video card problem ? - hp pavilion t3739.fr

[aidan_3]

Hi, I hope that this is posted in the correct part of the forum, I'd really appreciate any help anyone can give me with the following problem.

The computer specifications

http://www13.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en&docId=emr_na-c00841401-2

The problem

I switched the computer off as normal the other day, no strange sounds, next day I turned it back on and got the vista jingle as normal but no signal to the monitor.

What I've tried since

I've swapped a monitor and cable I know work to the computer with no result. I've also checked that the monitor and cable work by swapping it to another computer.

I've taken the housing off the computer, three fans are working okay (including the one on the graphics card). I've taken the video card out of the slot and cleaned any dust away, replaced it and the fan on the card is working (although the fan is still pretty dirty)

I know nothing much about computers other than that they are a grey box, but at this stage I think the problem is with the video card, which I will replace hopefuly without breaking a new one (it's a pretty tight fit)

If there is anything which I could try which I haven't already, I'll do so.

If I need to replace the graphics card, I'd like to know if I would have to replace it with the same card or if there might be a more powerful card which I can use in the existing HP set-up.

I've talked to a few friends in Norway about the problem, one of whom talked about pci-express cables, which I haven't got, I don't think and so it may be that I'm limited in the choice of video card (it just plugs into a slot with no added cables).

The computer itself is "only" a couple of years old and all I could find on the HP site for replacable parts was this thread http://www13.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en&docId=emr_na-c00392666-10

So until now I'm non the wiser assuming that the problem is down to the video card and if it is, if it's possible to change the card for any other.

Many thanks for any help offered

[Glerick Dale]

Aidan, did you try the video card in another computer? did it work/ if yes it not the video card. you would have a problem with the mainboard. If it did not work then replace the video card. You can upgrade to a more powerful card Gforce like a GForce 9600 GSO 512.

[aidan_3]

I didn't check the card on another computer, in the end I took a gamble on it being down to the card itself. What I had been told about pci cables wasn't much use though as there were no cables showing it was the actual slot which there was one of...

I got a new card ATI Radeon HD 4670 which is "supposed" to be better than the one I had, but which lags slightly sometimes but the drivers are apparently the most recent for it.

I think I created a new problem as I now have no sound unless I plug in a pair of headphones which have their own soundcard through a usb slot.

The computer shows the inbuilt soundcard as working properly though. It is a bit annoying not to be able to get sound through the speakers, but not 100 percent necessary for me.

The system used to notify me if a new jack was plugged in and no longer does.

The local computer shop charges 39â ¬ for finding out what is wrong with a computer but only 15â ¬ to fit a new card, I think the best bet for me is to buy a new card which are cheap enough and to stop tinkering about with the insides of the computer.

Thanks very much for your help

I think that maybe I dislodged

[Glerick Dale]

Aidan, Since you have changed the video card and now have a different problem, it's sounds like you have bad software drivers for the video card. Try an older version of the video card driver. If the problem goes away then it was the software, else try updating the USB drivers.