Weird video card problem

[MaxBurn]

I ran into a pretty strange video card problem on my parents computer today. First of all I had to take it in to be worked on because of some random crashing and I discovered that the video card won't turn on the monitor until it boots into windows. You won't get video in the BIOS, Dos boot disks or safe mode (I think, hard to work that menu without video). Computer is a P4 2.26 and an ASUS P4S533 with a Matrox G400 video card. When I swapped in a Matrox G400 MAXX dual head the video worked as normal. That's kind of an interesting failure, don't you think?

Computer was relatively spyware free too, so they have learned. Failed memtest initially but looks good after reseating the memory, that probably explains the crashing.

 

[Mercutio]

I've also seen Matrox cards do that. Never any other brand, oddly enough, but I've seen a G100 and a G400 do it. Matrox let me send back the cards both times. IIRC I got a G200 for the G100, even.

 

[P5-133XL]

It comes down to the video card's BIOS has failed. Once, the computer gets to Windows, it no longer uses BIOS calls to operate the video card (instead, it is using drivers) and it then works.

 

[Bozo]

Would flashing the cards BIOS help??

Bozo :joker:

 

[MaxBurn]

Would flashing the cards BIOS help??

Bozo :joker:

Hmm, interesting thought. To do that I would have to have a PCI video card (that I don't have), change the BIOS over to init PCI first so that I could see what I was doing in order to see the flash program.

 

[P5-133XL]

First, it depends on why the bios has failed as to whether simply flashing it will work.

Well, first you would need a copy of the cards BIOS. Do you have that? Then you would need a flashing program made to flash the video cards BIOS. Do you have that?

Another alternative would be if the bios is socketed. Then you could copy the BIOS from another card to a Blank chip. Assuming that you have a burner...

Just replace the card: It's not worth the hassle. Even if you can get all the stuff that's needed, of which I doubt you can.

 

[MaxBurn]

I checked Matrox's download page and it looks like they have BIOS's on there so that could conceivably work.

As you say though, I am replacing the card for something new as it's not worth my time. I might tinker with it though, just kind of a neat thing to see if I can do it. Mostly I put this up because it's a neat failure that doesn't effect the computer until you need the lower VGA functions.

 

[Sol]

Since it's a video card and your replacing it anyway couldn't you just try to flash it from within windows? Most flash utilities suggest you don't but few will actually try to stop you as far as I'm aware...

 

[Handruin]

Not sure if this helps at all...

 

[MaxBurn]

Lol, thanks Handruin! If I do I will be replacing this dead card in my parents computer with my G400maxx I have here and getting myself something else. Currently looking at a geforce 6200 128mb (steering clear of the LE). Or does anyone have better suggestions for something fanless, AGP, DVI and VGA with a cost under $70 or so?

I would have already tried to flash the card if I hadn't messed up and set the bios boot options to boot from floppy only when I was testing. I will definitely investigate that when I get back from my business trip.

 

[Splash]

The Matrox BIOS firmware updater actually runs in Windows (not DOS).

However, I suspect the EEPROM (BIOS) has failed. A long time ago, I once had a G100 to do the same thing that was mentioned above by you and Mercutio (this was a computer at work). The cure was to replace the card. I believe I also got a G200 in return as well.

 

[MaxBurn]

How cool is that, I flashed its BIOS and now it works fine in boot / dos.

Unfortunately I already ordered the new video card but at $50 I won't complain, now have an extra matrox here.

 

[P5-133XL]

Congrats,

I was skeptical that you could get all the stuff needed and I was wrong. Matrox once again shows class in supplying the Bios and the flash program, where the vast majority of companies are not willing to: To the point that I wouldn't have even bothered looking for them.

 

[MaxBurn]

The Bios flash program even had a pretty GUI for the front end, no cryptic DOS work.

I really wish matrox would release some competitive graphics cards, the Parhelia did not meet most peoples performance expectations, and with the real estate that is possible with triple head it really needs the power. For the businesses though, where these cards seem to be marketed, they plain rock.