Video turns off shortly after bootup ????

[amurch1023]

OK, I haven't had to ask a question for a while but this one has got me stumped ot maybe I just don't want to believe that any of the hardware ia bad.

The system:

Tbird 1.1
MSI K7T Pro2A
256mb Kbyte PC133
Prophet GF2 MX 64mb
WD 60gb
12x8x32 CDRW
52x CDROM
Ensonique Sound
56k
10/100

Win98SE


The problem:

To start I have already tried different ram, and removed all other cards besides video and unplugged all other drives but the HDD. The CPU is at default voltage and runs about 38C.

What happens is that the ssytem fires up ok except that the bios screen for the vid card shows random sizes for the memory. One time it will say 16mb another 64mb another 32mb although it shows that it has a 64mb bios. The card is a very lightly used retail Hercules Prophet II GF2 MX 64mb.

After that, it posts fine and often will make it to the Win98 splash screen and then the whole system makes a sound like everything has just started spinning at a lower rpm and the screen goes blank.

I don't have another vid card handy to test that part but I am wondering where to point the finger, the mobo or the vid card. Is the mispost of onboard ram at the video bios screen directly reflective of a vid card problem or a mobo problem? As far as I can remember it was like that since both were new butit never had a problem getting into Windows befoer and the card was detected as 64mb in Windows.


Let me know what you think. I can provide more details if you need them. Thanks!

 

[cholley]

make sure that the bios init display is set to agp,
if you still have trouble pull out all option cards and try again, i suspect irq issue

 

[amurch1023]

OK, I couldn't get as far as to change to init display as being AGP as it blacks out when I am in the bios.

I however have tried removing all the other cards and I have snce my post been able to try another video card with the same results. I am almost thinking the AGP slot is bad but I don't have a PCI vid card to use to verify this.

Or it could be that it has an old bios from the time it was new, but I wouldn't want to try to flash as it will most likely lock up before the flash has completed.

Guess I better try and track down a PCI vid card.

Thanks for the help