300, "~misfit~"
wrote:



OK, thanks. Food for thought. I'm toying with the idea of trying a higher
FSB. I haven't yet as I was just pleased to get 900 out of it. I've since
heard of others getting over 1GHz out of these CPUs. Did I mention it's
in a
slocket?

I still have a Celery 600 "c" core around here somewhere, will do
1.2GHz at 1.85V, though it was just barely instable at that speed in
two different slotkets, only stayed stable @ 1.2 on a S370 board.

Mine is atypical though, most would only hit slightly under 1.2Ghz
until the "d" core, which is a shame since hitting 133FSB (& 133 Mem)
really helps a Celery, though if your board has 1/4 PCI divider option
at 124 FSB, that might be another good option. These weren't BX
boards though, you may need a decent northbridge 'sink to approach
133FSB.

Thanks again Dave. I've just picked up another board, not sure what it is,
maybe a jetway? It has a slot and a socket, haven't had time to play with
it. I don't think it's a BX, it has Intel......... 810 on the northbridge.
And no 'sink. My BX boards have sinks.

I may play, dunno yet. I'll research this board later (got to go out) but,
as it's going well now, I'm loathe to try it in another board. It's my
fileserver/gateway machine so it really doesn't have to be fast. I just use
it for crunching SETI WUs on too. (+or- 10 hrs per at the moment using GUI)
--
~misfit~


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