Critical Display/Video Problems

[Aedak]

Well let's see here.
It all started the other day when I exited out of a game (WarCraft III). All of a sudden there were Vertical lines through some of the screen (hard to explain, and they won't show up in screen shots...Which means it's probably the hardware right? :\)
I've tried reinstalling/removing/updating video drivers, chipset drivers, using system restore, and even reformatting. Nothing seems to fix the problem, and it's difficult to explain what it is exactly. Sometimes there's weird lines around the cursor, other times Win XP won't boot up at all. Because the screen goes black. I had to go in and try to fix things using Networked Safemode, but nothing seems to work. My guess is it's either the graphics card, the card's bios, something :\
Let's see, everything is really new, ordered off newegg.com. We already had to get replacement motherboard/cards because they were faulty/broken when we got the first ones. (Sorry if it seems like I'm rambling)

My comp specs:

80 GB Western Digital HD
Nvidia Ge Force 4 Ti 4600
Asus A7N8X Deluxe MB
Nvidia Force 2 Chipset
AMD Athlon XP 2600+
Samtron 75E Monitor
Corsair XMS 2700 (512 DDR) with 2-3-3-6 MT's

I'm not sure what else to try. Maybe messing around with the Bios or Vid Card Bios a bit, but I don't really know what I'm doing. It seems to run fine in Safemode with 32 bit color, 16 only brings vertical lines.

Oh yeah, different modes (ie: resolution, color, etc.) affect how much clutter there is too. Like, lines all over the place, whatever. Seems to be best on 800x600 32 bit color, 16 bit makes it go to hell, or even shut off. So, device failure or what?

I basically can't boot up now without having this problem. Sometimes it doesn't boot up at all. Sometimes if I change a setting the comp reboots automatically. I've tried virus scans and all that, no flashed bios or video card bios... Any ideas? At the Moment I can't even get it to boot up without safemode, the screen just goes totally black after the windows loading screen, nothing happens, and I have to power down.

Edit: Also, I've tried hooking another monitor up, same effect. Which makes me certain it's either the video card or something in the bios.

 

[PanicX]

You'll want to check to see if these problems are from your monitors refresh rate, which you can change in your display properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> Monitor

Otherwise its possibly a bad vid card or monitor, if you can switch out either, give that a shot to see what happens.

 

[Airness1]

Same problem

I have got the same problem and I cannot fix it. So any information that might help is welcommed.

 

[Janan]

I am not sure, but to me this sounds as if it may be a result of overheating.

Even a properly cooled card/chip may suffer overheating, but then of course it would be due to manufacturing.

I would try the card on a different machine, though. And take it out of the machine and let it rest for a few days. Residual power may keep a tiny bit in limbo, locking the card in this state.

Such things should of course not occure but may do so due to either a minor fault on the card or the possibilty of quantum mechanics screw up.

Like: You set up a simple electrical loop with a bulb and sometimes it won't work, even though the bulb works in a second circut and the first circut works with a bulb that also works with the second circut. That is just the electrons playing silly buggers with you. Rare, but it happens. In fact: the smaller the circut, like a chip for instance, the higher the chance of occurence, since fewer electrons would have to act up to cause malfunction. Therefore: Let card rest for a couple of days outside of the computer.

Theoretically a magnet COULD dislodge electrical buggers, but I would NOT recomend trying that on your card, as the risk of harming it would be much more acute.

EDIT: I guess all this theory didn't bring my main theory to the fore: Faulty card. But do try letting it rest outside the PC for a few days. If this settles the problem but then resurfaces I would guess that the card is faulty. Used to be a common problem with the old Voodoos (1 & 2).

 

[Airness1]

I tried using my card in a diffrent machine and it worked just fine. My computer ran great in safe mode. I just cant use my computer in regular mode. After the windows logo it boots to a black screen and just stays there. My monitor doesnt shut off or anything. So there is something going to my monitor it just happens to be BLACK. ANy help is welcommed