Thread: Bizzare Video Card Problem

So I've been using the same video card and system since the release of TF2. On Thursday I noticed an occasional stray white line while playing, almost mistook them for tracers from a Heavy. On Friday my screen went black with the white lines again (with TF2 still running, you could make out the occasional object and player running around in that mess) but no problems out of game, each time only lasted for a few seconds. Saturday night it starts doing the same problem with increasing consistency. I also reach the symptoms I mention next but I mistake them as a lock up.

I leave the game and reinstall my drivers which causes everything to break (before restart even). Now windows won't update (the windows not the Windows OS) and the screen blacks out; when I restart I get lines, miscolored pixels, and strange artifacts through the Windows splash screen. Everything is running fine but windows don't update and multiple windows ontop of each other collide making a garbled mess. Interestingly when my screen blacks out it fixes those problems. For example to uninstall my Video Card drivers I open the device manager, expand the Display Adapters, and I see nothing happen. Then I click on an expanded Internet Explorer Window and my screen blacks out. When it comes back I click on the Device Manager window, screen blacks out, and when that comes back I can see the Device Manager and the expanded Display Adapaters. Blind clicking will also get the job done. It's convuluted but it works and once the drivers are uninstalled the rest of my computer works minus the missing video card drivers.

I've got a Geforce 7600 GS
Clean install of Windows XP, I'll be getting SP2 later today after I get some sleep
New monitor but the problems started on the old one

The artifacts on the Windows splash screen never change, it's like they're permanent scars by whatever is happening to my computer.

It really sounds like your card is overheating as BHack said above. Take it out and clean it. Also, try installing Rivatuner which will allow you to monitor temps better.

Other than overheating, your memory may be on the fritz on the card. But, check out the temps on the card first before anything else.

It's not overheating, the first thing I did was check the fan and clean dust. I let it set for 8 hours so it's plenty cool and I still get the same problems the moment I install the Nvidia Drivers.

Artifacts on the windows splash screen is pretty indicative of a dead card. RMA time. Or yeah, just buy a new one, since a 7600 is a little out of date. I have a spare 7800 lying around somewhere if you want it.

I might just go out and buy new one, not the most responsible thing I've done with a tax return but maybe the most prudent considering my love of gaming. So far I've been running it open with plenty of airflow and it's still experiencing the same problems, memcheck came up with no errors and so is there any way to make sure this isn't a problem with the board before I go out and buy a new card?

Well, if you're getting artifacts on the windows boot screen, then it's almost definitely an error with the card.