Windows desktop corruption with Sapphire 9800 Pro

[Reckless]

Hi all,

I'm at a bit of a loss here.... my video card is exhibiting some strange
desktop corruption.

Pictures of the problem:
http://www.adamhearn.co.uk/bits/corruptdesktop.gif
http://www.adamhearn.co.uk/bits/baddesktop.png

Having a browser opening an scrolling up and down adds a lot to the
corruption!

Some details:
It's a AGP Sapphire 9800 Pro 128MB R350 core video card (it's not and never
has been overclocked)
Card is around 12 months old (from a friend)
Additional power supply connector is fitted
Case PSU is an Enermax 350W unit
Motherboard is ASUS CUSL2-C
AGP Speed tried at 2x and 4x
Card is set to run at 2x AGP
Fast Writes are disabled
CPU: P3-1Ghz
RAM: 512 PC133
Drives: 1 * 120GB Hitatchi
Optical drives: 1 * Pioneer SCSI DVD-ROM, 1 * Yamaha 2100S CD-RW
Microsoft Intellimouse Optical connected via USB, Intellipoint 5 driver.
ATI Drivers: 3.9 and 3.10 (current installation)
Monitor LG1810B DVI connected
Single display only
Resolution: 1280*1024 @ 32 bit colour, 60Hz refresh
I've tried the DVI=>VGA adapter to analogue cable to my TFT but no change.
Tried Catalyst driver options of Alternate DVI operational mode and Reduce
DVI frequencey on high resoluton displays but still the same.
Flashed the ATI with the latest BIOS (matching the correct part number and
RAM types). It's now at 008.015 (2003/10/17)
Reset resolution clears the screen but it's back on the next window scroll.
Scrolling a window content with the mouse causes huge amounts of corruption
whereas the keyboard very little (I guess 'cause the rate at which updates
are made are very different!)
Windows 2000 SP4, DX9C

I was first led to believe (by net searching) that this was an overheating
issue so I purchased an Artic Cooler Rev 3. Fitted this but no difference. I
wasn't overly surprised given the desktop is corrupted and it can happen
when the PC is left idle (monitor off) and within 15 minutes of starting
from a cold boot (off all night).

Has *anyone* got any ideas? I'm lost for anything else to consider - apart
from leaving the card on the drive and running over it

TIA!

 

[First of One]

Try it on another PC or at least with another monitor. If you still see the
same problem, it's the card. Try to unload it somehow (eBay...)

 

[Adam]

Try it on another PC or at least with another monitor. If you still see the
same problem, it's the card. Try to unload it somehow (eBay...)

I'm using a radeon 9000 128mb (not sure on the exact specifics)
however i am having the same problem, although i'm using a notebook,
not a desktop. At first i thought it was the monitor/screen, i hooked
my notebook up with NetMeeting on to a desktop PC and i still had
those "images", proving that it wasnt the notebook monitor. From
advice i was given i tried to install drivers for it which proved
futile. I have now been told that the problem may be linked to the
keyboard, although i dont see how.

this post probably wont help you, but someone else may help me. all i
can say try what i have, try drivers and hooking it up to another
monitor, although i think this will probably result in the same as it
has for me.

i will most probably end up having to replace the graphics card, which
will be alot easier for you than it will be for me.......damn
notebook!

 

[John Hall]

It sounds like a driver issue. These cards rarely have problems with 2D.
Try uninstalling and then reinstalling the drivers for your video card. If
that doesn't work, it could be a problem with your motherboard. I note that
your system is rather old and the motherboard may not be able to supply the
juice necessary to run this card properly. If the card works fine on
another more uptodate system, then I would say that your system cannot
handle the basic requirements of your 9800 pro.

JK

 

[Adam]

i personally have tried to change the drivers, but nothing happened. i
then gave it to someone else to fix it, they ensured me that they had
changed the drivers, but the same thing keeps happening, my notebook
is only a 1 year old, i dont think its an old motherboard problem for
me.

i have sent it back to the company i got it from, i'll post the
problem when they tell me whats wrong with it.

if we are talking about getting a new motherboard or fixing this one
etc...what cost are we talking about....do you think?

being a notebook i expect it will cost more than a desktop.

 

[Looker007]

i personally have tried to change the drivers, but nothing happened. i
then gave it to someone else to fix it, they ensured me that they had
changed the drivers, but the same thing keeps happening, my notebook
is only a 1 year old, i dont think its an old motherboard problem for
me.

i have sent it back to the company i got it from, i'll post the
problem when they tell me whats wrong with it.

if we are talking about getting a new motherboard or fixing this one
etc...what cost are we talking about....do you think?

being a notebook i expect it will cost more than a desktop.

Reading the forum's on the Sapphiretech website might be a good place to
start. Especially teh "Troubleshooting" forum..
I've been having teh same sort of corruption with an Sapphire Radeon
9550 on a 300 watt PSU... I was advised to purchase
at least a 400 watt PSU to power the 9550... So perhaps you would need
a larger PSU as well. A 9800Pro does draw more
power. The forum's suggest a PSU that will provide at least 18 Amps on
the +12 Volt rail. Hope this helps

--Looker007

 

[John Hall]

oops, sorry, I though your machine was a desktop. I didn't think they put
9800 pro's in laptops.

Live and learn.

JK