Unexpected Computer Problem

Brikker · 05-01-2009, 08:03 PM

So today while playing WoW, my game freezes up and the graphics distort. Sound is running fine in the background, but the game is frozen, and the graphics are stretched/blochy in some areas. I had to alt-F4 and about a minute later the game finally closed. The desktop also had distorted graphics, as well as all the booting-up screens when I restarted. I restarted three times and finally got an instance where it was fine (booted into Safe mode and ran Disk Checks). Did the thorough disk checking and everything seemed to be running smoothly until just a moment ago.

I started up WoW again, and at character select the graphics distorted in areas and the screen froze up. Sound was still going fine in the background. Hitting escape a few times got me back to desktop after about 30 seconds.

This is happening on all games. They freeze up, then have completely fucked up graphics, freeze again, etc etc until I manage to exit in one way or another.

I'm praying my graphics card isn't fucked. This is completely out of the blue and I've really had no major problems since I built this PC nearly two years ago.

Any thoughts?

*Computer is:

Windows XP 32
GeForce 8800 GTX
Intel Q6600 Quad core CPU
Asus P5K Motherboard
SoundBlaster Fatality xtreme professional whatthefuckevertheycallthese

chthonic-anemos · 05-01-2009, 08:05 PM

graphics card is fucked

AladainAF · 05-01-2009, 08:06 PM

I had an onboard sound card with DTS enabled that was causing -exactly- what you are describing. Once I disabled DTS on it, it was fine. (CM8788 chip i think). I then bought a real sound card with DTS and its been fine since.

EmpireF4i · 05-01-2009, 08:08 PM

Are computer problems ever really expected?

Brikker · 05-01-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AladainAF

I had an onboard sound card with DTS enabled that was causing -exactly- what you are describing. Once I disabled DTS on it, it was fine. (CM8788 chip i think). I then bought a real sound card with DTS and its been fine since.

How do I go about disabling this if my sound card has DTS?

And Empire, I suppose it's more expected if I was fucking around with my computer like the person on the last Computer Help thread :P

Brikker · 05-01-2009, 08:38 PM

Okay, so I downloaded the most recent driver for my card (GeForce 8800 GTX, by the way) and uninstalled the old driver. Rebooted, installed new driver, rebooted again.

Everything seemed okay. I started up Medieval Total War 2, loaded a game; no problems so far. Did a turn, entered a battle, and everything looked fine. About 20 seconds into the battle screen (which is more graphical than the campaign screen, for those that know Total War games) it freezes up and goes to desktop. Desktop is all oddly colored and a small resolution; the error says "nv4_dis display driver stopped operating normally. Please reboot, upload information to Microsoft blahblah".

Rebooted, desktop looks fine but I think it's safe to say that this will happen every time I try to do anything game-wise.

What's my next step, computer experts?

Chips · 05-01-2009, 08:41 PM

1. Ask a friend to borrow their video card.
2. ?????
3. Profit.

Radahr Manasponge · 05-01-2009, 08:58 PM

It *could* be drivers.

Likely, the card is fucked. Either heat or power killed it, it just don't know its dead yet. But it will be soon.

Look, a replacement 8800 is dirt cheap right now. Be happy it ain't a $400 card that puked. Also, boot from a hirens or somesuch disc and run motherboard diagnostics, keep an eye on the voltages and such on the PCI-E slot, make sure that ain't the killer.

But yea, 99% the card is on the way out. Damage is already done.

Brikker · 05-01-2009, 10:01 PM

Well, common consensus around the interwebz says that my GPU needs a replacement.

I was figuring I might as well get a better one since I wont be upgrading again for a couple years, most likely.

Anyone have any suggestions? I prefer Nvidia, but that's about it

*computer locked up with hardcore screen flickering while I was simply browsing the web and I couldn't do a thing. Gonna assume this card is dead.

Vekruul Shuth · 05-02-2009, 03:50 AM

GTX 260 896 is probably the best bang for the buck card right now for Nvidia. Will easily play any game out right now at high res. For under 200 bucks gives you slightly under a gtx 280 performance.

To compare it to your recently deceased card...about a 40% boost.

Lejina Bloodbath · 05-02-2009, 11:42 AM

Is the fan on your video card still working?

Brikker · 05-02-2009, 12:39 PM

It works, but it has started making a small noise since this all started yesterday. But it appears to be spinning fine, at full speed. Everything is free of dust, as well. The card was always around ~55C according to the nVidia temperature monitor.

Brikker · 05-02-2009, 07:08 PM

Here's a question:

I'm still using the computer, simply without the video card. It's in the machine still, but it's disabled/drivers have been uninstalled and Driver Cleaned. I guess it's just running off onboard graphics; the resolution is at 800x600 and I obviously can't do anything game-wise.

Is it safe to continue using the computer in this manner until I get my new card? I can use the internet just fine (which I need to to get some work done over the weekend).

Should I remove the dead card completely or can I wait until I actually put the new one in?

Daerath · 05-03-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brikker

Here's a question:

I'm still using the computer, simply without the video card. It's in the machine still, but it's disabled/drivers have been uninstalled and Driver Cleaned. I guess it's just running off onboard graphics; the resolution is at 800x600 and I obviously can't do anything game-wise.

