Graphic Card Issue

The Problem

The problem is hard to describe so I'll link you to a video hosted on my webspace. (Video is 615k)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/lewis.wakefield/Glitches.wmv

The problem was first noticed a year ago when playing FFXI, I've had to endure it for a while (;^.^)a

Yesterday I was playing Neverwinter Nights, graphics were fine, untill about 2 hours of play when the glitches spread across the screen.

I rebooted my PC and to my complete surpise I began getting these glitches on the windows desktop At first I thought..."If I reboot they'll go away" tried rebooting and got the polygons, tried again and got them in the same position this leads me to think it's more of a memory issue on the graphic card...

So I tried my good old pal Ati Tool, Turned down the core frequency, had no effect of the glitches at all. Turned down the memory frequency and hell let loose...

I looked on the net for people with the same problem and came across this site. http://forum.majorgeeks.com/archive/index.php/t-35388.html I tried all the troubleshooting methods used in there with no avail... (Made a new thread to clear things up a bit)

My current Set-up

235w PSU (Checked the wires for scorching and found nothing)
ATi Radeon 9600XT 256mb (With latest drivers)
Currently using dual monitor setup but get the problem even if I disable and unplug one.

Attempts to solve it

I origonally thought this was a power issue (I have a 235w PSU) so I ulplugged my 2nd monitor from the PSU output and plugged it directly into the mains (Monitor takes at least 100w and PC burns about 150w). But this didn't work.

I then tried using ATi Tool to underclock my gfx card slightly. Didn't help, only messed up my desktop further bringing me to reboot again. I left the PC overnight, turned on the PC the next morning...still having the issue I then removed all of the unnessesary components, such as cd-rom drives, USB, sound card etc etc....and guess what...still getting the glitches.

I'm going to *borrow* my sister's PSU and see if using that fixes the issue. I will get back to you asap if it does.

 

Ok, tried her PSU (400w) still have the problem.

Tried her graphic card (ATi Radeon 7000, I think) and no problems.

Please help, I don't want to have to replace my little buddy, I've shared so many good memories with it.

 

Ok, had another few thoughts about it,

I remembered I have some spare CPU fans + heatsinks lying around in the loft. Went up and came down with 3 CPU fans.

I carefully removed the old GPU (crowbar ftw) and put in it's place the better CPU fan of the 3. I placed the other 2 fans on top of the gfx card memory in the hopes that it may affect the card (in a good way, ie, not make it explode).

The result:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/lewis.wakefield/1337 Gfx Card.JPG

I have noticed the new fans are making the graphic card far more stable. The glitches from the windows desktop has ceased. I'm just tweaking a few more settings until I attempt to play a game again.

 

IMO that thing is dead, artifacting and other oddities like that are signs that the GPU or RAM has burned itself out. Usually this is caused by heat or overclocking.

You could try omega drivers and disable some effects. As it might only have problems executing certain instructions.

 

I'll try that now, thanks

I'll tell you if it works.

 

Derolak
I need your help!
I bought your wow account from someone else,but I am now in trouble with that account,I asked Blizzard's Password Retrieval System sending a new password to my email,but damn that I can not receive that email,the account&billing department ask me to phone them,but, I am not in europe.........so I need your help,
Please email me:justinwilliams1982@yahoo.com

 

Derolak
If your charactor of wow is a blood elf paladin,once you were in a guild named:narcanti?
the server is deathwing?