Q: Bad Video Card - last ditch effort

Hi,

I'm 99% sure it's my video card that's causing this problem.

It started only a few days ago, the screen filled with random red pixels, it would get worse over the course of a few minutes, then the computer was completely unresponsive - the clock had stopped and mouse won't even work.  I was able to ssh in from my laptop, but couldn't open any applications, and rebooting through ssh wouldn't work, had to hard-reboot.  After letting it sit for a while, it seemed better, I was hoping it was a fluke.  Just tonight though (a couple days since the 1st occurrence), it started acting up again....badly.  I tried running the Apple Hardware Test, it couldn't even finish that - it stuck (at the point in the screenshot), mouse still worked, but even after a half hour, neither the time nor progress bar updated.

I have an NVIDIA Quadro, I'm not sure which one because apparently they don't give that information on the card itself.  I do know it was very expensive.  Tomorrow I'll try cleaning all the contacts on the card, and the slot on the motherboard.  Beyond that, all I can think to do is buy a new video card.  Is it possible to repair a video card, or is that just not feasible?  I may also try putting it in another slot, to see if that fixes it (which would indicate the problem is on the motherboard, rather than the card, but I doubt that'll solve it).

I've removed the video card all together, the system is no longer locking up (so far), I'm able to use Screen Sharing through my MacBook, and all seems to function well...which pretty much confirms it for me, that it's the video card (or slot) that's the problem.

Does anyone have any suggestions before I go shell out $500 on a new video card?  This expense couldn't have come at a worse time...

I don't think I need anything too serious for a video card, I use Final Cut Pro.  I also just installed Apple's Motion (literally a day before all this crap started happening, it seems odd that it would be related, but the timing is pretty coincidental), and I'd also like one with two dual-link DVI ports.  I'd be curious if anyone has any recommendations what video card to buy.

Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts.