ATI Card shoots Shuriken

[[FF]Shadow]

So I was originally planning on going to Stompfest, but given what just happened, I'm dumbfounded.

For those of you who I've spoken to, I've had an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro since the last Stompfest (traded the Physics card I won for it), well here's the fun bit.

For the past few weeks its been dying, one of the molex connectors literally melted, yes MELTED, into the card, leaving me with 3 of them intact (I believe it may have been the ground that melted), so the card has been at mid performance at best lately, but I could still manage to play things until it overheated.

But tonight I noticed something weird, something drastic, something.. odd, it was overheating to the point where I could EASILY burn my hand on it, so I take it out of my computer and notice something dumbfounding...

Its fan was missing, so I look around my case and find it stuck in a tangle of wires and checked the case sides, it had literally scratched into the side where it had impacted before getting intangled, I pick up the fan and the bottom metal attachment that links it to the card (the weld) is sheared off like as if someone had grabbed it and twisted it off while using a blow torch on it.

So at this point, I can only come to the conclusion, my ATI Card shot its fan out like a shuriken, so I am almost definitely out of SF this year, given that I'm typing this while half my screen has checkered boxes ><

Well good luck to whoever enters the RTS tournaments =p I won't be there to kick your ass this year ><

~Shadow

[nacelle]

I'm sure you can find a comparable card for next to nothing. I don't even know how anyone can still be playing on one of those card.

[Feldaan]

Shadow,

Please check your PM's. Thanks!

[[FF]Shadow]

Haha went ninja.

Yea surprisingly this card has handled me really really well, I've been able to handle 90% of games on at least low and a good 50% on high even nowadays, I was playing HL2 on full without AA just fine and a few other games like that.

The thing was actually a hand-me-down from 3 computers and finally mine, kinda sad to see it finally meet its end ><

I just need to figure out a few things there are a couple of people who have told me they can provide a video card if I show up, so I gotta sort everything out, I really need to go anyway to get my PSP to lose its virginity (getting the baby hacked).

I'm just hoping my Processor doesn't decide to go ninja, I have like a 10 pound fan on that sucker <.< if that thing shoots off.. there will be holes in my walls or limbs.

[Sir Zolofto]

I am surprised that the fan ended up like that.

Now it is common for a GPUs heatsink to EASILY burn your hand. Especially right after some gaming. I gave myself a temp heatsink branding on the back of my hand while I was doing something within my computer case.

[[FF]Shadow]

Stole my brother's vid card (Geforce FX 5500) the sucker is running decently at least, won't be able to handle anything heavy but at least I can play now xD

I just need to figure out how to finalize my payment <.<

Btw now that my comp is working I may use my webcam to take some pictures of the card, its ridiculously obvious that it literally melted the mount between the fan and the card and that caused it to twist off, never seen something that hot before in my life inside a comp case o.O

[Sir Zolofto]

I would REALLY love to see the 9800. I wasnt aware the 9800Pro had such a heating issue. I know the SE (Sucks Edition) had some pipeline and heat issues.

The 5500 is not a jump up to anywhere. If you're interested I got a 9200 that does the trick. med on all source engines prior to OB/EP2 update. GMOD 10-40fps, depending on what's going on in the server. CS:S about 20-30FPS.

Hate to see somebody go onto the Nvidia FX series :(

[[FF]Shadow]

The first molex melt was actually from my power supply, the cords had gotten loss in the back of the connector, and they sparked/lit fire apparently and burned out that one.

The shuriken part I have no idea, I'm going to assume I lost the grounding wire and thats what caused the problem, but I'll definitely bring it with me for everyone to see, its sitting on my shelf right now xD

[CodeZero]

Best. Story. Ever.

[Shadizzy]

I'll sell you my BFG OC'd 7800GTX for cheap at the lan if you're really hard up.

[[FF]Shadow]

I'm strapped on cash or I'd grab a Radeon X1750(1650, something like that) off Newegg, they have a nice one on there for like $150, only issue is my mobo only has an AGP and 4 PCI (normal not express..) slots.

Part of the reason I'm going to SF is praying that I can win a Video Card or a nice Processor/Mobo xD last year I won that Physics Card, this year I want something I can use =p

[Tippo]

I would REALLY love to see the 9800. I wasnt aware the 9800Pro had such a heating issue. I know the SE (Sucks Edition) had some pipeline and heat issues.

The 5500 is not a jump up to anywhere. If you're interested I got a 9200 that does the trick. med on all source engines prior to OB/EP2 update. GMOD 10-40fps, depending on what's going on in the server. CS:S about 20-30FPS.

Hate to see somebody go onto the Nvidia FX series :(

I'm actually testing two now, I should know by the end of the week :)

So far it doesn't look good for nVidia. They're not that great... as far as I can see.

