Computer Problem Or Display Problem?

[Skillz]

My computer has really been killin me. I honestly have no clue what to do with it anymore.

Ok let me first off say this computer was my dad's friend's....who i was supposed to fix it for....and he ended up gettin a new one, n I had this in my room for a while so my bro decided tohook it up.

Well anyways, I had never checked it out to see what the problems with it were....and so when i had first loaded it, everything works fine and all that

then the computer freezes....and i've dealt with that a billion times like we all have, so i restart it....but when it restarts, there are lines across the screen from teh beginning...from the gateway screen till windows, and once windows loads up, its frozen black wit the mouse on the screen

so i restart again, same problem occurs...sometimes the gateway opening is clear but when windows loads up, it has vertical lines and it freezes at the log in screen

so i load up in to safe mode....and it still has vertical lines, but it doesnt freeze up at windows and everything works fine except for the vertical lines...so i try runnin scan disk...and that makes everything clear up n i restart

computer works fine for a few days....problem occurs again...try the scandisk method, that does not work this time....so i try something else.....i go through and shut down alot of the devices so i can go back and turn them back on one by one, and see which one causes the problem......well i turn em all off, restart the computer and it works good again...and i load up all the devices fine....but then the computer starts trippin out again later....eitehr freezin up on me or something later on and when i restart, the whole thing jams up again

so the only thing i can load up in is safe mode....well i run Regclean now....and that causes the screen to clear up, and the computer works fine agian....but its like every time i exhaust a different method, i can never use it again n the computer resorts back to this stage

well i reformatted the computer....still nuthin ......and somtimes the computer works fine, alot of times it doesnt....and there's only 2 ways i can load it up when its doing this problem....either in safe mode, or if i run from safemode, choose a diagnostic start up n start up without autoexec.bat and config.sys....and when i load it without config.sys and autoexec.bat its almost like safe mode with sound and internet...so i can use the computer, but its in its primitive stage lol in 640 x 480 and all that....and i just use it in that mode (like right now) till the vertical lines disappear and then i can restart back into the normal set up

i run scandisk, no problems with the drive....defragging doesnt help....nothing works really

so is this a computer problem or a monitor problem?

this is the type of computer i'm using:

Gateway running Windows 98 SE
Gateway EV700 Monitor and 3dfx voodoo3 graphics adapter
384 MB Ram
Intel Pentium III , 500 MHZ

ANY HELP WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED

Peace
Skillz

[DaveSW]

try a different graphics card.

[Puckdropper]

or a different monitor if you have one.

Sounds like it could be a resource conflict, so at the very least try moving the graphics card to another slot.

[Skillz]

thanks for the replies guys

well i tried a different monitor cause i had an extra one laying around, and the monitor isnt the problem...and i also ran a memory test, and everything seems fine there....so the only thing i can conclude is that it might be the video card.....but there are no conflicts and drivers are installed, fine and running...any way to check if it might be a bad card without buying a newone? i hav a 3dfx voodoo3 by the way

Skillz

[Puckdropper]

any way to check if it might be a bad card without buying a newone?

Sure, use one you already own. /unhelpful suggestion

Move the card to another computer and see if the problems move with it.

[DaveSW]

alternatively go on ebay and buy a small cheap one.

[Skillz]

i turned down the hardware acceleration al the way and the comp works fine now kinda....it still has some lines but i can do higher resolutions and stuff now...and it only freezes on ceertain apps like winamp...so i'm pretty sure its the vid card now, i dont really have any doubts.....so i guess i should go pick up a new one...thanks for the help
Skillz

[kiggwe johnson]

vertical lines and icons are not displayed clearly. what could be the problem the monitor or pc?and what could be the solution to such a problem

[Fazza]

When you go in to Safe Mode, Windows uses a basic display driver that is compatible with all graphics cards, so if the lines still appear in safe mode you can rule out the driver being the cause of the problem.

If you have tried another monitor and the lines are still there, then as long as you didnt use the same monitor VGA cable, then it is a hardware problem with your graphics card.

What expansion slot is it plugged in to? If it's a PCI card then try another PCI slot.

Even try removing the graphics card and then putting it back in again - re-seating the graphics card will rule out any oxidisation that can occur on the graphics cards connector.

You could also try resetting the BIOS to see if that has become corrupt - review any graphics card related settings and see if that helps after doing the above.

Failing that, you can pick up graphics cards quite cheaply now either on eBay, at your local computer fair or even your local independent computer store.

[asscorpi]

your graphic card is out dated change its driver and reinstall it.

[Johnsmith1]

Hi,change the graphic card.