Lines and artifacts conundrum...

[MikeMarshall]

I have a fairly new system - P4 2.4 with 512mb running XP. I've had it for about 9 months now. Recently (in the last month) I've been experiencing an intermitent problem where random colored lines spring up on the display. Sometimes this occurs during post, sometimes right after boot up and sometimes it goes away for a few days. If I run anything requiring 3D rendering (such as a video game) I get all sorts of screen artifacts and blocks. But again this is intermitent - it can happen right away, after a couple of hours or not at all for days.

I thought this was a video card issue (I was using a Radion 9800 pro 128mb)so I swapped the card for an older Radeon card (a 7200). I still get the issue.

I swapped the monitor, and I still get the issue.

Anybody else know what this could it be?

Thanks

Mike

 

[moldboy]

There might be a radio frequency affecting the card/monitor, you could try moving just the bare system, of Tower, Monitor, Mouse, Keybord, to another room (preferably basement) or to another house.

Hope it helps.

 

[AthlonPower]

Sounds like a cooling issue. Usually the only time a video card produces those types of artifacts is when the AGP Bus speed is set too high, the card is too hot, or it's too hot inside the case. Check all those and also if you have a heat sink on the video card, make sure it's on there pretty good with thermal paste also.

 

[micker377]

When ever I find a card with those square blocks, the card is defective. Since you have already tried another card, I'd make sure the AGP slot is good. Have you tried both cards in another system? How about the power supply? The cards may be drawing more currant than the PS can handle (PS going bad).

 

[MikeMarshall]

Thanks for all the replies!

Cooling - I've got the power supply fan, another out fan, a heat sink on the graphic card with a fan on it and another fan place directly under the graphics card.

I've tried both cards in another system and didn't get the issue. The power supply is a 420 and quite new, so I think there's enough power.

As for the radio frequency - I'll try moving the machine around, but we have another machine in the same room and it doesn't behave the same way. These machines are just five feet away from each other, so I can't imagine an emission being so localised (but ya never know...).

I haven't checked the AGP slot though - that might be worth investigating. Apart from changing the motherboard is there any test I can try on the slot itself?

Thanks again,

Mike

 

[micker377]

AGP slot: spray with "tuner cleaner" and blow dry with "clean air". Notice I said TUNER cleaner, "tuner and control" cleaner leaves a residue that may affect the mobo.

 

[MikeMarshall]

Thanks Micker - I'll give that ago.

Mike