X800-XL AGP Problem

[Chalky]

Here is the problem:
The card is brand new.

I am playing at 1776 x 1000 resolution with 2X Antialiasing and 8X
ansiotropic filtering. After playing Far Cry for about 10 minutes, pressing
the escape key to bring up the main screen with the menu options reveals
that the background video is completely garbled in checkered patterns. This
can usually be remedied temporarily by exiting the game and restarting the
game, but it occurs every time I play, eventually. There is no in game
corruption.

In Half-Life 2, after playing for a while at the same resolution and
settings, various patterns in the game become distorted and chekered at
random. For example, my gun will not look shiny, but checkered in different
colors.

Obviously something is wrong, but I'm not sure what. My system is:

PIV 2.6 Ghz
250 watt powersupply (420 watt powersupply is on order)
1.0 gig PC1066 ram
Soundblaster Live Audigy 2
CD-RW Drive
CD-Rom (Not connected to conserve power)
60 gig hard drive @7200 RPM

The latest ATI drivers are installed. I have tried reinstalling drivers.

So my question is, what do you think is the problem and why? My case is
dell, stock. It is not very well cooled. So I am guessing it is :
1. inadequate power supply
2. inadequate cooling
3. the card is damaged

Any thoughts?

Thanks. Chalky

 

[Augustus]

Here is the problem:
The card is brand new.

I am playing at 1776 x 1000 resolution with 2X Antialiasing and 8X
ansiotropic filtering. After playing Far Cry for about 10 minutes,
pressing the escape key to bring up the main screen with the menu options
reveals that the background video is completely garbled in checkered
patterns.

1776x1000 resolution? I don't have this option on my FarCry video modes
anywhere. This sounds like a custom home theatre 16:9 setting done using
Powerstrip or something similar. Does FarCry have this menu video problem in
a standard resolution? In all probability the artficating you are seeing is
due to forcing this non standard resolution throught the ATI drivers.

 

[Chalky]

Yes, this is 16:9 resolution for 1080i HDTV. I don't think this is the
problem, however. It is not forced, the latest version of ATI's drivers
supports this mode, but only if 16:9 and 1080i modes are enabled. It also
occurs at 1920x1080. (Both look and play FANTASTIC, by the way).

The problem first cropped up when I was playing on a standard LCD DVI
monitor at 1280x1024.
~Chalky

 

[Andrew MacPherson]

It is not very well cooled.

I think you answered your own question If it was a PSU problem you'd
be unlikely to get time-related problems. Any strain put on the PSU by a
3d card in full flow ought to show up straight away.

The first thing I'd do is open up the case and point a big fan at it while
playing. If that cures the problem then you know you need to sort out the
cooling & airflow. These cards throw out a lot of heat and even if the
card itself is well cooled, the heat is probably building up in the case
until the card runs out of thermodynamic headroom* and begins to show
fairly classic signs of overheating.

Andrew McP

*sounds like it ought to mean something ;-)

 

[First of One]

Don't misunderestimate the thermodynamic headroom.