PCI-E card stopped working

[kyoushoku]

After using the current set up for two years without problems, this evening upon turning the computer on the monitor power button remained orange instead of green, indicating it was not receiving a signal. I waited for the boot loader to auto select Ubuntu, and waited for the boot sound, which came through properly. I checked the DVI connections and cables, everything was hooked up correctly. I double checked by plugging a VGA cable into the monitor on one end and into the DVI adapter on the video card end, also this process changed nothing. I restarted the computer and noticed some small differences from the typical startup: the power light on the monitor never turns blue, there is a very faint beeping noise--similar to the final beep the computer makes when it is powered off--that includes 4-5 beeps, then a proper, louder POST beep. Figuring I could likely get on board video I removed the PCI-E card and booted into Windows this time just fine. I turned the computer off and plugged the VGA cable directly into the MB connection and the DVI directly into the video card. The BIOS was slow to POST and the monitor switched to the on board VGA connection even though I had selected PCI-E first.

The PCI-E card is connected properly in the machine as I type this yet it is not recognized in Windows any longer. I do not think the BIOS recognizes it either, as the on board should have auto disabled if it detected the card in the slot. I Read that someone had a similar problem to this and CPU-Z could see the card, but CPU-Z sees nothing but the on board video currently.

Can the PCI-E slot be bad? I will test the card in another machine on Monday, but I would rather solve this situation before then if possible.



Stock Gateway GT5473E

Modifications:
600 Watt Cooler Master PSU
Two Hitachi 320 GB Int. Drives (disconnected for trouble-shooting)
XFX Nvidia 9800 GSO
2 GIG DDR2
Flashed BIOS (e-machines flash, which has worked for two years)

 

[mailpup]

I think it's more likely the graphics card itself is bad. Trying another card in the slot is a good idea and should confirm whether your card has failed or not. Doing so is merely a common diagnostics step and not something to be avoided so I don't understand the need to figure this out without testing the card.