Gfx card died, rec new one please?

[Kerm]

My XFX GeForce 8800GT started atifacting on basic desktop with nothing going on, then would freeze the computer after a few seconds so it's time for a new one.

I don't have enough money to build a new rig else I would, so I was hoping I might be able to improve the old one slightly.

I have a Gigabyte GA-965P mobo, with PCI-Express slot. I don't mind if it's ATI or Nvidia, but I would have to keep it under ?50, ebay is fine!

Also I have 4GB of OCZ PC2 6400 RAM in there, would it be worth finding another 4GB to add in there?

Thanks very much for any help!

:)

[moreinput]

In some cases with video cards and artifacting, it is sometimes possible to bring them back to life. I've done it twice so far on a laptop video card. It requires baking your video card in an oven at 200 F for about 7 minutes. You can google search it as well. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't but if you have nothing to lose it can put another 6 months of life back into your card. I found a link with your gpu:

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=313769

I wouldn't recommend any of this unless you know what your doing.

[Kerm]

Interesting, especially as that is the exact card that I have sat here. I guess like you say I have nothing to lose. Will report back later. Ha.

[moreinput]

The basics are to remove the heatsink, preheat the oven at 200F, place your video card on a few small rolled up balls of tin foil, bake for 7 minutes, take out slowly and place on your stove top to cool for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then after that you can handle your video card. Put back the heatsink and your done. I had to bake twice before it worked. So you might need to.

[moreinput]

There are some videos on youtube as well.

[Kerm]

Well, i've re-assembled and rebooted the computer and so far it's running. Will install a game and test it. Don't want to get too hopeful.

[moreinput]

So far its working huh? =) Did you bake it and everything? Please post back with some results. Would be extremely happy to hear its working again.

[Kerm]

Baked the sucker on 210'C for 9 minutes (took an average of other peoples recommendations) and so far so good.

I don't expect it to last but going to fire up a game now and see.

[Invizibleyez]

Wow... 210c is WAY HOTTER then the recommended 200F. a little math says... (F = C x 1.8 + 32) and I figure thats 410F which is some 210F higher then was recommended here. And that was the average. What was the high end? 620F?

[Kerm]

Are you sure you're not confused with farenheit and celcius?

Well i went for an average of all the recommendations I read, and it's worked great so far.

From having a dead card to 3 hours of Battlefield I'd say it's a winner.

Still all ears for best replacement ideas though around ?50ish? Cheers.

[Guest]

93C (200 degrees Fahrenheit) doesn't sound hot enough to melt the soldering to me... (I assume this is what it does, fixing micro fractures?)

[moreinput]

haha! so what I recommended worked? =)

You should get about 3 to 6 months of video card life now. 200F fixes micro fractures and seems to work some times.

[Kerm]

Yes it did dude! Thank you very much. Ha.

I'd like you to have this;

But I am still going to be wanting a new one when my luck does run out on this one. Can anyone recommend the best PCI-E Gfx card for around ?50?

Thanks.

[moreinput]

LOL A cookie for me? Nice! =)

As for the video card, you can most likely bring it back to life again. Hopefully you can get another 6 months out of it.

Best of luck,

Cheers