Dead card + dusting = live card?

[sinkoman]

So, my video card went bunk on me last night (6800gt.i'm assuming it overheated, considering it went out whilst playing HL2), and I need a new one ASAP (as in, just buy one after flipping through a few benchies. No time to compare and shit, I need that PC for a class i'm taking).

Imma go for an 8800gts (I WOULD get an x1950, seeing as you get waaaay more performance for your money, but DX9 = ), and was wondering if maybe there's any chance left to revive my current card via dusting it down (i'm guessing no though, and that I probably should have dusted it of sooner ).

 

[Link]

Usually the card will shut the PC down before any harm is done, so it may still be alive. Plug it in and check the fan spins up. If not, give it a clean and try again. Failing that, a new cooler is a lot cheaper than a new card.

 

[Unfocused]

Just let him have an excuse to buy an 8800

 

[TCfromBN]

Go for the 8800gts. Woo woo! Trust me, it's more than enough to play anything you can throw at it at high settings. I play Oblivion at 1600x1200 at all high settings with HDR and get and average of above 50fps outside.

 

[JNightshade]

Before anything else, break out the compressed air and blow the crap out of the fan/heatsink. If that doesn't do anything, then it's fuxx0red. If it does... well, yay!

 

[giant384]

are you totally sure its dead? you didn't explain alot or testing you did.

 

[Shamrock]

My CPU was overheating, and I thought it totally bit the dust one day when it wouldn't turn on or anything. I dusted it off. There was a nice, thick coat of dust. Tried to turn it on, and VIOLA! It worked.

 

[sinkoman]

are you totally sure its dead? you didn't explain alot or testing you did.

Well, it's not "dead" per se, but i'm pretty damn sure it's overheated.

Upon bootup, my entire screen is engulfed by little white dots, which then change to blue dots, which then changes to a blanked screen, which then goes to nothing.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

...after flipping through a few benchies. No time to compare and shit...

Wait since when are the benchies not considered good enough comparison?

 

[sinkoman]

Wait since when are the benchies not considered good enough comparison?

when you only look at two or three, and only for the general card, not manufacturer specific issues.