Partially Dim Monitor - Graphics Card Failing???
I think I need to replace my graphics card.
Here are the details:
My G4 Desktop computer's display (Apple Studio Display) is uneven. The lower half of the screen is much dimmer than the top half. Restarts & Energy Settings adjustments fail to change anything. I ran a hardware test and got these results:
Hardware
Machine: Power Mac G4
Model: PowerMac3,4 Tower
CPU Type: PowerPCG4 (11.3)
CPU Speed: 533 MHz
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Memory: 1.12 GB
Bus Speed 133 MHz
Graphics/Displays:
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX:
VRAM: 32 MB
Apple Studio Display 1280x1024
My Question:
To me, this problem seems like the graphics card is failing. If that is the problem, should I replace the card with the same exact model or should I use this opportunity to upgrade? This particular computer is used mainly for surfing the Internet with its heaviest video demands being YouTube and the like. Any recommendations? Or, am I wrong about this being a graphics card problem?
Thanks
Here are the details:
My G4 Desktop computer's display (Apple Studio Display) is uneven. The lower half of the screen is much dimmer than the top half. Restarts & Energy Settings adjustments fail to change anything. I ran a hardware test and got these results:
- Video RAM - Error Detected
- ***ERROR*CODE***ERROR*CODE***
- disp/13/2
- ***ERROR*CODE***ERROR*CODE***
Hardware
Machine: Power Mac G4
Model: PowerMac3,4 Tower
CPU Type: PowerPCG4 (11.3)
CPU Speed: 533 MHz
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Memory: 1.12 GB
Bus Speed 133 MHz
Graphics/Displays:
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX:
VRAM: 32 MB
Apple Studio Display 1280x1024
My Question:
To me, this problem seems like the graphics card is failing. If that is the problem, should I replace the card with the same exact model or should I use this opportunity to upgrade? This particular computer is used mainly for surfing the Internet with its heaviest video demands being YouTube and the like. Any recommendations? Or, am I wrong about this being a graphics card problem?
Thanks
Comments
I think I need to replace my graphics card.
Here are the details:
My G4 Desktop computer's display (Apple Studio Display) is uneven. The lower half of the screen is much dimmer than the top half. Restarts & Energy Settings adjustments fail to change anything. I ran a hardware test and got these results:
- Video RAM - Error Detected
- ***ERROR*CODE***ERROR*CODE***
- disp/13/2
- ***ERROR*CODE***ERROR*CODE***
The computer is approximately 5 or 6 years old...I think.Hardware
Machine: Power Mac G4
Model: PowerMac3,4 Tower
CPU Type: PowerPCG4 (11.3)
CPU Speed: 533 MHz
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Memory: 1.12 GB
Bus Speed 133 MHz
Graphics/Displays:
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX:
VRAM: 32 MB
Apple Studio Display 1280x1024
My Question:
To me, this problem seems like the graphics card is failing. If that is the problem, should I replace the card with the same exact model or should I use this opportunity to upgrade? This particular computer is used mainly for surfing the Internet with its heaviest video demands being YouTube and the like. Any recommendations? Or, am I wrong about this being a graphics card problem?
Thanks
If you get a hardware error with your video card then it certainly points to that causing display issues but you should suspect your monitor too. Can you try your monitor with another machine or test another monitor with yours?
If it's definitely not the monitor, I wouldn't go spending lots on new hardware if it does everything you need - here's a cheap card replacement:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mac-nVidia-GeFor...QQcmdZViewItem
Now that I own a Mac Mini, I miss that luxury.
Still, if you wanted to get something more powerful, I'd recommend the Mini as a suitable upgrade from the G4. Given that the lowest end Intel mini is about 4 times faster than a 1.5GHz G4, it'll probably be at least 10 times faster than your 533MHz G4. If you encode videos for youtube, this would make a big difference. The G4 Mini wouldn't be a huge jump but still double the speed and they are going fairly cheap.
Unfortunately, I don't hae the correct adaptors to plug this monitor into my Powerbook or ibook.
The other thing I failed to mention is that the power light on the monitor is blinking like Morse Code...dot dot dash...guess I'll have to look that up.
If you get a hardware error with your video card then it certainly points to that causing display issues but you should suspect your monitor too. Can you try your monitor with another machine or test another monitor with yours?
If it's definitely not the monitor, I wouldn't go spending lots on new hardware if it does everything you need - here's a cheap card replacement:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mac-nVidia-GeFor...QQcmdZViewItem
Now that I own a Mac Mini, I miss that luxury.
Still, if you wanted to get something more powerful, I'd recommend the Mini as a suitable upgrade from the G4. Given that the lowest end Intel mini is about 4 times faster than a 1.5GHz G4, it'll probably be at least 10 times faster than your 533MHz G4. If you encode videos for youtube, this would make a big difference. The G4 Mini wouldn't be a huge jump but still double the speed and they are going fairly cheap.
You can get a good graphics card and a processor upgrade for the PowerMac G4 for around the same price as a new Mini. While the Mini has notable upgrades like the system bus (in the case of the Core Solos/Duos, they have peanuts for graphics power, not much better than the card he already had. You can get 1.5GHz, 1.8, 2.0, 2x2.0, etc. processors for the PowerMac, and since his machine undoubtedly has AGP graphics, he can get a decent GPU for pretty cheap, as well. Make sure it's Mac compatible though.
Standard troubleshooting - you don't want to buy a new card if it is the cable or the monitor that is the problem.
No matter what the diagnostics says, I would still do standard troubleshooting.
Unpluging / Replugging the monitor and the graphics card didn't do anything.
Unfortunately I don't have the proper cable adaptors to plug the monitor into either of my laptops and the adaptor will undoubtably cost me more than the $29 graphics card on eBay...so, I'm taking a chance with that.
I'll post the results.
Thanks again.
Also, the backlight in LCD displays doesn't last forever, so that may be part of the problem.
Poblem solved. It was the monitor.
Thanks again.