Fried first video card!!!

[honda_man]

I fried my first video card tonight so i am now running my stock card:mad: So I guess this means I am in search for advice on a good video card at a resonable price. Any suggestions?

[Matt761]

9600xt or 9800pro maybe? What is your budjet?

[stabber]

9800pro. I didnt like my 9600xt

[Lord_Zoltan]

9700s or 9800s
Not a fan of the 9600s. To lazy to type the reason, pm me later if you want or ill edit my post.

[Cerberus2k7]

Well, I want to know why people don't like the 9600xt. I just fried my FX5600 and I need a new card also, but i'm not willing to put out for the 9800 series.

EDIT: P.S. Nice Honda. :D Is that a '04 CR250?

[Stoanhart]

the same thing MAY have happened to me. By may, I mean I'm not sure. About 3 days ago, I was browsing the net, then my screen converted to a whole bunch of solid vertical lines of various colors, with scrolling horizontal patterns. The mouse was a color-changing distroted box. I reset the computer, still the same. Then I shut it off, and waited 10 minutes. Turned it on, and all was well. I didn't think too much of it; I just figured it was a driver error, and the computer had to be turned off to clear the RAM. This had happened in the past, perhaps once or twice over a year.

However, 20 minutes after turning on the computer, it happened again! Now I was worried. I tried some different drivers and it happened again!!!!! Now I started suspecting OCing damage. I didn't think it was the core, since the 9500pro shares a core with the 9700 pro, so the chip could handle it (I could go over 100Mhz OC in some games, not that I did, just tested once). So I suspected the RAM. I opened up powerstrip, and OCd the RAM 1 Mhz over stock. Instant lock up like above. Rebooted and tried again, this time lowering the RAM 1 Mhz below stock. Same thing. It seems it only pseudo-works when you leave it at the speed it booted at. So I flashed the original BIOS, uninstalled powerstrip and was sad that my card's OCing days had come to an end. Since then, it ran 2 days without a crash. I thought perhaps the original BIOS was more stable, and my card would last till next christmas when I plan a full system upgrade.

But, today, during a length KOTOR session, the same crash occurred again. So I turned off the computer and took it to my dad's shop, and dusted it out with an air compressor. POOOOOOOOF, HUGE CLOUD OF DUST. The cloud was nonstop for about 30 seconds. My room is all carpet/couch/dust collection materials. Anyway, I plugged it back in and turned it on. Now I'm writing this, after about 30 minutes of browsing. Here's why I think it might be fixed:

Before dusting: CPU temp while browsing/MP3s = 52-53 c.
After dusting, same situation = 42 c solid

10 F-ing degrees!!!!!

So, wish me luck, since I can't really afford a card now. Just bought a car, work minimum wage after high-school.

PS: I don't keep my card OCd all the time, only during rare, very demanding games. Even then, I don't push it to the max. Kind of disappointed this happened after only a year of mild OCing.

[LogRus]

I'd suggest this ATi 9800 Pro (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-268&catalog=48&depa=1) as it is @ a reasonable price of $215. Seems like a great price to me for a great video card which u can safely mod to 9800 XT later on ;).

[Cerberus2k7]

Yeah, that reminds me. What is "Softmodding" I heard it on another message board but I have no idea what it is. And with the whole video card thing. A new problem is up. I changed out my card with another FX5600, same brand/model/everything, and it ran for about 10 seconds and the same thing happend. So i'm starting to wonder if I bumped the voltage on my AGP slot too high, it is it simply a corrupt file with the game.

[germanjulian]

weclome to the club of
"I fried an expensive video card"

[honda_man]

Originally posted by Cerberus2k7
Well, I want to know why people don't like the 9600xt. I just fried my FX5600 and I need a new card also, but i'm not willing to put out for the 9800 series.

EDIT: P.S. Nice Honda. :D Is that a '04 CR250?

Yes, this is a '04 CR 250. Sweet huh!!!

[honda_man]

I am considering the ATI 9800 pro or the ATI 9600 SE. It's a matter of wether or not it is feasable to pay the higher price as this system will become my wifes within the next couple of months. She doesn't need a high end card for what she does. So would the 9800 Pro really be feasible right now?

[Cerberus2k7]

Nice. My bro has a '03 and '04 CR250 and hes getting a '95 CR500. Anyways, I found this place Link (http://www.buyxtremegear.com/r9800pro128.html). It's cheaper. :D

[Rilian]

I believe softmodding refers to changing the hardwares BIOS by either tweaking or replacing to up the overclock or default clock performance. ie: buying a 9800np and flashing bios to 9800pro <----softmod that ups the default clock.

