My desktop PC started having these weird red and green lines, sometimes boxes, different patterns on the screen. I am guessing its the video card taking a dump on me. Its pci express card,  but is it possible to put a non pci express card in to the regular pci slot to get me by since I have a few laying around. I just bought a new top of the line laptop for but still wanna use the desktop for surfing web and stuff and keep laptop clean for gaming.

 

http://www.dell.com/us/dfh/p/studio-xps-435/pd

Yes, you can stick a PCI card in there, usually you just have to hop into BIOS and adjust a setting (GFX output from PCIe to PCI, it may just be on auto already).

 

On a side note, it could be your RAM going. Run Memtest, or if you have 2 (or more) sticks, pull one out. If the problem is still there, swap it. If it's still there, then it is probably the GFX card.

2nd on the graphics card swap. If you have one that fits the slot you can use it.  I keep spares of some pretty... old... kit for some of my clients, just in case. (Think Matrox MGA Millenium ISA video boards for this one client.  Machine still runs DOS 6.22!!  Don't ask. you don't want to know.)

 

I would also run memtest just to be sure, but it definitely sounds like a video card to this guy.

right on ! thanks!

Sounds like the vid card to me, unless one of the cables is going bad.  If you want, I can probably scrounge an older card for you..

I have a few decent non pciE cards that should work fine, from my days of building gaming rigs. I just have been out of the loop and this one was my first pciE rig, and never knew you could go backwards so to speak. Thanks Krdshrk for the offer.

You can go back but you lose a lot in performance...

not worried about performance, just want it for web surfing and access files i already have on it. I just got a nice ASUS laptop so I got performance covered an dont want to get it all buggered up with crap files, and such

not worried about performance, just want it for web surfing and access files i already have on it. I just got a nice ASUS laptop so I got performance covered an dont want to get it all buggered up with crap files, and such

 

I'm betting it's either the card, or the connectors. Sometimes, if the connectors are lose, you might see some distortion as well. Be sure they're tightned up and see if that helps. You can also try  plugging the monitor into the output of your new laptop. If the distortion disappears, then it's more likely the card.

 

Best of luck.

monitor works fine cause I am using it from the laptop. I have also pulled the card and checked all the wires for loose connections. I hadn't cleaned the case out in quite a while and it was super dusty. the heat sinks were caked up. So I'm thinking I fried the card.

monitor works fine cause I am using it from the laptop. I have also pulled the card and checked all the wires for loose connections. I hadn't cleaned the case out in quite a while and it was super dusty. the heat sinks were caked up. So I'm thinking I fried the card.

Fair enough. Be very careful when cleaning out the main box. A natural tendancy would be to "vacuum" it out, but a vacuum hose can cause a "static electricity" discharge and fry even more components. Use a can of compressed air, if you have one. They do make special "grounded" vacuum cleaners just for computers/electronics. I have a little mini vac in my kit with a grounding wrist strap on it.

 

Also, modern video cards draw an awful lot of power. Make sure the Power supply can handle it and isn't overloaded.

Stop watching porn..... Haha

gun porn !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HB, it has worked fine for a year, I actually had to replace the PS after Sandy because it got cooked. I got air cans that's how I usually clean them, it just slipped my mind for past 10 months.

HB, it has worked fine for a year, I actually had to replace the PS after Sandy because it got cooked. I got air cans that's how I usually clean them, it just slipped my mind for past 10 months.

 

Fair enough.... You have it under control.

Got an old toaster oven ?

I got an extra year out of a 9800 GT that exhibited the same symptoms, by baking it at 300F for 8 minutes

Got an old toaster oven ?

I got an extra year out of a 9800 GT that exhibited the same symptoms, by baking it at 300F for 8 minutes

You don't need a toaster oven to do this, and it's not applicable to all cards. The XBox 360 RROD, nVidia graphics and chipsets (I'm guesstimating around the GeForce 7000-9000 series), and a few other devices can be fixed doing this, if they have a specific problem. RoHS directives meant that the GeForce 7000 series was around the time where they had to use lead free solder. Unfortunately, the lead free solder they used in the aforementioned devices tended to crack after several heating and cooling cycles. Applying heat to the right places would reflow the solder into the cracks, and get it working again for a short period of time. You can use a toaster oven, or oven, but a heat gun is a more precise way of doing it.

 

If they card in question is too old, it most likely does not have this lead-free solder cracking issue, and therefore, likely won't be fixed by baking it.