Odd pixels during video playback/graphics (images)

[tidy max]

Hi everyone,

 

Hope im posting this in the right section, i seem to have developed an odd pixel problem, pixels that are the wrong colour (and constantly changing but usually a red like colour) keep appearing on my display.

 

They usually have some sort of formation, like 4 columns of vertical lines each with a pixel down each quarter of the screen, this happens on my flat screen + pc monitor.

 

Will it be my graphics card?

 

Also, say i have an image on screen, and i use the magnify feature, when i mova the virtual magnifying glass the off coloured pizels follow where ive been, tonight i will try a print screen off the problem to see if it picks it up?

 

the magnify is the windows feature, its accessed via a button on my microsoft mouse.

 

Cheers!

[BeeCeeBee]

When does this occur tidy max? I am not sure whether this is related to a specific program that you are using or just a general problem (on your desktop for example.)

 

Please be as specific as you can be.

[tidy max]

It is NOT program specific

 

If i am using media player to watch any type of video file, the pixels occur

----------------------------------

. .

. .

. . .

.

----------------------------------

 

sorry about that bad attempt at an image but imagine that box is my screen, and the dots are the 'corrupt' pixels, they fluctuate in colour

 

this also happens when my screen saver is on or any other MOVING graphic

 

When i use the magnify funtion (which brings up a small box which can be say 2x to 10x magnified) if i were to have a jpg open in the center of my screen, put then magnifying box over it then move it, the pixel problem becomes 10fold and kind of 'follows' the magnifying glass leaving tracks of where it has been.

 

sorry if im not explaining clearly, its quite a hard problem to describe

 

all i can garuntee is that..

its NOT programme specific

its NOT a monitor problem (dead pixels)

 

Thanks again

[help4me]

What are your pc specs? Do you have the most recent video card drivers for your graphics card?

[tidy max]

Definately the most recent drivers, updated only 2 weeks ago, will type up my specs when i get home, probably 30 minutes, thanks for your help

[help4me]

I got your specs from the other thread... but double checking when you get home would be helpful :)

 

I'll wait to post more until you get home. Travel safely :)

[tidy max]

i travelled safe and im now at home! haha

 

and the specs are....

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.80ghz

768mb of ram

nvidia geforce FX 5500

Creative S/B X-FI soundcard

 

is thereanything else that could help?

 

Oh and XP Pro! sp2, Thanks again!

[BeeCeeBee]

Was this nvidia card installed with the machine or is it an upgrade? Is there an onboard card as well? The math seems to indicate that there may well be.

 

Also, why are you running with sp2, have you had any difficulties that you may have blamed on SP3 or has it never been downloaded?

Edited February 24, 2009 by BeeCeeBee

[tidy max]

i installed the nvidia card sometime after the pc was bought, and yes there is a standard vga out on the motherboard, i shall try that ouput and post my findings! thanks

[tidy max]

and i take it back, there is no vga output, i mistook a sneaky serial port for one, even though it only has two rows of pins, silly me! Sorry!

[BeeCeeBee]

You are jumping way ahead of things. When you installed the nvidia card did you uninstall the old drivers? What how long has the new card been installed and how does that relate to when your problems started?

[BeeCeeBee]

Now i am totally confused. If there is no vga output then I assume that the old card was not onboard. Is that correct? And, if you physically removed it did you uninstall the drivers for it?

 

If you know how to go into device manager please check your graphics card and see if there are any warning icons. (Right Click "my computer" select "manage" from drop down menu and then open "device manager.")

[tidy max]

yeah i totally uninstalled it, sorry, ive got 4 computers and alot of mixing and matching used to go on, i did it a couple of years ago and cant remember what i did with what, but yes, removed the old display card and totally uninstalled it, sorry.

 

How am i jumping ahead? the problems do not relate to me fitting the card, its been installed for about 2 years now, and the problems have been happening for about 2 months.

 

cheers

[help4me]

I posted this in the other thread as well....

 

Ok... from your two threads... I am betting that it is indeed a graphics card problem.

 

The media player issue is more than likely related to the memory of the video card. THe pixel problem is related to the card directly. I would say it's time for a new video card.

[tidy max]

oh dear :( well thats a shame!, thanks for your help folkes, and sorry to be a pain creating two threads related to the same thing, i didnt think they would both because by the same fault, thanks again for your help, useful as ever!

[help4me]

you did the right thing by posting seperate threads TM. They very well could have had different causes. I am more inclined to think after gathering more information... that both problems stem from the graphics card.

 

Good luck :)

[Dalo Harkin]

I have posted in the other thread too - but this seems more of a heat issue to me.

Pixels do not normally just appear and especially in the same sequence.

do you have any direct air going to the card - have you checked the fan is running? is there even a fan?

you may just need to upgrade the cooling to compensate for the heat - but the damage may have been done to the RAM and the GPU on the card.