Weird gfx problem. Any clues? (from general hardware)

I previously posted this in the general hardware section but I'm moving it here now that I have ruled out CPU and memory.

The setup is the following:

NF7-S
Barton 2500+ with Arctic Cooler Copper Silent TC
Radeon 9500np with Zalman heatpipe cooler
2x256MB PC3200 TwinMOS/Winbond

I had the CPU at 200x10@1,65V and the temp was perhaps a bit high, around 50C. I have been folding for several days in a row and the temp stays at a solid 50C or so.

When I was playing BF42 I suddenly got weird purple squares on the textures. The gfx cooler was no hotter than usual and the problems didn't go away after cooling down.

When I shut down BF42, I saw that I got som artifacts in ICQ, pink stripes on some of the buttons.

I've tried reinstalling everything, including Windows (XP pro) but as soon as I install the ATI drivers, the problems come back. I've tried the original drivers, the latest from ATI and hacked drivers (9500np -> 9500pro). No difference.

I've tried running the CPU at various speeds, including stock speed, I've tried using just one stick of RAM and I've tried another CPU. I've rtied upping AGP voltage and/or chipset voltage. Exactly the same behaviour.

Below are two pictures of the gfx-artifacts:

Any tips are appreciated.

/Ola

My GF3 would start showing texture discoloration and pink pixels when the memory speeds were too high. I know you said you haven't changed anything, but you might try underclocking your ram by two notches and seeing if it clears up.

Granted, my 9500np doesn't exhibit this behavior when it's memory is too far overclocked, but that's the ONLY thing I can think of that would cause that discoloration.

Do you mean underclocking computer RAM or GFX RAM? I presume the later.

Latter indeed, I don't think these corruptions have anything to do with the rest of your system. I'm pretty certain it's something with your video card, and my gut would suggest that your video memory is either overheating for some dumb reason (voltmodded?) or is somehow deciding it's too far overclocked.

Like I said, I know you didn't change anything, so I have no clue why it might be doing that. Did you check for abnormal dust buildup on the card? Maybe there's some oddball piece of iron dust or something that's shorting out a pin -- who knows?

I've tried all available memory settings on the video card but to no avail. Next step is to remove the Zalman cooler and see if something looks fishy.

Thanks for you advice so far.

/O

It might just be dying, seriously. Couldn't tell you why it would do that, but honestly if you've changed nothing and the computer hasn't been subjected to any hard bumps/knocks or electrical sags/surges then I really can think of no other reason.

Maybe your look at the GPU cooler may give you some insight; you have a fan on that Zalman?

I've done nothing strange to the computer as far as I know. I'm about to declare this card officially toasted but a look under the Zalman cooler may turn up something unexpected ("oh, so that's where that missing washer went...).

There's no fan directly on the Zalman but a 120mm case fan has "direct access" to it. There is no difference in behaviour if the computer is hot or cold. As soon as I install the ATI drivers, hell breaks loose in the case

Maybe it was a goner from the start but as I installed the Zalman, I can't RMA it. Maybe I screwed something up when installing the Zalman. Maybe I have a poltergeist... Well, poop happens. First the mobo (defective from the beginning, RMA:ed it and got a new one) and now this.

It just sucks to have a couple of weeks old computer with all this trouble. Especially as the broken mobo may have damaged the gfx card (got weird gfx problems due do overheating SB) and now I cannot RMA the gfx card. Tonight, I'll proceed to kick myself for installing the Zalman and then have a new go at troubleshooting tomorrow.

Thanks

/O

I finally found the problem - it's a poltergeist...

This morning, the computer wouldn't even load Windows. Just kept reeboting when the Windows logo appeared

I couldn't even get a repair console running. Got a BSOD instead and a complaint on the ntfs.sys. I can't even reinstall Windows

I'm this (holding thumb and index finger *really* close together) close to getting a Dell with three year on-site service and letting this POS computer sleep with the fish. I have a large pond and I'm not afraid to use it...

Just venting I suppose

/O