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Can a new video card fry my monitor?

13

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  • laseritlaserit Member LegendaryPosts: 7,591
    The gpu, mb, psu, have all been changed, we can rule those out. Heat is very plausible, in the pictures you posted of your rig from another thread I can remember it looking very restrictive.

    "Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee

  • QuizzicalQuizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,347
    edited April 2017
    Just because you have different components from before doesn't automatically mean that they work.  Warranty service often doesn't mean giving you a new component.

    What Dell is going to do with the components that you took away is to test them and see if they work.  If they're satisfied that they work or that they can repair the components adequately, they'll be used as someone else's "new" components when they report something as defective.

    This might consist of Dell shipping components back to the original manufacturer (Seagate, Zotac, MSI, or whoever) for warranty service of their own.  But the result of someone saying, here you go, it's fine, is the same.

    Sometimes it can be very hard to figure out exactly why something isn't working properly.  A component that is defective might seem to work fine in some systems but not others.  So for example, if your motherboard was defective but not wildly broken, it might plausibly pass all of Dell's testing.  And then they'll ship the motherboard off to be a replacement part for someone else.  And it might work fine in someone else's system, even, or might cause the same problems you saw.

    For the same reasons, you're likely not getting all new parts yourself.  You might just be getting someone else's defective hardware that Dell thinks is fine.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    I am on Windows 8.1 and if I were to turn off the power strip  ever since I first got this computer in 2015 I have to shut down the computer after it starts up because for some reason the Alienware Command Center which controls the cooling puts the fan at maximum. After I shutdown and then start it up again and I cannot restart I must shutdown and start up again otherwise the fan remains at maximum. This is something I had done daily until I stopped shutting off the power strip which no longer necessitated this cycle.
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  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    edited April 2017
    I have all the temperature readings they are all very low. I have readings from Alienware Command Center , CPUID HW monitor and GPU-Z the 1070 is at 30 degrees Celcius and 40 degrees while gaming and my core highest temp is about 38 and the TMPINO is 45 degrees.

    It is true that Dell might have given me  defective parts I guess.
    Post edited by cheyane on
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  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383
    edited April 2017
    Everything is still under warranty, if it were my system, I'd just let it double boot and not worry about it. And if something does break, eventually, then you'll know what the problem was and it'll get repaired.

    Honestly, I think it's either a driver issue or a Windows quirk, but it's hard to rule out. Seems every computer develops it's own "personality" of quirks and things that never seem to work just right.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    Alright I will take a wait and see attitude but I don't know when I can let my guard down a bit. Seem to be on edge all day waiting for something to go wrong.
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  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    cheyane said:
    6 The PSU was just changed. Its an Alienware one . It came with the Aurora R4 the PSU unit the tech brought came from Dell they couriered him 3 packages to handle my support issue and he changed all the three things and I was watching him the whole time.

    The previous issue was the same thing even before they changed the PSU. When I had used the new card it gave this same problem but to be fair I have had this double boot issue in the past sometimes when I changed my driver and when I find another driver it would stop. This time however the search for a driver that does not double boot is fruitless. When I went back to the 368 drivers that were always very good previously this time however I got a WHEA a hardware failure (computer not booting at all and I forced a shutdown) so ditched that driver for good. All the subsequent drivers seems to have this start up reboot problem even the latest drivers. The way I test that is to switch off the power strip after the computer has been shutdown. Then when I turn it back on it double boots.

    The tech replaced the  770 GTX and I returned the previous 1070 GTX and got another one from Amazon. So almost everything is new accept the memory and CPU.

    I really am very thankful for you all taking the time to help me like this.
    Sorry, I must have missed that for some reason. While Alienware isn't my favorite brand a new should not offer any problem unless they gave you something far too low in power but that is very unlikely.

    That is weird. What happens if you turn down the resolution to minimum and then reboot? If it still dualboot I think the GFX driver is innocent.

    Here is something that might help us figuring it out: 
    1. Press Windows key + R to open Run.
    2. Type msconfig in Run and hit enter.
    3. Click on Boot tab.
    Now, you should just have a single OS there. If you have more then that is the problem, you will need to eeither set the right as default or remove the others by hand. then:
    1. Click on Apply and OK.
    2. Restart the PC and check if issue is resolved.
    The boot.ini file is a likely bandit here or something left in the master boot record/MBR.  A driver could be the culprit but that is very unlikely. I do know some people have similar trouble either when they had 2 OSes or if they reinstalled windows.

    NP, we MMOers help eachother out, right guys? :)
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    edited April 2017
    I turned the resolution to minimum then I shut down the computer. Switched off the power strip and held the power button for 30 seconds then I turned the power strip back on and started the computer up. It did not double boot in the past if I did this the computer would do one of two things either double boot or not boot at all and I would have to force a shutdown. So does this mean it is the video driver?

    There is only one OS in the boot tab.

