HELP!!! Artifacts on ALL games and media playback!!!

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 01:35 AM

Ok...here is what happened...long story short: I used to have a stable configuration, with the catalyst 5.3 with CCC installed. I decided to uninstall that, using the ATI tool to remove all traces of the driver. I then installed the Omega 4.12 drivers, without any errors during the installation. I rebooted, and tried out Half Life 2, which I had previously played without any problems...outside of the hitching bug which still hasnt been fixed. Now, however, I had not only the hitching bug which was bad enough before, but now a new problem...artifacts all over the screen. I grew extremely worried, and downloaded and used drivercleaner, and reinstalled the Official Catalyst 5.3 w/CCC drivers, all of these times, i have also been using Reg Cleaner. Tried Half Life 2 again, and I still had the artifacts. I then thought that it might just be a glitch with Half Life 2, and that other games might work normally. So I tried out Guild Wars, and there were artifacts in that too, but in addition to that, there were some flickering textures. Unfortunately, this tale grows MUCH worse. After about 20 seconds of looking around while playing the game, the entire game glitched, and I got a VPU crash. I rebooted, tried one more time with the game, and i got another VPU crash. After all of this, I was REALLY worried because nothing I tried worked. So I spent about 7 hours formatting my hard drive, reinstalling Windows XP, downloading all the updates, including SP2 for Windows XP. I finally installed the Catalyst 5.3 w/CCC at the very end, and tried watching the video of the car within the CCC to see if the artifacts were still there, and they were

I REALLY need advice with this, as I dont know if I completely destroyed my system or not. I currently have an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB 256 bit Made by ATI card. I have the artifacts in both computer games AND video playback, such as video clips, DVD's, etc. I have no idea at all as to what the problem may be since a full system format didnt work.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!

UnTouchAble · May 28, 2005, 06:01 AM

Sounds to me like your card is broke, cant you just try 5.5 drivers?

Your best waiting for sum1 else to reply who knows more about these things.

Sandok · May 28, 2005, 06:59 AM

that doesn't sound good... i think your ati card is dead.

Might be a PSU which might be dying. What PSU you got installed? That doesn't sound good

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 02:58 PM

well, here is my system configuration for right now... almost 3 years old, and the video card is about 1 year old

Pentium 4 2.26 GHz
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB 256 bit - computer originally came with an Nvidia Geforce 2 MX 220
768 MB of RDRAM -computer originally came with 256 MB
Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS -computer originally came with an Audigy 1
2 hard drives at 7200 RPM's each -computer originally came with 1 hard drive
250 Watt power supply...never upgraded it whenever I upgraded other components
Klipsch Promedia 4.1 sound system...wish I had a Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1, but this still works just fine.

I should have upgraded the PSU when I did all of those upgrades...but after a year of having all those upgrades, my computer always seemed to run just fine...well, until I did the whole video card driver thing, and screwed up my computer, rendering my computer completely useless, as the only reason I bought a new computer 3 years ago was for gaming.

Last time I buy a Gateway...If this doesnt work out for my computer, I might as well wait a few months, then get a top of the line computer from Monarch Computers...when all the components come out that I am looking foreward to. ATI Crossfire, duel r520's, AMD duel core processor, probably a 600 watt power supply to go with it, no clue as to which motherboard to get, other than a 939 pin one, an audigy 2 ZS, or maybe I should just take it out of my computer and put it into the new one saving me some money, and 1 Seagate 400 GB hard drive. That should tide me over for another 3-5 years I hope.

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 02:59 PM

Oh, by the way, I AM using the Catalyst 5.5 drivers after I did the system format. After that, I still got the artifacts. I tried playing a video clip before I installed the catalyst driver, and oddly enough, even that had the artifacts...without a graphics driver. So it must be a hardware problem...As to what it is, I have no clue.

Sandok · May 28, 2005, 03:07 PM

that PSU does seem a bit weak for the system.... Do you have another PC with a stronger one?

