Video Problems (banding and blocks)

[traven119]

About a week ago, I started getting some bad video problems. On boot, there are blocks on the screen as it runs set up, then after it makes it to login screen there is color banding all across the monitor. It was less bad by switching to 16bit color, but still noticable. Video did not work or games. I fiddled around, rebooted, reset drivers a couple of times and it just seemed to randomly fix itself.
Well yesterday it did it again, I tried the same stuff and it's still messed up. I went to a restore point I made right after it was fixed originally, still same problem.
Running WinXP
Samsung 955DF monitor
ATI 9700 Radeon Pro 128mb.

I've reseated the drive, tried a different monitor, still the same problem. Ran through a couple different drivers off the ATI site, along with the catalyst set, still no help.

Not sure if this is in fact a video card problem, hard to tell for sure. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[egale]

You have tested with a different monitor so that eliminates that. I think you have a problem with your video card. If you have a different card to try, I think that will prove it. Also, are you doing any overclocking? If you are, try at stock speeds and see what happens.

 

[LiLithTecH]

Did you reseat the RAM?

When you mean ON BOOT, do you mean before the OS loads (Bios POST screen)?

Do you have anything in the PCI slot next to the video card?

 

[Tsaico]

I had a similar problem with my old ati a few years ago, had similar problems and wouldn't refresh, meaning if I were to drag a window it would leave the old image there and make a new one, so it looked like a sprayed deck of cards. I tried to re-install everything, finally i did OS re-install and it fixed the problem, been working ever since. I have no idea why that worked, but good luck. I will follow to see your results.

 

[traven119]

No, not overclocked, pci slot is empty, and I mean as soon as the computer is booted, as in BIOS and RAM check, and everything that follows.
Umm haven't tried reseating RAM, worth a shot I guess.

EDIT
Reseated RAM, no change.

 

[vietofmars]

I have a sapphire 9000, does the same thing as yours but only after I power cycle the computer. Turn off, wait a bit, turn back on, and I get checkerboarding and stuff. Right from the BIOS, POST screen.

So I am sure it's the video card. RMA it if you can. I'm screwed cuz I bought it OEM from newegg. ATi has like 3-5 year warranty.

 

[LiLithTecH]

Generally, if you see artifacting in the BIOS (POST) screens,
it is a good indication of bad ram on the video card or motherboard cache ram.

 

[traven119]

Think a reinstall of the OS is worth trying? Sadly, what you said makes more sense than some other ideas I've had, or had thrown at me.

 

[RadDreamer]

anythings worth shot

 

[LiLithTecH]

What brand motherboard is it?

 

[traven119]

GA-7VAX/7VAXP Via KT400 agp

 

[LiLithTecH]

Recommend you RMA the card.

If the problem occured after POST, it could be another issue.
Its not unusual to get a defective card. (recently went through 5 bad Chaintech ti4200 cards in a row)

 

[traven119]

Moment of n00bdom.. RMA?

 

[vietofmars]

rma = Return Merchandise Authorization

When you call up the manufacturer and request warranty service. They'll give you an RMA number to put on the box when u send it in so they can track it and all that good stuff through the repair/exchange process.

ATI and most companies u can get RMA online. I sent in a 8500le with noisy fan, they sent me another (refurbed?) card.

 

[traven119]

Weirder and weirder.. suddenly started getting random freeze ups, have to turn the computer off on the back switch (regular and restart don't work). Opened up and ran the rebooted, 2 things become obvious a) the longer the computer is shut down the longer it stays up before freeze b) the fan atop the CPU starts to slow down then stops, then it freezes. Any relation do you think, or just a blown fan?