Weird artifacts

[leapingfrog0]

Hi Guys,

Earlier this week I bought a new video card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130196

To replace my Radeon 9800 All-in-Wonder.

Before installation, I removed all Radeon drivers/ATI-related software via Add/Remove and DriverCleaner.

I shutdown, installed the card, then installed the eVGA drivers off the CD. After that, I immediately started to see artifacts...

Here are pictures:
http://arc.ireed.net/bah_artifacts_1.jpg
http://arc.ireed.net/bah_artifacts_2.jpg

Artifact seem to occur...
- in little banded groups
- in windows/internet/photoshop, etc... simple 2d aps
- any resolution
- at any time, after a gaming session, after a cold boot... anytime.

Artifacts Don't Occur:
-- in gaming (gaming is perfect, no problems at all)
-- videos

I have tried:
- latest motherboard bios update
- latest nvidia driver install
- unplugging various devices so my 12V is actually over 12V (was dipping below at first)
- different LCD monitors (same model)
- reseating AGP card
- resetting BIOS to defaults
- installing latest via 4-in-1 drivers

Ahh, I am at a loss.... any advice? Below is my basic setup.

Antec 380W Power Supply
AMD Athlon 64 3500+
Corsair ValueSelect 1GB (dual channel)
Asus A8V Deluxe Motherboard
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy ZS Platinum
Apple Cinema 23" Display (also tried another Apple Cinema 23" with same result)
2x hard drives (1 connected now)
2x cd-rom/dvd drives (1 connected now)

Thanks,
Andrew

UPDATE: After more testing, disconnecting all components except the necessary and my hard drive, I am still getting artifacts... I am also getting them in safe mode, so this must not be a driver issue 🙁

EDIT: Ahh, I just downloaded/installed a hardware monitor app for XP. According to it, my 12V is at 11.43. This is different than what my BIOS reported on boot. Is this going to cause problems?

 

[stevty2889]

Sounds like the card might be bad. I wouldn't trust software monitoring of your voltages. If you think your 12v rail is low, check it with a volt meter, software monitoring is not reliable.

 

[leapingfrog0]

Hmm, I really don't want to get a new power supply after spending so much for this card... heh. I've heard of quite a few people running the card fine with 350W, and that's what eVGA recommends minimum. So I dunno... and I have a quality power supply, so you'd think it'd be alright?

 

[stevty2889]

I ran my 6800GT no problem with a 350w enermax. I'm not saying I think your power supply is a problem, I am saying that I wouldn't believe the readings the software is giving you, I think you PSU is fine, I think it's the video card itself thats the problem.

 

[leapingfrog0]

I'm beginning the RMA process, bleh... I hate RMA. Various people at the EVGA forum are telling me it's a video RAM problem.