Anyone seen this before...?

[Stu1983]

Time for the next upgrade problem...

I'm getting artifacts all over my games, I'm thinking it's a graphics card issue but I'm not 100%, I've attached a few jpgs

It's happening in more than 1 emulator so I don't think it's the software, I've tested GameEx, Project64, Mame and Zsnes and all have these artifacts, everything is ok in windows as the 4th screenshot shows, it's only the rendering window that has the artifacts. It's not a Vistax64 issue either as I have another PC running Vistax64 and it plays these games fine.

The only other thing I've noticed about it is the initial GameEx loading screen doesn't have these artifacts it's only with the menu appears that they appear, it's not a GameEx issue as it happens in the games with or without GameEx running. I'm just wonder what's different about the first screen the GameEx shows?

I'm running an ArcadeVGA so I'm wondering if it's an issue with it and Vistax64, I've emailed Andy the screenshots too to see if he can shed any light on it but I thought I'd check with you guys too

Cheers

Stu

[bkenobi]

Probably a video card problem. Is it overheating? Check to see that the fan on it hasn't died. Could also be a conflict, but I'm banking on either a dead fan or a dying card altogether.

Oh, it could also be caused by dust clogging fans or just insulating components from air flow...

[Brian Hoffman]

Time for the next upgrade problem...

I'm getting artifacts all over my games, I'm thinking it's a graphics card issue but I'm not 100%, I've attached a few jpgs

It's happening in more than 1 emulator so I don't think it's the software, I've tested GameEx, Project64, Mame and Zsnes and all have these artifacts, everything is ok in windows as the 4th screenshot shows, it's only the rendering window that has the artifacts. It's not a Vistax64 issue either as I have another PC running Vistax64 and it plays these games fine.

The only other thing I've noticed about it is the initial GameEx loading screen doesn't have these artifacts it's only with the menu appears that they appear, it's not a GameEx issue as it happens in the games with or without GameEx running. I'm just wonder what's different about the first screen the GameEx shows?

I'm running an ArcadeVGA so I'm wondering if it's an issue with it and Vistax64, I've emailed Andy the screenshots too to see if he can shed any light on it but I thought I'd check with you guys too

Cheers

Stu

Well I thought overheating also... Till I saw the last pic.. It only appers to be in the games so its more than likley a driver / direct x issue.

Id update both

[eXo]

not sure if this helps - but I had a video card in a laptop go bad and it only caused corruption in directx games for a month, and then one day the whole pc went to shit.

so overheating isn't ruled out by that last snap.

[LB11]

Generally corruption that looks like that is from the videocard memory. The GPU would cause geometry problems usually.

[Brian Hoffman]

I got it!!

Can you put the card in another PC and see if it has the same issues?

[greatflash]

Time for the next upgrade problem...

I'm getting artifacts all over my games, I'm thinking it's a graphics card issue but I'm not 100%, I've attached a few jpgs

It's happening in more than 1 emulator so I don't think it's the software, I've tested GameEx, Project64, Mame and Zsnes and all have these artifacts, everything is ok in windows as the 4th screenshot shows, it's only the rendering window that has the artifacts. It's not a Vistax64 issue either as I have another PC running Vistax64 and it plays these games fine.

The only other thing I've noticed about it is the initial GameEx loading screen doesn't have these artifacts it's only with the menu appears that they appear, it's not a GameEx issue as it happens in the games with or without GameEx running. I'm just wonder what's different about the first screen the GameEx shows?

I'm running an ArcadeVGA so I'm wondering if it's an issue with it and Vistax64, I've emailed Andy the screenshots too to see if he can shed any light on it but I thought I'd check with you guys too

Cheers

Stu

I am sure this is a graphics card issue. I would agree that the card has or is overheating. This usually manifests itself as buffer corruption, this appears to be what is happening with all games. You could find this out by using a software output on the n64 emulator to bypass the direct x/gl functions and draw directly to gdi/screen. If the error vanished then it is 100% the card..

If you have onboard graphics, then try using them instead. If the problem was caused by direct x/ motherboard/ ram etc, then it would manifest itself in other ways as well - ie. random blue screens and total lockups..

I am sure that a purchase of a new card will cure your problem!

Just had one quick thought.. a stab in the dark that may be worth a go. If you are using an agp or pci type card, sometimes they lose a certain amount of current passed through the bus. This manifects itself in general corruption when the card had to do any real work.. Try removing the card and blowing in the motherboard connector and cleaning the connector on the card. firmly re-seat the card (if pci, try another slot) and see if that has made any difference...

[Stu1983]

The original fan was far far too loud so I've been running it fanless with a giant gpu heatsink and memory heatsinks in my old PC 24/7 for over a year now, there's a 120mm fan that blows at it a slow speed.

It seems like too much of a coincidence that it just suddenly breaks the day that I put it into my new PC but it's not impossible so I'll remove it later and try it in another PC at work.

Andy has only ever released the 1 driver for this card and I can't use any other driver or I'll loose all my low resolutions

Stu

[greatflash]

The original fan was far far too loud so I've been running it fanless with a giant gpu heatsink and memory heatsinks in my old PC 24/7 for over a year now, there's a 120mm fan that blows at it a slow speed.

It seems like too much of a coincidence that it just suddenly breaks the day that I put it into my new PC but it's not impossible so I'll remove it later and try it in another PC at work.

Andy has only ever released the 1 driver for this card and I can't use any other driver or I'll loose all my low resolutions

Stu

you never said what card you were using?

[Stu1983]

You could find this out by using a software output on the n64 emulator to bypass the direct x/gl functions and draw directly to gdi/screen. If the error vanished then it is 100% the card..

Good thinking, I set MAME to GDI instead of DDRAW and everything is fine so it's the card.

Andy just got back to me and he reckons it a slow RAM chip so he's going to replace it.

Stu

[Stu1983]

you never said what card you were using?

At the bottom of my first post I said I'm running an ArcadeVGA from www.ultimarc.com

Stu

[greatflash]

Good thinking, I set MAME to GDI instead of DDRAW and everything is fine so it's the card.

Andy just got back to me and he reckons it a slow RAM chip so he's going to replace it.

Stu

Phew! well at least you know where you are now!

[bkenobi]

I didn't notice the corruption not occurring on the desktop in the last pic. I'm glad you got it sorted out! Btw, overheating manifests in many ways depending on the component that's overheating. In this case, it looks to me like it's a 3D accelerator issue since the 2D (desktop) isn't a problem. If Andy's going to replace the card, then good to go!