I need your advice...

[Smart Feet]

My ATI 9800 XT is dying. Sporadically, I get strange artifacts around
icons and the mouse pointer (and various funky vertical line splotches
around the screen). I can sometimes clear it by rebooting, but it's a
crap shoot. It started as soon as I installed the 5.6 drivers and went
to check the display properties. But I went back to the 5.4 drivers I
was using previously and it is still happening, so I assume the card
must be going bad.

I was hoping to wait for the R520 before upgrading again, but I may soon
have no choice.

My question is... is the X800 XL 256 MB a better card than the 9800 XT?
I want something at least as good as what I have until the R520 comes.
And does anyone understand what the difference between the X800 XL and
X800 XT is? The XT is $120 more, so I was wondering if it is worth it.

Thanks much...

 

[ofn01]

My ATI 9800 XT is dying. Sporadically, I get strange artifacts around
icons and the mouse pointer (and various funky vertical line splotches
around the screen). I can sometimes clear it by rebooting, but it's a
crap shoot. It started as soon as I installed the 5.6 drivers and went
to check the display properties. But I went back to the 5.4 drivers I
was using previously and it is still happening, so I assume the card
must be going bad.

I was hoping to wait for the R520 before upgrading again, but I may soon
have no choice.

My question is... is the X800 XL 256 MB a better card than the 9800 XT?
I want something at least as good as what I have until the R520 comes.
And does anyone understand what the difference between the X800 XL and
X800 XT is? The XT is $120 more, so I was wondering if it is worth it.

Thanks much...

Have you checked that the fan is still running/heatsink is not clogged
up? Also sounds strange that the 5.6 driver installation coincided with
the problems - have you tried drivercleaner to erradicate all traces of
the ATI drivers and then re-install the 5.4s?

The X800XL 256Mb is a 16 pipe card, the 9800XT is an 8 pipe card. Also
the technology in the X series of cards is a generation above the 9*00
series so will be default be faster.

This site has a table showing the differences between the X8* series of
cards:

http://www.behardware.com/art/imprimer/542/

Basically the XL has a slower core and memory than the XT but they're
both better than the Pro

 

[Smart Feet]

Have you checked that the fan is still running/heatsink is not clogged
up?

First thing I checked!

Also sounds strange that the 5.6 driver installation coincided with
the problems - have you tried drivercleaner to erradicate all traces of
the ATI drivers and then re-install the 5.4s?

Yeah, I thought that was a strange coincidence myself. I'll go try
DriverCleaner now. Thanks for the tip.

The X800XL 256Mb is a 16 pipe card, the 9800XT is an 8 pipe card. Also
the technology in the X series of cards is a generation above the 9*00
series so will be default be faster.

This site has a table showing the differences between the X8* series of
cards:

http://www.behardware.com/art/imprimer/542/

Basically the XL has a slower core and memory than the XT but they're
both better than the Pro

Thanks for the info!

 

[Smart Feet]

Looks like it is a problem with the card.

I did DriverCleaner and reinstalled 5.4. I went to the display
properties, clicked the "Enable Overdrive" box and the instant I clicked
the "Apply" button, the artifacts appeared.

So apparently I can't use Overdrive anymore.

 

[NightSky 421]

Looks like it is a problem with the card.

I did DriverCleaner and reinstalled 5.4. I went to the display
properties, clicked the "Enable Overdrive" box and the instant I clicked
the "Apply" button, the artifacts appeared.

So apparently I can't use Overdrive anymore.

If it's a 9800XT, I would think it's new enough still to be in warranty
unless it was an OEM card. I don't know if something that causes artifacts
only when Overdrive is enabled would qualify for warranty, but it might
since it was implemented by ATI. If you have your heart set on upgrading to
an X800XL, you might RMA the 9800XT and then sell it when you get the
replacement and use the $$$ towards the new card.

 

[ofn01]

Looks like it is a problem with the card.

I did DriverCleaner and reinstalled 5.4. I went to the display
properties, clicked the "Enable Overdrive" box and the instant I clicked
the "Apply" button, the artifacts appeared.

So apparently I can't use Overdrive anymore.

Sounds like it is an overheating problem.
If you were desperate to save it you could (carefully and with static
precautions), take the heatsink/fan off, clean the GPU of old thermal
paste and then apply some new thermal paste.

Prior to that you could try running your computer with the case lid off,
and direct a standard desk fan at it and see if this helps with the
artifacting, if it does then it is definitely a heat issue.

But if you are going to upgrade you would definitely see a performance
boost with an X800XL and a bit of a bigger boost with an X800XT

 

[ofn01]

Looks like it is a problem with the card.

I did DriverCleaner and reinstalled 5.4. I went to the display
properties, clicked the "Enable Overdrive" box and the instant I clicked
the "Apply" button, the artifacts appeared.

So apparently I can't use Overdrive anymore.

One thing I forgot to mention, what temperature does it say in the
overdrive tab when you go in there before enabling overdrive?

 

[ofn01]

If it's a 9800XT, I would think it's new enough still to be in warranty
unless it was an OEM card. I don't know if something that causes artifacts
only when Overdrive is enabled would qualify for warranty, but it might
since it was implemented by ATI. If you have your heart set on upgrading to
an X800XL, you might RMA the 9800XT and then sell it when you get the
replacement and use the $$$ towards the new card.

Overdrive is supposed to be totally safe and totally endorsed by ATI
and if memory serves me correct from when I had a 9600XT it is also
covered by the warranty. It is thermally controlled so should reduce if
it detects the temperature is too high.

 

[Smart Feet]

One thing I forgot to mention, what temperature does it say in the
overdrive tab when you go in there before enabling overdrive?

It says "70 C" with no overdrive (after being allowed to sit and not do
anything but display the Windows desktop for 20 minutes).

 

[ofn01]

It says "70 C" with no overdrive (after being allowed to sit and not do
anything but display the Windows desktop for 20 minutes).

Hmm I am not too sure about the temps of 9800XT's.
My 9600XT had an idle of around 40 and a peak of about 66 C

This site has a 9800XT idling at 66
http://gruntville.com/reviews/heatsinks/zalman_cnps77000-cu_zalman_vf700-alcu/page5.php

This short thread also has people with 9800XT's around 70
http://forums.devshed.com/t238042/s.html

 

[Smart Feet]

Hmm I am not too sure about the temps of 9800XT's.
My 9600XT had an idle of around 40 and a peak of about 66 C

This site has a 9800XT idling at 66
http://gruntville.com/reviews/heatsinks/zalman_cnps77000-cu_zalman_vf700-alcu/page5.php


This short thread also has people with 9800XT's around 70
http://forums.devshed.com/t238042/s.html

Thanks for the links!