Garbeled Output from Raedon 9800

[phoenix9]

the basic problem is that on my friends Dell Dimension XPS Gen 2 all of a sudden all video output is somewhat gqarbeled after the computer has been on a few seconds

A screen is here
EDIT:
(click for full size)

I would assume it was a monitor problem except for:
a) we switched monitors to no avail and
b) as you can see, windows can print screen it

one can also pretty much elimenate driver related issues too because the garbeling starts in boot-up before it gets to the OS.

I have so far tried to no avail:
Removing the card and replacing it
Doing my best to make sure the contacts and AGP slot are free of dust
Rebooting the system many times
Removing the GPU fan and making sure there is no dust on the GPU's surface

What I havent tried yet (For various reasons):
Trying a different graphics card (no acsess to one)
Messing with BIOS settings (forgot)

Any other ideas as to the problem or solution?

As its not my system and it is too late to contact the owner I cant be sure about specs. but here are tenative specs based on an eBay listing for the same model (Dell no longer has any mention of it on there site):

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.20GHz
2.00 GB RAM
Samsung CDRW/DVD SM-352F
Windows XP Professional
128MB DDR ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 THX Certified Sound card with DVD

Thank You for your time.
~Phoenix9

 

[howard_hopkinso]

First. your link doesn`t show the picture you speak of. It says that you image is to large for the free account.

However, from what you say, it sounds as though the graphics card has gone bad. Maybe you could take your friends card and try it in your system, just to see if it is the card that`s faulty.

Regards Howard

 

[phoenix9]

thats odd the pic shows up finr for me ummm...

try this:

 

[howard_hopkinso]

That deffinitely looks like a bad videocard to me.

I still can`t use you link. It says that hotlinking is not allowed on the free account.

Regards Howard

 

[VURD]

http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nightmare5ch.jpg

thats my screen. I have the same problem as you bud. Screen is distorted from BIOS boot. MY cursor on the other hand renders well.

My laptop is a DELL and my graphics card is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000

 

[phoenix9]

out of curiousity... Why are you tryin to play WoW with such messed up graphics?

 

[VURD]

i was logged in to take a screen to show my guildies the agony i am going through

 

[sllewe]

Seems like the RAM has gone bad on the card ....

 

[VURD]

So a replacement card should fix this? Right?

Cmon geniuses, help me please

 

[sllewe]

Nope the graphics are stuck that way forever

Unless you have a bad slot (which i dont think you do) another graphics card will do the trick.

Sean

 

[VURD]

When i press down on the centre of my keypad(above hte grapics card) my screen sometimes clears up for a minute or so, then goes bad. This trick doesn't work after a while though

Is that a symptom of a bad slot?

 

[kimbo.ati]

It seems this is the spot for screwed up ATI cards i got a pic of mine
sapphire 9700pro Ultimate edition

Well at least you can use your computer as for me :dead:

The only real way to test is to get yourself hold of another card from a working system and check out if its the card or the AGP slot that broken.

 

[VURD]

the thing is that i have a laptop, so its nigh impossible for me to test this by switching out cards

"Hey bud, can i open up your laptop unscrew and unplug your graphics card in an effort to debug my computer?"

Reply

"HELL NO."

This was an actual conversation.

I really hope its just my card and not the AGP slot. However, since this is happening to ATI users and only ATI users, my hope has security.

FYI. I am never ever buying ATI or DELL again.

Hey Kimbo.ati, what brand computer is that?

 

[sllewe]

I did not know you have a laptop. THat changes alot of things. Unless it is a very high end laptop, the GPU is directly mounted on the motheroboard. There will be no slot at all. In most cases the gfx casrd on the laptop can not be changed.

Sean

 

[kimbo.ati]

I built my computer my self and the previous user of the graphics card had no issue with it but im going to leave you all with a list of brands that i will never buy EVER! (from experiences in the past)

MSI anything
ATI
Dell
Celleron

BTW: im saving for SLI 6600GT

 

[VURD]

I did not know you have a laptop. THat changes alot of things. Unless it is a very high end laptop, the GPU is directly mounted on the motheroboard. There will be no slot at all. In most cases the gfx casrd on the laptop can not be changed.

Sean

It can be changed because i hav pulled it out several times already.