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 08:22 PM

sadly, I dont have another PC with a good PSU...except for my old Pentium 3 computer...Its a Dell, so I doubt it has a better power supply than the one I have right now. Am I just better off buying an entirely new computer in a few months? or should I spend a few hundred dollars towards new parts for a 3 year old machine? In truth, I now consider my computer little more than garbage now compared to what is out now, and what is coming out in just a few months. It makes quite a bit of noise when it is on, and for the past 2 months the removable side has been vibrating, making lots of noise. The only way I could solve that problem was by using a decent amount of scotch tape to compress in the side to stop the vibration. What is causing that noise, I dont know. It first started when for some reason, while playing a game, there was a high pitched noise coming from the computer...it kept increasing in pitch and volume until all of a sudden it stopped...might have been the fan going crazy or something...I dont know. But the case side has vibrated ever since.

thegave · May 28, 2005, 09:01 PM

Your problems sound very much like overheating issues. Is the heatsink of the graphics card attached properly? Is the fan spinning?
Check ATiTool and make sure that it's not lowering your fan speed. I used to have a problem with ATiTool bringing my fan speed down to 30% on my x800.
Are you overclocking your video card? Try disabling OverDrive in the ATi Control Panel or CCC

nitrousoxide52 · May 28, 2005, 09:03 PM

Check to make sure your fan isn't too dusty. This happened to someone before on this forum, everyone says that the card was dead, but when the guy checked the fan it had a huge clump of dust in it. He cleaned it out and everything went back to normal.

BWX · May 28, 2005, 09:37 PM

250 Watt power supply... probably not enough.. but if it was working before, maybe that is not the problem.

Make sure ALL the fans are working- it sounds like one might have stopped from your description, maybe clogged with dust- maybe it is the PSU fan- have you ever dusted it out with canned air?

If all the fans are working-
Try unplugging your PC, taking out the video card, and then blowing it off with canned air..

Get underneath the heatsink with the air- get the fan really good etc.

Before you take it out- make sure fan is spinning..

When it is out make sure the heatsink it firmly attached, you can even very gently push it down on the heatsink with a slight twisting motion back and forth to make sure it is firmly attached.

Honestly it sounds like you PSU fan is dead or one of the other fans on your PC is clogged with dust. when the PC is off, spray air inside the PSU and watch the dust come flying out- After that blow the rest of the dust out of your PC case, get all the fans, the CPU fan, etc..

After all this, if everything is ok, reinstall your video card, and see if you get artifacts..
If you do, take the side door off your PC and put a small fan next to it- and see if you still get artifacts.

Have you checked your temps? How about you PSU rail voltages?

If after all this it still has artifacts, you might have a bad card. I would check it in another PC to be sure. If it is bad, you can probably RMA it.

Robert McClelland · May 28, 2005, 09:54 PM

I have gateway p4 2.4 system I have np with it

I would recommed get at 450watt power supply for the mother board don't go over 500watts with your system. it would fry the hard drive I know I had 580watt psu lol it kill my 80gig hard drive and gateway send me new hard drive long time ago

BWX · May 28, 2005, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert McClelland

I would recommed get at 450watt power supply for the mother board don't go over 500watts with your system. it would fry the hard drive I know I had 580watt psu lol it kill my 80gig hard drive

WTH? it won't "fry" anything. That isn't how it works. The PSU only delivers as much power as needed, it isn't like the higher wattage models put out more than the components can handle or something.

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 10:19 PM

Ok...to answer the 4 big questions...

1. I have never overclocked anything on my computer...ever.
2. I have not checked to see if a fan has stopped running, but will probably do that within the next few
days.
3. My computer NEVER had any artifacts, problems, or VPU crashes UNTIL I decided to try out the
Omega 4.12 drivers
4. The problems existed AFTER I uninstalled the drivers, used driver cleaner, installed the 5.3
drivers, then did a full system format when the problem still existed after, that, reinstalled
everything fresh, then installed the Official Catalyst 5.5 drivers, and the problem was STILL
present after all of that

Problem's 3 and 4 are probably the most important, even though problem 2 might have something to do with it, but it must be just coinsidence that the problem only occured after a new driver installation.

Using the program Everest, I was able to find out the temperature and voltages of most things within my case...except for the graphics card, which doesnt have a sensor on it.

Field Value
Sensor Properties
Sensor Type Analog Devices ADM1025 (SMBus 2Dh)

Temperatures
Motherboard 45 °C (113 °F)
CPU 40 °C (104 °F)
MAXTOR 6L080J4 55 °C (131 °F)
Seagate ST3120026A 47 °C (117 °F)

Cooling Fans
CPU 3511 RPM

Voltage Values
CPU Core 1.45 V
CPU Aux 2.71 V
+2.5 V 2.51 V
+3.3 V 3.30 V
+5 V 4.97 V

My guess is that since the problem still exists after a system format, it is no longer a software issue, but a hardware issue instead, as SOMETHING is wrong.

BWX · May 28, 2005, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyfire

Ok...to answer the 4 big questions...

