1 Topic by Payens (edited by Payens 2011-01-12 17:06:44)

  • TM-PEN
  • Agent
  • Offline

Topic: Graphical artifacts

Getting a lot of graphical artifacts during game play (funky colored lines randomly shooting off of objects). I've tried adjusting my settings in all sorts of ways and my graphics card drivers are the most recent available. I don't have the best system but it should be enough to run it and it's smooth otherwise. The only issue is the artifacts. Here are my system and card specs. There is also a screenshot linked at the bottom.

System
OS Name    Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version    5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer    Microsoft Corporation
System Name    COMPUTER-620C0B
System Manufacturer    INTEL_
System Model    D945GCR_
System Type    X86-based PC
Processor    x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 13 GenuineIntel ~2194 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date    Intel Corp. NL94510J.86A.0025.2008.0107.1543, 1/7/2008
SMBIOS Version    2.4
Windows Directory    C:\WINDOWS
System Directory    C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device    \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale    United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer    Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name    COMPUTER-620C0B\Computer
Time Zone    Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory    2,048.00 MB
Available Physical Memory    579.32 MB
Total Virtual Memory    2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory    1.96 GB
Page File Space    3.85 GB
Page File    C:\pagefile.sys

Card
Name    NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT
PNP Device ID    PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0614&SUBSYS_C9763842&REV_A2\4&29C08469&0&0008
Adapter Type    GeForce 9800 GT, NVIDIA compatible
Adapter Description    NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT
Adapter RAM    512.00 MB (536,870,912 bytes)
Installed Drivers    nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version    6.14.12.6099
INF File    oem22.inf (Section005 section)
Color Planes    1
Color Table Entries    4294967296
Resolution    1680 x 1050 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel    32
Memory Address    0x92000000-0x92FFFFFF
Memory Address    0x80000000-0xF0000000
Memory Address    0x90000000-0x92FFFFFF
I/O Port    0x00002000-0x00002FFF
IRQ Channel    IRQ 16
I/O Port    0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port    0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Memory Address    0xA0000-0xBFFFF
Driver    c:\windows\system32\drivers\nv4_mini.sys (6.14.12.6099, 9.18 MB (9,623,680 bytes), 4/3/2010 10:55 PM)

http://img522.imageshack.us/i/perpetuum0004.png/

  • M2S
  • Agent
  • Offline

Re: Graphical artifacts

I've seen this issue a few times when DirectX has a massive crap storm. Try reinstalling DirectX?

Other than that do the usual reinstall graphics drivers and reinstall the game if it's only happening in Perpetuum.

Someone that knows more about graphics might have a better solution.

The Game

3 Reply by Automaton (edited by Automaton 2011-01-12 18:47:58)

  • *
  • Agent
  • Offline

Re: Graphical artifacts

I've also seen this when a graphics card gets too hot. Make sure the inside of the case is dust-free.

I've also seen this when using certain voice-chat overlays.

ECorp

4 Reply by Payens (edited by Payens 2011-01-12 19:25:25)

  • TM-PEN
  • Agent
  • Offline

Re: Graphical artifacts

I keep it pretty clean in there and I'm running EVGA precision with my card fan speed at 100% along with some pretty hefty case fans for good flow. The temp appears to stay in a good range (around 75C) while playing but I just noticed that the GPU usage jumps by about 10% every time the artifacts appear and doesn't go back down when they go away. Eventually it maxes out but I can keep playing without crashing so far. I'm also not using any kind of voice chat. I am running the game, EVA precision, N52te Profiler, a firewall, and anti-virus. I tried reinstalling the graphics drivers and directx but that didn't seem to do it either.

  • *
  • Agent
  • Offline

Re: Graphical artifacts

Atifacts are a tricky thing,.. 50% of the time it meens the GPU has been made week from over heating or age. Im sure you may know this,. if its been over worked by heat then then it will never recover,. it will all ways need to run evin cooler now then when it was younger.

I built alot of systems,. seen more then a hand full of cards die from over use or massive punishment from gaming.

one type of trail an error to try here. as yours dont look bad.

will your atifacts show up in full screen mode and windows mode,? or just one or the other.? All cards that only did this in one mode or the other just had software problems.

I seen a system that had to turn off the Accelerator in the video for streaming tv or ,. big_smile utube vids,. An easy way to find this option is to run a utube video, right click your screen ----> click settings ----> uncheck the hard wear accelerator.. then go back an try your game,. or visversa.

sounds *** I know. but go try it.. I have no idea why,.but it solves some atifact problems on other systems.

cheers,. hope this helps.

  • TM-PEN
  • Agent
  • Offline

Re: Graphical artifacts

The cards not that old as far as graphics cards go and it is an EVGA. They tend to make pretty solid cards. I've never overclocked it and I've been pretty good about always running as cool as possible, but you never know. It could be just a bad apple. I do game a lot and play some pretty graphically intense games but I'm not seeing these issues or any issues really in other games. I tried turning off the graphics accelerator, defraging, adjusting PhysX and other card setting through the nVidia control panel. Still no luck. Oh and yes, it happens in windowed and in full screen. I'm going to try and uninstall/reinstall the game now...was trying to avoid that >.<

  • TM-PEN
  • Agent
  • Offline

Re: Graphical artifacts

Resolved! I'll post what I did in case anyone else runs into the same problem.

There was a Windows update for my PCIe GBE Family Controller. However I couldn't install the update until I had completely removed all traces of nVidia software and drivers from my system. Then, after the windows update, I restarted my PC and I ran a clean install of the latest nVidia graphic card and PhysX drivers.

It appears to have been some sort of conflict between my MoBo, graphics card drivers, and PhysX drivers. My GPU was taking 100% of the load from the game while my CPU sat idle. Now things are working 50/50 like they should be and the artifacts are gone.

Thanks a lot to everyone that responded. Nice to see such a helpful community. I look forward to seeing you all in-game!