Video pixel problem (Not monitor though)

sampharo · 04-13-2008, 04:34 PM

Hi there,

I seem to be having a problem that appeared about a month ago, my computer is 1 year old. The problem is mainly strange colored pixels all over the first few black screens of startup (as early as RAM check and BIOS). Letters in the startup DOS screen are colored, but when XP start the problem almost disappears. You can still see really small colored dots (much smaller than the clear fat pixels in the beginning) in certain places and only sometimes if you look closely. However it kicks back when games or video playing start.

Monitor is clean, tested it on another computer and it was absolutely fine.

Also, I think this might be connected with another issue which is that the computer has problems now with many games I bring and graphic programs (won't run quicktime at all and may even crash, can't run Halo or Rome: Total Rome for more than a minute) Which is strange considering that it's a very well setup system:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
Gigabyte GA-K8N Pro-SLI Nvidia Chipset
Video Nvidia Leadtek Winfast 7900 GT PCI-Express x16, 256MB VRAM (SLI but only one)
Kingston 2048 MB DDR 200 MHz (Two chips 1 gigabyte each)
Sound Realtek AC 97 (built-in)
Monitor Viewsonic VX924
Power Supply AOpen DC output 400 Watts (+3.3V= 30 AMP, +5V= 28 AMP, +12V1=14 AMP, +12V2=15 AMP, +5Vsb=2 AMP, -12V=0.5)

Windows XP Service Pack 2

System is not overclocked.

Please help.

Sam

Crackerdan · 04-13-2008, 06:27 PM

I always start with making sure all cables are connected securely.

sampharo · 04-14-2008, 03:30 AM

Nope, not it. Checked them all.

Crackerdan · 04-14-2008, 07:33 AM

I am having an issue also. I have dual 1900 ati cards and when I launch COD4 or BF2 I get white lines all over the screen. Half Life 2 seems to work fine. I have checked cables reinstalled the latest drivers. I am lost also. I almost think it is time for me to wipe the system and start over. It has been about a year.

Underclocker · 04-15-2008, 03:27 AM

That PSU looks very unhealthy for your system. You should at least have 500W to keep everything stable, and the 7900GT requires at least 20A on a single +12V rail which should be more stable than two +12V rails.

**koala** · 04-15-2008, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sampharo

The problem is mainly strange colored pixels all over the first few black screens of startup (as early as RAM check and BIOS)

The video RAM on your graphics card is damaged, possibly caused by overheating, a weak PSU or a combination of both.

sampharo · 04-17-2008, 02:22 PM

Quote:

That PSU looks very unhealthy for your system. You should at least have 500W to keep everything stable, and the 7900GT requires at least 20A on a single +12V rail which should be more stable than two +12V rails.

The video RAM on your graphics card is damaged, possibly caused by overheating, a weak PSU or a combination of both.

Are you sure? wow the techy who put this together when I bought the system was saying the two +12V is useful if I SLI the system with an extra 7900GT and said that 400 watts should be fine, imagine had I done that.

Burnt ram on the video didn't come from nowhere, so it must be it, but after I fix the psu with a stronger one, would the video card work better or do I have to change the card? Is there a way to fix the video ram or is this card busted?

Thanks,

Sam

**koala** · 04-17-2008, 02:33 PM

Get the tech who built it to test the card in another computer with a strong enough PSU to see if it's faulty. If it is, you'll need to replace the card and get a more suitable PSU. PCIE graphics cards need a minimum of 26 amps on the +12V rail, more if you plan on adding another for SLI.

brazis · 07-19-2008, 12:52 PM

hi,
i have the same problem like sampharo has.
my videocard is ASUS 7900 GT TOP with 520/1440 MHz core/vram.
after about 1 year of use i'd starting to receive ghost pixels, on startup screen and on win desktop. also i can't, no longer, play my favorite games because the sistem freeze or hang-up in bsod (nv4_disp.dll error cause) in an hour or two of playing.
after reinstalling the vga drivers and, finally, in a desperate trying to solve the problem, the OS, the only thing to do was to install some testing software and search for an answer. so i get nTunes, 3D Mark 06 and FurMark. with nTunes i begin to monitor the GPU temp and with others two i start to stress the vga. with FurMark, after 10 min, the temperature of my card reached 94 C ! i haved a lot of ghost magenta and cyan dots on my desktop. also i have used the HDR benchmark in 3D Mark 06 in a loop of 6 tries and right after the third test, artefacts begin to appear.
need to mention that i have ANTEC NEO 500 W and never overclocked the card.
is that a faulty videocard?