    So perhaps I should just turn the resolution to minimum each night before I shutdown the computer if this works it is a solution.
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  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    cheyane said:
    I turned the resolution to minimum then I shut down the computer. Switched off the power strip and held the power button for 30 seconds then I turned the power strip back on and started the computer up. It did not double boot in the past if I did this the computer would do one of two things either double boot or not boot at all and I would have to force a shutdown. So does this mean it is the video driver?

    There is only one OS in the boot tab.

    So perhaps I should just turn the resolution to minimum each night before I shutdown the computer if this works it is a solution.
    Now we are getting somewhere. :)

    I actually thought the other thing was far likelier but yes, there are only 2 possible reasons for your problem: The GFX hardware or the drivers. 

    Now, just reinstalling the drivers probably wont do it, you need to remove it first. My recommendation is with this: http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/driver-sweeper-download.html It will remove everything of the driver, a regular reinstall doesn't always do that (usually, it leaves stuff).

    So get the latest drivers and put it on your desktop ready for install, run driver sweeper and remove the old, reboot and install the new. I don't guarantee anything but it should work (I give  it 60% at least and that is far better then anything we tried before figuring out the problem).

    Turning down the rez every time seems like a huge bother, lets try to avoid that.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    edited April 2017
    I have already done that and tried 10 drivers and no luck and the card is new from Amazon . I used the Display Driver Uninstaller from Guru 3d. I also used it before I installed the video card.

    This morning though I had turned the resolution to minimum and it started up fine after being shutdown last night. For now I will do that and hope it keeps working.
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  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    Hmm, I guess you could try this: http://www.askvg.com/fix-windows-8-restart-and-shutdown-problems-by-disabling-hybrid-shutdown-feature/ I ain't giving a good chance on it but it is worth a try.

    I have to admit that I am not an expert on  Windows 8 or Vista, I try to avoid both of them as much as possible. I always get the feeling that those 2 OSes together with Windows ME are plotting against me or at least screwing with me.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    Thank you Loke I too am certain these computer systems plot against me and give me sleepless nights but hey I lost 2 kilos .
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  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    Np, at least something good came out of it. :)
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    edited April 2017
    Past few days it has been freezing sometimes forcing a shutdown or booting no post then reboot and other times starting up perfectly fine even with minimum resolution it does lockup so decided to stop doing that. Checked all the temperatures while gaming and they remain low surprisingly low like 40 degrees for the video card okay while playing Fairy Fencer F Dark Advent and Darkest Dungeon okay no MMORPG so not a real test you might chime in. Anyway the core temperature highest was 44 and TMPIN0 highest was 52 degrees. Not a heating issue I think.

    So finally after extensively searching the internet I found that there might be a missing components in the OS causing the booting issue so I might need to refresh or repair the OS. Naturally I picked repair because hello who wants to lose their programs and the game saves.

    Problem is yes I have some more issues sorry ....I have windows 8.1 and I have the product key for 8. It was a free upgrade to 8.1 which means I cannot use the ISO I mean it won't give me the ISO for it because I don't have the product key /cry.

    So I put in my Windows 8 DVD  which is in Italian by the way and followed these instructions
    http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-repair-windows-8-1-installation/

    When I reached the part where I have to enter the product key my keyboard will not work . So I unplugged the mouse and keyboard and used some generic ones from Dell and still cannot enter it. I found that this issue was surprisingly a common problem. So of course I had to cancel but the updates went in any way. Looks like I have to refresh the PC but I found other troubling information that if you do not have the product key for Windows 8.1 you might not be able to do that either. So looks like I have to  reinstall Windows 8 and then upgrade to 8.1 and in the process lose everything naturally you can imagine I am loath to do that. It seems preferable to just  live with this occasional freezing and reboots.

    Or this solution
    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-update/windows-81-refresh/2524cc10-3232-4664-b231-e2d802e11043

    The computer has started up several times since the  attempt to repair and updates went in without any issue but that is neither here nor there because after I finish posting this it could happen again the problem is sporadic and could be entirely coincidental that it has stopped for awhile after the update.
    Post edited by cheyane on
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  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    Sigh, that is why I hate Windows 8. You don't have an old W7 lying around I guess? It actually works.

    The keyboard thing nearly drove me insane when I had the same problem helping a friend building a new computer. After trying everything I had to get home and pick up an ancient PS2 (not playstation but that round thing you plug in at the top right corner) from before USB time, it worked immediately and I swore of Windows 8 for good.

    To get a W8.1 I see 2 options: Either call Microsoft support and have them solve it for you or get it as a .torrent from thepiratebay.org or something similar, it is not illegal since you actually paid for it.


  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    No OS lying about I will endeavour to obtain it from other sources and I think I might have an old PS2 in a drawer somewhere or might be only a mouse though. I think at this rate I might as well just upgrade to Windows 10 and forget about 8.1 altogether if I am going to be losing stuff anyway. The thing is windows 10 upgrades your graphic drivers willy nilly and I cannot have that. I have copy of windows 10 64 bit but the one you get the watermark without activation on a pen drive. If I am going to reformat might as well do that but the driver thing is what is holding me back.
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  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    A mouse wont help. you need an old keyboard. It is the most embarrassing bug since Windows 98 died under Bill Gates release party, some legacy crap messing up.