Is it safe to continue using the computer in this manner until I get my new card? I can use the internet just fine (which I need to to get some work done over the weekend).

Should I remove the dead card completely or can I wait until I actually put the new one in?

It's perfectly safe to leave an unused card in your computer. It's not like it'll get offended and sabotage your shit or anything.

05-01-2009, 08:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brikker Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,405	Unexpected Computer Problem So today while playing WoW, my game freezes up and the graphics distort. Sound is running fine in the background, but the game is frozen, and the graphics are stretched/blochy in some areas. I had to alt-F4 and about a minute later the game finally closed. The desktop also had distorted graphics, as well as all the booting-up screens when I restarted. I restarted three times and finally got an instance where it was fine (booted into Safe mode and ran Disk Checks). Did the thorough disk checking and everything seemed to be running smoothly until just a moment ago. I started up WoW again, and at character select the graphics distorted in areas and the screen froze up. Sound was still going fine in the background. Hitting escape a few times got me back to desktop after about 30 seconds. This is happening on all games. They freeze up, then have completely fucked up graphics, freeze again, etc etc until I manage to exit in one way or another. I'm praying my graphics card isn't fucked. This is completely out of the blue and I've really had no major problems since I built this PC nearly two years ago. Any thoughts? Computer is: Windows XP 32 GeForce 8800 GTX Intel Q6600 Quad core CPU Asus P5K Motherboard SoundBlaster Fatality xtreme professional whatthefuckevertheycallthese Last edited by Brikker; 05-01-2009 at 08:43 PM..*

05-01-2009, 08:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
AladainAF Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 3,930 -42 Internets	I had an onboard sound card with DTS enabled that was causing -exactly- what you are describing. Once I disabled DTS on it, it was fine. (CM8788 chip i think). I then bought a real sound card with DTS and its been fine since. __________________ Vexacion (Elyos) - Marchutan

05-01-2009, 08:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
Chips Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Joburg, RSA Posts: 1,099 -78 Internets	1. Ask a friend to borrow their video card. 2. ????? 3. Profit. __________________ “White folks was in caves while we was building empires ... We taught philosophy and astrology and mathematics before Socrates and them Greek homos ever got around to it.” -Rev. Al Sharpton

05-01-2009, 10:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
Brikker Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,405	Well, common consensus around the interwebz says that my GPU needs a replacement. I was figuring I might as well get a better one since I wont be upgrading again for a couple years, most likely. Anyone have any suggestions? I prefer Nvidia, but that's about it computer locked up with hardcore screen flickering while I was simply browsing the web and I couldn't do a thing. Gonna assume this card is dead. Last edited by Brikker; 05-01-2009 at 10:16 PM..*

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05-01-2009, 08:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
chthonic-anemos Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 292 +1 Internets	graphics card is fucked

05-01-2009, 08:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Brikker Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,405	Okay, so I downloaded the most recent driver for my card (GeForce 8800 GTX, by the way) and uninstalled the old driver. Rebooted, installed new driver, rebooted again. Everything seemed okay. I started up Medieval Total War 2, loaded a game; no problems so far. Did a turn, entered a battle, and everything looked fine. About 20 seconds into the battle screen (which is more graphical than the campaign screen, for those that know Total War games) it freezes up and goes to desktop. Desktop is all oddly colored and a small resolution; the error says "nv4_dis display driver stopped operating normally. Please reboot, upload information to Microsoft blahblah". Rebooted, desktop looks fine but I think it's safe to say that this will happen every time I try to do anything game-wise. What's my next step, computer experts?

05-01-2009, 08:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
Radahr Manasponge Cranky Fucker. Armed. Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Florida-ish Posts: 595 -24 Internets	It could be drivers. Likely, the card is fucked. Either heat or power killed it, it just don't know its dead yet. But it will be soon. Look, a replacement 8800 is dirt cheap right now. Be happy it ain't a $400 card that puked. Also, boot from a hirens or somesuch disc and run motherboard diagnostics, keep an eye on the voltages and such on the PCI-E slot, make sure that ain't the killer. But yea, 99% the card is on the way out. Damage is already done.

05-02-2009, 03:50 AM	#10 (permalink)
Vekruul Shuth Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 681 -6 Internets	GTX 260 896 is probably the best bang for the buck card right now for Nvidia. Will easily play any game out right now at high res. For under 200 bucks gives you slightly under a gtx 280 performance. To compare it to your recently deceased card...about a 40% boost.

05-02-2009, 11:42 AM	#11 (permalink)
Lejina Bloodbath Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,661	Is the fan on your video card still working?

05-02-2009, 12:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
Brikker Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,405	It works, but it has started making a small noise since this all started yesterday. But it appears to be spinning fine, at full speed. Everything is free of dust, as well. The card was always around ~55C according to the nVidia temperature monitor.

05-02-2009, 07:08 PM	#13 (permalink)
Brikker Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,405	Here's a question: I'm still using the computer, simply without the video card. It's in the machine still, but it's disabled/drivers have been uninstalled and Driver Cleaned. I guess it's just running off onboard graphics; the resolution is at 800x600 and I obviously can't do anything game-wise. Is it safe to continue using the computer in this manner until I get my new card? I can use the internet just fine (which I need to to get some work done over the weekend). Should I remove the dead card completely or can I wait until I actually put the new one in?