My computer has generated some issues.

It started with not rebooting itself all the time (on the windows xp splash screen the graphics looked odd)

So reformatted on a spare drive so now.

The graphics go all funny, or it just goes slow and changes all the colours.

First port of call - I swapped the graphics card - still the same problem.

Second port of call - running a memory diagnostic test no issues found.

Running out of ideas here. Is there a test I can run on the graphics card, perhaps both were faulty?

The graphics go all funny, or it just goes slow and changes all the colours.



Have you installed the drivers for the graphics card? Sounds like the graphics are running on MS generic drivers,

It is but it shouldn't make any difference a standard OS GUI is hardly taxing for it.

It is but it shouldn't make any difference a standard OS GUI is hardly taxing for it.

It will affect the OS GUI if you are running on MS generic graphics.

It is but it shouldn't make any difference a standard OS GUI is hardly taxing for it.

Assumption is your enemy in IT ;)

Start>Run type in devmgmt.msc >enter Are there any explanation marks in Device Manager?

Yes there devices not installed in DM as I haven't bothered installing them.

The problem is still the same with a fresh install as it was with a OS running graphics drivers written for the card, and all the other appropriate drivers written for the MB, and PCI cards.

Yes there devices not installed in DM as I haven't bothered installing them.

The problem is still the same with a fresh install as it was with a OS running graphics drivers written for the card, and all the other appropriate drivers written for the MB, and PCI cards.

Installing the latest drivers for your graphics card and then reboot your PC should cure the problem.

Installing the latest drivers for your graphics card and then reboot your PC should cure the problem.

You took the words right out my mouth!

It is still similar problems with an OS installed with the drivers for my graphics card, and everything installed as I said above. It has to be hardware related not software.

Anyway shoved my old hard drive back in for now, at least it is semi-usable in that state.

Things I haven't tried yet is swapping the bios battery and checking the PSU.

Does Device manager display any unconfigured devices?

What's your setup mobo, gfx card etc as you have posted almost no technical details.

As a quick test do you have any Live Linux CD/DVD's? This will give you a working enviroment to check your system. If you suspect a hardware problem this may give you some pointers.

Not on the old OS no. Thinking about it though the computer has had issue installing windows updates on shutdown recently. Perhaps it might be something to do with that? Following on from what you have both said above I will try a graphics update on the old OS to see if it helps.

The system is a

1.4Ghz Athlon XP
Gigabyte Motherboard (don't remember the model, I can dig it out though)
2 x 256Mb 266Mhz DDR
Creative Soundcard
PCI IDE/Raid Expansion Card
Nvidia 64mb Graphics (think it was the 400Mhz one)
40gb harddrive
120gb harddrive
Wireless PCI
PCI modem
Zip Drive
2 x Optical Drives
Floppy Drive

The problem you are describing sounds very much like the drivers you've installed for your GFX card are incorrect, or not apparent.

In the technical details you have failed to mention the model of the graphics card you are using, which leads me to believe you don't know the model number/name.

Please, please install the correct drivers for your GFX card and tell us the model of it, that way we can rule that out. It's very unlikely to be a hardware based problem.

Sorry thought I had put it in, it is geforce2 nivida chip.