Graphics problem

[RS|Phil]

Lo.

This has only started happening over the last couple of weeks and its mostly the BG/Frontier.

As you can see from the SS it's a bit hard to play properly lol.

I've reinstalled, updated video drivers, used older drivers, tried reinstalling dx.... Nothing seems to help. Just wondering if anyone knows a cure for this kind of stuff.

System is :

AMD Athlon 2600 XP
Radeon 9600
1024mb 400mhz RAM
DX 9.0b
Cat Drivers File : wxp-w2k-catalyst-8-00-040322a-014266c.exe

 

[Moriath]

ah brings back memories .. used to get that all the time back just after release .. was a problem with the gfx engine then and a memory leak or something...

tried /vidreset or whatever the command is ... how about heat issues on your gpu .. is the fan working on the gfx card ... does it happen all the time .. or just randomly ... if it only just started happening a couple weeks ago .. have you changed anything .. but check the gpu fan thing first i think .. could be thats getting over hot.

Thatas apart from the 9.0b and latest drivers etc that u said u already tried.

 

[CjkaceBM]

Does it also happen in ToA?

A few things to try.

1 - Drop the speed of your memory to 333 (166 x 2) if it's not already running that speed.

2 - Turn off water effects etc for DAoC

3 - UNDERCLOCK your radeon 9600, it could possibly be about ready to drop dead (use RivaTuner http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=163) make sure that you know which Radeon 9600 you have (9600SE, 9600, 9600Pro or 9600XT)

4 - Drop down from 8 X AGP to 4 X

5 - disable fast writes in the SMARTGART tab of the Catalyst drivers

 

[CjkaceBM]

And make sure you have a Popup Blocker running as it has a ringtone popup that keeps asking if you want to install some piece of shite spyware crap. (for Rivatuner that is)

 

[Glema]

The last time I had that problem consistently it was a faulty graphics card .

Does it happen in any other games?

It was only a problem for me in freespace and daoc :-/, but fortunately the shop acknowledged it was faulty and i got a refund

 

[RS|Phil]

It's a 9600 Pro.

It happens in both clients but only near keeps and all over Bg. I can play anywhere else fine.

The temp on the gpu is fine. In fact every other game I play is fine :-/

I did reinstall the drives a few weeks back but I didnt immediately notice this glitch but that's not to say that isn't the cause.

As I said, I can play anywhere cept for the BG and be fine. /vidreset does nothing for me.
The weird thing is I can relog and just sit there watching a new bug pop one after the other..... I don't even have to move.

Just tried disabling fastwrite in the settings and also in bios but its the same. Lowering it to 4x is the same.

Hmm.

 

[Influenza]

Hmm weird , but i get exactly the same errors in exactly the same places.
/vidreset and a reboot fixes it though and it will only happen now and then.
Maybe once every 2 days or so.

I do get it in other parts of alb aswell , lyonesse being the main one.

XP 2400+
Asus A7V8X
1 GB DDR (266)
Radeon 9600 XT

Using the cat 3.9s and it only started doing this a week or so ago.
Cant post screenies cos i got no webspace.

 

[RS|Phil]

It's stopped now. I changed nothing at all.

 

[Imgormiel]

with the recent patch just a day old i've had similar problems to an extent, new drivers, direct x downloaded a million times

Radeon 9000, same catalyst as you phil, xp 2800 1gb ram

yet since the patch and after all of the alterations, i still only get to see toa and not use it due to some reason that the game will not let me access the options to change keys and resolution. heh

Any one have any ideas?

 

[Sanguinary]

Concerning the original posters problem, those screenshots are 100% the same graphical glitches I get and I used to get them frequently. After i've blowdried (not kidding, it works great for dusty fans) the internals of my computer and reinserted my graphics card it happens a lot less frequently, not a fix but it might help.

 

[RS|Phil]

Dunno about not being able to access the options. Suppose you could try a full reinstallation.

The problem is back again now but less often. Seems to be occasional bit of Sva Faste but mostly BGs.

As for blow drying :O :O A major static build up device inside you chip farm! Bad

Might be careful and give it a go though.

