Is my graphics card dying?

[Dani_mq]

I'm seeing some artifacts (like white pixles, snow like) and some color errors in NFS HP 2 like some one spryed the roads with coor patches. i have a geforce 2 gts, been using it at stock speeds, had it first on a PIII system and was ok, built an amd xp2000 and put it in. could the heat from the cpu heat up my video card to make it fail?
thanks

 

[Dani_mq]

anyone???

 

[ChAiNz]

It is quite possible. Heat is pretty much the enemy of any computer. I never did quite understand why most mobo's put their AGP slot RIGHT UNDER the CPU socket?!

Another suspect would be your power supply. I love AMD's, and will probably never own a different processor than, but they are power hungry and don't like to share. Unfortunately, the graphic card is JUST as hungry and doesn't like to take no for an answer...

I'm paranoid so I bought a 450watt supply (I've just a 1.3ghz) A bit pricy (apx $59+) but it might help your cause...that and either some more fans or do like me and just take off the side panel of your puter...(be wary of pets and stock up on canned air)...

On a side note (not sure if it applies to you) but if you have a add-on Firewire (1394, I-link, whatever) card, make sure it isn't too close to the graphics card. Little known, but firewire cards tend to build up a static charge and have to be 'discharged' every now and then (just disconnect the card from the mobo, wait 30sec, and re-connect). A longshot, but it tends to artifact (sparkle) captured material...*might* account for your GC behavior...

Just some possibilities...

"Eagles May Soar, But Weasels Don't Get Sucked Into Jet Engines"

 

[Dani_mq]

thanks for answering, Its getting evenworse now, the textures in the lobby scene in 3dmark 2001 are getting all screwed up, I have a 350 W power suply no name, no firewire. the 5 volt line is at 4.87, thats on the low side isnt it? my cpu is at 47C idle and 56C at load. I hope it can lasta until christmas till i get a new vid card

 

[HolyShiznit]

Speaking of over-heating, once upon a time the heatsink of my vidcard FELL OFF overnight...windows looked really strange with black lines all over the screen.