EggXpert.com

Sup, first time poster.

So I wake up this morning and turn my monitor on. The my monitor's light is blinking like usual, on idle. I just shake my mouse as usual to activate it. Nothing happens. So I manually turn my computer off (push the button) and when it tried to start back up, i hear many beeping noises. Strange. So I turn it off, open up my computer and check out my graphics card to find four blown capacitors.

My graphics card is a eVGA 7600 GS 512MB, and I've read many reviews about the fan goin out on it. My fan made loud noises for a while, but I never checked if it actually ever went out.

 I also recently just updated windows vista to the service pack...

Anyone have any idea what could have caused this problem? I'm thinkin the card just over heated, or the capacitors were faulty. A very peculiar thing is that my cousin, who has the exact rig as me, encountered this exact same problem earlier this week.

It's unlikely that sp1 had anything to do with it;

if the fan was going out then the card was operating at higher temps than normal which increases the resistance of some of the ic components, as well the Xc (inductive reactance)  of the inducting coils would be effected.  Theese lead to a change in nominal current draw through the caps and also the phase alignment.  OK skipping over alot of physics... basically this increases the operational stresses on the caps, and that is probably what caused them to fail.  If they were older to begin with thats most likely what happened.

If you're feeling handy you could get replacments at your local radio snack and test your soldering skills (carful there is a reasonable chance you will fry the card by soldering on it)  if you choose this route be quick and minimal with the application of heat, and try not to short any of the other circuit paths around the solder points.  also most electrolytic caps are polar so watch that too.

It's interesting that your cousins card went out at the same time but you both probably just found the operational life expectancy of the card.

My condolences on the fallen soldier,

Mark

It is NOT SP-1. You probibaally got a faulty assembly. There are so many counterfit/inferior componnents being used in China now thaty it is only a matter of time before any of us get one. There is some real garbage out there.

Lead free solder and it's higher necessary soldering temperatures only make things worse. wonder how old the card is. (2 weeks older than your cousins doesent tell me a (*&*%& thing.

I would not spend a lot of time doing anything else but replacing the card AND, as suggested above, do check your PSU, just in case. In case of what? In case it is torked of course!!

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Asus Commando, QX6700@2.93, 4GB Corsair PC28500 Dom, Tt Armor case, BFG 1KW PSU, BFG 8800GTX OC, 2 Raptors in RAID 0 for OS and Apps & 2 Raptors in SATA for music and graphic files and a WD7500AAKS (.75Tb) for large files, video files and back up, X-Fi, 2 Samsung monitors 245t and 244t's @ 1920 X 1200, Plextor opticals, Aerocool, Zalman, Etc. Vista Ultimate SP-1