Is it a bad motherboard or bad graphics?

[Analog Dreams]

*warning; newb alert*

If you like troubleshooting, this might be a good one for you. I've got a Compaq SR5518F desktop that I'm having some odd problems with. Here are the specs;

Year of manufacture; 2008
Motherboard; MSI MS 7525
Processor; Pentium Dual Core E2180
Memory; 2 GB

Software; used to be Vista, now Linux Mint 12

The issues; once in awhile, it will have very strange video artifacts if I put my cursor over either text or images...as in huge colored triangles that take up half of the screen...and once, the entire screen turned purple until I moved the mouse. It will happen for maybe 5 minutes, and then disappear for days at a time.

The other issue; occassionaly, the computer will lock up...the cursor moves, clicking on something does nothing, and not even alt/cont/delete will work; I have to do a hard shutdown and reboot.

I know it's not software related, as it did this with both o/s. The power supply is only a couple of months old (the old one died).

Any ideas?

 

[iPwn]

Are you using onboard graphics or do you have a separate GPU?

 

[Analog Dreams]

Onboard graphics...Intel G31 Express.

 

[Rackmountsales]

[FONT=&quot]Uninstall any recent additions or remove the scheduled task backontrack from start->control panel->scheduled task->backontrack by pressing <del> key from scheduled task.Once this program get removed from schduled task,your PC should not get freezed.[/FONT]

 

[Analog Dreams]

There are no recent additions, and the program you describe is a Windows program; I am running Linux Mint 12. I'm sure it's not an operating system error, it's definitely hardware.

 

[cboucher]

Since you are running onboard graphics the question "Is it a bad motherboard or bad graphics?" is moot. It doesn't matter since you can't remove onboard graphics from the motherboard. The only thing you can do at this point would be to install a separate video card and make sure the onboard graphics are deselected in BIOS. This may help if the the problem is contained within the onboard graphics hardware alone. Chances are whatever hardware issue that is affecting the onboard graphics may also be having an effect on other parts of the motherboard.

 

[Analog Dreams]

Thanks for the answers, guys. My thought was to do as you stated; run a separate graphics card to see if the problem went away. But can defective onboard graphics totally freeze my computer, especially if the freeze happens while the graphics are working ok? It's never displayed any artifacts on the screen when a freeze happens.

I'm starting to get the feeling that a new mobo is in my future...

 

[cboucher]

Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell unless you install a new video card. May be a good excuse to upgrade your whole system...

 

[Analog Dreams]

I wish I could, but I am really strapped for cash

I think I will try an inexpensive video card and go from there.

I do have one more question, though; I've seen alot of refurbed mobos on ebay from Chinese sellers....they are around $60-70, including shipping. Are they any good, or is the quality a little lackluster?

 

[cboucher]

Refurbed, ebay, Chinese sellers... all these things scare me.