compatable video card?

I have a compaq 500 series exact model is SWV270.....I think the video card could be out?? The computer froze up....when I tried to reboot, I have a black screen on the monitor...should mention that the green hard drive light comes on....the cdrom light, cd-rw light and the 3.5 floppy drive lights flash like when you boot up, but no action on the monitor..I have switched monitors (I am sure these are good) I have switched hard drives also? same story no matter which parts. the video card is a nvidia 201827-001..tnt2-16mg...at compaq these are over $100.....can it be replaced with another model. I found a compaq 179997-001..tnt2-16mg....would this work? I would like very much to fix this computer but not by giving more for a card than the whole thing is worth.
and help would be appreciated
LKM

 

would that have caused the computer to freeze up sometimes? it comes on....at least the green lights come on.....when it goes through the boot process. I can hear it like checking the floppy drive? after that it just sits there like it was booted, but the screen is black?
thanks for your thoughts and suggestions

 

Hello Katy,

It might be the power supply, but they are hard to test if you don't have a voltage meter or power supply tester, all of which the average person does not have and wouldn't know how to use anyway.

The price of the video card with 16MB of memory that Compaq wants to charge for an old system is outrageous.

Below is a link to Crucial. They supply video cards as well as memory. And as with memory, they have a video compatability finder.

http://www.crucial.com/index.asp?AID=5032655&PID=316093

Regards - Charles

 

If you have that video card available, it should be OK to try. The connections will be keyed differently if they might be incompatible.
*I just checked at Compaq, the graphics is rated as 4X, so I could not foresee any problems.

The minor problem may be drivers for the "new" graphics card. Compaq says the supplied graphics card is a "TNT2 Vanta LT" model. The 179997-001 is a TNT Pro model. The drivers should(?) be available for download at HP/Compaq. Drivers may also be available from the nVidia website.

*You will find the drivers by looking up these models:

nVidia TNT2 Pro Display Driver
systems supported
Professional Workstation SP750 All Models
Professional Workstation AP550 All Models

So if system startup works OK, but Windows is , boot into Safe Mode. Remove any listings for nVidia in Add/Remove Programs. Go to Device Manager and remove/uninstall anything listed for Display Adapter. Reboot. If the New Hardware wizard runs, click Cancel. Run the drivers installation utility when you are in Windows.

Matt

 

I located another compaq that is "exactly" like mine.....same model number and everything. It is in working order and on it's way to me......surely I can make one from two??
thanks for all the help.....I may be back with more questions
Katy