Dots all over my screen

Hey,
I have a strange problem, and I'm not sure what causing it.
I hope you could help me figure it out.

I have small black and white dots dancing all over the screen,
I'm not sure if it's a problem with the graphics card or something else like the motherboard.

http://i.imgur.com/pmZe5TW.jpg


Here's a video I took that shows the problem:
http://youtu.be/ufG6XYer5ec


The problem goes away after I restart my computer,
but it come back in random times.

The graphics card, memory cards, SSD and motherboard are still new, I bought them less than a month ago, so I still have warranty.

What do you think I should do?

Code:

OS Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate, Service Pack 1, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E7400 @ 2.80GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 10
Processor Count: 2
RAM: 8191 Mb
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 210, 1024 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 60954 MB, Free - 16629 MB; D: Total - 610480 MB, Free - 463083 MB;
Motherboard: MSI, G41M-P33 Combo(MS-7592)
Antivirus: Microsoft Security Essentials, Updated and Enabled

 

Check the inputs on the monitor cable ends, and the plugs on the back of the graphics card and monitor for any crud or bent pins. Try a different cable if you can, also if you are comfortable with it, try another slot on the motherboard for the video card.

 

Check the voltages in the BIOS, note them down, install HWiNFO64, run it sensors only, check those voltages against the BIOS readings and report back.

 

Hi Satrow,
It's me from this thread: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=1830758
I guess it's another symptom from the previous problem.

So my BIOS is the same as I posted there: http://i.imgur.com/FvY1gmZ.jpg


holiday, I don't think the problem is the cable, because I have 2 monitors, 2 different cables, one VGA, one DVI, and I can see the dots on both monitors.

I have only 1 slot for the video card on my motherboard.

 

And none of these issues were seen before the graphics, SSD, motherboard upgrade?

 

satrow, I had to buy a new motherboard because the capacitors started to leak in my old motherboard, so my computer didn't turned on at all.

And I wanted to upgrade my computer anyway, so I also bought SSD and graphic card.
Before the upgrade (before my old motherboard died), I didn't have this problem.

--
plodr, I'll try you idea.

 

OK, so after 2 weeks since the last post, I really couldn't stand the annoying dots and freezes,
So finally, I decided to take my GIGABYTE GeForce 210 back to the store for a repair.
I told them that I get BSOD and dots and freezes and they told me they'll run some tests in the lab and call me when it's ready to be picked up.

Meanwhile, I used an old NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS that I had.
And the whole week I didn't get any problems - No BSOD, no dots, no freezes.

After this week, I got a call from the store to pick up my card.
They told me that they ran a bunch of tests and found that the card is perfectly fine, no problems whatsoever.
I told them that they're wrong, because I experience all these problems, so they told me that there's maybe another problem with my computer.

I plugged the card back to my computer, and no surprise - I got the dots back.

Click on a thumbnail to zoom
http://i.imgur.com/jZE5dNRs.jpg http://i.imgur.com/AXQ25b3s.jpg http://i.imgur.com/DL5r8jxs.jpg

What do you think I should do?
Take the card back to the store for more test?
or maybe there's another problem that cause the dots?

 

Try the 210 in a different PCIe slot.

 

There's only One PCI Express x16 slot on my motherboard.
Here's a photo I took of my motherboard with and without the GeForce 210.

Click on an image to zoom.
http://i.imgur.com/yFS1HqM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/G4ELAEe.jpg


My motherboard is MSI G41M-P33 Combo

http://i.imgur.com/wBYCjJ0.jpg

 

Right, I should have zoomed in on that MSI image earlier.

Do you have someone nearby, or that you work with, that you could loan/swap the card to for testing?

 

Sadly, no;
The only 2 computers near me are 2 laptops and a desktop PC that only have conventional PCI, so it doesn't match my card. :\

Just curious – if I found that there aren't any problems when connecting another graphics card to my computer,
doesn't it mean that the PCI Express slot is fine?

 

Yes it should - but whether that's enough to force a replacement or refund is another matter; without cross-checking the card in another PC and a different but same model card in this PC there's still an element of doubt.

I'm not sure that case has good enough airflow for a passively cooled GPU worked hard, I don't see a rear exhaust fan connected, for instance.

I think passive cards have a tendency to be returned more frequently than actively cooled cards as well, it may not be because they're more inclined to break down, it might just be that they're underclocked or limited in another way to reduce heat buildup and their performance doesn't meet expectations. Of course, it might be that makers choose the lesser quality cards for passive use, leaving the better ones for higher performance active cooling.