[Cerberus2k7]

So it's pretty much putting in BIOS for the card 1 lvl higher? Anyways, check this out. If all is well, you could get a 9800pro for $200.00 Link (http://www.ati.com/buy/traderebate/tradeup.html)

[honda_man]

Thanks Cerberus2k7 for the links. They actually might make it feasable to go with the 9800 PRO. I'd help you with your issue but I am hoping to learn how to due that myself. Thanks again.

[capmuffin]

9600xt blows i went threw two this one is 3 days old getting a 5900 reg for 218 (same price as 5700U

[Stoanhart]

F*ck, my card IS dead. Temps are still low, but today it happened again. I don't think it's temp dependant, just whenever the part of the RAM that is damaged is used.

BTW: What actually dies in RAM? Do circuits fry or leads burn through? What would cause a card to run a game for 2 hours then go nuts? you'd think that whatever part of the RAM is broken would have been used in 2 hours! Maybe I can find a cheap replacement on eBay. Anyone got a used 9700 pro at a reasonable price?

[Cerberus2k7]

Well, I found out it's not my video card because I tested a different one, and the same thing happens. So now i'm suspecting a fried AGP slot. I pulled out my system, cleaned it out, flashed my BIOS, cleared my CMOS, checked my PSU, all my connections, Re-installed my drivers, still happening. PSU is a Vantec Stealth 520watt and never had any problems. It kicks ass. But right now i'm looking at an ABIT AI7 right now. Then i'm gonna snag that 9800pro, or whatever is better in the future.

[TheGhengisKhan]

Originally posted by Stoanhart
BTW: What actually dies in RAM? Do circuits fry or leads burn through? What would cause a card to run a game for 2 hours then go nuts? you'd think that whatever part of the RAM is broken would have been used in 2 hours! Maybe I can find a cheap replacement on eBay.

Most of the time (i think) it's some of the tiny capacitors inside the chips themselves that can burn out. Don't quote me on that though.

Originally posted by Stoanhart
Anyone got a used 9700 pro at a reasonable price?

Can we keep that stuff in the classifieds?

[honda_man]

I did some experimenting and put the card in that I thought I fried. Apparently it still works, how ever it did some damage as the screen flickers some while I play games. It's fine though during normal use for e-mail and internet browsing. I have looked into some of the links given to me through this thread and have decided to go with either the 9800Pro 128 Mb or the 9800XT. Anyone out there got any input on these two cards?

[retspan]

Seriously, you should consider the 5900XT for any GFX purchase at the moment...it's simply got the best price/performance :D

[stabber]

The reason I hated my 9600xt is because it sucked. The FPS in games sucked with eyecandy on. 9800p is much better

[TheGhengisKhan]

If you've got the money, the 9800xt is definately the card of choice, but I think you meant the 9600xt. Between the 9600xt and the 9800p, the 9800p is the better card, and at fairly decent prices online.

[dalilman52]

Originally posted by honda_man
I am considering the ATI 9800 pro or the ATI 9600 SE. It's a matter of wether or not it is feasable to pay the higher price as this system will become my wifes within the next couple of months. She doesn't need a high end card for what she does. So would the 9800 Pro really be feasible right now?

BAH

never EVER EVER EVER buy a 9600se (or any SE series card), its got a fast core and everything, its just got real slow memory (64-bit, like a geforce2) as opposed to 256-bit memory in the 9800p, IMO, the 9800p is the best card out on the market, its like half as cheap as the 9800xt, and u can get the 9800p to OC to xt speeds (or at least close), so why the extra 100-200 bucks?

plus, the 9800p series has 8 rendering pipelines, the 9600 series only has 4, the 9800's are just far more superior

[honda_man]

Originally posted by TheGhengisKhan
If you've got the money, the 9800xt is definately the card of choice, but I think you meant the 9600xt. Between the 9600xt and the 9800p, the 9800p is the better card, and at fairly decent prices online.

You are right, I meant the 9600xt not 9600se. Thanks for putting me straight. It looks like it is going to be the 9800pro for me.

[Lord_Zoltan]

Originally posted by honda_man


You are right, I meant the 9600xt not 9600se. Thanks for putting me straight. It looks like it is going to be the 9800pro for me.

You will not be disappointed. Its a great card, and it can O/C well. IMHO, I would get better cooling.

Zoltan