help! jumbled text and computer won't start up

[rosedeb]

Hi all. You can skip to the second paragraph to read about my problem, but some background info might help. Thanks in advance for your advice on this!

Someone donated a 3 year old low-end custom built computer to my office a few months ago. We use it only occasionally and only for an hour or so at a time usually. It used to beep a lot during start up and then started beeping periodically when it was on for a little while. I had our tech guy look at it, and he disconnected the temperature monitor on the graphics card because he said it was too sensitive and that's what was causing the beeping noise. He also recommended that I get a fan for the graphics card because there was just a duct by it. He didn't make it sound urgent that I get the fan, and I hadn't gone around to it yet.

Then one day I left the computer on for about 5 hours. It had been working fine while I used it when I first turned it on, and when I went back to it 4 or 5 hours later I thought it was just in sleep mode or something. But I couldn't get it to refresh and ultimately had to turn it off with the power button. When I went to turn it on again, I got this screen with jumbled text asking me if I want to start in safe mode:



I can't select an option, but if I hit enter it eventually goes to the Windows screen, but the colors aren't right and there are funny lines in the background like this:



After that screen it goes dark and nothing else happens. This happens every time I try to start it up now. Did I fry the graphics card? Did something else get corrupted? I think everything is integrated, so I can't just replace the graphics card even if that is the problem. Any suggestions for what to try?

Our tech guy isn't that great and I don't think my boss would want to call him in to work on an old donated computer that might not even be fixable, but I would really like to get the computer working again if possible.

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance...

Deborah

[mortus]

Sounds like the video card to me. Only way to truly tell is to install a new one. Only issue is finding out what video card is compatible with your system. PCI cards are going to be more expensive if you do not have an AGP slot available.

[glendalf81]

i agree with mortus i am 99% sure its your graphics card, even though you have an integrated graphics card you can still install another one as there will generally be a slot to take one you just need to find out what kind, if you can post a picture of the inside i or someone else in the forum can tell you exactly which

[rosedeb]

Wow that's great news that I might be able to install another graphics card. Thanks so much for your help! Here's a picture - let me know if you need a better view or anything.


I'll make sure to install a fan so I don't kill another graphics card...

[glendalf81]

hi thanks for the pic, unfortunately it is difficult to tell from that image.
you do have a graphics card installed (e.i. not built on to the motherboard) which is the blue card just underneath the case exhaust fan, if you can unscrew the screw holding it to the case and take the card out i will be able to get a better view BUT be careful as there may be a small clip holding it in place to the right of the card (from this view)

[glendalf81]

i just had another look at the pic and i am only guessing but seeing as there is a CNR slot at the very bottom of the motherboard, i would say your graphics card slot is AGP.
i say this as they stopped putting CNR slots on mobos before pci-express came about but there is still a slight possibility that it is PCI although unlikely beeing as you have a socket 478 cpu

[rosedeb]

Thanks for all the advice. I tried my AGP graphics card from home in the computer, and it worked great - so now all I have to do is buy a new graphics card (and fan) and I should be all set.

Thanks again!

[glendalf81]

your welcome glad to have been able to help

[mortus]

Was away for a few days, nice follow up. Glad it was resolved.