9800 Pro memory error - display corruption

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

I may be covering old ground here but couldn't find anything that
recent. My machine, Dell 3.06 Ghz 8300, purchased just over a year
ago and now on it's 3rd Video card. Symptoms are significant display
corruption in the form of stripy magenta blocks on the desktop and
variants of this in games. Dell diagnostics indicates memory failure
in each case. I can't help thinking it's the environment, not the
card, that is to blame. The next card is coming out of my own pocket
so I'm keen to fix root cause before buying replacement. Other people
seem to have had similar problems stemming from either overheating or
excess voltage or both. Amongst the more experienced of you out
there, does this sound likely causes? Can anyone recommend a solution
(new PSU, slot fan, OEM card with better cooling etc.) I should point
out my level of DIY experience so far has been to swap the odd card
out. Any insight very much appreciated.

 

[augustus]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

"blackadr" <blackadr@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:eb4ebc96.0406111415.2cd06396@posting.google.com...
> I may be covering old ground here but couldn't find anything that
> recent. My machine, Dell 3.06 Ghz 8300, purchased just over a year
> ago and now on it's 3rd Video card. Symptoms are significant display
> corruption in the form of stripy magenta blocks on the desktop and
> variants of this in games. Dell diagnostics indicates memory failure
> in each case. I can't help thinking it's the environment, not the
> card, that is to blame. The next card is coming out of my own pocket
> so I'm keen to fix root cause before buying replacement. Other people
> seem to have had similar problems stemming from either overheating or
> excess voltage or both. Amongst the more experienced of you out
> there, does this sound likely causes? Can anyone recommend a solution
> (new PSU, slot fan, OEM card with better cooling etc.) I should point
> out my level of DIY experience so far has been to swap the odd card
> out. Any insight very much appreciat

You can d/l some diagnostic sofware (AIDA32, Sandra) and check out your
voltages. After 2 cards eaten the same way I'd be suspcicious of
overvolting. But if the 2 cards were OEM Dell warranty replacements it may
be a bad batch of cards. What card is it? 9800 Pro?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

"Augustus" <tiberius@weeik.com> wrote in message news:<_fryc.7$eA.4@clgrps13>...

> You can d/l some diagnostic sofware (AIDA32, Sandra) and check out your
> voltages. After 2 cards eaten the same way I'd be suspcicious of
> overvolting. But if the 2 cards were OEM Dell warranty replacements it may
> be a bad batch of cards. What card is it? 9800 Pro?

Thanks for the tip. For AGP slot, sandra reports AGP1 : AGP-8x 32-bit
+3.3V PME Full-Length Used. I assume this is the nominal output to the
AGP slot but how can I tell whether the actual voltage is too high for
the card?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

and yes, it's a 9800 Pro...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

"blackadr" <blackadr@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:eb4ebc96.0406141439.71e8786e@posting.google.com...
> "Augustus" <tiberius@weeik.com> wrote in message
news:<_fryc.7$eA.4@clgrps13>...
>
> > You can d/l some diagnostic sofware (AIDA32, Sandra) and check out your
> > voltages. After 2 cards eaten the same way I'd be suspcicious of
> > overvolting. But if the 2 cards were OEM Dell warranty replacements it
may
> > be a bad batch of cards. What card is it? 9800 Pro?
>
> Thanks for the tip. For AGP slot, sandra reports AGP1 : AGP-8x 32-bit
> +3.3V PME Full-Length Used. I assume this is the nominal output to the
> AGP slot but how can I tell whether the actual voltage is too high for
> the card?



I am also having display corruption on an ATI 9800Pro/128mb.....vertical
pixel wide lines on the screen when the windows are moved around and the
screen must be redrawn. If I refresh, the artifacts are temporarily
gone....does this sound at all familiar to your problem?


--
Regards,
Kristin

khrysalis@earthlink.net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

> I am also having display corruption on an ATI 9800Pro/128mb.....vertical
> pixel wide lines on the screen when the windows are moved around and the
> screen must be redrawn. If I refresh, the artifacts are temporarily
> gone....does this sound at all familiar to your problem?

Similar, although redraw for me only partially clears corruption. I'm
almost certain now that mine is due to overheating. By putting my
tower on it's side (motherboard at the bottom!) my display problems
have cleared. I assume this is because the improved air flow off the
video card keeps it cooler. Give it a go.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

"blackadr" <blackadr@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:eb4ebc96.0406241135.5f693687@posting.google.com...
> > I am also having display corruption on an ATI 9800Pro/128mb.....vertical
> > pixel wide lines on the screen when the windows are moved around and the
> > screen must be redrawn. If I refresh, the artifacts are temporarily
> > gone....does this sound at all familiar to your problem?
>
> Similar, although redraw for me only partially clears corruption. I'm
> almost certain now that mine is due to overheating. By putting my
> tower on it's side (motherboard at the bottom!) my display problems
> have cleared. I assume this is because the improved air flow off the
> video card keeps it cooler. Give it a go.

Mine was still under warranty...ATI replaced it; lines gone. HOWEVER, for
the health of this card, I have a system fan in the front of the box, one in
the back and one in the top of the box. Shouldn't that be enough?

thanks,
kristin

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

> Mine was still under warranty...ATI replaced it; lines gone. HOWEVER, for
> the health of this card, I have a system fan in the front of the box, one in
> the back and one in the top of the box. Shouldn't that be enough?
>
> thanks,
> kristin

Not taking any chances. One comment - I'm no expert but from scanning
other groups etc. you need to make sure the fans don't work against
each other. The fluid mechanics can get quite involved (there are
some very long tit-for-tat threads on this) but simplistically, as
long as there's a decent air flow across the fan side of the video
card I guess you can't go too far wrong!