Faulty graphics card?

[chrisradio]

i recently posted this new thread:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,64046.0.html
however since then ive been checking everything i can
i went into dxdiag and under the display tab there are some tests you can run
the first one direct draw was fine and there werent any problems
the second one tested direct3D acceleration and was meant to show some spinning boxes - the boxes showed up but none were spinning....
ive had this computer for 2 years now without any problems until the last few months
the gpu in question is a XFX nvidia GeForce 7900 GTO with all the latest drivers...
is the card at fault or could it be a  software error?
Many thanks in advance

[Calum]

I think, from your previous thread and this one, that your graphics card is failing.
Can you test that card in another machine, and/or another card in that machine?
That would help rule out faulty hardware.

[chrisradio]

hi so after running some tests i realised that it was in fact a faulty graphics card. Ive just upgraded with an ATI Radeon HD 4850 from sapphire. seemed to be perfect and everything was working much more smoothly. But after about an hour the computer just shut down, i was guessing a temperature problem and have now realised that the fan on the card is not spinning at all (and there was i amazed by how quiet it seemed....!) i dont think ive damaged the card yet but could this be a power problem - i have a 500 W psu which should be enough, or could it be yet another faulty card....how annoying!
any help appreciated.....again....

[Aegis]

Obvious questions:  Is the fan plugged in?  Does it have an external power source?