[Wild-Bill]

Shadow, I have a 9600XT that you can have, if you come to the LAN. It's the equivalent to a 5700 Ultra, perhaps even a little better. Last time I used it four years ago, it worked fine. Let me know and I'll bring it.

-=W/B=-

[[FF]Shadow]

So many people offering to bring cards xD I'll probably just use this 5500, I'm fine for now on CSS, 2142, and a few other games, COD4 is out of the question (my processor doesn't like it anyway), but at least I can handle myself in C&C3 and RON =p

If all goes according to plan and my practice isn't in vain I may win a video card =p never know.

[[FF]Shadow]

I'm ordering http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161032 tonight, should have it by SF.

HIS Hightech H165PRQ512AN-R Radeon X1650PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/14-161-032-08.jpg

[[FF]Shadow]

got the card today, doesn't work I'm in safe mode typing this..

Upon startup when the drivers boot, it crashes, white screen/black screen sometimes gives me a blue screen, no clue as to what..

Tried Omega Drivers, ATI Catalyst Drivers, tried different power hookups, I meet all the requirements for it.

Hold on will edit this post shortly if this last ditch thing doesn't work, if it doesn't I need to know if anyone has a Radeon 9800+ they can loan me for SF so I can at least enter the COD4 tournys ><

Edit: Tried 7.1 drivers, still dont' work, so here's my situation.

I need to find someone willing to loan me a card for SF that is a Radeon 9800+, or if someone can help me figure out the problem this weekend at SF that'd be perfect as well, so I'm going to put this card back in its box and bring it with me to SF ><

[JJ_Sky5000]

System Spec Please

Motherboard
cpu
memory
power supply
the good stuff
Also did you uninstall all old drivers.

[[FF]Shadow]

Heres my DXDiag and yes I did uninstall old drivers, every last bit, even ran a driver cleanup program afterwards to make sure xD

Time of this report: 3/26/2008, 19:42:02
Machine name: SHADOW
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254) Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: PCCHIPS
System Model: M860
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.0GHz
Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page File: 238MB used, 4686MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Part of my DXDiag, no drivers currently installed for GFX Card, normal windows mode, my Power Supply is a 450w.

Full DXDiag attached if info is needed.

Edit: I'm going to go ahead and reformat tomorrow if all this isn't fixed by then, went ahead and backed everything up already in preparation, its time I clean out my system anyway =p

[JJ_Sky5000]

It really seems like power or a driver issue.

I dont believe it it the card.

If it was the card it would not boot up at all into safe mode.
I have seen the same screens your getting. It was my power ultra 500 w and 7800 agp

also when you first installed it did the new harware wizard start?

try this to check your power
Try to boot with Video card only installed and one hard drive no cd no floppy make sure you have the 4 pin power plug in for teh gpu.

Software and driver issue, if you have not done a fresh install in a while now is a good time. might cut some game time down. But the in long run it will be good for you and you could have a good time at the lan with little issue.

I have done fresh install the day before just so I would eliminate any issues.

Good Luck

[[FF]Shadow]

Not driver issue, has to be PSU.

One question though, it came with a 4 pin to Molex wire, thats what I'm using, should I swap to a direct 4 pin connection from my PSU?

Also my CD Rom isn't plugged in, neither are all my fans (my Floppy hasn't been in my PC for a year)

But yea I figured its either Software confliction or PSU problem, I need a fresh reformat been a long time since my last one >< like a year or two

[JJ_Sky5000]

I would try anything. I would go for the fresh install too

[[FF]Shadow]

Going for reformat tomorrow =p

[Tippo]

this makes me wonder why people don't image their PC


it's freakin simple

[[FF]Shadow]

Image? If you are talking about backing up its not biggy to me, I have everything already backed up, but don't see how that would solve my problem <.<

[Wild-Bill]

Shadow;32966']Image? If you are talking about backing up its not biggy to me, I have everything already backed up, but don't see how that would solve my problem <.<

Imaging = ghosting

http://www.directron.com/ghosting.html

You need software to do it, but it's well worth it in the end.

-=W/B=-

[Tippo]

if you image, you can restore your PC to it's last GOOD previous state. if you did it correctly you would never have to completely reformat


also yes, it's ghosting / acronisingsinginsing


it's fairly simple, pop in the CD, save your image say to an external HDD then backup

if your pc shits out, then you just restore it to the state in which it was previously working


it solves many problems





unfortunately not yours, ahahah that sucks


my 2 cents is to start with the basics, test the power supply, video card, HDD, RAM, then if all else fails test the mobo. replace which is the problem then RESTORE the IMAGE on the pc