'molstaderik' wrote:
Is there possible intervention for a video card's bios similar to
updating a router's firmware (which gets corrupted relatively often on
low-end units)? I'm doubting it but asking as a long-shot.

Both systems used the same CRT and cable with the analog output from
the card. Another older card works fine in both systems.
Definitely the 7600 is the issue.

About half of the characters during boot up are replaced with random
characters interspersed throughout the text. The motherboard's splash
screen has 1 inch horizontal lines split from the graphic and
displaced and various pixels are displaced it seems. The windows
login is a rectangle of sparse pixelation.

I actually haven't tried the digital output yet as the primary
display. I'll attempt that.
_____

The extra information helps with diagnosis, but the cure is the same...
replace the card. The BIOS display of recognizable but incorrect
characters shows a problem with the memory system on the video card (the
boot-up and BIOS setting screens are displayed in a non-graphical text-only
mode; a bad memory location produces an incorrect character rather than
image artifacts.) The operating system start-up screen shows a different
type of error because a VGA (or SVGA, XVGA, or ...) display method is used
rather than a text-only mode. The failure might be a bad memory chip, bad
solder joint, broken land, shorted pin or land, bad capacitor. While a bad
capacitor can be replaced, the other, more likely causes are not repairable
(if a good shake isn't sufficient.)

Using the digital out signal will not change anything because the problem is
with the video card memory system.

The BIOS in a video card (if it can be changed at all) requires the computer
system to accomplish a flash update. The video BIOS content can not change
at random nor without intervention through the computer system.

Options:

1. Remove card from system, bang card vigorously, reinstall, retest.

2. Replace card if (1.) does not fix problem.

Phil Weldon



wrote in message
...

No.

How could it? The card worked - then it did not. The card BIOS can not
change without intervention.

Since you have already performed the most useful diagnostic (placing the
card in a known good system) the problem is shown to be the card (if the
cable and monitor on the trial system are not from the original system.
It
cannot be a driver fault as the drivers are not loaded during the
motherboard BIOS splash screen.

However, if you post a more complete description of the 'distorted
screen'
and the type of monitor (LCD/analog LCD/digital CRT) you might get a few
suggestions as to what might be wrong. Sadly, chances are that the card
must be replaced.



Is there possible intervention for a video card's bios similar to
updating a router's firmware (which gets corrupted relatively often on
low-end units)? I'm doubting it but asking as a long-shot.

Both systems used the same CRT and cable with the analog output from
the card. Another older card works fine in both systems.
Definitely the 7600 is the issue.

About half of the characters during boot up are replaced with random
characters interspersed throughout the text. The motherboard's splash
screen has 1 inch horizontal lines split from the graphic and
displaced and various pixels are displaced it seems. The windows
login is a rectangle of sparse pixelation.

I actually haven't tried the digital output yet as the primary
display. I'll attempt that.