Graphics Card failing?

Hi,

Running a Dual 2.0 G5 Power PC with 4 gig of RAM and 10.4.8. Graphics card is the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with 2 VGAs connected. One via the VGA Adapter...obviously. That monitor is also run through a switch to a PC.

Last week I was working in Motion and FCP, switching back and forth frequently. At one point the monitor in question went black, but was still recognized by the PC. Rebooted and it was back on the Mac. A couple days later it went completely yellow on the Mac only. Fine on the PC via the switch. So I rebooted again but this time it wasn't recognized by the Mac (in system profiler) at all. Today I disconnected and reconnected the monitors cables and now the 2nd monitor is back again. But for how long?

I think I'm obviously experiencing the early stages of failure of my graphics card, but is there any way to test it to confirm? Like testing a hard drive's performance?

TIA.

Chad

<<<Graphics card is the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with 2 VGAs connected. One via the VGA Adapter...obviously.>>>

Where is the other VGA connected? You didn't quite finish the thought.

Macs like to keep up a dialog with the monitor(s). If it's trying to chat with the monitor and you start switching it around, you create an unstable condition.

Koz

I may be using VGA incorrectly. The main monitor is connected direct to the card and the second monitor (the one that's acting up) is connected through a switch via a DVI-VGA adapter.

This setup has been pretty constant over the past 2 or 3 years.

OIC.

<<<yellow on the Mac only.>>>

Blue didn't switch. If either of the two sync signals don't switch, the monitor will go black. I think you may be distroying the switch. Switching constantly many times an hour for how many years? If it's a mechanical switch, you may have exceeded the life of the little gold or silver contacts inside.

You could try reseating or changing the actual monitor cables. If there was a loose cable, all sorts of odd things can happen, but my money's on the switch.

Koz

Mechanical switch indeed, probably used no more than 5 or 10 times a day and some days not at all...but I get the point. It didn't occur to me that the yellow was a result of R + G and no B. Or would it be B + G and no R? Either way, I think I'll be replacing the switch.

Thanks Koz. Extremely helpful (though I was looking forward to upgrading the ATI).

I changed my mind. The ATi card is dead and you'll really have to get a new card.

Koz