Video Card Artifacting?

[Wooglin]

Ok, so not sure if artifacting is the proper term for this or not, but it seems to fit based on what I have read.

Hoping for some input with the following problem:
Lately when I am in 3d games for say 4+ hours, the screen starts to flicker with all sorts of colors, the pixels in the game seem to stretch across the entire screen, and the background starts to block like a checkers board in yellow. When I play Mpegs, the screen almost looks like it has static similar to poor TV reception.

Edit: This is not limited to within games... the same can happen to the general desktop screen as well. It just happens most of the time I am gaming.

I used to be able to shut the comp down for an hour or so and be ok, for about another 4 hours. I assumed perhaps something was overheating, just not sure which part.

Now, it seems to happen immediately or after only a couple minutes. I opened up the box and unplugged/replugged the vid card and it didn't seem the do anything. I did notice the fan on the card seems to rotate rather freely, not sure if that is by design or if it is failing. It does run, I did check that.

I have the following specs:
Asus A7V8X-X
AMD 2500 Barton
350W Generic
512 PC 2700 Corsair Value Ram
Ati 9800 Pro

The system had been running fine for about a year or so, until very recently. Wondering if I can maybe just replace the vid card fan or the card itself, to stretch out the life of this rig.

Any input is appreciated, I will try to answer any questions if I have missed something as well.

 

[ZeroRift]

Okay, it does sound like your graphics card is damaged, probably by heat. But before swapping it out for something else, I would:

1) try the computer on another monitor.
2) Check for any adware/spyware/viruses or any other recently installed software that could be running in the background
3) run the computer in safe mode

Also try checking temps though software like CPUfan or through the BIOS and graphics card drivers.

 

[stockjock]

I think you are barking up the right tree with your vid card and it overheating. When you say the fan spins slowly but does spin...I've never seen a slow spinning vid card fan. I would suggest something along the lines of THIS to help cool that vid card down. Heat can cause all those things...you can also try removing the side of your case and take a house fan and have it blow right in to see if that will alleviate the problems.

Let me know if this helps ya.

 

[Wooglin]

I had the omega drivers installed, removed those and installed the newest catalysts, as well as removing the side of my case and pointing a small house fan to help move air, and lowered hardware acceleration a notch, and one of those seemed to work. Ran 5 hours + of 3D gaming and other apps with no issues.

Didn't have much time, so I plan on testing all these to find the actual culprit soon.

 

[BadThad]

Originally posted by: Wooglin
I had the omega drivers installed, removed those and installed the newest catalysts, as well as removing the side of my case and pointing a small house fan to help move air, and lowered hardware acceleration a notch, and one of those seemed to work. Ran 5 hours + of 3D gaming and other apps with no issues.

Didn't have much time, so I plan on testing all these to find the actual culprit soon.

HEAT! Video card fans go bad fairly quick. Based on your test, that tells you the story.