 

[Honza]

This error is so called "blind polygon" (at least this is how my 3D graphics professor calls it). It is caused when graphic drivers are trying to optimize performance of graphic card by deleting invisible triangles. Unfortunately, ATI can't make drivers well obviously and with 9600 serie card sometimes reports one point of triangle as invisible and it ends in +infinite (65535). I am afraid that unless ATI makes real drivers, you will encounter this bug time from time.

 

[iceknight]

Currently having the same problem with GPU

Even though I offer no help my case may interest you guys.

Get this:

I checked my computer(which is in an aluminum case) in the original box with 2 pieces of styrofoam holding it in place as to not damage it during flight.

My specs for reference:
GeforceFX 5900 Ultra
2.8ghz P4
1gig ram
P4P800 MB


Ok, so I turn my comp on yesterday and I notice bright pixels, lines and other graphics where they shouldn't be on the startup screens. The games are hit the worst and there are variations of graphical glitches in every single game that are random and different every time, some of which look exactely like the glitch in the picture you posted.

Now i've tried everything from switching monitors, resetting BIOS to default, taking the card out and blowing on it and putting it back in and nothing works. I took a spare card I had lying around and installed it in my computer and sure enough the graphics ran perfectly which makes it a sure bet that it's a problem with the card and nothing else.

Anyways i'm pretty distraught over this because it's a new comp that I built and it's ran like a charm for over 3 months and now i'm running into a proble just because I travelled on an airplane with my comp for a little over an hour. I am bewildered as to what would cause something like this to happen.

Lemme tell you another thing that happened as well...when I first booted up my comp it said "cannot overclock" or something to that extent and I was getting "insufficient power" errors when I booted up windows. Why in the hell would my computer (either the GPU or CPU, not sure which) try and overclock itself like that? Would underclocking fix it? Can anyone recommend some help or a GPU program that underclocks and stuff? Thanks in advance for any help, i'm pretty upset about this fiasco.

 

[Honza]

Hmm, I have bad news for you mate... Those pixels and lines are significant mark of your graphic card memory failure. It is possible that cooler body of your card unsticked during airport personel was throwing your computer (ye, they really throw with luggage). I suggest you to open your computer, remove your GFX, remove prolly aluminium cooler body, use carbon heat-conducting paste on memories and GPU (both need to be clear of dust and don't put more that thin layer) and put cooler body back. Before you fix cooler body, move it a little to spread carbon paste equaly. If it does not help, I am afraid your GFX in one leg in grave :/

 

[Honza]

Considering the rest... Hmm, did your airplane have warmed up luggage part of plane? I remember I packed up backup insuline cartridges in my luggage and when opened bag after we landed I found them frost and all broken thanks to it. And believe me, electronics doesn't like cold as much as we do.
But OTOH if it went frost, battery on your motherboard would be damaged/destroyed for sure too.

BTW last thing... those bright pixels were yellow/light green/pink?

 

[iceknight]

ya colors like that.

Any color, pink, light green, blue etc. Icons are randomely missing and stuff. Was booting up yesterday but doesn't boot up anymore. I noticed that a piece of white stuff from between the heatsink is sticking out

 

[Honza]

white stuff??? eh??? could be older type of thermal conducting paste, but that would mean card was already mended by someone.

 

[iceknight]

...

Looks like styrofoam sticking out of some portions but I doubt it's styrofoam. I'm a little hesitant in getting in there and taking apart the heatsink as it may void warranty. My best bet would be to get a replacement. I don't think heat is a problem though, I checked the temps yesterday and they were normal.

 

[Honza]

Ah, you still have it in warranty? Then don't wait and go slam your vendor with the card ;-) And... if he refuses to give you new one and returns you this one with words "this card is ok", put it in microwave oven for a few (really few, not more than 3, depends on power of oven) secs and return to him with words "after you gave me my card back, it did not start up at all"...

Since card is useless, you have nothing to lose and small dose of microwaves does it's work well and without any traces.

 

[Honza]

BTW could you post a photo of that white thing together with the card?

 

[RS|Phil]

I wonder if this problem will ever get fixed?