1. I have never overclocked anything on my computer...ever.
2. I have not checked to see if a fan has stopped running, but will probably do that within the next few
days.
3. My computer NEVER had any artifacts, problems, or VPU crashes UNTIL I decided to try out the
Omega 4.12 drivers
4. The problems existed AFTER I uninstalled the drivers, used driver cleaner, installed the 5.3
drivers, then did a full system format when the problem still existed after, that, reinstalled
everything fresh, then installed the Official Catalyst 5.5 drivers, and the problem was STILL
present after all of that

Problem's 3 and 4 are probably the most important, even though problem 2 might have something to do with it, but it must be just coinsidence that the problem only occured after a new driver installation.

.

-- problem 3 and 4 are non-issues.

CHECK your fans now. why wait? Want to kill the rest of your PC? If a fan has topped working you may be looking at a FIRE hazard.

Forget the notion that a driver may have hurt your card, it didn't.
Just check ALL the fans, and do it soon, preferably now.

If the fans are all spinning get to dusting and checking the heat sink.

also- if your mobo temp is 45 C it is way too hot. Check the fan is spinning on the northbridge chipset if you have a fan there.

PS- check you PSU fan..

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 10:29 PM

ok...I guess that I will check it now. So you are sure that drivers are incapable of damaging my video card or computer?

Robert McClelland · May 28, 2005, 10:34 PM

Thats bit high for harddrive MAXTOR 6L080J4 55 °C (131 °F) my WDC runs at 75F at idle Do you still have warret with gateway? if you do I would call them up and ask them replace your mother board it could be your mother board issue. Or have them replace all the stuff that inside your comptuer.

BWX · May 28, 2005, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyfire

ok...I guess that I will check it now. So you are sure that drivers are incapable of damaging my video card or computer?

Yeah man, there is no way- even if it temporarily overclocked it (which it didn't), it would not wreck anything..

Just a coincidence you noticed the problem, or the problem started then..

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 10:40 PM

also, is it safe to open up my case while the computer is still running? im not that experienced with troubleshooting, or component installation for that matter...In fact, I have always had other people install the components for me, since they have had more experience than me with these things, and tend to worry too much over the safety of my computer.

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 10:44 PM

1 last thing though before I do all of this, I would like to thank all of you for all of the technical support. In truth, I wasnt expecting even half this many responses in 1 week, let alone less than 24 hours.

BWX · May 28, 2005, 10:49 PM

You might want to turn it off first- then take off the side, then turn it on.. Just in case the case is on tight, you don't want to knock around a PC that is running.

Skyfire · May 28, 2005, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert McClelland

Thats bit high for harddrive MAXTOR 6L080J4 55 °C (131 °F) my WDC runs at 75F at idle Do you still have warret with gateway? if you do I would call them up and ask them replace your mother board it could be your mother board issue. Or have them replace all the stuff that inside your comptuer.

As for that, Its not that helpful that in my dorm room, its over 80 degrees F. As for the warantee with Gateway, I have a 3 year warantee with them, but it ends July 1, 2005. So i have only 1 month to have it all fixed

Glad I bought the extended warantee

might as well make them pay for it, and get my money's worth...

Robert McClelland · May 28, 2005, 11:02 PM

Ya I know what you mean I got 3 year warantee too

but mine ends in Jan 06

nitrousoxide52 · May 28, 2005, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyfire

As for that, Its not that helpful that in my dorm room, its over 80 degrees F. As for the warantee with Gateway, I have a 3 year warantee with them, but it ends July 1, 2005. So i have only 1 month to have it all fixed

Glad I bought the extended warantee [img]images/smilies/big%20grin.gif[/img]

[img]images/smilies/big%20grin.gif[/img]

[img]images/smilies/big%20grin.gif[/img]
might as well make them pay for it, and get my money's worth...

Yep get the use out of your warranty, if I had known that you had a warranty on it still I would have suggested that as well.

Skyfire · May 29, 2005, 04:13 AM

Well, to conclude all of this, the problem has been found.

My brother came over to help, since I know very little about the installation/cleaning of computer components. He opened up the case, and found the video card fan on the bottom of the case.

Unfortunately, the problems dont cease there. I was not just ignorant, but stupid as well, to forget to apply for my 3 year warranty that came with my video card, which I have only used for 1 year. Now instead of being able to send in my card to ATI and get a replacement for free, I get to shell out $159 for a replacement of the same video card. Unless I'm mistaken, I am now unable to claim a warranty for the card, unless someone is able to say otherwise.

I would like to thank all of you for helping me find the exact problem. I never would have expected to find the fan to my video card laying on the bottom of my case. Perhaps that is the reason any graphics intensive applications...aka games, cause a VPU crash within 15-30 seconds, and the artifacts in all video clips/movies, but no problems with sound...just a minor overheating problem, nothing more