My new 8600GT is showing artifacts :(

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 12:38

I put together a budget system a few days ago...

The graphics card is a BFG GeForce 8600 GT OC 256MB GDDR3, the memory is GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC6400C5 800MHz Value DDR2 Dual Channel Kit.

Everything seems to work fine, and games look great. However starting yesterday I began to experience heavy artifacts on my screen (AKA "snow").

Is this due to a hardware issue on my graphics card? I've left everything stock, no overclocking.

Any help appreciated

RaiderX · 19 May 2007 at 12:45

any screenshots/photos?

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 12:52

RaiderX said:
any screenshots/photos?

I tried taking a screenshot yesterday but they don't show up

RaiderX · 19 May 2007 at 12:54

try taking a high-res photo

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 12:57

RaiderX said:
try taking a high-res photo

What purpose would it serve m8?

I thought artifacts were a standard known problem? They are like little snow flakes all over your monitor...

squiffy · 19 May 2007 at 12:59

Tried VGA input? Sounds like DVI cable interference.

RaiderX · 19 May 2007 at 12:59

artifacts can be caused my either memory or overheating, run rivatuner hardware monitor when you go into a game and see what temps hit

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 13:04

RaiderX said:
artifacts can be caused my either memory or overheating, run rivatuner hardware monitor when you go into a game and see what temps hit

OK will do, thanks.

I was thinking that perhaps the graphics card was overheating... The BFG ones all come overclocked by default anyway.

Either that or faulty memory

Cyber-Mav · 19 May 2007 at 13:23

use ati tool artifact scanner, that will tell you if its the card thats artifacting and it also shows your temps too.

tanner · 19 May 2007 at 14:28

hmm u having tried ocing it and thats what caused it to artifact, have you? using cool bits or ntune? thats what made my cards arifact when they have done in the past but simple solution is just to lower the o.cs to a stable level then test them.

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 15:07

Cyber-Mav said:
use ati tool artifact scanner, that will tell you if its the card thats artifacting and it also shows your temps too.

Well I ran the ATITools artifact scanner and within 2 seconds my whole system froze. I also saw large yellow lines across the test image

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 15:08

tanner said:
hmm u having tried ocing it and thats what caused it to artifact, have you? using cool bits or ntune? thats what made my cards arifact when they have done in the past but simple solution is just to lower the o.cs to a stable level then test them.

I've done absolutely no overclocking at all. Everything is stock

Cyber-Mav · 19 May 2007 at 15:09

AdladUK said:
Well I ran the ATITools artifact scanner and within 2 seconds my whole system froze. I also saw large yellow lines across the test image

card is borked, do a return on it.

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 15:12

Cyber-Mav said:
card is borked, do a return on it.

Great

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 15:22

Would lowering the core and memory clocks help?

It seems as though the card is overheating...

Cyber-Mav · 19 May 2007 at 15:41

overheating? man you really need to tell the full story here, what temps is it hitting? is the fan spinning/does it spin faster as it gets hotter?

need the damn temps man

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 16:43

Cyber-Mav said:
overheating? man you really need to tell the full story here, what temps is it hitting? is the fan spinning/does it spin faster as it gets hotter?

need the damn temps man

The card is around 45C at standard (no games etc)

The fan is loud when I switch the machine on, then it goes quiet once Windows has loaded

If I do the 'Show 3D View' thing in ATITool then it goes to around 55C

Cyber-Mav · 19 May 2007 at 16:45

55c is not problem at all for that card. its a very good temp. somethig else is wrong there, and i doubt its your power supply.

AdladUK · 19 May 2007 at 17:01

Cyber-Mav said:
55c is not problem at all for that card. its a very good temp. somethig else is wrong there, and i doubt its your power supply.

Well perhaps the memory then?

If I run 'Scan for Artifacts' the whole machine locks up... And from what I can tell (very limited time to see) the temps sky rocket

Cyber-Mav · 19 May 2007 at 17:03

AdladUK said:
Well perhaps the memory then?

If I run 'Scan for Artifacts' the whole machine locks up... And from what I can tell (very limited time to see) the temps sky rocket

what do they skyrocket to? 100c?