Radeon 9800 acting weird

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andrew Z Carpenter
  • Start date Start date
A

Andrew Z Carpenter

Hi folks,

Got a machine here with as ASRock K7S8X motherboard
and a Sapphire Radeon 9800 w/128mb.

It's acting real weird.

I can rule out software conflict, as I've performed
a complete clean install of the O/S and drivers from
ATI, Sapphire and I've even tried the Omega drivers.

All have the same result.

The distortions can be reduced by turning down the
graphics acceleration in display>advanced>troubleshooting
but they never disappear completely, especially when
drawing 3D objects.

I've taken some screenshots of the problem, I'd
appreciate it if you took a look to see if you can
say 'yes that's bad memory on the card' or 'yes that's
underpowered PSU' or 'yes that's faulty AGP interface
on the mobo' or whatever..

http://www.angelfire.com/ego/andrewc/9800probs/example1.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/ego/andrewc/9800probs/example2.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/ego/andrewc/9800probs/example3.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/ego/andrewc/9800probs/example4.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/ego/andrewc/9800probs/example5.jpg

With the acceleration turned down three or four notches,
windows and the internet are usable, but anything 3D (even
dxdiag) looks distorted, like the card has forgotten how to
draw a triangle!

Thing's I've tried already include update the motherboard
BIOS (the latest version included an update described as
"Fine tuned ATi 9800 AGP card") but that didn't help, have
a play with all the GART settings, turning off various AGP
features in the ATI control panel, and tearing out a good
chunk of my hair. None of those completely fixed the problem.

So, any advice?

Thanks very much,

Andrew
 
As I said a few times before when I worked at a Computer Retail store when
something weird like that happens... "Wow, This is new...."

Only one test to do is to place that video card in another machine, like a
friend's if you don't have a second box and see if it's still there.

Otherwise return that card, it's simply defective.
 
ToolPackinMama said:
message
Wow. When did this start? Is it a new vid card?
I've never seen anything like that.
[and]


As I said a few times before when I worked at a Computer Retail
store when something weird like that happens... "Wow, This is
new...."
Only one test to do is to place that video card in another
machine, like a friend's if you don't have a second box and
see if it's still there.
Otherwise return that card, it's simply defective.
Click to expand...



Thank you both for your replies. I'm already the 'friend' that
the owner of the machine took it to for fixing, and I think I'm
out of things that I can try.

When he described the problem to me over the phone, I was sceptical.

Then I saw it for myself, and reacted the same way as you both did.

I believe the card is quite new, bought from an online retailer.
This is infact his second graphics card he's bought, firstly
buying a dead NVIDIA card, and now this. However, now this has
happened, I'm starting to question his motherboard, and whether
or not that NVIDIA was well and truely faulty.

I'd like to try that card in another mobo, and a different card
in his mobo. I'd also like to try higher wattage power supply
in his machine. Unfortunatley, I don't have an alternative 8X
card to try, nor a mobo with 8X AGP. I don't have a spare power
supply either, so I'm kinda stuck.

I can rule out software, so it's gotta be hardware of some kind.
Here's my list of what it might be, along with what I think is
the scoring of probability. If you disagree with one of those
percentages, please do say so!

1. Underpowered or faulty Power Supply.
Probability: 15%

2. Overheating Graphics Card.
Probability: 10%

3. Faulty Graphics Card.
Probability: 75%

4. Faulty Motherboard.
Probability: 25%

5. Incompatibility between mobo and gfx card.
Probability: 30%


Thanks,

Andrew
 
I would say, a dead or dying ramdac is causing this. But even 3d apps are
having this problem.

1- could be fault at ramdac. Core is ok, but ramdac is messing up
digital-analog-conversion.

2- Set HW acceleration to max. See if it runs stable through 3dmark2001se
and Aquamark or so. If it does, and gets decent results, than my theory
about ramdac is pretty much likely the fact.

Get a replacement for it asap.
 
Asestar said:
I would say, a dead or dying ramdac is causing this. But even 3d apps are
having this problem.

1- could be fault at ramdac. Core is ok, but ramdac is messing up
digital-analog-conversion.

2- Set HW acceleration to max. See if it runs stable through 3dmark2001se
and Aquamark or so. If it does, and gets decent results, than my theory
about ramdac is pretty much likely the fact.

Get a replacement for it asap.
Click to expand...



Asestar,

Thank you very much for this information. I tried running 3DMark2001SE with
the acceleration set to max. As expected, all the polygons are mis-shapen,
and it generally looks weird. The performance seems good, the animations are
smooth (although distorted) and the frame rate looks high. The scene with the
least distortion was the one with the "dragon carousel" without the lights
spinning around too.

Either way, it would be a faulty graphics card.

Thanks for your guidance.

Andrew
 
Warranty? if so pack it up. Looks hardware to me, verify good voltage
to it? What about a DirectX reload/repair? This is on 2 different
monitors right? if you only had described it to me I would have said a
refresh / overdriven monitor, but not looking like that I don't think.
 
JAD said:
Warranty? if so pack it up. Looks hardware to me, verify good voltage
to it? What about a DirectX reload/repair? This is on 2 different
monitors right? if you only had described it to me I would have said a
refresh / overdriven monitor, but not looking like that I don't think.
Click to expand...


If it were bad monitor, how would it capture that on a PrintScrn? ;-)

You had the same ideas that I did, and it's interesting that you also
(as well as me) feel the need to verify that the power supply is
working correctly.

I'll be recommending to the client that the graphics card is faulty and
should be returned.

Thanks all,

Andrew
 
By my reconing that 130%?

CrimsonLiar
Click to expand...

Actually, CL, Asestar's (the poster you are replying to) reckoning
comes to 100%. It's the previous poster (Andrew Carpenter), to whom
Asestar was replying, whose reckoning comes to 155% - not 130%.

Not that I think it matters much: I think Andrew was just trying to
give an idea of proportions of likelihood. ;-)




patrickp

(e-mail address removed) - take five to email me
 
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