[questdream]

I recently discovered that my NB heatsink had fallen off on top of my AIW 9800 Pro. A few days later, the screen flashes black for a second and then returns. It does this again like 3 times and i was like wtf. I shut off my computer to look at what was going on with the card. I can't see anything wrong with it. I need some advice on what to do. I really don't want to be out $400.

Without eye Candy,
BluZytrix

PS: This hurt worse as it was close to my car getting stolen and completely gutted.

[raven]

First off.....
WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!
even tho you joined almost a year ago.....

Second off all, im sorry about your car some people just have no consideration for other people's property.


Third of all, I dont think this belongs here.... considering this is a video card problem... but anyways, ill take a stab at it..

what type of northbridge heatsink was it that fell onto your 9800?? if it was heavy enough, then it might have scratched your video card and that would account for the broken videocard, or maybe the heatsink somehow short circuit-ed the videocard. But lets hope that this is not the case.. What u can do is the same thing what you do with every other piece of hardware. Test it out on anohter system. Take your 9800 and stick it into another system and see what happens. Sometimes, when that happens, it just shifts the card out of place in the agp slot, and maybe you need to just try to re fit it.

if u get this moved to the video section, then you will probably get a few more reply's there.


Raven

[questdream]

Thanks. My mobo is the abit ic7-g. It has the newer NB heatsink. Round and blue with a fan in the middle. I took out the card and put it back in twice now. I have no other system to try it in. Who would i contact though. Although ati makes the card, shouldn't abit be responsible for the damage? Anyway i'm so so fridgin mad. Life is tough when you can't play Unreal, Quake3 or Halo on an S3 virge.lol

[raven]

why dont u email abit and see what they say? It cant hurt. Explain to them what happened. Then email ATI just cus you can and explain to them the same thing, and see what they say.

[Mustanley]

If the NB heatsink just fell off and damaged you card, then Abit is responsible. That is assuming that you had not previously messed with the NB.

[questdream]

I contacted ABIT and got the response that since we don't make the ati card, then we can be of no assistance despite the fact that their mobo caused the damage. I then requested an RMA from ATI with a detailed description of the situation and they promptly(same day) sent me and RMA number to get it fixed. I believe i will be sending back the abit board also.

[josephtischer]

I hate to sound like the bearer of bad news but I recently fixed a pc where the northbridge was causing this because an individual crossed 2 capacitors and scratched a trace when the tried to install a NIC card. I hope that it is the Northbridge that failed. Then u can get a refund from ABIT.

[Mr. $T$]

Same thing Happend to me the stupid Stock heatsink fell on my video card because one of the loops got pulled out of my motherboard, I talked to SSS about it and he said that it is an abit problem and he has not had that problem since he went ASUS, However they offered to replace his, I believe 9800(pro?), video card with a ~5900 or somthing to that effect. Give a PM to him he can help you out if you feel your being screwed over by a vendor.

[Strida]

I've never really had a problem with scratching traces and such. I've come pretty close though, thank god for that plasticy coating around the PCB.

Anyways, I feel your pain, I just killed my 9500np that softmodded the other day by accidentally getting a little AS3 on the card and not noticing it.