Question Windows freshly installed, and my graphics seem to be messed up out of nowhere.

[iNhab]

Hello people!

So... Recently, I've been doing some fresh installs on my pc. I was using windows 11 for a while (a few months). A few days ago, I've decided to do a fresh install of windows 11. Did that and woops, something was wrong with my graphics + my pc was restarting randomly, without any reasons (seemingly) and did not indicate any errors before/after the restart, no BSOD, no pop-ups of any kind or anything, just casually reboots and here you go, use the PC again.

So, I did that a couple more times (reinstalling windows 11), didn't help. Now I'm on windows 10 because I thought this might fix the issue + there's more compatibility stuff for windows 10 as of now, but... No luck. The rebooting thing seem to not be happening (but it's only been a few hours so can't say for sure), but the graphics issue remains.

The weirdest part- it started happening right after the windows reinstall (the very first one, windows 11 to windows 11). I didn't randomly change anything... Unplug/re-plug cables or mess with the hardware (not intentionally at least).

I remember doing some registry stuff before the installation when I just received my newest GPU (currently using RTX 3080), but with those changed registries I used my pc for 2 months and no issues were present with the graphics. I thought that registries might be an issue; thus, used some registry scanner things, other diagnostic tools and tried to resolve them that way... Nope, no bueno, no luck.

I thought then to myself that it might be a GPU issue, but NOPE... different GPU and I still faced the same restart/graphics issues. Or at least to the extent that I was able to check them.

So, now to describe the graphics issues themselves- some things are not rendered well. The microsoft windows wallpaper (either it be on windows 10 or 11), the shades and transitions between colours are not smooth- they're pixelated. Those pixelations are mostly visible with the darker colours. Also, the rendering of the movement is not the best (just tried the COD warzone game, and although the graphics and the quality in general was very good, there were issues with bluriness and movement + random pixelated... whatever thingies that you'd call them, honestly idk how to describe them). And the dark/black/grey colours if you'd watch a YouTube... you can clearly see where one shade ends and the other starts- it's very pixelated and very separated. It's almost as if there's not that many shades of colours that are rendered. Also, the movement is not the best either. It's like... having one of the best GPUs to work with, and I've used it when it worked well, but now after the reinstalls it was downgraded- blurry (the GeForce experience and nvidia control panel logo is out of whack, not as it supposed to be). Certain titles are blurrier, some logos or icons are blurrier. Basically.. Not everything is rendered equally although the parts that are renderred well, they're beautiful and stuff is fine... but the video player stuff and certain icons/images/texts/fonts... naaaah.

So... After multiple driver reinstalls, windows reinstalls, bios reinstalls, diagnostic tool scans, registry fixes, other stuff fixes... Nothing seems to help. I'm all out of ideas. I'd like to figure out where this issue comes from.

Is it GPU? Is it GPU connection in the motherboard? Is it motherboard itself? Is it actually CPU? Is it something else? Or is it software related (but how could it be if I did fresh windows install)?

And I'm sorry if the place to post this is wrong... I just did not know which subject/place is best for this kind of issue since I clearly have no clue where it actually comes from, what's the source of the issue is.

If you need any kinds of logs, files, photos or anything- please let me know and I'll upload everything and anything just to get closer to the solution (or realization that the hardware is messed up and needs changing).

Hardware specs :

MOBO : Asus tuf b450m-pro gaming.
CPU: Amd ryzen 9 5900x
GPU: NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3080 evga black edition
RAM (memory): G.Skill Trident Z Neo (for AMD) DDR4 32GB (2x16GB) 3600MHz CL16 1.35V XMP 2.0
SSD: Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ1.
Monitor: Asus VG278Q Gaming monitor.

OS: Windows 10 Home.

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

For the moment Windows 10 Category is fine.

= = = =

This:

"A few days ago, I've decided to do a fresh install of windows 11 '

Why? What was happening (or maybe not happening) that led to a fresh install?

