So I'm sitting around, playing a game, and my computer suddenly stop responding. I press Alt+F4 and it doesn't work. So I go try to open task manager, but it doesn't open. Only other thing I can think of is a cold boot, so that's what I do. When I start my computer up again, I see green dots all over my screen.

I think, "Whatever, probably some boot error". It gives me the hardware failure message and asks me to choose which conifguration to boot in, so I go to Start Windows Normally. Windows XP starts loading, and the dots change color from green to orange. After windows XP loads, my monitor just goes black and doesn't receive a signal from my computer (the power button on it changes from green to yellow). So I try again. Safe mode works. But, I can't do anything worthwhile in safe mode (since I don't believe the graphics card loads in safe mode), so I, hoping it's a software error, do a system restore.

Same thing happen when my computer gets back on. I open it, take out the graphics card (yes, only one :(), clean my computer while I'm at it (by blowing the dust out), then put the card back in. Now, I start again. This time, my monitor receives no singal at all.

I'm thinking the card is fried and I have to get a new one (I already ordered an Nvidia 8800 GTS, but was hoping to SLI them - that would work, right?). Is it, or can I do something to make it work again? I'd try inserting another card in it's place, but all I have is this old Sony laptop with a Mobile card.

In case it makes any difference, I'm using an XPS 600 with a 2.8Ghz Pentium D (stop laughing!), 1GB RAM (seriously, stop!), and Windows XP Media Center.