bad artifacting with 9700 pro

[ArmchairAthlete]

This Powercolor 9700 Pro worked well for a couple years, then started artifiacting.

At fist it was rare, and could usually be fixed by a system shutdown. It started happening more over time, but I could still fix it with a reboot/replug monitor/reseat the card.

But now I can't get it to go away. I can even underclock the card without success.

The artifacting is all over the screen, but largely in thick vertical bars with many pixels in between the bars also displaying incorrectly.

Is there anything I can do about it? Or should I just trash it and buy a new card? Sucks to spend money on an AGP card for this old system, but I've got some 3D game development work that I'd like to be able to do on my desktop as well as my laptop... and the broken 9700 is kinda messing things up.

 

[SickBeast]

You could try underclocking the card and see if that helps.

Check the HSF to make sure it didn't come loose.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Nah, it has been underclocked since I got it. Doesn't help...

HSF doesn't budge if I poke it.

 

[Acanthus]

Is there a lot of dust build up in the vid cards HSF? If not its likely just dead.

Isnt powercolor lifetime warrenty? RMA that sucka and get a X800 or something

 

[Fayd]

does the HSF use screws, or is it strictly glued on?

if it's glued on, then it's a simple matter of popping it off.

the way i did it was insert a credit card between the PCB and the hsf (on a corner) and then inserting a flat-bladed screwdriver between the 2. then twist.

some alcohol rubbing, and the core will come clean. then reseat a new HSF with thermal adhesive.

 

[Arkaign]

There's a fix for your situation.

It's called a used 6600GT AGP video card!

MUCH MUCH faster than what you've got, probably for $50 or less. Certainly less hassle.

 

[Serp86]

Take a look at this thread i posted about a year ago: Text
Are the pics I posted the same as yours?

Basically, my radeon 9700 pro also started acting up. I'm actually surprised yours was still working. If i remember correctly it was a memory issue, that affected the 9700 and9800 family equally after about two years. In fact a friend of mine had ordered a supposedly working 9800 from ebay about 6 months ago and it had the exact same problem.

Oh and i had tried a lot of things with it - changing fans, trying it out in different computers, undercloking memory and/or core to ridiculously low levels just to see if it will even work in 2D, but nothing worked.

you need a new vid card

 

[Sylvanas]

I would first remove the HSF and clean up any thermal paste still present on the core, likewise clean the HSF with rubbing alcohol and dust any particles off and then reseat it with some Artic silver and see if that makes any difference, if not it might be time to RMA/RIP.

 

[rbV5]

9700 pro cards are pretty bulletproof actually.

* Test your powersupply.
* Make sure the fan is spinning at full speed.

My 9700pro has exhibited horrible artifacting on a couple of occasions. The original fan started spinning slower after a couple years, replaced it with a new HS/F.

On another occasion, I had a weak rail on an older powersupply. Replaced the PS.

The card continues to run 24/7 in one of my secondary PC's with no artifacting...I bought the card when the were first available.

 

[Griswold]

Originally posted by: Serp86
Basically, my radeon 9700 pro also started acting up. I'm actually surprised yours was still working. If i remember correctly it was a memory issue, that affected the 9700 and9800 family equally after about two years. In fact a friend of mine had ordered a supposedly working 9800 from ebay about 6 months ago and it had the exact same problem.

First time I hear this. I have a 4.5 years old 9700pro doing 24/7 in an old AthlonXP rig without any issues. I replaced the stock HSF with a passive solution about 2 years after I bought it. It runs at stock speed as well.

To me, the 9700pro has been one of the most reliable video cards so far, right up there with a matrox millennium I'm still operating in a small server.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Wow, this is hard to believe. So I'm poking at the card, thinking about Fayd's idea of replacing the hsf. I pull UP on the HSF, not even very hard.

I try booting with the card again, and all traces of artifacting are now gone. At least for now.

I'm not sure if that's really what did it, but... weird.


Serp86: The artifacting has some similarity, except it was much worse.

I tried a game too, Warcraft III ran fine. C4 game engine has lots of display issues like seeing things that should be obscured, but I think that's more due to driver issues with ATI cards or something.

 

[Nightmare225]

I loved my 9700 Pro...