Corrupted Graphics

I'm currently having problems with my power supply. Basically, my 5v line is very low and causing instability. Details are in my thread here. http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=362312

Corresponding to my problems with the power supply are graphical corruptions with my Radeion 8500. I've never hard any sort of trouble with it until playing Half Life 2 the other day. After playing the first couple of levels, my card started showing corrupted graphics, then the system rebooted. Since then, I've had poor stability which lead me to diagnose my voltage troubles. I've also continued to have corrupted images in both 3d and 2d. As I write this, I can barely read the text.

My question is whether a bad power source can cause this. Or is my video card fried? I'll buy a new card if I have to, but it's not really a good time for me to spend money.

To test if it is your video card, I would first run a stress test on the existing card and mark the point in which everything goes to crap. Then, stick in a spare (ie old) video card and run the same stress test. If it runs 2x the length of the new card then your vid card probably is dying. I would replace the power supply myself, if you want cheap, I would find a cheapo computer case and gank the PSU from it, but that's just me.

I have never seen a videocard die from power, more heat than anything else. However if you feel your PSU is bad to begin with i would go ahead and replace it now before it really does break something important

Well, the video card goes to crap at random times. I can just be typing on the forum and have it become corrupted. There's no single point on amount of time that makes it happen. That said, this is all moot. I woke up this morning and ordered a new Fortron 530wt and XFX 6600GT. Thanks for the responses though. I wanted to make a decision in time for things to be shipped today but I decided to eliminate all doubt. Besides, it was time to upgrade that 8500 anyway.