Extreme Graphics Problem?

postmanpat55 · 21 Dec 2006 at 12:29

Hello, I have a PC that is suffering from a problem that i dont know what to do with. When i load a game, world of warcaft for example the objects melt into eachover, i get rainbow colours all over the scenery and models e.t.c and lots of lines and big blocks. After about 2 minutes of walking around in this state the PC shuts itself off. It seems the pc cannto render any 3D graphics, 2D and desktop e.t.c is fine though. I dont know what to do.

The specs are
3.2GHZ Intel
1GB ram pc 3200
two 75gb raptors in raid - 0.
ati 9800XT.

all parts from OCUK.

The side of the case is always off incase its a heat problem, the GPU temp is normal. Here are the screens. Thanks.

http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=probsaez2.jpg

and

http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=probs2qt4.jpg

steve258 · 21 Dec 2006 at 12:47

ouch looks nasty!! That is the screen I got with my old 9800pro after I messed it up (fitting of a new VGA cooler went bad).

Try another graphics card if you can. Stock 9800 cooler has only a tiny HSF so make sure the fan is working and clear of dust.

mikeymike · 21 Dec 2006 at 13:27

If your GPU isnt getting hot, and you havent bashed or unseated it recently, and nothing else in your system is suspect (like a new catalyst driver install that could have gone wrong or become corrupted), then i'd say from what you've described and from your pictures, it is about to die.

If you have overclocked it, or it was originally a 9800pro that has been flashed to a 9800XT bios then i would set the clocks back to default, see if that helps.

Im guessing it works fine in 2D mode still, for example in windows? 3D is normally the first to corrupt then it will start crashing in games, then either 2D will go dodgy as well, or the whole thing will just freeze one day forever.

Maybe time to invest in an overhaul of your system to pci-express? or just get a cheap AGP 6800gt off that auction website

postmanpat55 · 21 Dec 2006 at 13:48

Thanks so far, ive just took the card out and removed the heatsink with a screwdriver and moved some dust between the fans and re setted some thermal paste (the old one was dried out) and went into a game and it was the same problems so im guessing its not saveable.

ive never overclocked it, it is infact underclocked and has extra fans on the heatsink. I think i guses your right mikey that i have to order a new agp card maybe a 30-50 quid one unless there is any info that helps otherwise.

i have had this problem for a while actually (particles, lines, crashes e.t.c), and ive been playing at 1024X800 res on a 21" LCD which makes it look bad - monitor to stop it happening (somehow that reduced the load on the GPU im guessing) but now its occuring at every resolution, and only recently become unplayable.