Hello,

My Dell Dimension 8300 has 1 GB of RAM, running Win XP Pro, Pentium 4 3.2 Ghz with the factory installed power supply.

I replaced the video card that came with it with a Radeon 9550 (AGP 8x) and things worked fine for several months. Unfortunately now the screen will randomly start displaying 1inch long rectangular boxes composed of vertical lines throughout the screen. It doesn't seem to matter if I am on a web page full of text or if I am on a web page with active content such as Flash. If I give it enough time it almost always starts happening. When I was playing World of Warcraft it got to the point where I couldn't get past the login screen because I couldn't see. I was thinking that it was possibly an overheating problem, but after doing some Googling am wondering if it is the Dell PS. My first video card (a 128mb Radeon of some sort) also did this after 1 1/2 years of use.

I would like to get your opinions on this because I am thinking on trying a new PS from here.
http://www.pcpower.com/products/power_supplies/selector/dell.htm

Thanks,
malaize

Sometimes you need to try "known good parts" that you may have available to you. For instance a more powerful PSU, or a different GFX processor. I'm sure this has occurred to you. You could check with AMD/ATI for updated drivers, although I think one of the components is at fault. I paid $99 for a 9550 and used it for about a week. (I paid too much). Even though it's a minimal card it should at least keep working. I would go with your hunch on the psu but this did happen with your original card also, so...borrow some parts and eliminate the bad one. Good Luck.

Thanks a lot for the tips pdyckman@comcas. I think I am going to try a new power supply and also install another fan in the case. I forgot to mention that sometimes when I was playing WOW the pc would suddenly go to a blank blue screen. I would have to power down and then start it back up. Seemed like a possible heating problem.

malaize

It could be either the card or the psu or both.
Very good psu upgrade if you go that way. I just put a Silencer470 in my rig yesterday. Very quieter than the stock.
Your choices if you decide on a new card would be a lot better too. Up to a 7900 or 7950GT with the 410-2 (23amps).

Thanks for the input kpo6969. I think I am definitely going to purchase the ps soon. It will be nice to have more options when it comes to graphics cards once I install the new ps.

cheers, malaize