Hardware Problems (Video Card Maybe?)

[squireglig]

Ok, so here comes a long winded story...

So yesterday afternoon I get home to turn on my PC... check some email and stuff.. shut off my monitor and leave for a friend's house, leaving the computer running.

I get home, turn on the monitor, and the standby light comes on.. The computer is on still, but not sending any signal to the monitor. So, i have my computer set up to shut down XP when I press the power button, I do this, but no go. I do a hard reset, and the computer boots up fine. I start checking some email again for about 30 mins, and I see my monitor start to "fuzz up" (kinda like bad TV reception) for about 1 or 2 seconds, and then it went into standby. This time I try turning on and off the monitor, unplugging the d-sub cable from the vid card, etc, etc. but to no avail. I try to shut the computer down via the power button again, but no go again... so another hard reset.

So, at this point, I figure it's not the monitor, as the computer stops responding when this happens. This happened another 2 times last night, so I checked the video card temp, which was at 44 degrees Celsius.

It was freakishly hot yesterday (about 34C), so I think this MAY be from overheating... I have alot of components in my case, so it generates alot of heat, but the video card temps seemed OK. Any insight into what this may be?

The specs:

DELL 4500
P4 2.0Ghz
768RAM
40GB HDD
16xDVDRW
40xCDROM
ATI RADEON 9600XT
WINTV PVR150
Sound Blaster Live 24-bit
56KMODEM

[Theros]

Usually when that happens is with overheating and the computer sets itself down on purpose to avoid blowing itself up... I'd check your fans and make sure they all work. Then, either monitor the CPU temperature (In BIOS Setup), and make sure it's within a reasonable range. If everything checks out, make sure whereever you computer is isn't too hot... For instance, my computer starts making clunking sounds when its above like 80+ F...

[squireglig]

I hope it's a heating issue. I know the intel chips have overheating protection, so it could be that. What sucks is that my Dell has no temperature sensor on the mobo, so I can't access the CPU temps.

So it's not likely to be the video card?

[Theros]

WHat? Your Bios doesn't have the CPU temperature? All newish mobos have that...

[squireglig]

Not the cheap-o dell mobos.. The temp sensor is built into the CASE FAN, and it varies its speed based on the temp. Messed up, eh? haha

[Theros]

great.... Well, I have no idea then on how your going to measure your CPU temperature without leaving the case open and leaving a thermometer there