Partially Dim Monitor - Graphics Card Failing???

Comments

• Reply 1 of 10

  Marvin Posts: 15,326moderator

  March 21, 2007 2:34PM

  Quote:
  

  Originally Posted by youcanhaveyourpc
  
  
  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.
• Reply 2 of 10

  youcanhaveyourpc Posts: 62member

  March 21, 2007 2:55PM

  Marvin, thanks for that link!
  
  
  
  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.
• Reply 3 of 10

  mooch Posts: 113member

  March 21, 2007 6:12PM

  Also, the backlight in LCD displays doesn't last forever, so that may be part of the problem.
• Reply 4 of 10

  karelia Posts: 525member

  March 21, 2007 9:09PM

  Quote:
  

  Originally Posted by Marvin
  
  
  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.
• Reply 5 of 10

  djbamber Posts: 13member

  March 21, 2007 9:24PM

  I would be more inclined to think that your monitor might be the source of your problems. That said I seem to remember a few times that my display was dimmer on the top or the bottom of the display that I disconnected the cables from the monitor and reattached them. That took care or the uneven lighting on my monitor (20 inch Apple LCD) Hope this helps.
• Reply 6 of 10

  karelia Posts: 525member

  March 21, 2007 10:05PM

  That would be fine, except that his hardware diagnostics pointed to bad video RAM. I'd be very surprised if a bad monitor could cause the video RAM to fail a test.
• Reply 7 of 10

  lundy Posts: 4,466member

  March 21, 2007 11:37PM

  Before buying a new card, I would definitely swap the monitor, swap the cable, and then pull and reseat the video card, cleaning off the contacts.
  
  
  
  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.
• Reply 8 of 10

  karelia Posts: 525member

  March 22, 2007 12:13PM

  Oh, of course. All I mean is that the evidence points to the video card. Now, I can see dust (therefore, a bad AGP connection) causing that reading.
• Reply 9 of 10

  youcanhaveyourpc Posts: 62member

  March 24, 2007 12:40PM

  Thank you for your advice.
  
  
  
  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.
• Reply 10 of 10

  youcanhaveyourpc Posts: 62member

  March 24, 2007 7:02PM

  Quote:
  

  Originally Posted by Mooch
  
  
  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.