[solved] Help! strange Rays on Asus/Nvidia system

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] sus-p4s80d

Getting absolutly no hits on the above thread, maybe posted wrong, in graphics forum - but my problem is a graphic bug.

My current frankenstein was running good until October of last year. a few days after installing Fallout 3 (and some Gaming for windows live plug in? that F3 required) Fallout 3 started to have strange glitches, missing polygons, strange "rays" being cast from odd portions of the environment.

I fired up Everquest as it has a similar 3d environment, same glitch existed there. In April when Free Realms launched, I loaded it up for the same problem. I never get this glitch in a windows environment or using any web or window based 2d programs. In fact we don't get this glitch in Toontown, a 2d/3d type game.

I first replaced the power supply, which actually burned out a few days after this glitch, which immediatly led me to think, this was an early symptom of PS going bad. new power supply, same glitches. (oh and I did try running on another monitor, same glitch)

Figured, "aHa! " it must be graphics card. Replaced my Geforce 6600 AGP with a slight upgrade PNY GeForce Verto 6800 AGP. same glitch. took out all my memory and put in a single stick from another computer, same glitch - so it wasn't the memory fried. I got a new Mobo, Asus P4S800D-X which was the same board I already had. Didn't fix the problem. I finally got ahold of a new (used) P4 3 GHz HT processor, didn't fix the problem.

So now I have COMPLETLY swapped out every component but the case, hard drives and DVD drive, and a few cables. If I had known a year ago, that I would buy every component looking for the problem, I woulda bought parts to build a modern computer (PCIE capable Motherboard and a new duel processor).

I swapped out the HD cables, no change. Formated HD, installed XP, did a complete update for all Service packs - ran my test programs. same problem. put in a new hard drive, did a new clean install of WIN XP, ONLY installed display drivers and mobo drivers - Everquest ran correctly. I was like "WOW! it was the hard drive!" I finished updating the new WIN XP install - and then tried out EQ, Free Realms again to test, I had the old problem again - this is on a new(Well used but different) Hard drive. reformatted, installed again, only installed Service pack 2 - same problem. Reformatted - reinstalled - did not install SP 2, but did all the security updates. same problem. Reformated the original Hard drive - EQ worked without raycasting at minimal settings but had to do full install in order to test on Free Realms. once that done, Free Realms works, but with the same glitches as EQ at Full Service pack 3 isntallation.

So. Today. I have 2 hard drives instaleld. First is primary - will boot to a fully installed Windows XP Service pack 3, Net Framework 3.5 installation. Runs EQ, Fallout 3, Free Realms with the artifacts, raycasting, and missing polygons. if I hold down F8 on boot, I can boot from a partition on the 2nd hard drive that has ONLY Windows SP 1 running with no security updates, and EQ works perfect, Free Realms and Fallout 3 will not run/ fire up - as they require I gather a SP2 environment to even load.

Other than throwing it all away, I need advice on how to trouble shoot. YES, the best thing to do a year ago is take the same $200 I have blown getting new (used) Processor, (new) Graphics card, (new) Motherboard all of which are at least 4 year old technology and buy a modern processor, mobo and Graphics card, well, actually $200 wouldn't have bought all of that. I am actually about done building a new computer with EVERYTHING I took out of the old computer, and will be amusing to see if the same problems exist once I do full install of Win thru Sevice packs 2 and 3.

Bottom line tho, down here at the bottom. Other than telling me to stop using 4 year old technology, upgrading to Windows 7 or vista, or telling me to update my nvidia drivers (which are updated), I need resonable, intelligent advice on what else I can try.

Thank you.


EDIT: well.... funny my comments embeded in there about drivers. Found an Omega 3rd party Nividia driver that after 12 months fixed my problem. Just never realized that a 3rd party nividia driver would do anythign differant than the latest one from the actual company.