Weird graphics error

war_is_murder · 06-23-2008, 01:10 AM

Hello, I'm having a little trouble figuring out what's going on with my display. When I open Media Center the program runs fine but the display is, well, I don't even know how to explain it. I took a picture of it with my roomates camera because taking a screenshot resulted in a black screen. The same problem arises in some games such as Tiger Woods 2008 as well as some others. The problem first arose about a month ago with Media Center (I believe it was after a microsoft patch but I cannot be sure.) and it did NOT occur 100% of the time.

This is an actual picture of Media Center :

It might be noted that it plays movies and video with out this problem, only the actual components of the program (ie, the toolbar for fast forward, play, rewind, etc...).

This is an actual picture of Tiger Woods 08 :

This is a SCREENSHOT of Tiger Woods 08 taken within seconds of the previous picture :

I Promise I have updated my videocard and monitor drivers.

My rig:
Monitor - Samsung SyncMaster 226bw
Video Card - Nvidia Geforce 7950 GT
MotherBoard - Asus M2N SLi DLX
Processor - AMD 64x2 4600+

Lastly, I have 2 monitors hooked up and if I have the other monitor as the main display, both programs run fine.

Help would be MUCH appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

dai · 06-23-2008, 02:11 AM

it may be bad ram on the card
heat or power or a combination of both
can you try the card on another computer to see if the same problem shows up
what
video card
cpu
m/board
ram
power supply
brand
wattage
are you running
check your tempretures and voltages in the bios and post them

war_is_murder · 06-23-2008, 12:32 PM

it may be bad ram on the card
heat or power or a combination of both
can you try the card on another computer to see if the same problem shows up
what
video card - Nvidia Geforce 7950 GT
cpu - AMD 64x2 4600+
m/board - ASUS M2N SLi DLX
ram - G-Skill 2x1gb ddr
power supply - SilverStone Zeus 750w Continuous
brand -
wattage -
are you running
check your tempretures and voltages in the bios and post them

I couldn't find my way through the bios to find the voltages and stuff (semi-noobish) but I started Nvidias "NVMonitor" and it shows my temp for my gpu1 at 55c and 176c (which i thought was high) for nForc.

If you could tell me which tab I can find the info under it'd be great. ( I found a bunch of voltage stuff in the bios, but the headings they were under were cryptic, so I didn't know which to copy down.)

dai · 06-23-2008, 04:41 PM

on the advanced tab/hardware monitor
cpu=
12v=
see what this gives you for the video card
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1077/mirrors.php
as a 176 would fry the card

war_is_murder · 06-23-2008, 06:07 PM

cpu = 42c
mb = 45c
12v = 12.30v
5v = 5.18v
3.3v = 3.43v
vcore = 1.31v

with that program, under the Sensors tab :
GPU Temp = 55.0c
core clock = 600MHz
Mem CLock = 725MHz

dai · 06-23-2008, 06:16 PM

they all look normal
can you try the card on another computer to check the card itself

war_is_murder · 06-23-2008, 09:10 PM

I actually don't have another pc i can plug into, My friend suggested that I delete the driver for the monitor and just use the Generic pnp monitor. I did that, restarted checked the device settings to ensure my monitor is using the generic driver, and all seems to be well. Maybe a vista patch tweaked something unexpected. I really don't know. But as of now, it works. If the problem arises in the future I'll be back!

Thanks for your help, and the quick response.

I am definitely glad I found this forum. Good stuff

dai · 06-23-2008, 09:33 PM

these days there is no need to load a monitor driver windows usually has them covered
glad you have it sorted

war_is_murder · 06-24-2008, 01:37 PM

I was glad, but now today, I'm getting the same problem. Do you have any other ideas or suggestions I can work w/o moving my vid card? Apparently all my friends are still in the AGP stone ages. :(

dai · 06-24-2008, 06:04 PM

can you ask your local store to check it
are you up to date with ms updates

war_is_murder · 06-30-2008, 08:29 AM

I'm up to date with all patches/updates for all my devices and vista.

I took it to Best Buy and the lovely Geek Squad said they had no way to test my video card. I laughed, and left.

I took it to a local computer store and they ran some stress-tests and stuff and gave me my card back and told me that my card is fine. They suggested that maybe it could me my physical ram?

**vladimirb** · 06-30-2008, 08:38 AM

Hi mate,
clean PCI-E port from dust with brush...
Also, clean entire case from the dust with with compressed air...
Clean connectors on your graphic card with rubber...
make sure you put graphic card correctly and make to stand still...
Hope this will help you mate...

war_is_murder · 07-08-2008, 03:25 PM

I took the card out, and the ram out dusted the slots and the card with compressed air. I ran Memtest x86 v2.01 and the ram test came back fine. (a friend had told me it may be the ram). I'm still getting this error and I don't know what to do. Any other ideas, suggestions, comments? Please help!

dai · 07-08-2008, 11:44 PM

the card has it's own ram we are refering to that not the system ram
reinstall your drivers

