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Author Topic: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines  (Read 3303 times)

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BoardwalkNJ

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    Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
    « on: February 17, 2012, 07:50:03 PM »
    Does anyone know what is wrong with my backup computer?
    It is a Dell Inspiron 8400 with XP SP2.  I upgraded it to 1 gig of Kingston RAM, it has the stock 80 gig HD, and everything else is stock.  It does this when I start it up, and system restore does nothing.  Do you think it is the HD, the video card, or something else?  BTW, it is not the monitor.  I have tested it with 2 different ones.





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    Allan

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    Re: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
    « Reply #1 on: February 18, 2012, 05:52:44 AM »
    Did this start immediately after you upgraded the ram?
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    BoardwalkNJ

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      Re: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
      « Reply #2 on: February 18, 2012, 07:36:38 AM »
      It was about 3 months after.  I tried putting the original RAM in, and it still had the lines.
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      patio

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      Re: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
      « Reply #3 on: February 18, 2012, 08:13:08 AM »
      Remove all power and remove and re-seat the vid card...
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      BoardwalkNJ

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        Re: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
        « Reply #4 on: February 18, 2012, 03:04:37 PM »
        Quote from: patio on February 18, 2012, 08:13:08 AM
        Remove all power and remove and re-seat the vid card...

        I tried, yet they are still there.
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        Allan

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        Re: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
        « Reply #5 on: February 18, 2012, 03:11:06 PM »
        Okay. It's almost certainly a failing display adapter. I suggest you purchase a new one (from a retailer who accepts returns) and let's see where we are.
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        truenorth



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          Re: Help Fix My Spare Computer? Strange lines
          « Reply #6 on: February 18, 2012, 03:14:01 PM »
          Sure sounds like a failing video card to me. I note that it is a PCI-E card (if original). You could try a look see on the Dell site for a more recent driver if any exists. Here is a link to the manual for that model in case you don't have it.
          http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SYSTEMS/dim8400/SM/index.htm
          If you have another video card that you could try i would go that route. truenorth
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