Page 1 of strange graphics problem driving me nuts.....HEYALP !!

after running just fine for 4 months (since it was built) about 3 weeks ago it started having occasional "wobbly`s" whilst playing ut04 resulting in a temporary freeze of the screen, then it`d go back to normal & be fine for a while again, i`d just bunged a few new maps in so i figured it was just a glitch, unfortunately it got worse, now to the point where it either plays for a short while then crashes, or just falls over at the startup screen (of ut04) giving the following error message

UT2004 Build UT2004_Build_[2005-11-23_16.22]

OS: Windows XP 5.1 (Build: 2600)
CPU: GenuineIntel Unknown processor @ 3472 MHz with 1022MB RAM
Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT (8421)

IDirect3DVertexBuffer8::Lock failed(D3DERR_NOTAVAILABLE).

History: FD3DDynamicVertexStream::AddVertices <- FD3DRenderInterface::SetDynamicStream
<- FCanvasUtil::Flush <- UCanvas::DrawTile <- UCanvas::ClippedPrint <- UCanvas::DrawTextJustified
<- UGUIStyles::DrawText <- (STY2TextButtonEffect Package.STY2TextButtonEffect)
<- GUIButton::Draw <- (GUIButton Package.GUIButton) <- UGUIMultiComponent::DrawControls
<- (UT2k4MainMenu Package.UT2k4MainMenu) <- GUIMultiComponent::Draw <- (UT2k4MainMenu Package.UT2k4MainMenu)
<- GUIPage::Draw <- (UT2k4MainMenu Package.UT2k4MainMenu) <- GUIController::NativePostRender
<- UInteractionMaster::MasterProcessPostRender <- FPlayerSceneNode::Render <- UGameEngine::Draw
<- UWindowsViewport::Repaint <- UWindowsClient::Tick <- ClientTick <- UGameEngine::Tick <- Level Untitled
<- UpdateWorld <- MainLoop <- FMallocWindows::Free <- FMallocWindows::Realloc <- 10910191 0 FArray
<- FArray::Realloc <- 0*2 <- FMallocWindows::Free

+ i am also getting some slight pixelation during video playback, but this only happens sometimes, not allways (when i say pixelation, it`s not like a "breakup" of the picture, it presents itself like a few dozen pixels suddenly going dead/live, ie, varying from colourless to red-to -blue etc) so at this point i`m thinking my gfx card is going tits up (gainward Bliss 7900gt pcx 512mb ultra high def) but as i don`t have a spare pci express card to swap out, i try a re-install onto one of the other hard drives. in the hope it`s a software gremlin.

here`s my usual method for new installations.

unplug internet, format the drive thats to be used, shut pc down, unplug all other hard drives, load the XP disc, remove the partition & then add new partition, then format. then standard instalation. once into windows i installed all the standard drivers packs that i used when it was working perfectly, still not connected to the internet, so no windows update fiddling etc. just the pure drivers that i know work.

the problem persists. in exactly the same way, so, next day i go out & buy the cheapest "reasonable" pci-e card that will run ut04, & it runs without issue, apart from the obvious gfx settings being lower. (ati x300) & go back to scan the next day with the 7900GT. they test it using 3dmark06 & it goes all the way through without issue :/ so given that the card has been under full "load" (2 runs through 3dmark with all settings full up) they say theres nowt wrong with the card, & it`s hard to argue as i can see the logic. they say it`s probably the psu gone faulty, causing the card to go flakey, so i buy a new psu (650watt mid range jobbie @ £35) get home, install it, & guess what, no change grrrrr

getting p***ed of with it now, mainly due to the fact that inc the spare gfx card i`ve spent £70 that i cannot really afford, & still no better off :(

so i download the current version of 3dmark 06 (allready have it somewhere, but the f***ing gremlins have hid it away :/) & it runs through the full test without issue, & the score is pretty much the same as it was before i had problems :/

so, if the gfx card is ok, & the cpu seems ok (full load on 3dmark, + no temp spikes or bsod under normal operation etc) & the same goes for the memory (i would expect bsod with bad memory) & the operating system & installed software has worked just fine in the same machine in the same configuration for ages.

where does that leave me now ? maybe the motherboard ?

any idea`s very greatfully recieved............ & sorry about the long post :(

Wierd, it sounds like a drivers, or DirectX problem, but it looks likeyou can rule them out with your testing.

Have you looked in the event viewer logs to see if there is anything strange in there? Could point to what piece of hardware is going.

How about gone through dxdiag to see if anything is strange there. Since you`ve done a fresh install that prob won`t help much as it seems unlikely your DirectX got broke twice, but stranger things have happened with Windows ;)

Have you got any temperature software. May be able to see if a fan is gummed up or something causing temporary overheating of something.

Sorry, they`re the only obvious things I can think of.

How about take it all apart, give it a good going over with an airduster, put it back together. Many a hard drive at work has been fixed by unplugging it and plugging it in again!


Actually could be the gfx card. i remember some-one at work had a card that would sometimes corrupt on loading windows. Sometimes it would play a game all night no problems. Put the card in other PC same thing, just v temperemental. Guess your card and his could be a bit like when your car makes a strange knocking noise. you take it to the mehanic, it stops, on way home it starts again.

