3d Games Cause Large Squares on Screen - SOLVED!

[HacktheHacker]

All of a sudden, when my son plays 3d games (but mostly Guild Wars on line) after about 10 - 15 mins large squares will appear evenly all over the screen. They also flash. If he continues to play the computer will crash. He has an AMD 3400, 1 gig ram, 200 gig HD, ATI X800 video Card. We have tried all the usual things, update drivers, checked 3d settings, scanned for a virus, etc. His specifications are at least double the recommended requirements. When the squares appear if I switch of the game and go to catalyst control, under 3d settings, the movie that plays is corrupted the same as the game. However, if I then play a dvd movie it plays fine. When the squares appear if I run dxdiag and run the tests they work fine except that the squares appear on the screen but it reports everything is fine.

We also tried playing a disk only game and the same thing happened after about 40 mins. This computer has worked fine for the past 2 years. His brother has exactly the same computer and he plays the game fine.

Does this sound like a video card problem? or does anyone have any other suggestions as to what the problem might be.

Thanks in advance.

[thecoalman]

Have you done any house cleaning on it? If not the heatsinks, fans etc on both the CPU and Graphics card are probably packed with dust.

[Bjs]

Graphics card overheating .

Check fans are clear , as the thecoalman suggested ... with the pc off and power removed of course .

If that dosent clear it up , then repeat power down , remove power , remove pc cover , carefully remove the graphics card , and firmly reinsert it back into the slot , and try again .

Refer to manual for motherboard to make sure the motherboard supports the card in use .

Just because a video card says it is backward compatable with older speeds , dosent mean it actually is .

Thats why you should have supplied the mother boards manufacturer and model id .

----

Modern pc's have a tendency not to like being in very warm rooms either .

Just because someone adds the latest cooler into a system , just dose not provide adequate cooling for every component within a modern pc ... never has .

Unless its built inside a fridge ... which is my next project .

A pc that provides chilled refreshments , and still be portable .

[Jeremiah58]

That does sound like a video card problem.
Saw that, way back, with my ATI 8500DV. Everything worked fine except complex 3D games. I replaced it.
You can benchmark the video card or you can use ATI Tray Tools to see how it performs under various settings for 3D.
If it is still under warranty you may get a new one.

[HacktheHacker]

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I did clean out the computer, there was a little dust but not much. I'll try moving the system to the basement where it is cool and see if that makes a difference. I did a bunch of 3d tests and everything came back ok.

I'll post back with any results.

[thecoalman]

The control panel for your graphics card should have a temp monitor, at least if it's a Nvidia. Not sure about ATI. There's also monitors you can get for the CPU, your motherboard may have even came with such a utility.

Just sitting there both should be in the 30-40 degree range.

[HacktheHacker]

My problem is solved. Before my first post I had taken my son's computer to the local 'geek squad'. After 4 days they said there was nothing wrong and they could not re-create the problem. That was when I posted here. I thought I would try a few things that were suggested as well as replace the video card. Never having done this I opened the case and was looking at the video card to see what I would have to do. I then boticed that the heat sink on the m/b had come loose and was only attached by one clip. I then found the other clip in the bottom of the case. I took the computer back to the Geek Squad and they said - 'Oh, its broken, you need a new m/b'. 'You had this for 4 days and found nothing' I said, 'oh' they said. I then fixed it myself in front of them (me who has never dared do anything inside a computer before). They never offered to help and just stood and watched! Of course I then made them give me a refund.

So thanks for the responses, you were on the right track regarding overheating. I am now going to buy 'Computers for Dummies' and do things myself.

[thecoalman]

Gotta love stories like that, no need for the book. Everthing you could possibly ever want to know can be found online.

[fLYtRap]

My problem is solved. Before my first post I had taken my son's computer to the local 'geek squad'. After 4 days they said there was nothing wrong and they could not re-create the problem. That was when I posted here. I thought I would try a few things that were suggested as well as replace the video card. Never having done this I opened the case and was looking at the video card to see what I would have to do. I then boticed that the heat sink on the m/b had come loose and was only attached by one clip. I then found the other clip in the bottom of the case. I took the computer back to the Geek Squad and they said - 'Oh, its broken, you need a new m/b'. 'You had this for 4 days and found nothing' I said, 'oh' they said. I then fixed it myself in front of them (me who has never dared do anything inside a computer before). They never offered to help and just stood and watched! Of course I then made them give me a refund.

So thanks for the responses, you were on the right track regarding overheating. I am now going to buy 'Computers for Dummies' and do things myself.

I found out that the Geek Squad is not as knowledgeable as they say they are. 1 time I went to ask them what is the best software to recover data from a damaged CD. They had no idea what to tell me and when I gave them few examples like IS0 Buster and more they were looking on me like, what the hell is he talking about

[TBoneit]

We get computers here for repair all the time that have Best Buy stickers on them from being taken to the Geek squad first.

[Ron B]

Taking a look for obvious physical damage is a good first step in solving technical issues.
If every problem could be so simple...............

[EddyH]

bumping this thread just because the solution was just perfect