What procedure did you use to do the Windows 11 fresh install?

= = = =

Stay out of the registry. Registry changes are a last resort and should only be attempted with some supporting documentation along with full system and registry backups beforehand.

[Note: No profanities please. This is a family friendly Forum.]

 

[johnbl]

it is hard to come up with a theory of failure for this case that would not be eliminated by the things you have done.
Except:
Monitor negotiating a lower resolution screen. IE something like a broken line in the video cable, bad firmware in monitor.
I would try different monitor and video cable. or change video cable type and use a different GPU output.

i would also look at the protocol spec version for the display out put of the GPU and compare to the version that the monitor is using.

cables are also rated to protocol versions. ie dvi-i dvi -d
and various versions of display port and HDMI
look at adapters used, some will not pass all of the signals to the monitor.

 

[iNhab]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

For the moment Windows 10 Category is fine.

= = = =

This:

"A few days ago, I've decided to do a fresh install of windows 11 '

Why? What was happening (or maybe not happening) that led to a fresh install?

What procedure did you use to do the Windows 11 fresh install?

= = = =

Stay out of the registry. Registry changes are a last resort and should only be attempted with some supporting documentation along with full system and registry backups beforehand.

[Note: No profanities please. This is a family friendly Forum.]

Thanks for letting me know! Have edited the post.

I wanted to do a fresh install in order to have a clean start. There were a bunch of programs that were installed, loads of files and all, just wanted a clean install with a few programs. No issues were happening that would lead me to do it, just personal choice.

For that fresh install, I've downloaded a Windows installer from the Microsoft page in the form of .iso file and did an installation this way.

And in regards to registry- noted!


Oh, also the things that johnbl has been saying in regards to the monitor... Hmmm. I guess there's a chance that there are issues with something monitor related, but for now I have no way of checking it. I don't have other cables to switch it up and see if the one I use became faulty.

However!! I have a 2nd monitor that I use for just side-viewing stuff like opening certain apps and such- it looks like that monitor has those issues as well of bluriness and bad rendering. I was watching Netflix yesterday and decided to check how it looks on both monitors. Apparently, those black shade transition pixelation moments were visible on both. And the blurry icons as well.

At one point I was even doubting my vision Since I have no clear-cut way of assessing whether there are issues actually. But since I've used the PC before the Windows reinstall for a couple of years already, and a couple of months with the newest hardware installed, I could tell from the moment of installation that something seemed off. And even the same programs/games seemed to have less fps or would have those bluriness, pixelated issues in some spots that I don't remember seeing previously.

 

[Ralston18]

Some TV's can be used as monitors.

Check your televisions accordingly. Probably not going to be a "fair comparison" but if the graphics problems continue then the end display itself is less likely to be the problem.

Borrow video cables from family and friends if at all possible. The cable/connector could well be the problem. Inexpensive overall so maybe worth the purchase.

Unfortunately the installed GPS (Amd ryzen 9 5900x - correct? ) does not have integrated graphics as I understand the specs.

There are some things that can be done to troubleshoot and perhaps lead to a fix for the problem.

Each being an individual actions with the objective being to determine that given action resolves the graphics problem.

1) Boot into Safe Mode.

2) Disable all powersavers, screensavers, etc. of any sort.

3) Roll back any overclocking.

5) Run the built in Windows troubleshooters. The troubleshooters may find and fix something

6 ) Run "sfc /scannow" and "dism"

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

How to use DISM command tool to repair Windows 10 image | Windows Central

Key is to be methodical and work through the troubleshooting one item at a time. By doing so you will know what was just done and ended (hopefully) the blurriness and bad rendering.

May seem like a lot of time and effort and may well be. You are likely to learn a lot in the process.

And starting thinking about another clean install:

FYI:

https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/windows-10-clean-install-tutorial.3170366

Well worth reading just on its' own merits. And you may discover some previous error of omission or commission during earlier attempts.