Member Avatar for cai

Ok this morning my computer was working fine. I decided to install new drivers for my graphics card, so I do. Then I restart and I get all these wierd lines appearing all over my screen randomly.

http://img2.imagebarrel.com/img/05/143/19/mess1.JPG

I think to myself "those drivers must have duffed it up". So I uninstall the drivers... still the same problem. My computer could do with a format so I might as well kill 2 birds with one stone. So I format my pc, completely restoring it to factory setting and guess what: I've still got the same bloody problem.

This must be hardware problem I thought, so I decided to go and test my monitor on my family pc. It works fine, no wierd lines, no problems at all. Then I plug it back into my normal PC and get the same bloody lines. They don't happen all the time just every now and then, but the are very annoying.

Any suggestions?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Catweazle

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Member Avatar for MartyMcFly

I like your choice of programs btw.

always use safe mode when dealing with display drivers. Ensure you uninstall existing drivers, then reinstall the new ones. Reboot and XP will detect the new hardware. Other than that check the problem persists with lower resolution, colour and screen refresh rate.

Member Avatar for server_crash

Check with M$ windows updates, and see if they have an updated driver for your graphics card.

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Oh wow! Windows Update is not a place to look for driver updates if you have a gaming PC. The graphics processor website and the reference drivers for the card is where it's at:

www.ati.com
www.nvidia.com

I'd be opening that PC case and checking that the fan on the video card is still working. If any included utitilies have been used to 'overclock' the video card I'd be setting it back to default speeds.

That image corruption has nothing to do with the monitor - it is from the display card. If you can't correct it by changing display drivers, and if visual inspection suggests that the card's cooling fan is working OK, then a format and fresh install will clearlt indicate if the display card is damaged or not. Is there any image corruption in the bootup POST screens or in the BIOS setup screens?

Member Avatar for server_crash

The fan not working could be a big possibility. I had one go out on my power supply and it caused some bad things to happen, but it wasn't with the display.

Member Avatar for cai

Thanks for the advice so far. From what I am reading elsewhere people are having similar problems with the same graphics card, saying it's cheaply made and has got a poor fan. Can anyone recommend any decent sites for a tutorial on removing the card itself and/or fan? Never done it before and I really don't want to screw it up even more :rolleyes:

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Best you tell us what make and model that card is, eh?

Member Avatar for cai

ATI Radeon 9800 pro 128mb

Apprently a lot of people's having been running fine for a few months then have become faulty for no apprent reason.

:-|

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