ATI 9800 PRO problems?

[Weylok 0]

Alright, I guess I'll start from the beginning...

I got my card.. somewhat a year ago, mabye 10-13 months. I got it for christmas and I dont know where the receipt is so dont say to get a refund.

 

3 days ago I was playing WoW, as usual, when the pixels on the game started screwing up when I walked. Like, I just walked along and squares of green and black started coming up. I thought 'Meh, bugged area' and kept walking. Then it got worse, and eventually, there were huge ass glitches in the area, big wall things coming through that I could walk through, and I eventually couldn't see shit. Then I noticed the smell. Bad smell. Nothing had changed with my comp but it smelt like it was heating. I checked, looked fine *Shrug* And NOW, its making weird noises, like... oh I cant explain it. Like sometimes a car trying to start. I only have my fan on my processor and on my gfx card, because I have the side of my PC off and its cooled. I think.

 

So yeah... I swear its my gfx card, as I've asked other people and they say it is, and I just have a hunch it would be.... I kind of rushed this because I didn't want it to blow up in my face x_X So some things may not make perfect sence. Any help at all would be awsome

 

- ATI 9800PRO

- Screwed graphics only stuff that moves.

- Funny noises

- Funny smell

- Not a good comp mind you

 

Please help! I want to play WoW again xD

[Sampson 0]

It is most probably the bushing for the fan on your grafics card that has failed or is failing. Don't know why some manufactureres of motherboards put the graphics placement next to memory modules but graphics cards do get hot all by themselves and it gets compounded when there is such a placement.

 

Since you smelled something, it may have overheated the card itself and if that is the case, the card may become quirky. Anyway, you can replace the fan on the graphics card. Most electrical stores will have little cooling fans that with some jury riggning can be fitted on to the card. However, it will have to be powered from the motherboard or from the powerpack not from the graphics card.

[jmmijo 1]

Yeah, pretty much what Sampson said.

 

If you live here in the states then check out CompUSA or Fry's Electronics for GPU/Graphics Card cooling solutions. Other options include online etailers like NewEgg for instance, I've dealt many time with them and they always treated me great

 

The sound you hear/heard could indeed be the cooling fan however, the fact you smealt that burning carbon smell tells me that some component/components may have burnt beyond repair so this solution may not work and the card may have to be sent into ATi for repair.

 

Other things to check are the power supply and the motherboard for any burnt or burnt smelling components just in case.

[Relic 0]

I do believe ATI can track when the card was sold by the serial number, so I'd take a shot at dropping their customer support an email.

 

My wife's old Maxtor HDD failed, I ran the Maxtor diagnostic on it, thinking it was way past the 1 year warranty, sent the diagnostic to them, and then discovered it had 2 months left on a 3 year warranty. I RMA'd it to them, pre-paid via credit card(I got the new one before the old one went back), sent the old one back in the box they sent, and my credit card was never charged a dime.

 

As far as I know(I'm an nVidiot, heh heh heh) ATI was offering 3 year warranties on all their cards up until just recently, like in the last month or two. Your card should be covered by that warranty, receipt or not, it's the serial number that counts.

 

 

[Weylok 0]

Thanks for the replies guys...

 

I understand everything said, but I don't understand how it could have overheated, I haven't touched the PC other than to turn it on in months. How can it just get extremely hot and blow up? I checked everything, and couldn't see any burnt areas. It must be my graphics card. If it was burnt so I can no longer use it (Which I'm guessing it is) and I, for some reason, can't get a refund.. what graphics card/s would you guys suggest for AUS$400-600?

 

Any replies would be great! ^^

[Weylok 0]

Anyone?