04-13-2008, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
sampharo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5 OS: xp service pack 2	Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) Hi there, I seem to be having a problem that appeared about a month ago, my computer is 1 year old. The problem is mainly strange colored pixels all over the first few black screens of startup (as early as RAM check and BIOS). Letters in the startup DOS screen are colored, but when XP start the problem almost disappears. You can still see really small colored dots (much smaller than the clear fat pixels in the beginning) in certain places and only sometimes if you look closely. However it kicks back when games or video playing start. Monitor is clean, tested it on another computer and it was absolutely fine. Also, I think this might be connected with another issue which is that the computer has problems now with many games I bring and graphic programs (won't run quicktime at all and may even crash, can't run Halo or Rome: Total Rome for more than a minute) Which is strange considering that it's a very well setup system: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+ Gigabyte GA-K8N Pro-SLI Nvidia Chipset Video Nvidia Leadtek Winfast 7900 GT PCI-Express x16, 256MB VRAM (SLI but only one) Kingston 2048 MB DDR 200 MHz (Two chips 1 gigabyte each) Sound Realtek AC 97 (built-in) Monitor Viewsonic VX924 Power Supply AOpen DC output 400 Watts (+3.3V= 30 AMP, +5V= 28 AMP, +12V1=14 AMP, +12V2=15 AMP, +5Vsb=2 AMP, -12V=0.5) Windows XP Service Pack 2 System is not overclocked. Please help. Sam

04-13-2008, 06:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
Crackerdan Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Aurora, CO Posts: 2 OS: XP Pro SP2	Re: Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) I always start with making sure all cables are connected securely.

04-14-2008, 03:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
sampharo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5 OS: xp service pack 2	Re: Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) Nope, not it. Checked them all.

04-14-2008, 07:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
Crackerdan Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Aurora, CO Posts: 2 OS: XP Pro SP2	Re: Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) I am having an issue also. I have dual 1900 ati cards and when I launch COD4 or BF2 I get white lines all over the screen. Half Life 2 seems to work fine. I have checked cables reinstalled the latest drivers. I am lost also. I almost think it is time for me to wipe the system and start over. It has been about a year.

04-15-2008, 03:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
Underclocker Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: A land girt by sea. Posts: 722 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3 My System	Re: Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) That PSU looks very unhealthy for your system. You should at least have 500W to keep everything stable, and the 7900GT requires at least 20A on a single +12V rail which should be more stable than two +12V rails.

04-17-2008, 02:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 9,172 OS: XP/UBUNTU My System	Re: Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) Get the tech who built it to test the card in another computer with a strong enough PSU to see if it's faulty. If it is, you'll need to replace the card and get a more suitable PSU. PCIE graphics cards need a minimum of 26 amps on the +12V rail, more if you plan on adding another for SLI. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

07-19-2008, 12:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
brazis Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1 OS: win xp x64	Re: Video pixel problem (Not monitor though) hi, i have the same problem like sampharo has. my videocard is ASUS 7900 GT TOP with 520/1440 MHz core/vram. after about 1 year of use i'd starting to receive ghost pixels, on startup screen and on win desktop. also i can't, no longer, play my favorite games because the sistem freeze or hang-up in bsod (nv4_disp.dll error cause) in an hour or two of playing. after reinstalling the vga drivers and, finally, in a desperate trying to solve the problem, the OS, the only thing to do was to install some testing software and search for an answer. so i get nTunes, 3D Mark 06 and FurMark. with nTunes i begin to monitor the GPU temp and with others two i start to stress the vga. with FurMark, after 10 min, the temperature of my card reached 94 C ! i haved a lot of ghost magenta and cyan dots on my desktop. also i have used the HDR benchmark in 3D Mark 06 in a loop of 6 tries and right after the third test, artefacts begin to appear. need to mention that i have ANTEC NEO 500 W and never overclocked the card. is that a faulty videocard?