He even tried taking fan of card (Radeon 1800pro) and adding somethermal paste as it looked like it had dried out, but those fans aren`t designed to removed and put on again so that didn`t help.

This item was edited on Thursday, 19th April 2007, 19:18

I was thinking a temporary overheat problem on the card too...or the card connector.
TBH sounds like you know more than me on hardware Ogs...but sometimes I get lucky ;)

Our instore engineer used to try and duplicate problems like this (especially the jerky video/breaking up on playback) then spray some air cooler into the "expected" fault area to see if it cooled it down and cured the problem.

Surprising how many times it found the fault that you would never have otherwise guessed....I`da thought the machine woulda blown up meself ::shrug::

Jimbo : oÞ

"Making Teenagers depressed is like shooting fish inna barrel"

i have a 250mm fan built into the front of the case for air intake & a 250mm fan built into the side for outake, + all fans are set to "alert" (inc the psu & cpu) in the case of failure or overheating, my sytem temp never goes over 30c, so still a mystery.

in my gut i`m still sure it`s the gfx card, & i just installed the far cry demo & it did exactly the same thing on that :/

I know ya got the coolest system around (pun intended ;) ) but if you have any cooling spray around try it on the card.

Again, I know it sounds stupid but all it takes is that one component to go over it`s spec or be knackered in the first place.....

Or you could just send the entire system to me for a full and substantial checkover....should have it all done and ready to go back to you in about a year or so ;)

Jimbo : oÞ

"Making Teenagers depressed is like shooting fish inna barrel"

but if you have any cooling spray around try it on the card. they did this at scan, & it continued to work ok for them :/ also, i can keep my hand on the heatsink whilst it`s running so it`s deffo not getting to hot :/ i wish it where, because at least i`d know what the problem was for sure.......

Or you could just send the entire system to me for a full and substantial checkover....should have it all done and ready to go back to you in about a year or so


heh, tbh my next job over weekend will be to completely strip it down & rebuild it, just to shake it about a bit, as bizare as it seems this occasionaly cures such problems (ie, mobo slightly out of alighnment causing the pins on the pci-e slot not to connect just right etc)

& if that don`r work i`ll just dump the whole thing on scans counter & refuse to move till they get to the bottom of it :D (not unreasonable imo, since all the components wheer purchased from them, & if you include the cost of the monitor it was well over £1000)

This item was edited on Friday, 20th April 2007, 19:42

had been using an EZcool 600watt psu for 4 months without any issue, & just installed an atrix 650wat psu & the problem persists, & given that the min psu for my setup is 500watts, i can happily rule out the psu.

& remember, i`m only realy playing unreal tourney 2004, & my old skt A system with an fx5600 could run that at full settings 2 years ago (on a 300 watt psu, with 4 dvd burners & 4 hard drives at the same time)

i built the pc myself, as tbh, scans pre built pc`s are pricey for what you get :/

& just to make sure i also did a fresh install with just the memory, 1 newly partitioned/formted hard drive & my sata dvd burner so the total hardware count was

1. Intel D950 3.4ghz x2 cpu
1. abit AB9-Pro mobo (£120 4 months ago)
1. 7900gt @ 512mb (£250 4 months ago)
1. gig DDR533
1. 320gig maxtor hard drive
1. samsung sata dvd writer
1. 650watt psu (brand new)

nothing else connected, not even the cable modem, so no nasties getting onboard, pc runs fine in windows, but falls over the moment i start a game up.

i am positive the psu is fine, no way could both have gone faulty.
i suppose the memory is a possability, but personaly i doubt it`s the culprit.
the motherboard could also be at fault, but again, i find it hard to believe given every other aspect of the pc`s functionality is unafected.

so once again it brings me back to the gfx card, the x300 runs ut04 at 1280 x 960 res with all the setting at "normal" & it`ll run all day without issue (i left it in spectate mode overnight whilst the 7900gt sometimes will not even go past the start screen, & if i can get into a game, the longest it lasts is 2 mins. & thats on the same settings as the x300 :/

so back to square one, i only wish i had another compatable mobo to test it on, & some more ddr2 memory, but as i have neither i cannot swap thes components out...

btw, the original 600watt psu ran unreal at the highest settings & at a resoloution of 1920 x 1200 since the day i built the pc, & untill a few weeks ago ran flawlesly since last august, & when the problems started i hadn`t added anything new or installed anything for a short while. so i`m still not convinced the gfx card is ok, in fact, in my own mind it`s the only thing that could be at fault :/

but i could do with a few new ideas for testing the rig, because i REALY need to get to the bottom of this :(

Do you get this problem on other games and applicatons or is it just UT2004 and video playback? If your getting sparklys on the picture sounds to me like the card could be the problem,

This item was edited on Friday, 20th April 2007, 22:33

unreal is the only game i realy play tbh, but as a test i installed fear & far cry, both fell over in the same way. thats why despite scan saying the cards ok, i still have reservations, tbh, i don`t think i`ll prove anything untill i can get the card into another system & see if it has the same problems.....