Did my hard drive die? Clueless

Well recently my computer started screwing up, with video issues as well as a lot of hanging when trying to load a program, hard to explain exactly what happens. So i just decided its time to reformat, maybe i got a virus or something. But now it wont even start up windows, it just restarts after WIndows XP screen fully loads.

I took 2 pictures with my camera on what shows up on my screen.

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5672/deadlyfi4.jpg
I can't even read what its saying but i'm pretty sure its asking me "Do i want to start in Safe mode, or normal mode, etc. When i choose safe mode windows successfully makes it to the desktop but with the video issues still visible but when i choose normal mode, it just restarts as soon as i hit enter.

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8135/deadoo8.jpg
(as you can see there's a video issue which i don't understand why.


Any ideas? This just spontaneously happened when i woke up 1 day. :(

Artifacting= Bad video card.

That's the problem? No other possibilities? Don't want to buy the wrong part. :frusty:

Borrow a cheap card if you can, if you get the same problems at startup it isn't the graphics card, if you don't get the problems then it probably is the graphics card.

However, I've seen similar problems with faulty memory, where the graphics card shared system memory.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clocker

Artifacting= Bad video card.

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100% agreed.
I've seen it lots of time before.

Get yourself a new video card. If your running off onboard video as suggested above, the solution is the same.



*EDIT*
I've also seen where the video card some how came unseated and caused this.
Might want to take it out of the slot, and try reseating it before getting a new one.

video card. i've experienced that issue back when i was still using FX5700. but i'd suggest doing what lynx suggested just to be sure. :)

That is problem with video card.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lynx

Borrow a cheap card if you can, if you get the same problems at startup it isn't the graphics card, if you don't get the problems then it probably is the graphics card.

However, I've seen similar problems with faulty memory, where the graphics card shared system memory.

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Hell, for that matter the cable could have been jostled and just needs reinsertion.

Still think the card is dying though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lynx

Borrow a cheap card if you can, if you get the same problems at startup it isn't the graphics card, if you don't get the problems then it probably is the graphics card.

However, I've seen similar problems with faulty memory, where the graphics card shared system memory.

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Thanks Everyone , Just tried replacing my 6600GT with GeForce 4, and its definitely the video card. Its a shame, i'd think after 4 years my hard drive would die first. :cry:

Did you overclocked it? Did you check the cooling? Maybe it died and so your 6600 is overheating...