PC Help Needed...

[SHEF]

My PC crashed out of the blue while running my screensaver earlier, had green blocks over it and froze. I had this happen only last week to my 360 and now it has happened to my PC. I straight away thought my graphics card was to blame, so restarted the PC and there were dots all over the bios. I couldn't get Windows to start so I tried safe mode and all the graphics and everything was then fine on it. I then uninstalled my Nvidia drivers in safe mode and rebooted into normal Windows XP and everything so far is ok again; but without drivers running default. I assume if I reinstall my drivers the same problem will just come back, as running it in basic default on doesn't cause any problems in XP. Even as it is now the bios screens all still have dots over them, as does the XP loading screen on boot up. I assume my graphics card is broken, the ram, but I'm not that clued up so could do with some confirmation. Is there anything I can try or do or just have to bite the bullet and buy a new graphics card?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide...

 

[Strider]

.....I had this happen only last week to my 360 and now it has happened to my PC........

Has this definately happened to your pc AND the 360?

If so, what monitor/Graphics card are you using?

 

[SHEF]

360 had crashing and artifacts last week, I returned it to Game and got another and everything is fine with that now. My 360 uses a Samsung HDTV seperate to the PC which uses a Dell 1901FP as the main display. My graphics card is a 6800Ultra and my Samsung HDTV is hooked up to it as a secondary display but isn't being used, it is diabled by Ultramon and was not on when it happened. I have had that setup for a year without any problems...

 

[t31os]

Try another card, cheapo one off of the members market would save you some cash.

Better then splashing out more on a new one only to find it still happens.

Plus if the card is faulty you'll have something to tie you over while you RMA the current one.

 

[SHEF]

I installed my graphics drivers again and straight after the XP loading screen there are just loads of dots everywhere and the system freezes.

The first bios screen has blue dots, then white dots on the next, then into windows loading screen they are another colour and after the next screen there is purple and green everywhere and the system freezes.

Again after going into safe mode and removing the drivers normal Windows XP boots up again fine with no dots; only dots in the bios.

Could it realistically be anything else other than the graphics card to blame like maybe the power supply instead?

My 6800 Ultra is a PNY and was from the launch, not sure if it is even covered by the warranty still, trying to find the receipt.

I was looking at just getting a new card instead from the AGP selection on OCUK; what would be a good card to go for now?

I'm not sure my PSU is even good enough for the top cards, it handled the 6800Ultra for years but it is only 350w and don't want to push it.

To be honest I hardly game on the PC anymore since getting the 360 so don't need anything that great, just don't want to downgrade really...