 

I don't have a rear case fan, but I keep the case open so it keeps it cool. :cool

I checked my GPU temperature and it's quite chill - 45 °C.
http://i.imgur.com/0winZcQ.png

 

I had another crash.
The dump files says it's caused by the driver csc.sys, and address 2ab8a0.

I know that csc.sys is a video hardware error but I don't know what's 2ab8a0.

http://i.imgur.com/y34JeOd.png

I really have no idea what to do anymore with this card :\

 

csc.sys should be the Client Side Caching service driver but it has been a target for malware.

Copy any dumps (path is shown in your WhoCrashed/BlueScreenView report) to the Desktop, zip them and attach the zip to a reply.

 

Attachment

 

I don't see where csc.sys comes into play there, it's a 0x117 so probably video driver, overheating or a bad card: http://www.sysnative.com/forums/bso...rmation/35-video-tdr-timeout-0x116-0x117.html

Code:

Loading User Symbols
Mini Kernel Dump does not contain unloaded driver list
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 117, {fffffa800ad224e0, fffff8800499e378, 0, 0}

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by : nvlddmkm.sys ( nvlddmkm+135378 )

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

1: kd> !analyze -v; !sysinfo cpuspeed; !sysinfo SMBIOS; lmtsmn; q
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED (117)
The display driver failed to respond in timely fashion.
(This code can never be used for real bugcheck).
Arguments:
Arg1: fffffa800ad224e0, Optional pointer to internal TDR recovery context (TDR_RECOVERY_CONTEXT).
Arg2: fffff8800499e378, The pointer into responsible device driver module (e.g owner tag).
Arg3: 0000000000000000, The secondary driver specific bucketing key.
Arg4: 0000000000000000, Optional internal context dependent data.

Debugging Details:
------------------


FAULTING_IP: 
nvlddmkm+135378
fffff880`0499e378 ??              ???

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  GRAPHICS_DRIVER_TDR_TIMEOUT

TAG_NOT_DEFINED_202b:  *** Unknown TAG in analysis list 202b


BUGCHECK_STR:  0x117

PROCESS_NAME:  System

CURRENT_IRQL:  0

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff880`02ed75f0 fffff880`03d2564b : fffffa80`0ad224e0 fffff880`03d71f88 fffffa80`0ad224e0 fffff880`03cf3843 : watchdog!WdDbgReportRecreate+0xa3
fffff880`02ed7b10 fffff880`03d26310 : fffff8a0`04ec8cf0 fffff8a0`04ec8cf0 00000000`00000080 fffffa80`0ad224e0 : dxgkrnl!TdrUpdateDbgReport+0xcb
fffff880`02ed7b60 fffff880`03cfa6b3 : 00000000`00000001 fffffa80`097c5000 00000000`00000000 fffff880`0000005e : dxgkrnl!TdrCollectDbgInfoStage2+0x220
fffff880`02ed7b90 fffff880`03d26e63 : fffffa80`09775a58 ffffffff`fffe7960 fffffa80`0ad224e0 00000000`00000000 : dxgkrnl!DXGADAPTER::Reset+0xef
fffff880`02ed7c40 fffff880`03c3803d : fffffa80`08b18d50 00000000`00000080 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`09775410 : dxgkrnl!TdrResetFromTimeout+0x23
fffff880`02ed7cc0 fffff800`0355ebae : 00000000`01738809 fffffa80`0978bb50 fffffa80`06d079e0 fffffa80`0978bb50 : dxgmms1!VidSchiWorkerThread+0x101
fffff880`02ed7d00 fffff800`032b18c6 : fffff800`0343be80 fffffa80`0978bb50 fffff800`03449cc0 00000000`00001000 : nt!PspSystemThreadStartup+0x5a
fffff880`02ed7d40 00000000`00000000 : fffff880`02ed8000 fffff880`02ed2000 fffff880`09e55d70 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiStartSystemThread+0x16


STACK_COMMAND:  .bugcheck ; kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
nvlddmkm+135378
fffff880`0499e378 ??              ???

SYMBOL_NAME:  nvlddmkm+135378

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm

IMAGE_NAME:  nvlddmkm.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  50f94c87

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0x117_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0x117_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys

Followup: MachineOwner