Video problem?

[Ravenous85]

Hi,
Well recently I was playing a game (CS) and my computer froze. When I rebooted my computer my monitor's LED light was amber. Nothing is being shown up on the monitor. I tried reseating the video card (Voodoo 4500 PCI) but that didn't help.

If anyone can help that would be great, thanks in advance!

[Shadow ÒÓ]

Welcome to the forums!

First of all, do you have a speaker hooked up to your mobo. (or is one built in)

Second, are you getting any beeps? Even if the vid card were the problem, you should get a beep code. Usually one long beep followed by a few short ones means a vid card problem.

Are you positive the hsf hasn't come lose from the cpu? Sounds like you could've possibly got a little warm.....but let's not talk about that yet.

Have you tried moving the vid card to another slot?

Have you tried pulling the memory and cpu and reseating them?

Try pulling all but the vid, memory and cpu and see if it'll boot. Pull the IDE ribbons as well.

Does the fan on the psu come on?

Do you have a light on your mobo, and if so, does it come on?

If you have the manual, try resetting the cmos. If you can't find the info, pull the "watch" battery out and the power cord. Leave them unplugged for 5 mins or so, then replace the battery and plug it back in. See if that works.

[Ravenous85]

Q. First of all, do you have a speaker hooked up to your mobo. (or is one built in)
A. Do you mean speakers plugged into the back of the computer? If so, yes.

Q. Second, are you getting any beeps? Even if the vid card were the problem, you should get a beep code. Usually one long beep followed by a few short ones means a vid card problem.
A. I'm not getting any unusual beeps.

Q. Are you positive the hsf hasn't come lose from the cpu? Sounds like you could've possibly got a little warm.....but let's not talk about that yet.
A. Sorry but what is a hsf? It was working fine before I started playing the game/froze/rebooted.

Q. Have you tried moving the vid card to another slot?
A. I only have enough slots for it to fit where it is now. Do you suggest I stick it in someone else's computer and see if it works?

Q. Have you tried pulling the memory and cpu and reseating them? Try pulling all but the vid, memory and cpu and see if it'll boot. Pull the IDE ribbons as well.
A. No, only the video card. I know how to remove and install memory but haven't ever done a CPU, or all the IDE ribbons... do you mean from the motherboard completely?


Q. Does the fan on the psu come on?
A. Sorry what is a psu?

Q. Do you have a light on your mobo, and if so, does it come on?
A. I'm not sure but I don't think I have any light on my mobo.

Q. If you have the manual, try resetting the cmos. If you can't find the info, pull the "watch" battery out and the power cord. Leave them unplugged for 5 mins or so, then replace the battery and plug it back in. See if that works.
A. Which one looks like the "watch" battery?

---- Thanks for helping me with this. I'm having trouble with some of the words though...:rolleyes:

[XprincoX]

hsf = heat sink fan. The lil fan on tape of the cpu. :D
psu= power supply unit.

And by speakers plugged into the mobo, he means the lil speakers in the case that makes that BEEP when you startup.


As for removing everything... you can just trying to boot with only bare minimum hardware.

The "watch battery" should be located somewhere on your mobo and is about 1 inch in diameter.

[Ravenous85]

Ok well I don't really have time to do that stuff today but hopefully sometime this week before Friday when my new computer arrives(hopefully).

[litghost]

its sounds like a power problem leds tend to change colors when they drop out of certian ranges, and that may be it, or it may be the bios saying something is wrong(if this is the case then check you bios/mobo manuels

[litghost]

wow i just relized i have the same problem execpt the comp in question never worked

[CrystalMethod]

Originally posted by litghost
its sounds like a power problem leds tend to change colors when they drop out of certian ranges, and that may be it, or it may be the bios saying something is wrong(if this is the case then check you bios/mobo manuels

Usually when pertaining to monitors, amber usually means that the monitor has power, but isn't recieving a video signal.

[Ravenous85]

Ok I tried the Voodoo 4500 PCI card on another computer that works fine without it and it gets the same problem as me.

[Shadow ÒÓ]

you may try to add some active cooling to that card. If I remember correctly, all it has is a heat sink on the GPU?

The card comes with a life time warranty....too bad the company is out of business now. =(

[JFettig]

i know it happened to my v3 3500 and its the cable make sure its screwed in, mine got kinda out of place and the monitor just made a little light come out and the amber light thingy

[Zuck Gou :)]

Try restarting a few times, and make sure the cable is secure.

This happens to me once in a blue moon, I think it may be related to not enough power. I'm not sure.

But restarting a few times always makes it come back on.

[Ravenous85]

I've tried it on 3 different computers (233, 300, 1400) and neither of them work. I am very certain that it is screwed in as much as possible.

[Yodums]

If the video card work in none then it results of a dead card, sorry :(

[TUK101]

Yeah, those Voodoo cards all ran really hot. If you had no fans in the case to cool that beast, then it is most likely that you fried the card. I had the Voodoo 3000 PCI and had to add a fan to the heatsink on the card to keep it cool, otherwise it would freeze up on me when playin Diablo 2. Sounds like it was time for an upgrade anyhow. Sorry man.

[CrystalMethod]

If it's doing that on a few different systems, I'd say it's pretty much dead. Sorry, for your loss. Try it a few more times in the differnt systems just to be sure, though. Voodoo's are becomming really hard to find nowadays.