help! my first post in this great forum on the last day of year

[maskedmarvel]

First off, I would like to say I am very happy for finding the powerup website, b/c in the last hour I have learned a lot about modding and flashing and like just by reading the primers!

Secondly, happy last-day-of-2006


Onto problem



I have the ole dell dimension 8400 series package that came with, what i thought was an ati radeon x800 xt 256 mb card, but apparently after going over the p/n online (109 A31900 00) and reading other people's posts, realize its the x800 se 128mb card that dell initially put in there machines when the card first came out in june-july 04 (that is when i bought my computer too..initially)

It has run fine for a couple of years, and about 4 months ago I installed the artice cooling silencer 5 ontop card to lower operating temp during high graphics scenarios.

I moved the computer a few days ago to my new apartment, very carefully i might add, and when i go to put on the dell flat screen monitor, and then start up the system, everything is blank

The computer can be heard whirring and going through the motions, but the monitor is in "power save" mode, meaning i need to hit an input key, either keystroke or mouse, to find out exactly in what stage of loading the system is in (i.e. i am operating blind).

Thing is, the keyboard which i use, which is usb compatible, does not light up any of the leds..its all out.

I realized after a lot of tinkering over last day that when i remove the card from the pci express slot and then start the machine, the machine is definately going through a lot more of tne normal startup procedures (i can tell since the "whirring" sounds like its loading files from hard drive, etc) AND..here is the best part..my keyboard is functional (the leds are all lit up).


Of course I am still operating in blind because obviously my lcd screen is not connected to my radeon card since i have removed card from the pciexpress slot...

Leads me to believe, either my pci e slot has gotten bad (highly unlikely..no?).. or (more likely) somehow my video card has gotten bad, and maybe needs to at least , be reflashed possibly? (i am thinkings its an issue regarding amount of power drawn from the power cable onto the card).

Here is the wierd thing..the artic cooling silencer 5's big ass fan is operating perfectly well with the power supply connected (whether card is in pci express slot or not)..leading me to believe that at least some amount of power is being drawn onto the radeon board, and thereby transferred through the silencer's jumper contact to the big-ass fan to do its cooling thanng.

Now..i would like to know what people suggest is hould do?

Should i try to find a cheapo ass pci card on craigs list here in the bay area and try to at least start up the computer so that i can get to the bios screen, change the option to pci basic, and then proceed to flash the ATI RADEON'S rom through the funky little manual presented on the techpowerup! forums (and using the dell x800 se bios provided on the bios download page, and atiflash)?

Any suggestions as to what the problem might be, and how to fix...greatllly appreciated!!

Happy 07 to all.

the masked one!

[Namslas90]

Does that mobo have onboard video output, if so,sounds like you need to hook up your monitor cable to the motherboard VGA connector. You will probably need an adapter, if your monitor cable is DVI(shopuld have come with either computer or video card). If not you can get one at the local computer store. This will allow you to view whats going on when you power up. Now I could be wrong, it would be great if you could give more detailed system specs;IE. What model Dell 8400 series? The moving of the computer may also have caused dammage to your HDD. This is more common than you would think. Anyways, You need to get a monitor working in order to diagnose the problem any further.

[sneekypeet]

I looked up your computer on the web and came up with this! I believe you got a 19 inch lcd that has both VGA and DVI connectors. first thought to me is check both cables with the card if possible ! Also seems kinda simple ,but did you verify the monitor settings(make sure it is set to analog for VGA and digital for DVI)

[maskedmarvel]

No, it doesnt have an on board vga card

Here is what i got from the part # on dell.

Phoenix bios 53.01.03
k53.28.18
(i guess this is the mobo part)

the dell serial number on the mobo is
cn (component number) 0J3492-48111-475-03KI

It has ddr2 memory ,2 sticks of .5mb each running at 533mhz.

Should i try to give it to best buy in hopes of "borrowing" a vga card, or should i just buy an el cheapo vga card for test purposes (i am leaning towards latter..of course all vga cards will be going to the pci slot more than likely).

[maskedmarvel]

I verified that my cable is working fine..because I am typing from my gateway laptop, and on it I utilized the dual screen abilities by connecting my monitor up to it vga port to vga port

Also, when the monitor is not connected, i.e. just getting power from power supply, the monitor is showing the standard "red,green, blue" dell screensaver

[Namslas90]

Reinstall the card and hook up the other (VGA or DVI) cable, your monitor should have come with one of each. The cable you are using could be bad, gotten broken, etc. Sometimes when computers are moved things come loose. Chaeck all cable connectors and remove and reinstall the memory sticks, making sure everything is tight and proper inside the case and try again.

[Namslas90]

Ok if the cable is good then just check everything inside the tower.

[peach1971]

And after the check:
I think your idea of buying a cheap PCI card is a good one.
Blind operating really has its limits...

[dolf]

Maskedmarvel first of all unplug the ATISilencer's fan power supply from the card's fan connector ant try to start the PC.

[maskedmarvel]

if i want to reflash with the original bios.. where would i get that?
i used flashrom to save my bios but since that probably got defective..how can i figure out what my card's native bios is and obtain it from the downloads section?


this is what flashrom gives me wheni tried using the dell X800 SE PCI-E 128 MB bios from the techpowerup (i used it because the part number on my board said 109-a31900 00, which conincided with the 128mb x800 pci e)

----------------------------------
from flashrom
existin part number -113 a31903 102
new part number - 113 a32101 104

so i quickly flashromed my backup back onto board because i got an errorOFL01 (i assme that error to mean the flash didnt even go through)


and the flashrom -i before i even began flashromming gave me following info

adapter=0
bh=01
dn=00
dID=5057
asic=r423

flash type=ST M25MP05/c
lock=yes
romsize=0x1000

BTW i got my computer visually running cause i got a cheap diamond ati 7000 card which i have in there now running on the pci slot, and i set the mobo BIOS to load the pci slot when 2 cards are in there at the same time (the diamond and of course the radeon x800 pcie which i am trying to resuccisate)

Any help?

Thanks

PS

WHILE i am at it..is there a bios out there that will really unleash the full power of my board (if its the 12 pipe version..is mine 16 pipe capable frominfo i provided?)

might as well go all the way if ia m going to reflash, hell i gota nice artic cooler 5 on it anyway.

[maskedmarvel]

sigh...i tried using a bevy of x800xt pciexpress bios, from asus to ati to the native dell one...i even underclocked to the x800 se just for shits and giggles...nothing works

The card musta just gotten fried somehow,although i dont get how it coulda liked my other house that darn much.



Well i got me the standard ati diamond 7000 in there now, and im gonna load up the standard drivers required for the card and just go from there..

if anyone gets any ideas..forward them on over

happy new year

[ghost101]

Why are you flashing the card?

[Giletus]

Hello I also have the same dell 8400 with the 19 inch monitor and same Issues. I have come to the concusion that its not the tower but the monitor.The dvi cable will work for a while then get the same problem,I have tryed everything but send monitor back.I replaced video card,formatted and everything else under the sun.Since the monitor has vga output I just use it and dropped the dvi cable. hope this helps