*UPDATE!* PC Guys - Assistance needed

[sabasgr68]

For the moment I can only think of @fullonshred. But anyone´s advice is welcome!

It´s my son´s PC. He uses it for university assignments AND for working!

ASUS M5A97 R2.0 Mother board does not have integrated video. External video card I think i´s fried. I get this message when turning PC on: Out of Range!

Searching about it found this: "The “out of range” message means the monitor is incapable of displaying at the given resolution".

Of course, it was working, nothing was replaced recently. But it was experiencing blue screens. You can access BIOS without the graphics card, but that´s it.

Facts to consider:

* MB, memory stick, HDD, PS and GPU were all bought in january 2014. My son assembled his PC.

* Power failures are frequent here, unfortunately we don´t have a UPS, so the PC is exposed to those sudden cuts.

* When turning the PC on, Video card´s fans turn on.

* Memory stick is working well - BIOS recognizes it, as well as HDD -.

So, according to what we know and have read, and the extra power cut issues, and that it is a +6 years componets PC, there´s a high chance that the video card is dead. That´s our diagnostic.

******Do any of you think there are other things to consider?*****

Second:

We´re trying to source the least expensive option, assuming is the video card. $80-90 options - and up - is what I find here.

Amazon option is around $65 including shipping to my door (same card) (best option so far)

Another option is to ask here if you have a video card you´re not using, in good conditions? 2GB, PCi express 2.0, DDR5. Have to consider your selling price and shipping, but it doesn´t hurt to ask.



So, I´m all ears...

Thanks!

[LightWingStudios]

ebay?

[fullonshred]

Is it a Dell Monitor? Some of them through the years have had "sleep" issues where they stop finding the video output. Does a friend or family member have a graphics card you could borrow to test? Graphics card fan and or cpu fan "rushing" at bootup isn't all that unusual. If the Fan "rush" started at same time of out of range problem then maybe they are connected.

I am sorry for your troubles Sabas.

[fullonshred]

BTW there are at least several here I say know way more than me about stuff like this. LightWingStudios being one of them. There are several others for sure, but CRS (can't remember shite) disease won't allow me to say for sure who they are.

[fullonshred]

[mention]sabasgr68[/mention] from google...

If your computer is stuck in an unsupported display mode and you are unable to clear the "Frequency out of range" error, you can start Windows in Safe Mode and select a new display setting. After restarting the computer, tap the "F8" key until the "Advanced Boot Options" screen appears. (depending on which version of Windows may be different wrt how to get into safe mode.)

[sabasgr68]

Is it a Dell Monitor? Some of them through the years have had "sleep" issues where they stop finding the video output. Does a friend or family member have a graphics card you could borrow to test? Graphics card fan and or cpu fan "rushing" at bootup isn't all that unusual. If the Fan "rush" started at same time of out of range problem then maybe they are connected.

I am sorry for your troubles Sabas.

No, it´s a Benq. We actually switched monitors fom the other PC to discard that option, and the Benq worked just fine (forgot to metion that above).

Trying another gaphics card would be the ideal test, but unfortunately don´t have that option - with friends or family - (but I´ll keep on looking).

Yes, I mentioned about fans as a way of telling that the graphics card is getting power.

Thanks, Bob! We´ll finally sort it out.

[sabasgr68]

@sabasgr68 from google...

If your computer is stuck in an unsupported display mode and you are unable to clear the "Frequency out of range" error, you can start Windows in Safe Mode and select a new display setting. After restarting the computer, tap the "F8" key until the "Advanced Boot Options" screen appears.

We did that too... Nothing.

We can only see the BIOS.

[sabasgr68]

ebay?

Yes, Ebay is an option; not sure on buying used there, though. And for new, I prefer Amazon - well, I´ve always used Amazon, never have bought anything on ebay -.

[fullonshred]

ebay?

Yes, Ebay is an option; not sure on buying used there, though. And for new, I prefer Amazon - well, I´ve always used Amazon, never have bought anything on ebay -.

What version of windows does that system run?

[sabasgr68]

ebay?

Yes, Ebay is an option; not sure on buying used there, though. And for new, I prefer Amazon - well, I´ve always used Amazon, never have bought anything on ebay -.

What version of windows does that system run?

Windows 10

[honyock]

I had this same type of issue with my monitor at work, the refresh rate got set to a setting that was not acceptable.

If you go to Safe mode, go to device manager and remove display adapters and monitors. When you restart, the PC will install new drivers and it may work.

[MattFireblade]

What all the others said. If that fails, I have an MSI RX550 2GB card I’d sell, but I’m betting shipping to Venezuela will put it over the $65 from Amazon for the one you found.

[sabasgr68]

I had this same type of issue with my monitor at work, the refresh rate got set to a setting that was not acceptable.

If you go to Safe mode, go to device manager and remove display adapters and monitors. When you restart, the PC will install new drivers and it may work.

We tried it already, and nothing. Seems to be the GPU.

[sabasgr68]

What all the others said. If that fails, I have an MSI RX550 2GB card I’d sell, but I’m betting shipping to Venezuela will put it over the $65 from Amazon for the one you found.

Thanks for your offer, Matt. It´s good to have that option; but you´re right,if that´s the way to go, the Amazon option seems to be the best.

Thanks!

[Mossman]

What [mention]honyock[/mention] said... I was thinking it might be a driver issue too.

