cant boot-- screen blank - cant even post

[expresso]

hi - i wonder if anyone can tell me whats going on with my system -

 

i have a 4200 dual - dfi ultra - 2 gig - watercooled - xfx6800xt card --

 

a few days ago - system got stuck - crashed - blue screen etc.

i didnt do anything or add any new hardware or software -

i noticed it said something about nvidia driver etc. --

the screen gets all messed up - lines all over - etc. - its a video issue - but i though it was just the video driver - so i installed it again from nvidia site - but wasnt able to get it to post -

 

sometimes i noticed on the board - one red light still on - i forget what that means - operating OS etc. --

 

so i shut it off - flipped the switch to clear it - after a few hours - it posted and i wanted to restore to a different image i had - i got it to boot from the cd and ran the restore to a image and again it didnt reboot back up - nothing on the screen - no post nothing -- my screen power light is just flashing - i think that means its not getting a video signal -

so i think its the card -

 

i shut it down - cleared it again and left it overnight -

next day - i tried to boot from the cd and install windows fresh

but as i am doing it - my screen is all messed up with lines across the screen up and down - and garbage -- but it installed at least i think - then it came time to reboot and

again didnt post or boot up -- so i gave up - everything was fine up to that moment -- but at times before this happened

i noticed a flicker here and there - but didnt think nothing of it -

i am running vista 32 ultimate -- i cant really troubleshoot much - because of the water cool and the other pci slot is not useable - the chipset heatsink and fan is blocking it -

 

i would have to remove everything out of the case to try that option -

 

i remember my card is warranty for life - so i called xfx and will be doing a RMA and hope they either fix it or replace - if its even the card -- i am not sure 100%

 

does anyone have any idea what it can be ?

 

also - do you think xfx would replace it even if i removed the stock fan ?

 

i think i still have it - but if i dont and just send it in and tell them it was watercooled - so dont have the fan -

 

would they honor the warranty ?

thanks --

system is about a little over 2 years old - really not old at all

[radodrill]

the most likely issue is a bad video card.

 

I've RMAed cards to XFX that have been watercooled; but I remounted the stock HSF and applied good thermal paste before shipping it to them. I don't think they honor any warranty if you don't have the stock fan mounted to it.

[expresso]

thanks -- i have to look for it - i think i saved it - i mounted heat sinks on the memory also - so i have to remove those - clean up a little - i put some more past on the fan if i find it -

 

and see what happens - i really hope its the video card -

 

when i unmount the water block - i dont have to remove the tubes from the block right ? this was my first water setup - so not sure - i can just unmount it and leave ?

 

i really dont want to take off any tubing - even though it could be changed but i am tired of playing around with this -

 

the tubing got discolored when installed it after a short time - with fluid xp - but didnt know i didnt have to use the other coloring to make it Uv more - and that turned it red - on the inside of the tubing so - dosnt glow anymore - just looks red

 

but works fine - keep it cool - i watch it to make sure with Everest - i gave up trying to keep it looking cool - now - its as long as it works plus it got so dusty in there -- i had a fan over the memory and just removed it - threw it out - it build up so much dust over the memory and MB - i dont think it was worth it -- once i went to WC - then the case stayed hot -

i have a swivel fan facing the board at the pwc area - i leave that one only - hopefully once i get it going if its just the video card -- i check the temps - or just lower my clock down -

 

either way - i got a back up comp. now - laptop - very slow compared to my main comp. but better than nothing now -

i have so much room on my desk now

[radodrill]

it doesn't hurt anything to just unmount the waterblock and leave the tubing connected; just be sure to put something over the surface of the block to help keep it from getting scratched.

[expresso]

thanks - i will start taking it off tomorrow and look for that fan -

 

now i am off to watch a movie - just set up a HT - and need to enjoy it - take a break from this compter stuff - drives you crazy

[expresso]

i happen to find the video card fan -- but i dont have the screws to hold it on the card

 

i will try a hardware store today - but i think they would know and not replace or fix it ?

[radodrill]

IDK how willing they'd be to fix it without the screws; but they may as long as the stock HSF is correctly mounted.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the screws are metric thread.

[expresso]

well i have to hope i can find some screws that fit at least and just send it back with the paper work -

 

just wait and hope they honor it - at least fix the card if they dont want to send me a new one

 

bummer -