You have to be kidding me.

[Hund]

I was messing around with PF when my graphics started going goofy.

Now I have the rainbow colored bands on my desktop and checkerboard startup. Distortion around mouse pointer and other random distortions everywhere.

Computer seems to function normally otherwise and at least I can type this.

Stecher, what was the cause of your rainbow like distortion, was it the video card for sure? I can't see what else would do this and I haven't changed anything at all recently. I added a new drive a week or so ago but everything has been fine.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Mölders]

What exactly were you messing around with ?

[Hund]

Just messing around, flying in game. Nothing special.

I can barely see this text as the distortion is so bad. I can run the computer fine for about 3 minutes then the distortion starts.

I really need to know if it is my video card, power supply, or what. I think Stecher had the exact same problem and I was wondering if he nailed it down to something specific. Since we both have Radeon 9*00 pro cards I assume it is my graphics card but I want to be sure before buying a new one.

[beckh]

That might be those new dots doing it. On serious note, sounds like heat problem to me, make sure video card fan is runing, blow the dust off. What kind off system you got, homebuild or dell?

[Mölders]

Stecher and I lowered the possibilities down to his motherboard or his IDE Cables. WHAT are your computer specs and how old are most of the parts ? IS Your pc premade or did custom bulid it ?

[Hund]

I blew a alot of dust dust off, and all the fans are running.

Its a home built system. I've always used home built with little to no problems.

This came out of nowhere, the rest of the comp works fine. I just started my computer and like I said I can run ok for a few minutes, but if I try to start PF for example by the time I hit the "fly" button distortion starts.

Thanks for replies so far. Whatever it is it really looks similar to what stecher had problems with in the beginning, though I am having no problems with drives or anything and his sounded worse.

Oh, is there a way to check heat on MB or something, what is normal? As I type this last sentence massive distortions are starting .

[Hund]

Computer specs:

Radeon 9800pro
Asus A7N8X-X MB.
768MB PC2700 RAM
Antec 400w power supply
Audigy 2-ZS
AMD 2800+ Barton core
30GB Quantum Fireball
120GB Seagate Barracuda

[beckh]

Find your asus mb cd, there should be utility called "asus probe", instal it and there you will be able to check all kinds of parameters.

[Hund]

Thanks Beckh, I'll give it a try.

Funny thing, I just played a 2d type strategy game for an hour with no distortion at all. I think it has very minor 3d element. Will try other stuff.

My case is open so I don't know if that matters, but as soon as I tried PF I got serious distortion without even getting to the point of flying.

[Mölders]

The only heat portion I know how to check on is the CPU heat. That is in your bios. WE know its not your power supply otherwise your pc would not start up. We can rule out both the harddrives. What is left ? Video card, motherboard (including cables), RAM, and CPU. I Don't believe it is your soundcard so that is ruled out. TRy loading up a different game. Do you get distortions ? Does it even load the level up ? If you have another monitor, plug it in. If you get no distortions, then it is not your video card. If it was your CPU, your pc would tell you it has a problem during BIOS. BTW is this picture exactly like your motherboard ?

Hope this helps.

[Hund]

Yeah, that looks like the motherboard I have.


Ok, here is what happened:

-Every time I tried to play a 3d game the distortion would set in very quickly (about 2 minutes if that).

-I can play a 2d strategy game with hundreds of units on the screen for seemingly forever without so much as as a flicker.

Wouldn't it have to be my video card?

No pauses, crashes, or freezes at all during gameplay, just horrible video corruption. Shouldn't be power supply or RAM as the 2d strategy game plays forever. I would also think this eliminates cpu problem.

The only thing that confuses me is that when I try a 3d game and distortion happens, it persists when I exit to desktop. Also, I have had it run fine then get distortion browsing internet. Does internet use 3d stuff that would set it off?

My guess is that it must be video card, but why the occasional distortion on internet, though admittedly it was short time after corruption. Also, would the card overheat that fast, I am not even starting any 3d games, it gets distorted just in the menues.

[Shrike]

Hunde,

My video card had the very same problem you talk about here only worse. To make a long story short, I ended up with a new video card. My card was about 2 years old when it crapped out. I asked someone who knows computers very well and he said that it is not uncommon for the memory on the vido card to go.

[Mölders]

Did you buy your video card off E-bay or from a pc store ? If it is overheating, you might need a better cooling system. Those guys on the ubi forum say these 9800 cards need only the best.

[Hund]

Solved my problem.

BFG nVidia GeForce 6800 GT OC

;D


Early indications are that it is freak'n awesome.

It will be tough to go back to ATI after having my 9800pro die after a little over a year.

Game On!

[Stecher]

I really really really hope it was your card and that the new one will be fine. What you describes dounds EXACTLY like what I was getting and figured was my card. When I replaced it with a new card it looked fine for one night, except it locked up after a few minutes, which was new. Then the next morning everything was back but twice as bad. So I am thinking that it is not my card, or at least something is causing the cards to go bad. Good luck with your new card, I hope it stays fixed and doesn't worsen like mine.

[Spinne]

How's your new card?

BTW, before buying new hardware, you should make sure everything's plugged in properly, then try reinstalling your video drivers, then formatting your HDD and reinstalling Windows. Did you see if you were getting corruption running dxdiag?

[Hund]

Man, you guys are scaring me.

And maybe rightfully so.

The card is amazing, been using it all night without a problem, except one. Just a moment ago I was playing Lock-On and got some rainbow textures down on the information bar. It only happened once but flashes between game menues looks goofy, and that rainbow looked awfully familiar. If it does happen again I am at a loss. It could be power supply I guess, but my first guess would be the mb, maybe a problem with agp slot. At least this new card has 24/7 tech support, if there is a problem I'll give them a call.

But aside from all of that, this card is simply amazing in its performance.

[Raven]

Strange. I was having some problems last night after installing the Recommended drivers for an ATI card. I have a Radeon 9800 Pro 128.

It was not a rainbow, in asmuch as the coloration of everything was totally off, like someone had been messing with the hue. The colors themselves were "Rainbow" colors, however.

I recovered my system and hope the problem is gone now..