[ID10t]

++ on [mention]honyock[/mention] , however it is worth mentioning that getting into safe mode on Win10 isn't as easy as it was in the olden days. It is worth search engine'ing booting Win10 into safe mode and follow the simple 782 step process.
To prove that a video card is not working try booting to an install disk or partition. Any OS install disk should work.

[PsychoCid]

???

I do not have any partitions. At least, not that I'm aware of...

[sabasgr68]

We´ll definitely go the new graphics card route. Will update when it´s done!

Thanks to everyone who contributed!

[honyock]

???

I do not have any partitions. At least, not that I'm aware of...

you have to have partioned space on a PC to install Windows, without it, the harddrive is just unallocated space.

[mindwave]

i know youve kind of made up your mind already, BUT if what he truly is using it for is work and school, and he is still in school consider this.

Its almist 10yo tech. I know because this poast summer I bought my `14yo his PC to last through HS and he ws using the same MB.

Meaning that probably everything in tehre has gone WAY beyond what the maker expected\
ESPECIALLY THE POWER SUPPLY

bad psu's cause so man "green meanies" (yes thats a technical term that means intermittent BSOD errors with no KNOW solution)

I have 2 suggestions:

1) go here: https://www.pendrivelinux.com/ download anything you might recgnize and burn yourself a USB key. Insert boot, see if you still get the same error

IF YOU DO

2) look around and ask someone you trust if they have a video card you can borrow - swap it out, see if it resolves the issue. If so great, if not, well you DIDNT spend $200 on a gpu you cant use

regardless, for about the same as a mid level video card you can buy a refurb laptop w/ a 15"-17" screen from newegg or tigerdirect that will get him through school and ionto a real job.

My son is 14, Ive been in IT for 20+ years I HATE to spend money on stuff that ios not going to be appreciated. Boys and stuff are never satisfied. Buy a new car today, tomorrow he'll see his dream car on sale!

thats just the way it is. If HE has HOURS and HOURS to spare, he can research and review and get the best performence for his money and have a system everyone will be happy with

this week.

nest week "this monitor blows" "who chose this sound card a one armed blind trangenic drwarf" (who knew that was even a thing!)

Im just saying. If its not earning him an income he needs to invest carefully in things that will depereciate faster than a babys diaper

[sabasgr68]

i know youve kind of made up your mind already, BUT if what he truly is using it for is work and school, and he is still in school consider this.

Its almist 10yo tech. I know because this poast summer I bought my `14yo his PC to last through HS and he ws using the same MB.

Meaning that probably everything in tehre has gone WAY beyond what the maker expected\
ESPECIALLY THE POWER SUPPLY

bad psu's cause so man "green meanies" (yes thats a technical term that means intermittent BSOD errors with no KNOW solution)

I have 2 suggestions:

1) go here: https://www.pendrivelinux.com/ download anything you might recgnize and burn yourself a USB key. Insert boot, see if you still get the same error

IF YOU DO

2) look around and ask someone you trust if they have a video card you can borrow - swap it out, see if it resolves the issue. If so great, if not, well you DIDNT spend $200 on a gpu you cant use

regardless, for about the same as a mid level video card you can buy a refurb laptop w/ a 15"-17" screen from newegg or tigerdirect that will get him through school and ionto a real job.

My son is 14, Ive been in IT for 20+ years I HATE to spend money on stuff that ios not going to be appreciated. Boys and stuff are never satisfied. Buy a new car today, tomorrow he'll see his dream car on sale!

thats just the way it is. If HE has HOURS and HOURS to spare, he can research and review and get the best performence for his money and have a system everyone will be happy with

this week.

nest week "this monitor blows" "who chose this sound card a one armed blind trangenic drwarf" (who knew that was even a thing!)

Im just saying. If its not earning him an income he needs to invest carefully in things that will depereciate faster than a babys diaper

Thanks!

Good advice.

We tried the USB key as per your suggestion; nothing. Same error.

Unfortunately I have no one to borrow a GPU from. This would be great, but well...

The good point is that we´ll be getting a $50 card, not so expensive - plus $12 shipping here -, and although we believe that´s the problem, in case it is not, there´s always the chance to sell it here - that one goes for around $90-$100 here -, so we´ll hypotetically not lose anything.

My son is actually in the uni - beginning his third year -, and he build his PC 6 years ago, while still in HS, trying to get the best parts he could with his budget at that time; he researched carefully. He´s studying Computer System Engineering ( Ingeniería en Sistemas,as it is called here in spanish), so he needs it for both stydying and practicing, and for doing some paid works - video related and such, so he requires a decent PC -. Of course, by this time, he would like to build a more up to date unit, but he can´t afford it for the moment. Ending his studies is his main goal.

Again, thanks for the advice and suggestions.

[PsychoCid]

???

I do not have any partitions. At least, not that I'm aware of...

you have to have partioned space on a PC to install Windows, without it, the harddrive is just unallocated space.

I don't have windows installed either!
You're telling me for the past so many decades I've just been unallocated space??

Man, what a Tuesday... !

- PC

[sabasgr68]

UPDATE:

We´ve just receive the graphics card (through Amazon), installed it, and yes, it was it. The PC started and is working well.

Thanks again for all the advice received, this is another learning experience.

The replacement is less robust than the one it had, but for now, that´s what´s gonna be.