Broken graphics card, or is it just the fan?

Question

My computer will not turn on with the graphics card in it.....Is it a possibility that its the fan? Or is it definitely the card is completely fried? I dont wanna go through the trouble to change fans if its not even a possibility.

To clarify, the computer clicks on for a split second then off. Then after that it wont even attempt to power on.(with vid card in).

So, do I attempt to switch fans? If you answer you better have a good reason or some statistics why. Don't just say "yes, or no because i say so".

Later and thanks.

Its not the power supply cause im using it right now. i cant tell if the fan turns on because it only turns on for a milisecond

Answer 1

Whjen powering on, your computer does a POST (power on self test). It searches for hardware more or less in this order:

CPU
System Memory
VIdeo Type
Video Memory

If it sees a problem with any of these it will give you a series of beeps. Each manufacturer usualy customizes these beeps, although there is a standard. Are you sure your pc speaker is plugged in or were you getting 1 or 2 beeps on startup? If so you may be looking at something else.

If your computer will not boot wioth the card in it and you get no beeps. You need to do 2 things befroe you start buying parts.

1. find a nother card to test your system. If possible an AGP if you use an AGP card and a PCI card.

2 Install the card(s) in the computer if the AGP card wont work bu the PCI card will your trouble may be the slot not the card. Obviously if the replacement AGP card works, you know what the trouble is.

PS: Check all the fans while your in there too, like the other poster said.

Answer 2

It might be a problem with your computer's power supply; a power supply is more likely to go bad than a video card, and it could be that the extra juice required by the video card combined with the power required by the computer and its other peripherals is too much for the power supply to give any longer.

Have you made any recent changes to the computer prior to noticing the problem? You mention the graphics card fan, is the fan not spinning when you power up the computer?

Speaking of fans, be sure to check the CPU fan (mounted on top of the heatsink which sits on the CPU itself), many computers are set up such that if the CPU fan is not plugged in or fails to reach a certain minimum RPM, the computer will power down to avoid damaging the CPU.