Artifacts on 5200fx

[yobobyo]

Hi,

I've got a strange problem. Here are some screen shots:
http://bpd.plantedtank.net/Untitled-1.gif
http://bpd.plantedtank.net/Untitled-2.gif
http://bpd.plantedtank.net/Untitled-3.gif

In the first screenshot, I drag the window in a diagonal direction. These cyan colored dots appear and leave a dot at the last position on the window. Thes dots dissappear once I minimize the window or brnig something else in front.

In the 2nd, I drag the window in a circular motion to show how the dots leave their mark.

In the 3rd, I shake the window a bit.

It's annoying the hell out of me. I'm thinking it's either bad video memory or the drivers. Any ideas?

 

[mdd1963]

I'd certainly install the latest drivers, and perhaps try adjsuting the refresh rate *if* on a CRT monitor...

If that doesnt help, you can underclock the card within the drivers, try lowering the mem clock by 10-30 Mhz..

(On the positive side, just about any AGP card you buy, if a replacement is needed, will indeed be faster!)

 

[yobobyo]

Here's a option dialog box I found:
http://bpd.plantedtank.net/Untitled-7.gif

which one do I lower?

 

[bourgeoisdude]

Just buy a new card and be done with it. Even the pathetic GeForce 6200 AGP beats the tar out of that one. Buy an ATI X1300 even. Anything'll beat that card. It's a good excuse to upgrade.

 

[yobobyo]

Money isn't a way I can fix my problem. "Buy a new one" seems to be the only way people can fix things these days. I need the McGuiver of video cards. Someone who can fix it with some toothpicks and floss.

 

[rochin]

Money isn't a way I can fix my problem. "Buy a new one" seems to be the only way people can fix things these days. I need the McGuiver of video cards. Someone who can fix it with some toothpicks and floss.

I had one of the 5200fx, not a bad card for the 48 bucks i paid for it 2 years ago. My advice is to take the card out of the computer and give it a good cleaning. Use compressed air to clean out the heat sink and or fan on the card. You might want to clean the connections as well. Use the compressed air on the agp slot, it could be dusty. Also while your at it give the computer a good blow out with the compressed air. If it still happens try calling customer support for the card. They may have some advice. Also try updating the drivers for vid card and motherboard. It wont hurt. Hope that helps. I got alot of use out of my 5200, overclocked well.

 

[yobobyo]

thanks for the tips.

 

[TabrisDarkPeace]

Update the firmware / BIOS on your video card.

If the new (video card) BIOS has different timings it will fix the issue.
This is how most video cards are 'refurbished' btw, then resold later working fine for the same 2-3 years at least you'd expect from any video card.

I'll need the model of your video card, and any factory specifications / clock speeds, etc to narrow it down though, there are many different GeForce 5200 cards on the market.

Could also just try the video BIOS from here (assuming typical GeForce 5200 - 128 MB - AGP 8X card):
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/vga/BIOS_Model.aspx?ClassValue=vga&ProductID=1152&ProductName=GV-N52128D
or the closest match from here:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/products/VGA/Products_List.aspx?ChipsetType=NVIDIA+GeForce+FX+5200
then browse to the BIOS page.

The BIOS from one manufacturer may actually (and often) fixes mistakes in another manufacturers card, esp video RAM timing wise.

You'll need a bootable Floppy Disk with MS-DOS or 'WinME DOS' (Making a bootable floppy in Windows XP uses the 'WinME DOS') on it, then extract the files to the same disk, boot from it, do a C:>DIR/A/S to find the .EXE, and use the EXE + .BIN file to flash the video BIOS.... as they all follow the same reference designs and it is not video RAM specific (only timings) Video BIOS on (very similar) cards is interchangable.

I run a Gigabyte Video BIOS on my GeCube Radeon X800XL (256 MB, PCIe x16, DVI, etc) to fix all the issues it had and saved me RMA'ing the card. The Gigayte Video card BIOS's use less aggresive timings and as such also make cards more overclockable (if desired), it is an often used trick by the more 'hardcore' overclockers, but actually quite simple to do (takes under 5 minutes).

 

[perz]

I know what it is, i'm not any of these noob's posting here that doesent know anything. ..

A friend of mine had similar problems with his 5200. Turned out that the fan was bad, stopping completely at times. Because the 'heatsink' on these card usually is a joke, there was no cooling. Heat=artifacts.

On my suggestion he blended some expoxy glue and some HS-paste together and slapped on and old celeron heatsink instead, without fan.
Totally quiet and overclocks the sh*t of the 5200!