New system - garbage/artifacts on screen

[Kutter]

I just received my new P4 3.2 based system today. I mail ordered it and it was preassembled. They installed the OS and tested it.

I hooked my mouse and keyboard up to the computer (via USB) and hooked up my Samsung 173T monitor via DVI and booted up. The machine booted fine, but I immediately noticed that there was some garbage on the screen. Some stuff was jumbled, but there were four thicker black bars running across the screen vertically.

I opened the case and double-checked that the video card and ram was properly seated - which it seemed to be. I was able to launch IE and ran Windows update. I installed the critical updates and an updated driver for my monitor (small 14kb file). After rebooting the problem was still there. I also tried changing the screen resolution, but it didn't help.

Applications launch fine and seem to run fine - so I don't think it is a RAM problem. I suspect its either a software problem, or a problem with the video card. I've used my 173T only with the analogue VGA cable in the past, never with the DVI cord. However the monitor was always fine with the VGA cord.

Any ideas??

Here are the system specs:

Intel P4 3.2Mhz
ATI 9800 Pro AIW
36GB 10k Raptors x2 RAID 0
250GB WD SATA
1GB Kingston Hyper-X PC3500
Audigy 2 Platinum


Thanks.

 

[BG4533]

If you have an adaptor why don't you try plugging in the monitor to the new comp using VGA and see if it is still there.

Most likely the 9800 you got is bad...

Nice system by the way.

 

[Kutter]

I hooked up the DVI-VGA adaptor and at first I thought the problem was solved. When the computer booted the screen was fine. However once the desktop loaded, the lines were back...

I'm trying to get a hold of tech support from the company I ordered from, but I'm in voicemail hell right now....

 

[Kutter]

I spoke with tech support - they told me to remove the card and plug it back in. Needless to say it didn't make any difference.

The supervisor is supposed to call me back about possibly exchanging the card.

Any thing else I could do to test it?

 

[StraightPipe]

you could always load new drivers for the card... but you shouldnt need to if this was a prebuilt system.

BTW, where did you get this system from? (it was prebuilt right?)

I'm also assuming that there is no overclocking or mods.

 

[BG4533]

First, be sure the monitor is working.

Second, if you have another system to test with, put the graphics card in there to test with.

Third, if you think it is software, try booting into something other than Windows. i.e. Linux boot cd (knoppix) or something else in color that you could test.

 

[Kutter]

I tried installing the latest catalyst drivers and it actually made things worse. The computer is now crashing....

There are no mods and the system isn't overclocked.

What's weird is that a couple of times the boot screen looked fine, only to have the garbage return to the screen a little later.

I don't have a Linux CD handy to boot. Does someone have a link to an iso that I could download and burn.

I ordered from www.ncix.com (in Canada). I spoke with them several times today and I think I am going to end up sending the entire tower back to them. The want me to send it back ground, but I'm trying to convince them to pay for Air (since that's how it was shipped here). They are going to call me back later tonight.

In the meantime I will keep trying whatever I can, but it's not looking good...

 

[Kutter]

Actually it's not that the computer is crashing, rather it seems the video signal is being lost completely now. The computer is still running because if I put a disk in the drive I can hear it being mounted. Oh well... hopefully they'll agree to the overnight Air shipping, because if it goes ground I likely won't see it until sometime in January...

 

[BG4533]

Knoppix is a nice version of linux that includes most popular pieces of software and runs completely from a CD. You can get it here.

It sounds more and more like your video card. Just to check, is the fan on the card running? If it isnt, it might be overheating. That would explain why the problem gets worse after startup.

Let people know how the company handles the problem in the end.

 

[ronnn]

NCIX has good support. At least has been my experience.