[Help] Graphic card just freezes

Hi all,

I'm using a system with the AMD Athlon 2000+ with 1024 MB DDR333- RAM, running on a GIGABYTE GA-7VAX motherboard, AGP Aperture Size is at 128 MB ( unchangeable by BIOS )

I got a graphic card from a friend, it's a GeForce 4 Ti4400 which is usually used in workstations, with 128 MB video RAM.

Most of the time the card works fine, but from time to time my screen just freezes. That happened 3 times up to now and always, when I was in Windows mode without doing anyhing.

On reboot the monitor screen just stays in Standby mode, while the motherboard seems to boot up, but the "beep" doesn't come. To fix this problem now, I removed the card from the AGP4x slot, and started my computer without any graphic card at all, so the mainboard did the combination 1 long, 2 short beeps - no graphic found. Then I switched the PC off again and built the card in, and then it just works fine again.

May this be a problem of RAM space managing inside the card or is my AGP bus just overused with that card ?

Hope to find some helpful answers here

See you later

#307138

i have the same problem on a p4 2.4 with 512 Mb DDR266 on an intel 865GBF, AGP aperture at 64 (default). my geforce fx 5200 (128mb) is giving me the same problem. with the card inserted (whether connected to the monitor or not) the system will not boot (no signal to monitor + no response from keyboard + i have to hold the power button 4 sec to switch off). my computer has an onboard card and i can boot with that, but if the fx is in the agp slot the computer will not boot.

thanks for any help

#307154

I don't know if it's any help but I've got a geforce 4 ti 4600 and those card have a reputation for overheating, happens to me from time to time also. Better air cooling inside my comp and re-applying thermal grease on my card fixed my freezing issues. Concerning the AGP aperture size, I've read somewhere it's better to have the bios set to x2 the actual graphic card ram size.

#307163

Ok, but the GIGABYTE BIOS doessn't allow to do changes to the aperture size, the menu option for it is just missing.

Better cooling... hm.... actually the card itself is cooled with the Zalman Copper Cooler and all memory blocks are cooled passive... behind the card is the Northbridge Cooler and right next to that there is another fan to bring air outside.... and my case is often opened when it's really hot, so normally it has to be a cool place for the graphic card...

I'll try to change some cable stuff inside the case to get better cooling though.

Thanks for your help up to now

#307233

Ok, but the GIGABYTE BIOS doessn't allow to do changes to the aperture size, the menu option for it is just missing.
Better cooling... hm.... actually the card itself is cooled with the Zalman Copper Cooler and all memory blocks are cooled passive... behind the card is the Northbridge Cooler and right next to that there is another fan to bring air outside.... and my case is often opened when it's really hot, so normally it has to be a cool place for the graphic card...
I'll try to change some cable stuff inside the case to get better cooling though.
Thanks for your help up to now

I have a gigabyte mobo, to access the advanced options try pressing and holding Ctnl and then F1, to get into the advanced options.

#307279

Thanks man!

I've now changed my aperture size to 256 MB, double of video ram.

Now I will have to look for what the future brings

I'll keep you informed if any freeze will come again.

Tanks for your help

#307307

is there any way of knowing what is wrong with the card? if it boots on another computer it would mean my agp slot is screwed right?

#307336