Strange video issues...but not in safe mode

[cornelious0_0]

This is kinda weird so I thought I'd see if anyone had any ideas or has dealt with anything similar.

 

I can be doing nothing strenuous at all on the computer, sitting at the desktop even, and completely at random the screen will all of a sudden just go blank. Normally this would be viewed as a stability issue with my OC, except the rest of the computer is perfectly fine, it continues to folding, audio keeps playing, and all information on my G15's LCD continues to update every second.

 

The only other possibility is some kind of video issue, and I immediately started thinking that my X850XT was to blame. I proceeded to load Oblivion, and the screen went black again within a few seconds of getting in the game. ATITool's artifact scan also goes completely haywire and fills with thousands of artifacts after a couple minutes. The strange thing is that none of this happens all the time, sometimes I can play NFS:MW for an hour before it goes black on me. Ontop of all that, VPU recover will often "kick in" if th screen goes blank when I'm playing a game. The X850XT has a VF900 installed on it, and it's load temps (even with 25C temps outside) never get above 50C...so I know it's not a temperature issue, and the card hasn't been overclocked for months, so that's not it.

 

Another strange part of the scenario is that not a single thing happens in safe mode...the computer has been running in safe mode (for testing purposes) for 2 days now with no issues. I'm not sure if DirectX is loaded at all in safemode or not, which could explain it, because if it was the hardware itself you'd think that it wouldn't matter if I was in safe mode or not.

 

I'm prepared to format the machine with the hope that it is a DirectX/software issue...but I also don't want to be left stranded with a machine that doesn't boot if I get halfway through the format and it goes blank again. Technically if it is a DirectX issue I should be able to get through the format, because DirectX wouldn't have been loaded yet, and I suppose I could just boot into safemode to reinstall applications after the install.

 

I realise that was a longer post, but if anyone has any ideas I'd be more then willing to try/consider just about anything, because I don't have any PCI video cards sitting around to install to confirm whether it's the video card itself or not. I might see if I can pickup an X300 or something fairly cheap for testing today, but I'm still open to suggestions until I get this figured out.

[mentul]

I'd say check your monitor connections and your monitor itself. Test your pc with another monitor, if at all possible.

[cornelious0_0]

Nothing to do with the monitor...it's plugged in as far as possible and screwed into the VGA connection on the X850XT. As I said, this only happens when NOT in safemode, only hardware issue I see possible is with the video card, but I'm not sure if it's that or a kernal mode driver or DirectX issue...hoping that someone else has dealt with something similar.

[mentul]

You've tried setting your video cards clock back to stock?

[osen]

Have you tried uninstalling the drivers and install newer/older ones? Don't know if it could help, but it's worth a shot. Is ATITool always showing artifacts? I had some strange problem with my X800GTO: I got huge FPS drops for like 10 seconds every now and then. After trying many things I tried reseating my VF700 and the problem was gone :S Doesn't sound that it would help you though, but what the hell, give it a shot

 

I had a 9800PRO that had similar issues. The screen went black every now and then, had to send it to RMA

[Praz]

I've answered your thread at the Club.

[KimTjik]

Interesting because my 800GTO is built on the 850. My scenario is opposite and started about two ore three weeks ago:

- in safe mode which doesn't load the driver it's working without hick-ups

- in normal mode I need to let the graphic-card warm up before loading XP otherwise it generates an instant restart

- but in contrast to your scenario it never shows instability when up running; no artifacts no blank screen, yes nothing weird is going on

 

In my case it's definitely related to temperatures, not as usual because of high temperatures but of low. The graphic-card idles normally at 34 C (ambient about 23 C), however if the temperatures go down to about 30 C it will shut down the system.

 

I know this isn't of any help, but I just couldn't resist telling about it. OK, maybe it's time anyway to upgrade.

[cornelious0_0]

The card is running cooler then ever with the VF900 and hasn't been overclocking in months.

 

I've tried new drivers after cleaning with Driver Cleaner to no avail.

 

I can't think of much else to try other then a system reformat to rule out a driver/DirectX issue and go from there. I've got a pair of X1900's on the way from a friend but in the mean time (if this turns out to be a hardware issue) I'm either gonna be running in safemode with networking or I'll have to buy a cheap PCI-E card to hold me over.

[ViperJohn]

This is kinda weird so I thought I'd see if anyone had any ideas or has dealt with anything similar.

 

I can be doing nothing strenuous at all on the computer, sitting at the desktop even, and completely at random the screen will all of a sudden just go blank. Normally this would be viewed as a stability issue with my OC, except the rest of the computer is perfectly fine, it continues to folding, audio keeps playing, and all information on my G15's LCD continues to update every second.

 

The only other possibility is some kind of video issue, and I immediately started thinking that my X850XT was to blame. I proceeded to load Oblivion, and the screen went black again within a few seconds of getting in the game. ATITool's artifact scan also goes completely haywire and fills with thousands of artifacts after a couple minutes. The strange thing is that none of this happens all the time, sometimes I can play NFS:MW for an hour before it goes black on me. Ontop of all that, VPU recover will often "kick in" if th screen goes blank when I'm playing a game. The X850XT has a VF900 installed on it, and it's load temps (even with 25C temps outside) never get above 50C...so I know it's not a temperature issue, and the card hasn't been overclocked for months, so that's not it.

 

Another strange part of the scenario is that not a single thing happens in safe mode...the computer has been running in safe mode (for testing purposes) for 2 days now with no issues. I'm not sure if DirectX is loaded at all in safemode or not, which could explain it, because if it was the hardware itself you'd think that it wouldn't matter if I was in safe mode or not.

 

I'm prepared to format the machine with the hope that it is a DirectX/software issue...but I also don't want to be left stranded with a machine that doesn't boot if I get halfway through the format and it goes blank again. Technically if it is a DirectX issue I should be able to get through the format, because DirectX wouldn't have been loaded yet, and I suppose I could just boot into safemode to reinstall applications after the install.

 

I realise that was a longer post, but if anyone has any ideas I'd be more then willing to try/consider just about anything, because I don't have any PCI video cards sitting around to install to confirm whether it's the video card itself or not. I might see if I can pickup an X300 or something fairly cheap for testing today, but I'm still open to suggestions until I get this figured out.

 

Are you running ME-II (Vista) with the Aero Destop??? If not then DirectX has nothing to do with it.

 

Your ATItool results tell me the card is failing. Your issue sounds like the ATI drivers are detecting the card

is going unstable and shutting it down. Since the drivers do not load in safe mode that can't happen then and

you retain a display.

 

Try disabling VPU Recover in the drivers and disable ATI Hot Key Poller Service then see if you can retain a

display. If you can then most likely it is the drivers doing there thing and the card is on the edge.

 

Viper

[cornelious0_0]

I already have hotkey poller disabled and when VPU recover was disabled there was no difference. I am running XP SP2, so no Aero theme.

 

Hopefully this is as simple as a hardware issue.

 

I really wanna get a new card of any sort to test with though, going day to day in Safe Mode - With Networking is a bit of a pain.

[gorgeousjorge]

Hi all,i´m too with this prob,6600gt dual monitor setup.

In my secondary display when it comes from stand by or i change the resolution or even the refresh rate it goes blank displaying the message not optimum mode.

Even a clean wxp didn`t work so i guess it`s the monitor or gpu.

Best Regards