One Problem After Another (HD4850 in a new build)

[vexion]

I finally got everything in my new machine plugged up and working. Plugged in the PSU, booted it up. The motherboard doesn't beep, but it does post.

Unfortunately, something's wrong with the video. Soon after bootup it starts artifacting oddly: two wide vertical red stripes running down the length of the monitor, and red-and-yellow colored "static" regularly spaced throughout the screen.

When I boot from the Vista CD, the Aero-looking background comes up, but no images or text. And it's all grainy red-and-yellow static.

My build:

Motherboard: Asus P5Q Pro
PSU: Corsair HX520W
Processor: E8400 E0
HSF: Xigmatek HDT-S1283
GPU: Radeon HD4850
HDD: 1x SATA 750GB, 1x SATA 320GB
Optical: Pioneer 20x DVD burner
Case: Antec P182

I've got my monitor plugged into the card via a VGA->DVI adapter, if it makes a difference.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[spaceman]

Could be the adapter. Any way to try it straight without the adapter or trying the 4850 in another pc? It is one or the other I would bet.

 

[retardude48]

Could be the adapter. Any way to try it straight without the adapter or trying the 4850 in another pc? It is one or the other I would bet.

Agreed.
1) Try with a different adapter
2) Try it in an different system
3) If you have a spare video card....try that to eliminate everything else
4) Get it RMA'ed

 

[vexion]

It's official, my card is fried. I tried a different monitor with a straight DVI connection, that didn't fix it. Then I replaced the card with an EVGA 8800GTS that I knew worked, and it worked just fine.

So I guess I need to RMA it then... Only problem is, I bought the card off Ebay, and Sapphire's warranty policy requires that you go through the original seller, and have a proof of purchase from them, etc. Oops.

 

[SonDa5]

Bummer. Can you ask the seller to refund you?

 

[urbanriot]

Sapphire's warranty policy requires that you go through the original seller, and have a proof of purchase from them, etc. Oops.

Sapphire's garbage. Their warranty is garbage. I posted this in another thread:

Wow, big mistake buying Sapphire... On top of the costs involved in shipping the card to them, they want to charge an additional $25 - $45 'administration' charge.

From their RMA department:

"Note that, Sapphire is not a Canadian company and their head office is in
Asia (Hong Kong). Sapphire warranty covers free parts/labor only.
Therefore, for any RMA claims against Sapphire, we have to send the card
back and fore to Asia, and back to you afterwards, so there will be costs
involved (Administration and Freight). Cost is ranging from CAD$25-CAD$45
depending on your location/province."

vexion, I'd try to RMA the card anyhow, and pay their ridiculous RMA processing fees. Try to go through Sapphire tech support prior to going through their RMA department, and maybe they'll set something up for you without asking for the receipt. I RMA'd mine through Canadian support and had no requests to provide receipts, only the part number and SKU.