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So our downstairs desktop is now 3 or 4 years old, and we haven't replaced anything since we got it. It was rather high end for its time, and until about a week ago, it was working great. But then, whenever I would start up a game like Battlefront II, Portal, or Need for Speed, I get past the menus and into the first level or map, and I get a blue screen. Then, when the computer restarts, there are colored pixels in a pattern overlaying the screen. Today, it started doing it when I try to load YouTube videos as well.

This has led me to believe that it's a graphics card related problem. But I don't want to dump $200-$500 on a new card if it's not. So is there any way to know for sure? Any reports I can look at? It's an early Dell Studio XPS running Windows Vista and an ATI Radeon HD (4000 series, I think) card. The card has been fully updated for as long as I've been maintaining the computer, and it hasn't had an update in a while, as support has been gone for more than a year now, so nothing's changed about it from when it was working to now. I don't have access to the exact specifications right now, as it's my Dad's computer and he's "running his own diagnostics" right now, even though he has no frikin clue what he's doing, he's just too stubborn to admit it. But I can get the exacts if you need them.

Try removing the graphics card and use the integrated graphics card, then try to play Battlefront, watch YouTube videos, etc.

Would disabling it in the control panel have the same effect as physically removing it? Father doesn't like me messing with his hardware. Afraid I might break something.

Eh, yeah, it probably would. Try doing that and connect your monitor to the integrated graphics VGA/DVI port.

Twilight_Warrior wrote:This has led me to believe that it's a graphics card related problem. But I don't want to dump $200-$500 on a new card if it's not.

I was having graphics card problems a few weeks back, and got a new GT 520 at Best Buy for $70. Google turns up some other even slightly better prices. If you do have to get a new card, rest assured it's not as expensive as you think.