5850 snow artifacts :/ help please

[KelDG]

Hi peeps, my trusty XFX5850 of 2 years has started to artefact pixels on the screen, some flash some are stationary.

It happens on boot-up motherboard logo as well as windows.

I have re-seated, checked for dust (none) and reinstalled my catalyst drivers (should not be the problem if it is doing it in Bios).

It started yesterday after installing the new catalyst drivers after a prompted update from the control centre, while on the net after this update the screen lost signal for a second or two, it did it once more after an hour or so.

Tonight it happened again and the artefacts appeared after the signal returned. After changing the HDMI lead hoping that it was that that was knackered, no luck I still have the same problem of snow pixel artefacts.

Card has been stock for its lifetime, processor is at stock too at the moment so I cant think of anything else.

Any of you guys and gals have suggestions or ideas of what to do.

**Screen just flashed off again as I was about to press submit **

Cheers

Kel

Edit - Pic

 

[RJC]

It could be on the way out, can you test the GPU in another system.

 

[KelDG]

Yeah, but only in a weeks time.

I hope it is not dying, because my old Nvidia 7900gt and Radeon 9800pro are still running strong in my brothers PCs :/.

 

[Devrij]

Might be the memory going, try underclocking it a tad? I've had mine at 950/1200 for 18 months, clearly you should have overclocked it to keep it warm and cozy.

 

[KelDG]

Cheers fellas, got it sorted, it mush have been something in the HDMI port, I plugged in over VGA and it was fine, when I went back to HDMI I gave the port a quick clean and no problems since. Fingers crossed.