Is my Video Card Faulty? HELP!!!

[ZoLTaN]

Hi guys, I just picked up a new custom made computer: An Amd Athlon 3400, (128 MB) Radeon 9800 pro, 1024 MB of Ram and a Seagate 120 Gigabyte Hardrive.

Now those are my specs here's where the trouble is; I just got this computer back yesterday from my fathers friend whos a pro at building custom computers and never makes mistakes. When I rebooted the computer for the first time and windows xp loaded for the second time I started to get artifacts all over every icon and also on random messages from windows that pop up (even the user icons when you log onto windows xp). I fixed that problem because supposedly my card can't handle windows xp on the highest hardware acceleration (which is the default setting). But now I'm getting this problem in every game I play; it's not just a few artifact glitches popping up here and there there all over the screen almost like a checkerboard pattern...

The games I've played so far are Mafia and Doom 3 and they both look the same. Should I return my card? Are there any settings I can change?


P.S. My brother has the EXACT same computer up to the case and he is having no problems at all...

[Jay Smith]

Have you tried fiddeling with the resolution in the DISPLAY panel and/or in the games options.

Check the back of the game case to see what the settings need to be.

Jay

[ZoLTaN]

Yeah, I'm 95% sure resolution isn't the problem here. Thanks for the response though. I understand that usually a card is overheating when you get artifact glitches like this and it shouldn't be. It's still not fixed though, ack I really don't want to return it but it's starting to look like i have to.

[Cactus]

I think your CPU and Graphic card are fine,but your alittle low in memory I think.
Mafia requires minimum 128mb or better so your probly ok on that game but Doom 3 requires a minmum of 384mb.
I would add more memory like another 256mb stick.
Just my thoughts....


Cactus

[Jay Smith]

I agree, If it was overheating the system would come up with the BSOD, or reboot while your playing them!
(didnt think of memory )

[ZoLTaN]

1024MB isn't enough???

[Cactus]

Sorry Zoltan...I read your post wrong....

That's plenty of memory...

lol... take the card back!!

Cactus

[ZoLTaN]

Thanks for your help Cactus...

PS Calvin and Hobbes rocks

[Axelation]

Something else you may want to look at is the chipset on the MainBoard.
I have run into trouble installing ATI graphics cards on a board with Nvidia chipset and some Via Chipsets. However Via usually have pretty good updates for these chipsets and is somewhat easier to get it to work. Just a thought, not saying that is your problem, but is certainly something to look at if you change the card and it keeps having a problem.

[ZoLTaN]

Thanks for all your help guys, I realized it was the card and I returned. The guy at the store didn't even have to open a game to see that the card was faulty so i got a new one in the end and its working well.