Computer stops responding, monitor goes black

[matt2175]

Ok i dont have a clue why this happens ive tried quite a few things so ill go ahead and explain..

Computer specs
Amd64 3200+ chip
Asus Av8 mother board
PowerColor ati 9550 video card
wg311t wireless netgear
I cant think of the hardrives atm but i doubt its them..
Os Windows Xp home sp2
Corsair ddr 512 x2

Ok i have a fresh clean install of Windows Xp, at random times my computer decides it hates me and the monitor just goes black and i dont believe that the computer responds to anything. It could be when windows first boots up or it could be two hours after ive been on the computer. now ive got the lastest drivers for everything. I have ran memtest its ran enough for 6 passes no errors. I kinda think its the video card drivers so ive tried a few different drivers none work. And powercolor doesn thave a driver for xp on the 9550 only Vista. I emailed them tonight to see what kind of response i get. Anyways i dont have a clue. I also have Linux on another hardrive, i never experience this problem on Linux.

This card use to run great for over a year, and i dont remeber exactly the time that this started happening i had got to the point of being fed up and installed linux and it never occured on linux. I recently decided to have windows xp to run a few programs that run alot smoother on xp then linux and it came back.

Just a wild guess is it possible the card is bad and doesnt like directx? As far as i know linux is under opengl. Ive downloaded the lastest directx files.

Im out of ideas on this and im tired of messing aroudn with it.

Theres a few options under my bios i changed. I enabled the 3.0 calibration cycle and the DBI output for AGp trans and i still get the problem.

im just lost as to why i can run under linux fine and not Xp. Tonight when i go to bed im going to let memtest run longer to see if something comes up. Im not a total pro with linux so maybe linux reads memory differnt and it could be my memory.

Anyways thanks in advance for the time to read this ramble and hopefully you respond

 

[Rudster8161]

check to see if the video card has come un seated.

 

[matt2175]

Nope seated in there pretty firm

Checked my IRQ and my video card was on the same one as my Wifi , so i switched slots on the wifi card and irq changed and still having the problem

Like i said no problems ever on linux only on windows, and xp use to be on the hardrive that i have linux on now

 

[Rudster8161]

so it works on linux but not in windows?

 

[matt2175]

Yes linux ran, but i took out my video card and noticed my fan isint seated upon the damn chip, i guess i need to get some new heatsink

Anyways i resorted to putting a ancient card in my computer a rage II for now till i get some heatsink and try to put some on it. Ive proab cooked that chip to hell and back i had this problem like 3 months ago and if its from that damn fans been off it forever. Linux must not require that much work out of the graphics card..

 

[Taylor1]

all the sudden it hates you haha

I would say its a driver issue, try different video card if you got one lying around, or get a new one. If no problems on linux but problems on windows, it would have to be drivers.

edit: orrr not. but yea obviously get a new video card.

 

[blackjack]

Hmmm, have you looked into other ideas other than your graphics card?. A stab in the dark here, take a look at your heatsinc fan and the heatsinc its self, any dust there if so Hoover out or clean with a small fine paint brush.
I think its a over heating issue, do you ever have problems where you turn your computer on and the black writing screen comes on and it stops there? or you turn on your computer and the monitor does not come on? if yes then follow my solution.

 

[matt2175]

No the cpu wasnt overheating. I took the fan off the card and applied some thermal paste put it back and waiting to see the results

 

[esa193]

its your video card deff

 

[matt2175]

Yeah it was, seems like the thermal paste though fixed it, working smoothly now..

I shouldnt speak too soon though my computer hates me.. Like now my cpu is starting to run hotter then it use to.. Which i guess the heatsink is going bad on it again this will be the third time putting heat sink compound on it in about a year..