06-23-2008, 01:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Weird graphics error Hello, I'm having a little trouble figuring out what's going on with my display. When I open Media Center the program runs fine but the display is, well, I don't even know how to explain it. I took a picture of it with my roomates camera because taking a screenshot resulted in a black screen. The same problem arises in some games such as Tiger Woods 2008 as well as some others. The problem first arose about a month ago with Media Center (I believe it was after a microsoft patch but I cannot be sure.) and it did NOT occur 100% of the time. This is an actual picture of Media Center : It might be noted that it plays movies and video with out this problem, only the actual components of the program (ie, the toolbar for fast forward, play, rewind, etc...). This is an actual picture of Tiger Woods 08 : This is a SCREENSHOT of Tiger Woods 08 taken within seconds of the previous picture : I Promise I have updated my videocard and monitor drivers. My rig: Monitor - Samsung SyncMaster 226bw Video Card - Nvidia Geforce 7950 GT MotherBoard - Asus M2N SLi DLX Processor - AMD 64x2 4600+ Lastly, I have 2 monitors hooked up and if I have the other monitor as the main display, both programs run fine. Help would be MUCH appreciated! Thanks in advance. Last edited by war_is_murder; 06-23-2008 at 01:20 AM. Reason: Workin with pics

06-23-2008, 02:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Weird graphics error it may be bad ram on the card heat or power or a combination of both can you try the card on another computer to see if the same problem shows up what video card cpu m/board ram power supply brand wattage are you running check your tempretures and voltages in the bios and post them __________________

06-23-2008, 12:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Re: Weird graphics error it may be bad ram on the card heat or power or a combination of both can you try the card on another computer to see if the same problem shows up what video card - Nvidia Geforce 7950 GT cpu - AMD 64x2 4600+ m/board - ASUS M2N SLi DLX ram - G-Skill 2x1gb ddr power supply - SilverStone Zeus 750w Continuous brand - wattage - are you running check your tempretures and voltages in the bios and post them I couldn't find my way through the bios to find the voltages and stuff (semi-noobish) but I started Nvidias "NVMonitor" and it shows my temp for my gpu1 at 55c and 176c (which i thought was high) for nForc. If you could tell me which tab I can find the info under it'd be great. ( I found a bunch of voltage stuff in the bios, but the headings they were under were cryptic, so I didn't know which to copy down.)

06-23-2008, 04:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Weird graphics error on the advanced tab/hardware monitor cpu= 12v= see what this gives you for the video card http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1077/mirrors.php as a 176 would fry the card __________________

06-23-2008, 06:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Re: Weird graphics error cpu = 42c mb = 45c 12v = 12.30v 5v = 5.18v 3.3v = 3.43v vcore = 1.31v with that program, under the Sensors tab : GPU Temp = 55.0c core clock = 600MHz Mem CLock = 725MHz

06-23-2008, 06:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Weird graphics error they all look normal can you try the card on another computer to check the card itself __________________

06-23-2008, 09:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Re: Weird graphics error I actually don't have another pc i can plug into, My friend suggested that I delete the driver for the monitor and just use the Generic pnp monitor. I did that, restarted checked the device settings to ensure my monitor is using the generic driver, and all seems to be well. Maybe a vista patch tweaked something unexpected. I really don't know. But as of now, it works. If the problem arises in the future I'll be back! Thanks for your help, and the quick response. I am definitely glad I found this forum. Good stuff

06-23-2008, 09:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Weird graphics error these days there is no need to load a monitor driver windows usually has them covered glad you have it sorted __________________

06-24-2008, 01:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Re: [SOLVED] Weird graphics error I was glad, but now today, I'm getting the same problem. Do you have any other ideas or suggestions I can work w/o moving my vid card? Apparently all my friends are still in the AGP stone ages. :(

06-24-2008, 06:04 PM	#10 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: [SOLVED] Weird graphics error can you ask your local store to check it are you up to date with ms updates __________________ Last edited by dai; 06-24-2008 at 06:05 PM.

06-30-2008, 08:29 AM	#11 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Re: Weird graphics error I'm up to date with all patches/updates for all my devices and vista. I took it to Best Buy and the lovely Geek Squad said they had no way to test my video card. I laughed, and left. I took it to a local computer store and they ran some stress-tests and stuff and gave me my card back and told me that my card is fine. They suggested that maybe it could me my physical ram?

06-30-2008, 08:38 AM	#12 (permalink)
vladimirb Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Banja Luka, Serb Republic Posts: 3,714 OS: xp pro sp3, Server 2003, Windows 7 Professional x64bit My System	Re: Weird graphics error Hi mate, clean PCI-E port from dust with brush... Also, clean entire case from the dust with with compressed air... Clean connectors on your graphic card with rubber... make sure you put graphic card correctly and make to stand still... Hope this will help you mate... __________________ MCP - MCSA Cisco SMB Account Manager Last edited by dai; 06-30-2008 at 09:40 AM.

07-08-2008, 03:25 PM	#13 (permalink)
war_is_murder Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista x64	Re: Weird graphics error I took the card out, and the ram out dusted the slots and the card with compressed air. I ran Memtest x86 v2.01 and the ram test came back fine. (a friend had told me it may be the ram). I'm still getting this error and I don't know what to do. Any other ideas, suggestions, comments? Please help!

07-08-2008, 11:44 PM	#14 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Weird graphics error the card has it's own ram we are refering to that not the system ram reinstall your drivers __________________ Last edited by dai; 07-08-2008 at 11:46 PM.