Member Avatar for MDGM

Hi all,

Once every 2 days or so my screen randomly shows images which look like the screen in these photos:


If i leave my computer off for a few hours it fixes itself. I think it is because of a problem with my video card. What do you think?

If yes, could you maybe recommend a replacement? My card is a ATI radeon 9550 and I want something that will also work with a game called Spore (recommended video card is something like an ATI 9800) but i dont have much money.

Thanks all,

Max

(ps. on the screen shots, the small differently coloured box near the centre of the screen is where the mouse is...)

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Dani AI

Generated

Quick, practical diagnosis and next steps for patterned vertical colour bands on a display.

Patterned, repeating vertical artefacts most often point to a hardware fault in the graphics pipeline (VRAM, GPU memory controller, or power/thermal failure) rather than a simple driver glitch. ’s push to isolate components was the right diagnostic direction, and ’s follow-up confirms that swapping hardware removed the fault — a classic sign of a bad card.

Try this ordered checklist to confirm the cause and decide what to do next:

  1. Isolate display path: test a second monitor and swap cables/connectors to rule out panel or cable faults.
  2. Check pre-OS behaviour: if artefacts appear in BIOS or on a live-USB desktop (before drivers load), that strongly indicates a hardware fault.
  3. Monitor and stress: watch temperatures and sensors with GPU-Z, then run a GPU/VRAM stress test (e.g., FurMark) to reproduce artefacts on demand.
  4. Clean driver test: if issues only happen inside the OS, perform a clean driver uninstall/reinstall (use a clean-uninstall tool) and test again.
  5. Physical checks: reseat the card, check power connectors, inspect for bulging capacitors, damaged PCB, or loose heatsink/fan. Verify PSU stability if voltages are suspect.

If hardware failure is confirmed, pursue warranty/RMA when possible. For replacement, match the target card by the game/API requirements and benchmark scores (see vendor databases like TechPowerUp GPU Specs or VideoCardBenchmarks). Avoid “reflow” as a first fix — it’s often temporary and risky for general users. When buying used, prefer sellers with short return windows and test immediately with the same stress checks above.

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Member Avatar for dogbreath077

Step 1, switch monitors. ( I think it is the LCD panel personally)
If that fixes it, replace or repair that LCD Monitor. Do this and repost.

Member Avatar for MDGM

Hey,

Thanks for the advice. Since it was quite an urgent problem i just went out and got a temporary video card which fixed the problem. Not sure what was wrong with my old one but replacing it has fixed the problem.

thanks again

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