PC not working

[Alan Watson]

Hello all

First time post here so if any errors in posting in the wrong place!!

I'm not PC literate but my knowledge is enough to get me by until now.

I've increased the memory from 4 x 512MB cards to 4 x 1GB cards. All s well up to now until I decided to update my nvidea GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card.

I was able to switch on the PC which is solely used for Microsoft FS2004 and peripherals and I found after setting up a flight the PC would crash and re-start itself. This was random and it could be as soon as I started FS2004 via the desktop icon or no more than 2-5 minutes into the game.

I carried out a system restore to no avail and rolled back the driver. I managed to get it working again-I don't know how but it crashed again so I decided to remove and re-fit the memory cards.

Now when I turn on the PC nothing works!! The screens are blank (I have a primary display and two 19" monitors as secondary displays).

The keyboard LEDs no longer illuminate when the computer is switched on.

In summary I have changed the memory cards and updated the graphics card and now I have nothing!!!

I'm running a Dell XPS710 core-quad processor 6600 2.4GHz 1066FSB 8MB cache
Windows XP Professional 32 bit
Single 768 nVidea GeForce 8800GTX graphics card
PCI card Ageia PhysX 128MB

I hope that this makes sense?! Thank you in anticipation of your help.

ALW

 

[Cobalt006]

What size power supply were you running?Was it enough support your video card?

 

[mike1959]

Hi, Several things could have happened, as Cobalt006 said, your new Graphics card may be just too much for your existing PSU. But if your previous RAM worked ok can you put that back in for now, so you can then prove if the new Graphics card is the problem. Of course you will need to download the drivers for your new card, but does your motherboard have integrated graphics too? If yes then you could test the pc runs ok with the new RAM then, when all is ok, then fit the new graphic card.

 

[Alan Watson]

Thanks for the replies.

Should have mentioned I haven't replaced the graphics card just updated the driver for it which is when this issue started.

The power supply is if I have the correct info is 666MHz. This PC was built specifically by DELL to my requirements. It's six years old and never had a problem with it.

The PC runs (did) well with the new memory installed

Thanks again

 

[Cobalt006]

Try removing the memory . Then refitting it again. I know you did this once but it may not have seated right. If so this will cause the computer do what its doing. Your power supply is the right voltage, But that does not mean it could have not gone bad. Just a thought!

 

[LinkedKube]

Thanks for the replies.

Should have mentioned I haven't replaced the graphics card just updated the driver for it which is when this issue started.

The power supply is if I have the correct info is 666MHz. This PC was built specifically by DELL to my requirements. It's six years old and never had a problem with it.

The PC runs (did) well with the new memory installed

Thanks again

Psu's degrade over time. You should consider buying a decent psu for the system. I had a 8800 ultra, which was just an overhyped gtx.

 

[mike1959]

Hi, If you have nothing working now, no LEDS, monitors, hard drive, then it does seem to point to the PSU.
But I would remove all the RAM, put back 1 or 2GB only, (you may have coloured pairs of RAM slots on the board).
Connect only one monitor. Any luck with that set up?
Any chance you unplugged a power cable or two to work on the board?
Really check the RAM is seated in the slots and that the end clips move up when you push the boards in, and press the clips into the RAM boards, each end.
I would also check any fuses in your mains plug/gang socket setup.
If you have an on/off switch on PSU check that too.

 

[Alan Watson]

Thank you all for your replies so far.

The story so far is I have managed to get the PC working and rolled back the previous driver. The only problem I have now is that FS2004 keeps crashing. Although this would happen on the rare occasion it hasn't happened for a long time but it's happening each time now and I'm at a loss of how to find out what's causing the programme to crash.
Any advice/suggestions would be welcome. Thank you.

ALW

 

[mike1959]

Hi, So it's not a hardware fault then, that saves a lot of time.
Problems were down to the new graphic card driver, as I see it.
When you installed the new driver did you download the correct version, and 32 bit rather than 64 bit?
I have FS 2002 installed, it's fairly hard work for the Graphics card on high settings but runs ok on my old 2006 Dell 5150 + ATI Radeon x1650 card.
The simple answer that I would do is to uninstall FS2004 and reinstall, BUT have you seen this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911208

 

[Alan Watson]

Hi
I contacted nvidea who suggested downloading a slightly earlier driver version which is what I did and after a little persuasion The PC worked so I was able to get back into FS9.

With regard to FS9 I'm one of those who has built a full size 737 flight deck with all the hardware you would expect so one thing I really don't want to be doing is uninstalling as it would literally take months to get it up and running again!!
I'm rather hoping to resolve this without too much heartache.

Got the 9.1 update too-thank you and I'm still open to any suggestions.

Regards

ALW