Graphics card. Motherboard or something else ?

[Gengi]

Hello People.
I built 2 weeks ago, a couple of comps, and now one of them is beginning to go a bit flaky on me . Fortunately its the wifes unfortunately if I don't fix it she will have mine
Problem has gradually become worse and consists of the following symptoms. the machine needs at least 3 starts to get going. I have lines running vertically through the splash screen (leads me to gfx card problem) followed by horizontal lines in pairs acrosss the Drives and DMI screen. At this point it sometimes hangs, but it sometimes goes on to a new screen where it says it cannot detect some disks, sorry the wording escapes me, and just stops. If I reboot a couple of more times the lines gradually disappear and the machine boots fine.

Specs mobo ABIT AS8
Graphics card XFX 5900xt
1 gig Kingston value ram
Maxtor 6LO40L2 Hard drive IDE
CDRW/DVD combo drive Samsung 300B
I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers for the graphics card, I have made sure the motherboard is running the newest available Bios. I am now at a loss.
Any Help would be appreciated

later

Gengee

 

[Tom]

First thing to consider is swapping the gfx card for the one in your machine, to see if the problem follows.

 

[Gengi]

Will swap with a different card
:touch: self , I really should have done that already

will let you know if that cures it

thanks

Later

 

[Xavier]

I'd be more inclined to look at the PSU. what rating is it?

Xav

 

[Gengi]

PSU is a 430W antec trupower, should be up for the job runs the 6800GT fine in the other box

Later

 

[Xavier]

Still, if you're getting errors from both the drives and graphics card the common point is the power on the molex connectors - specifically the 12v rail. I'd install motherboard monitor and watch the 5v and 12v closely.

Xav

 

[Gengi]

The motherboard comes with some monitoring software the 12v rail hovers between 11.99 and 12.11V on this machine its 12.11V to 12.22V the 5 volt rails are fairly steady at 5.09V.

Is that slight drop in voltage significant ?

later

p.s. I will be giving up on the trouble shooting and buggering off to work for a month tomorrow morning. Thanks for the help so far

 

[Gengi]

well I changed the graphics card looks like it was that, the wife will have to limp along on the 5700LE till I come home. It is a bugger because I threw away the box going to have to find out what the RMA is going to cost without a box if they will even take it back . Still thats a story for next month.
thanks for the help.

Later