Video corruption problem...HELP!i,

[Goi]

Hi,

So it's the holiday season, and I bring my one of my HDDs(IBM 180GXP 80GB) and video card(6800GT) from my campus computer to my home computer to use it for the holidays(my home PC has no HDD or video card).

My HDD has a clean installation of WinXP SP2 with nothing else on it(not even drivers, everything was on the default Windows drivers) I plugged it in, and let Windows detect everything(P4 2.8GHz on Abit IS7-E, 1GB PC3200) and then installed all the drivers.

All was well for a while, then I started getting video corruption in Windows and even during startup. In Windows it would appear as blocky/pixelized distortion and just looks corrupted. I thought it might be a problem with installing an existing WinXP installed HDD on another system, but I don't think that is the case since even during system startup I see the video corruption.

Also, during windows, the system would freeze every few seconds, and is generally very unstable, locking up randomly, and video updates(screen updates on various windows and other screen elements) are very finicky and inconsistent.

Does anyone know what's going on? Did my 6800GT get bumped up during the flight home? I had it in my hand carry laptop backpack in a cushioned box in the original plastic cutout box that the 6800GT came in, together with my HDD, so it was cushioned pretty well with no hard knocks/bumps. I don't think the customs x-ray could've done anything to it either. People put laptops in it and they come out fine.

Help please!

Thanks!

 

[AristoV300]

I would say to reinstall Wiindows with your new current setup. Windows freezing wouldn't be due to video card problems.

 

[Goi]

Here's what it looks like - Text. I did a screencap, so apparently the corruption happens in the framebuffer rather than the output.

Also, task manager indicates that the freezing up every few seconds is explorer.exe taking up 50% CPU usage every so often. That's a weird number, could it be due to HT?

 

[Goi]

Originally posted by: AristoV300
I would say to reinstall Wiindows with your new current setup. Windows freezing wouldn't be due to video card problems.

That was my first suspicion too, until I got video corruption in non-Windows environments, such as during startup. A faulty Windows installation wouldn't cause that would it?

While there may be multiple problems here(the video problem might be totally separate from the freeze/lockup problem), IMHO I don't think a faulty Windows installation is the cause of my video problem, but thanks.

 

[Goi]

OK here's something really weird. I put my dad's GF4MX440 in my system, and it works. I put my 6800GT in his system, and it works. I put my 6800GT in my system, and I get video corruption.

Power can't be a problem since he's using a cheaper Toppower 320W PSU.

Windows can't be a problem since his card works in my system

The AGP slot can't be a problem for the same reason

Is there some kinda incompatibility between the 6800GT and the Abit IS7-E(i865 chipset)?

This is really weird

 

[Fenuxx]

Are you using the 66.93 drivers on the computer that doesn't work? If so, try the 67.03 drivers, which reportedly fix problems with 6600GT GPU's, but the problems said to be fixed are the same as what we are both experiencing. BTW, the screenshot you posted is the EXACT SAME THING, COLORS, TYPE, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS as what I'm experiencing! As I said, try the 67.03 drivers and tell me if that fixes anything, just a thought. I would, but my card is being mailed off to XFX for another RMA

 

[Goi]

I'm using 66.93 drivers on both systems. Those are the latest official nvidia drivers on their website, and those are what I used on both systems. Works on one, doesn't on the other.

In any case, windows drivers do not cause video corruption in non-windows environments, so no, that isn't the problem. Does your video card also crap out at startup/BIOS/DOS? Have you tried the 67.03 drivers?

 

[Fenuxx]

Originally posted by: Goi
Does your video card also crap out at startup/BIOS/DOS?

Yep, the card works fine innitially in DOS\BIOS\Startup as well as with the Windows default driver. However, as soon as I install the NVIDIA "ForceWare" video drivers, the problems start, and I get the problems shown in your screen cap, and when the machine reboots, the problem continues within BIOS and startup as well.

Originally posted by: Goi
Have you tried the 67.03 drivers?

No, I just sent in the card today for *ANOTHER* RMA attempt. I should recieve a new card, as that's what the person on the other end told me, but I don't know. If the new card I get from them doesn't work, I'll try the 67.03 drivers. Although I STRONGLY suggest you try the 67.03's and post your results up here.

On another note, do you have AGP Fastwrites disabled, as I've read that this causes some of the problems we are experiencing, but it didn't work for me. However, if you haven't tried this, I say give it a shot, as it can't hurt

 

[Goi]

I tried the 67.03 and it didn't solve the problem either, and I can't find the BIOS option to disable AGP fastwrites, so I couldn't disable them. The system would lock up before I had time to find the option within the display settings too.

 

[KoN]

Wow, another person with the same problem as me! Only mine is much worse. Sometimes I can't see anything. My FX5900 works perfectly in my computer, but my 6800 Ultra, same slot and everything, is useable. Lines, pixils, you can't even see Windows. It also restarts on its own, and the drivers won't install because according to windows "the card won't turn on" and is stuck in a constant loop or something. The 6800 worked perfectly for three days, then slowly started to deteriorate. Now I can't even see the bios settings because the screen is so jumbled. I'm just running my FX5900 for now, till I can call tech support. I think I'm going to have to send it back.


Here is a pic of what I'm getting. This is supposed to be Windows startup screen I think.

http://www.planetcnc.com/staff/kon_v2/6800problem.jpg