Daugher says her computer isn't working, LCD monitor displays nothing
not even during boot-up. I open up the box and notice that the fan on
the Nvidia 5900XT isn't running. So I suspect the graphics card. Take
the card and put it in another computer...it works fine. Put it back
in the original computer...nothing. So I change the PSU. Computer
fires up perfectly, close the box and give the computer back to my
daughter. She plugs it in and says it still isn't working. I open it
up, power it up and the same fault...the fan on the graphics card
isn't turning.
The LCD monitor I was using to test and get it working was not the
same as my daughter was using. My first thought was that her monitor
had blown the PSUs, since I had to change the PSU to get it working
again and the fault reappeared after plugging in her monitor. I check
all the voltages on the ATX connector, they are all correct. So on
the face of it the PSU is OK.
At this point I'm baffled. Id appreciate any ideas from you good folks
out there.
Steve Pearce wrote:
> Daugher says her computer isn't working, LCD monitor displays nothing
> not even during boot-up. I open up the box and notice that the fan on
> the Nvidia 5900XT isn't running. So I suspect the graphics card. Take
> the card and put it in another computer...it works fine. Put it back
> in the original computer...nothing. So I change the PSU. Computer
> fires up perfectly, close the box and give the computer back to my
> daughter. She plugs it in and says it still isn't working. I open it
> up, power it up and the same fault...the fan on the graphics card
> isn't turning.
>
> The LCD monitor I was using to test and get it working was not the
> same as my daughter was using. My first thought was that her monitor
> had blown the PSUs, since I had to change the PSU to get it working
> again and the fault reappeared after plugging in her monitor. I check
> all the voltages on the ATX connector, they are all correct. So on
> the face of it the PSU is OK.
>
> At this point I'm baffled. Id appreciate any ideas from you good folks
> out there.
Maybe you could use a Zalman VF700 and just replace the cooler ? The www.zalman.co.kr site is down right now, for a web server upgrade, so
I cannot check the compatibility list.
What you'd do, is plug the Zalman into a motherboard header, and
if there is some electrical problem with the power path to the fan
header, that would bypass it.
I'm just guessing that the two would work together, and the video card
list on the Zalman site is where you want to look for a definite answer.
The heatsink is about $27. The fan has ball bearings, and that could give
it a longer life than a sleeve bearing fan. You don't have to install
the RAM heatsinks, and they are a bit fiddly anyway. The RAM sinks use
thermal tape of some sort, and it helps if the RAM chips are super-clean,
and the tape is warmed slightly, before application. You don't want a
RAM sink falling off, while the computer is running.
On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:08:54 +0100, Steve Pearce
<*stevepearce@btinternet.com*> wrote:
>
>Daugher says her computer isn't working,
You didn't tell us much about her system. This could be
significant in several ways, including whether the orig or
replacement PSU seemed adequate for it regardless of whether
those PSU seem to be somewhat working instead of entirely
dead.
>LCD monitor displays nothing
>not even during boot-up. I open up the box and notice that the fan on
>the Nvidia 5900XT isn't running. So I suspect the graphics card. Take
>the card and put it in another computer...it works fine.
When you write that it works fine, does the fan work?
Video card fan failures are quite common, and the card
should not be operated for more than a couple minutes (long
enough to see if it works at all) in 2D mode from being
cold/off if the fan doesn't work - to prevent overheating.
In some cases a sleeve bearing fan seizure can be
temporarily (or permanently, depending on how bad the wear,
the type of fan, and quality of lube used) resolved by
taking fan off, pealing back the sticker and removing the
plug (if so equipped) and adding a couple drops of
heavyweight oil then gently working the fan blades in a
circle to free up the bearing and distribute the oil some.
>Put it back
>in the original computer...nothing. So I change the PSU. Computer
>fires up perfectly, close the box and give the computer back to my
>daughter. She plugs it in and says it still isn't working. I open it
>up, power it up and the same fault...the fan on the graphics card
>isn't turning.
See if the fan blades spin freely in your hand while off.
While it is unusual, maybe the fan wires or connector are an
intermittent connection. I don't know if the fan power is
derived from the slot or a separate power connector. For
that matter I don't know if that FX5900 card has a separate
connector or not as both AGP and PCI Express versions were
made.
>
>The LCD monitor I was using to test and get it working was not the
>same as my daughter was using. My first thought was that her monitor
>had blown the PSUs, since I had to change the PSU to get it working
>again and the fault reappeared after plugging in her monitor. I check
>all the voltages on the ATX connector, they are all correct. So on
>the face of it the PSU is OK.
I doubt the monitor could blow the PSU. At worst you'd
unplug PSU from AC for a few minutes and retry it.
>
>At this point I'm baffled. Id appreciate any ideas from you good folks
>out there.
We need more info, about all major system parts and also
both PSU make model wattage current ratings.
Strange graphic card problem 
Linear Mode
