Graphics glitch (GeForce 6600GT)

I've installed the latest drivers, as well as the latest Direct X, but
whenever I play a game (e.g. Fable - The Lost Chapters, Vampire -
Bloodlines,...), there appear weird graphics glitches (not immediately, it
seems, but only after I've played for a while, and then they suddenly crop
up)...

Looks like this: http://free-zg.t-com.hr/dr/glitches.jpg

Characters, as well as surroundings, are warped and distorted...

I have an Asus motherboard (a slightly older and very evil one, and I'm
afraid it might be the cause), 512 MB RAM, and I'm running it on Windows XP
Pro (Service Pack 1)...

Has anyone else encountered this and found a way to repair it,
software-wise?

--
Dommy

Dommy wrote:
I've installed the latest drivers, as well as the latest Direct X, but
whenever I play a game (e.g. Fable - The Lost Chapters, Vampire -
Bloodlines,...), there appear weird graphics glitches (not immediately, it
seems, but only after I've played for a while, and then they suddenly crop
up)...

Looks like this: http://free-zg.t-com.hr/dr/glitches.jpg

Characters, as well as surroundings, are warped and distorted...

I have an Asus motherboard (a slightly older and very evil one, and I'm
afraid it might be the cause), 512 MB RAM, and I'm running it on Windows XP
Pro (Service Pack 1)...

Has anyone else encountered this and found a way to repair it,
software-wise?

--
Dommy



I've seen many reports like this and I can't trace it to one specific
card or setup. Even since the days of the Geforce FX (5900, etc), some
cards exhibit polygon artifacting.

You can try several things:

* Make sure your motherboard chipset drivers are installed (properly).

* Turn off fastwrites and sideband addressing in your bios.

* Change AGP apature size to 256MB.

* Do not overclock and provide adequate ventillation for your system.

* Try a newer/older set of drivers. If the new 81.98 drivers don't work
well, try the 78.05's located on NVIDIA's FTP:
ftp://download.nvidia.com/Windows/78.05/

* Your card may be defective, RMA it with your warranty or try a similar
card of another brand (i.e. substitute an XFX 6600GT for a Leadtek).

* Use AT LEAST the 67.03 Forceware drivers, they fixed a key bug with
some SIS based motherboards.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=294

It may have to do with cheap component selection and motherboard
incompatibilities, but there isn't always one common cause.

In message , deimos
writes
Dommy wrote:
I've installed the latest drivers, as well as the latest Direct X, but
whenever I play a game (e.g. Fable - The Lost Chapters, Vampire -
Bloodlines,...), there appear weird graphics glitches (not immediately, it
seems, but only after I've played for a while, and then they suddenly crop
up)...
Looks like this: http://free-zg.t-com.hr/dr/glitches.jpg
Characters, as well as surroundings, are warped and distorted...
I have an Asus motherboard (a slightly older and very evil one, and
I'm
afraid it might be the cause), 512 MB RAM, and I'm running it on Windows XP
Pro (Service Pack 1)...
Has anyone else encountered this and found a way to repair it,
software-wise?
--
Dommy


If you're confident you can do it (ie if you're experienced, don't if
you're not) check the thermal compound between the GPU and the
heatsink/fan combo on the card, and that the heatsink is level and
touching the GPU..

As a rule, graphics cards are put together very quickly by low paid
people in the far east. Simply ensuring the thermal energy is
dissipating properly could potentially solve your problems.

Also ensure your PSU is up to spec and the Molex connector to your
graphics card is on a free spur on your PSU - sometimes helps.

Hope you solve it!

Neil.
--
Neil J Bundy

Actually, reverting to old drivers seems to have helped.

I still have a slight problem with freeze-ups, could be the card is
overheating, only it barely ever reaches 80°C, yet it says the threshold is
145°C...

Thanks for your comments, guys.

--
Dommy

In message , Dommy
writes
Actually, reverting to old drivers seems to have helped.

I still have a slight problem with freeze-ups, could be the card is
overheating, only it barely ever reaches 80°C, yet it says the threshold is
145°C...

Thanks for your comments, guys.

--
Dommy



May be worth checking the compound & that the heatsink's touching
properly anyway. 80'C seems quite warm.

My Galaxy 6600GT AGP 128MB (core 525, mem 1050, not overclocked) is
around 45C idle, the highest I've ever seen it was immediately after a
long intensive 'Juiced' gaming session, when I flipped to Windows and
checked the temp it showed as 61C. I do have a server tower style case
and plenty of fans (not exactly quiet though) so that may be some of the
difference.

FYI I use the NGO Optimised version of the 81.85 drivers, dwnloaded from
http://downloads.guru3d.com though they do now have the NGO 81.95 and
also the nVidia 81.98 WHQL drivers and the 82.12 Beta Drivers. I'll
probably do an update sometime in January.

Have a good Christmas

Neil.

--
Neil J Bundy

Dommy wrote:
Actually, reverting to old drivers seems to have helped.

I still have a slight problem with freeze-ups, could be the card is
overheating, only it barely ever reaches 80°C, yet it says the threshold is
145°C...

Thanks for your comments, guys.

--
Dommy


Mate, it's as if you're using my computer with that screenshot in your
original post (same game too), I have exactly the same sort of issue.
Can you tell me what version of the drivers you ended up using?

I've also had stability issues with my Leadtek 6600GT, which I've only
just bought. In fact it has become so bad to the point that 9 times out
of 10, the PC will not get to even the desktop using Windows XP, and in
Linux it now won't even start an X server.