# graphic problem lines all over screen



## bhrandon (May 14, 2009)

Recently my computer has been doing odd things.

I have not added any new programs or any new hardware. One day it works the next day it doesnt.

ok here are the issues,

at first white little lines started appearing. at times just small little lines, then they started to appear everywhere, then other colors of lines.

eventually the screen would fill with them and the comp would freeze.
sometimes the lines would appear like say the firefox symbol on my desktop would be in tact, but a few inches away, a few lines of color that were the firefox symbol... does that makes sense.

i cleaned all the vents of any dust, and have the side panel off. All the fans seem to be spinning, graphics card is spinning, powersupply fan is spinning, I will make sure the processor fan is spinning as well. It is still happening. But like I mentioned before, the lines have always been present, sometimes it causes the system to freeze, or I sometimes, get that error of hte display driver. But neither of those have happened in the past few hours. It has had lines, but I have been able to move things over them and the lines go away.

I will say that I have not been using it really at all, it has just been sitting there, when the lines show up I go over and swipe the screen, not really sure why I do this but I do, I guess I do it to see if it froze...

so I dont know if I started using it if it would freeze or I would get display driver....

I could get the temp of the processors too if that would help they seemed normal when I checked...

thanks for all the help so far, this is just driving me crazy. I just really want to fix this.

Also I have been at times, not every time mind u, but sometimes a dialog balloon shows up and says A display driver has stopped responding and been recovered.

nvlddmkm is the driver.

my drivers are up to date.
vista is up to date

system vista home x32
video card nvidia 8800
4gb ram

not sure what else needs to be said. Hoepfully I can get some ideas as to how to fix this problem

Thanks

also want to add, that, when it first happened with these lines, I thought it was because of an update, so I used system restore, and after that, everything was fine

then a few days later it happened again, I checked and windows update had added another update and installed, so I system restored, and it was fine again for a few days, until I could go and make sure I had all the drivers, figuring it was something to do with an update...

but it still happens even when I am fully updated...


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## Laxer (Dec 28, 2010)

Try sitting in bios for a while. See if you can get the lines to reoccur.

If you can't hopefully its just a software problem i would recommend going to the latest stable build.

If the error does reoccur try re-seating your gpu.

Double check to make sure all the plugs are plugged in FULLY this includes into the monitor too.

If still nothing try borrowing a monitor/gpu from a friend and see if you can narrow down the possible culprits.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

what are you running
video card
cpu
m/board
ram
power supply
brand
model
wattage
check the listings in the bios for voltages and temperatures and post them


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

We need to know the specs that dai ask for to offer assistance.


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## bhrandon (May 14, 2009)

what are you running
video card - BFG 8800 GTS 512mb OC
cpu - Intel Core 2 duo 6300 @ 1.86ghz
m/board - not sure what mboard I have its a Dell system DXP061 or dimensions XPS 410 
ram - 4gb 667mhz DDR2 SDRAM
power supply - dell power supply
brand - no brand name just a dell
model - I can give model number not sure that it says what model it is
wattage - 375w


check the listings in the bios for voltages and temperatures and post them 
sorry do not know how to do this.

Also I was getting artifacts and lines even in the black startup menus.


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## bhrandon (May 14, 2009)

and just to reitterate, it has been running everything for the last year or two. I did have a 400w powersupply a long time ago, maybe a year ago but it died. So i switched back to this powersupply that I listed above. It worked for a year or so.

I took out the BFG 8800 and put in my crappy graphics card umm
ati radeon X1300 pro or some such crap. It is terrible but there are no lines. So I have a feeling it is the graphics card dying. 

I heard or saw that some people have been able to remove everything from the graphics card, put it on tin foil and bake it for ten minutes, there by re-sodering (o rhowever thats spelled) the micro fractures that may have occured.

What does everyone think about that route. Is it the graphics card? and should I bake it? (and I wont blame y'all if it blows up and melts just willing to try anything that could possibly bring it back to life).


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

no you should not

upgrade the psu

Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply

when you upgraded the card you should have also upgraded the psu


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

as stated upgrade the psu to the one recommended. dell power supplies are rubbish I would never run a half decent graphics card with a dell psu.


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## Laxer (Dec 28, 2010)

when you "bake" a component to re-solder it all your doing is making the solder that much more impure. Most high end cards use leaded solder which melts at a very unsafe temperature for your component.

I would second what everyone else is saying, upgrade your psu before you do anything else.

the 550w linked to above should be more then enough.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

As above^ You need a minimum 550W good quality PSU.
Corsair 650W $10 less than the 550W: Newegg.com - CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply


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