Need Help with Dell GX200 MB problem...
 

Hi,

I have 3, Dell Optiplex GX200 motherboards. Two were bought
in hopes of fixing an intermittent comport/keyboard lockup problem
in the original.

I plugged both of the replacement GX200 MB's into my system,
and they both have the same video problem, dark letters on a
light colored screen result in smears that go horizontally across
the screen. Also, colors like red are too intense.

The original MB doesn't have this problem. All were tested using
the same Dell Monitor, and using the same resolution, etc...
(eg. booted off of the same 'doze disk).

As far as I can determine, I have set up all three to the same
CMOS settings.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

-Chuck Harris

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 10:04:08 -0500 Chuck Harris
wrote:

I plugged both of the replacement GX200 MB's into my system,
and they both have the same video problem, dark letters on a
light colored screen result in smears that go horizontally across
the screen. Also, colors like red are too intense.

Video card problem?

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

Jim Adney wrote:
On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 10:04:08 -0500 Chuck Harris
wrote:


I plugged both of the replacement GX200 MB's into my system,
and they both have the same video problem, dark letters on a
light colored screen result in smears that go horizontally across
the screen. Also, colors like red are too intense.


Video card problem?

The GX200 has its Nvidia video chip set built into the motherboard. I have two
recently acquired GX200 motherboards that display the exact same problem, and
one that was part of my own system that doesn't.

It seems a tad unlikely that both would be bad in the same way... Not
impossible, but unlikely.

I am suspicious that there is some setup difference that I don't know about,
or a common failure mode, and I am hoping someone here is familiar with the problem.

-Chuck

Might be a driver problem, since it affects both boards with onboard video.
JR

Chuck Harris wrote:

Jim Adney wrote:

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 10:04:08 -0500 Chuck Harris
wrote:


I plugged both of the replacement GX200 MB's into my system,
and they both have the same video problem, dark letters on a
light colored screen result in smears that go horizontally across
the screen. Also, colors like red are too intense.



Video card problem?


The GX200 has its Nvidia video chip set built into the motherboard. I
have two
recently acquired GX200 motherboards that display the exact same
problem, and
one that was part of my own system that doesn't.

It seems a tad unlikely that both would be bad in the same way... Not
impossible, but unlikely.

I am suspicious that there is some setup difference that I don't know
about,
or a common failure mode, and I am hoping someone here is familiar with
the problem.

-Chuck


--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

Common problem. The capacitors on the board are failing and leaking.
Especially those around the onboard video. Get out your good esr meter
and test, use an onboard cap tester for failure, and do the usual
visual checks.


Chuck Harris wrote:
Hi,

I have 3, Dell Optiplex GX200 motherboards. Two were bought
in hopes of fixing an intermittent comport/keyboard lockup problem
in the original.

I plugged both of the replacement GX200 MB's into my system,
and they both have the same video problem, dark letters on a
light colored screen result in smears that go horizontally across
the screen. Also, colors like red are too intense.

The original MB doesn't have this problem. All were tested using
the same Dell Monitor, and using the same resolution, etc...
(eg. booted off of the same 'doze disk).

As far as I can determine, I have set up all three to the same
CMOS settings.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

-Chuck Harris

Hi,

Thanks for the info! I was suspicious that something like that might
be happening. Both boards indicated that they had been shut down by
the over temperature sensor. They probably were choked full of dust
and hair in their previous life.

I would presume that the failed caps would be electrolytics. Would
that be your experience?

Thanks,

-Chuck

wrote:
Common problem. The capacitors on the board are failing and leaking.
Especially those around the onboard video. Get out your good esr meter
and test, use an onboard cap tester for failure, and do the usual
visual checks.


Chuck Harris wrote:

Hi,

I have 3, Dell Optiplex GX200 motherboards. Two were bought
in hopes of fixing an intermittent comport/keyboard lockup problem
in the original.

I plugged both of the replacement GX200 MB's into my system,
and they both have the same video problem, dark letters on a
light colored screen result in smears that go horizontally across
the screen. Also, colors like red are too intense.

The original MB doesn't have this problem. All were tested using
the same Dell Monitor, and using the same resolution, etc...
(eg. booted off of the same 'doze disk).

As far as I can determine, I have set up all three to the same
CMOS settings.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

-Chuck Harris