    I run W7 myself and I wont upgrade until Direct X forces me to. Windows 10 is better but it takes a lot of work to get it right and to disable all annoying things in it. And if Direct X didn't exist I would probably still run Windows 2000.

    Anyways, remember to back up all important files (like your private documents and so on before formating it. A second option would be to invest in a 250 gigs SSD and put windows on it instead (unless you have one already), then you could just leave your old drive as it is and use it for storage instead, a SSD is rather cheap (around $100 for a good one) and way faster which will make the computer to feel like new.

    If I get forced to install 10 myself I will most likely buy a code from Microsoft but download and optimized version from the net. I rather not run a pirate version so ill buy it but optimizing Windows takes a load of time. But I think 7 will work for me another year at least.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    My OS is on my SSD and all my games are on my hard drive. I have  a small SSD so I put my OS there 240 gb or something like that whereas my hard drive is I TB.
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  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383
    Definitely not a heating issue. Those temps sounds like the card is barely loaded.

    For Windows 8.1. Hmm. Used to be you could get legit ISOs from Microsoft from Technet, but I don't know that they provide that for 8.1 anymore. Format of your SSD would be one way to do it, but that's definitely the nuclear option (at least all the stuff on your other drive would remain untouched, it just wouldn't have shortcuts pointed to it any longer).

    If you have a third drive just lying about, you could always unplug your SSD, plug in said third drive, and then do a clean install on that third drive. If it works, then worry about saving stuff off your SSD and doing a clean install back on your SSD since you know it won't be wasted effort; if it doesn't work, just plug the SSD back in and your no worse off than when you started. I do this frequently with old SATA drives.

    Windows 10 isn't nearly as bad about video drivers now. When it was new, yes, drivers would get updated all the darn time and it sucked. In the past several months, Microsoft hasn't overridden my installed nVidia drivers, and I don't update mine all that often since I'm running an older card.

    There are packages out there that offer "1-click" optimization for all the privacy stuff in Windows 10. It doesn't bother me so much so I don't subscribe to it, but it's out there and updated pretty regularly.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    The version of Windows 10 is not a pirate version it's the one you can get from Microsoft itself  but if you do not activate it then it has that watermark.

    Let me see for awhile more how things go before I update and do clean install to Windows 10 then I will just activate it when I do. I cannot just leave one drive untouched because I think they did say doing a clean install of windows 10 is best . 

    Good to know the driver upgrades have slowed down that makes moving to Windows 10 less stressful.
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  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383
    A clean install will only affect the installation drive. Your secondary drives (D:, etc) won't be touched at all by a Windows install.
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    Wonderful thanks Rid
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  • krulerkruler Member UncommonPosts: 589
    I loathed windows 10 at release and rolled back,  but I can honestly say with only a few tweaks I love it now, but I had to run classic shell, still cant stand some of the interface.


    I have read the whole thread, and I concur at this stage the only real diagnostic left to run is a sanitised hard drives and Win 10 clean install, let the OS find the drivers to begin with, this will require a period of time and a number of reboots, then see if same problems occur, then do your own driver update sweep, there is a reason for this in your instance.

    I feel your pain, I bought a sabretooth 2 mobo, which now is brilliant, but I had a hellish few months on a new build tracking down all my problems  to one single issue with the MOBO, to which I confess I would never of thought of due to the nature of the issues..........Yeah it was a bad BIOS, hindsight equalling dumbass feeling.

  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    edited April 2017
    You read the whole thread @kruler as it was a problem that developed with the title of this thread. So over time the problems cropped up and it became worse until the PC just died. I am sorry you had to read all that rambling.

    Thank you for your insight 

    I wanted to ask as I am very new to this PC thing and I guess being quite horrible with PCs I just want to check something. I have CPUID and GPU-Z besides the temperature what else should I be keeping an eye on in them, the CPUID  tracks more things in it including the cores and such whereas the GPU-Z tracks only the graphics card.

    I check the event viewer which after the mother board change keeps accusing me of pirating the OS and Microsoft has a nice advice to ignore event ID 1058 that warns that they cannot verify my proof of purchase.

    So aside from this event viewer and CPUID HWmonitor and GPU-Z is there anything I should pay particular attention to, to see if my system is breaking down.
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  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    cheyane said:

    So aside from this event viewer and CPUID HWmonitor and GPU-Z is there anything I should pay particular attention to, to see if my system is breaking down.


    I can't think of anything. Usually people can tell because they are used to something normal after a long period of use, and become very sensitive to changes: it takes longer to boot up, the hourglass starts spinning for longer, the computer double-boots every time you turn it on, etc.

    Going deeper, tools like HWMonitor and GPU-Z can give you a bit more under-the-hood information, but most of the time you'll notice something else first, and then use those tools to start to narrow down the issue.

    Any one thing by itself isn't necessarily a problem, it may just be a manifestation of a lot of complex systems and software trying to work together. But do pay attention and keep track, enough things starting to go off can start to point in the direction of something going wrong.

    So I think you'r taking all the right steps now.
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