computer won't start up after putting in pci tv tuner

[lrn]

so i bought a tv tuner card and put it in my computer, turned on the computer and it made weird noises and wouldn't get past the boot screen.  it would show the dell logo with the little loading bar and stuff, but it never got to the windows part.  so i turned the computer off and everything and took the card back out and turned the computer on again and it still won't start up.  it's not making weird noises anymore, but it won't get past the original dell loading screen.  i tried safe mode and everything but once it gets ready to start windows it just freezes, i left it sitting there trying to start up for like 2 hours while i was watching tv and it just sat there frozen.

i don't know much about it's specs cause it's not actually my computer i just use it, but it's a dell optiplex something-or-other (i think a gx240) with windows xp professional.  not sure about anything else other than it has a really crappy graphics card which might not have been compatible, but i didn't think that would make it completely break the computer.

i can only get online at my mom's house so i don't know when i'll be able to check back here but i appreciate any help you guys can give me and i'll get back to you as soon as i can.


thanks,
lauren

[Broni]

It says:

IBM Compatible PC

but I'm not even sure what "IBM compatible" computer is.
Did you install any software, that came with that card?

[GX1_Man]

"IBM compatible" means the computers that we all use, based on the x86 architecture.

Dells are not the best machines to try something like this on. Are you positive the card is functional? Can you try it in another machine?

Those models have 4x AGP and either came with a ATI Radeon 16 or 32 meg. video card. IS that compatible with what is listed on the box?

What else is in the PCI slots on that computer?

[lrn]

i didn't install any new software.

the only option for trying it in another computer is my mom's and i know she wouldn't let me put it in there if it messed up the other computer.

there's nothing else in the pci slots.

i'm not so much worried about getting the card to work as i am getting the computer to work again.  i bought the card with an amazon.com gift card, so it was basically free.  but since it's not my computer i'm going to be in some trouble if i can't get it to work again.

do you guys think that reinstalling windows would work cause i can do that.


ps. i really hate dells they are the worst.  don't ever buy one i've never had a good experience with them.

[Broni]

Did you try System Restore?

[Frankie]

So you never installed a driver or anything for that card? If you did, try system restore, that should work, but if you didn't and windows wont start in safe mode then i think windows is corrupted. Means a reinstall

[lrn]

no the only thing i did was put the card into the computer and ever since i did that i can't get into windows at all.

i'm going to try reinstalling windows tonight i'll let you know if it solves the problem.

[Frankie]

Let use know my friend if it works, it should do. Nobody likes a reinstall, but if its a fix we have to do it