Video card failure

[arrr_matey]

Greetings all,

I am having a recurring problem with my video card that flares up and then goes away periodically. I have no idea what causes it, although it seems to start whenever I plug something into the back of my computer. For example, after a few months of no problems, I need to print something. So I plugged my printer in to my computer. Immediately after, the screen froze. When I rebooted, the monitor had stopped receiving anything from my video card and remained blank, the power indicator flashing. My computer now does this periodically when I boot it up, even though I've unplugged the printer. It would also freeze often, then reboot itself and telling me that the video card adapter isn't working properly. After a week when the problem went away by itself, it came back after I disconnected and reconnected my speakers.

I've tried: reinstalling my video card's drivers, changing screen resolution and refresh rate, lowering graphics acceleration. Nothing seems to make a difference. My computer just randomly works or doesn't work. Sometimes it freezes five minutes into a session, sometimes I can use it all day and it freezes twelve hours later. Right now, I'm living in fear that it's going to freeze in mid-post so I should get this over with quick!

My system:

Video Card: ATI Radeon 9250 (I also have a video out connection to my TV which I use as a second monitor sometimes)
Operating System: Windows XP Home
Monitor: Dell D828L (it's really old, could this be the problem?)
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 530 @ 2999 MHz
Memory: 512 MB

Thank you an incredible amount to anyone with any advice...

Cheers

[honvetops]

basic first reply*  Do you have enough air flow in there and can you get the cpu/gpu / mobo temps ? Could heat inside the case be  high ?

[arrr_matey]

One of the things I did notice today was that the fan vent was all dusty. I've since cleaned it out and so far, no freezing.

Now that you mention it, the freezing is usually accompanied by a lot of fan noise. Hmmm...

As I type this, the processor temp is 42 degrees C and mainboard is 29. Don't know how to get the graphics card temperature...

[patio]

I would remove the side panel of the case. Dis-connect all power first. Find the vid card and carefully remove it from its slot. There will be 1 screw holding it in place.
Examine the gold colored contacts for dirt or debris. These can safely cleaned with a little rubbing alcohol.
Re-install the card  pressing firmly and replace the hold down screw.

See if this changes anything.