Graphics Blues! - The Jitter Bug...

M

MarkFahey

n00b
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Messages
15
Hi Everyone,

I am having a very strange graphics problem. I just installed an nVidia eVga 6800 AGP into my ASUS P4C800-E. I am running a P4 2.4b, Corsair 512M PC3500 stick, Audigy 2, 2 x WD 120G 2mb HD's, Antec True Power 550W, Dell 2001FP Monitor. Before this nVidia card, I was running an ATI 9700 Pro and was experiencing the same problem with that card. I did a fresh Windows XP SP2 install with this new video card, latest Intel chipset drivers, nVidia drivers and all the latest XP updates. I have also tried several older Forceware drivers.

The problem I am having is jittery, jerky, ghosting graphics not only happening on my desktop but in games as well. When I scroll through text or images in IE, Firefox, Word, etc... the movement is not smooth and is stuttering/ghosting. As well as when dragging a window across my desktop. It gets worse the faster I increase the movement or scroll. If I move the mouse super slow it is nice and smooth with no jitter but as soon as I start to speed up the movement is starts. It not only happens with the mouse but also with the keyboard arrow keys as well. So it is not mouse related. I'm running a Logitech MX1000 and have tried switching back to my old corded Microsoft Optical just to confirm this. This problem was happening even before I upgraded to my new MX1000 when I was still using my Microsoft Optical. I have also tried using my MX1000 on both the USB port and PS/2 port with no impact on this issue. So for sure it is not mouse related.

It's similar to a Vsync tearing, but the text, image, or window has a blurring effect that is jittering or ghosting while its moving and leaves a bit of itself behind that has to catch up with itself. Where with only a Vsync tear you get the stepping tearing but not the blurring that I am getting. When I'm in a game like BF2 or Americas Army, when I turn with the mouse or strafe with the keyboard objects like trees, edges of buildings, other players, etc are ghosting and jittery where again it takes a second for the image to catch up with itself, like a graphics lag. My monitor is running at it's native 1600x1200 resolution @60Hz. I run all of my games at 1024x768 and this monitor can do both 60Hz and 75Hz at the resolution. I have tried both and still get the jitters.

I have so far replaced my mobo with another brand new ASUS P4C800-E running the latest BIOS. Heat is not an issue, I am not overclocking and processor and GPU are running cool. CPU 32-Idle / 38-Load - GPU 49-Idle / 53-Load. I swapped out my Corsair 512M for a Kingston 512M stick and even tried running with 2 Kingston sticks for a total of 1 GIG RAM. Replaced the P4 with a different P4 2.4b. I replaced the power supply with another Antec 550W, tried another Audigy 2, tried another CRT monitor, replaced both WD Hard Drives and replaced all the IDE and floppy cables. My eVga 6800 is hooked up to a power molex with nothing else connected to it except the video card and I have confirmed that my Antec 550W PSU's voltages are tight on all the rails.

I have replaced almost every part of my rig except the case which is a good quality Antec Performance II tower, and my optical drives, one is a Pioneer DVD slot drive and the other is a Pioneer 16x DVD Burner. I also disconnected all of my 80MM case fans to see if they were causing some kind of interference. And disconnected my two optical drives. As well as disconnecting all the case wiring leads like speaker, LED, reset switch, etc and only left the power switch lead connected to the mobo. Has anyone ever heard of a case causing this issue?

I also tried running another OS using the Knoppix Linux 4.01 Bootable CD version and the jitter/ghosting was even happening under Linux. So that definatly rules out any problems with Windows XP.

What's really weird about this issue is that my stytem used to run great, no graphics jitters and smooth like silk. Even when I had my ATI 9700 Pro in it. Then all of a sudden one day several weeks ago it started having this problem. I thought that it may be graphics card related, and anyway it was about time to upgrade my card so I thought that would fix it.

To this point I guess I have eliminated just about everything I could think of that would cause this problem. This should not be happening, my 2D scrolling and dragging and my 3D movement in games should be smooth without jitters/ghosting. This problem really has me stumped.


Does anyone have any suggestions or have you seen this issue before?


Many Thanks

Mark
 
Wow, it sounds like you've replaced everything.

Does this ghosting happen in the BIOS as well? If it doesn't, then it could definitely indicate a software issue... don't know what would have caused it, however?

What are your temps, though? It might be worth it for others to get a second opinion.

I know problems like this can be a real headache. I was going to make a PC for my dad for his birthday once, only to find it wouldn't post. So I replaced the PSU (thinking the crap PSU that came with the case was faulty), then consequently replaced the mobo, the processor, the video card and then FINALLY the memory, which turned out to be the problem... but in your case, you've replaced everything but the drives, right?
 
That actually could be a hard drive problem. Not likely one, of course, but it could be. If your hard drive is bordering on going bad, it could be randomly firing off disk accesses, or not reading properly, and cause that kind of behavior.

Another thought - you aren't one of those people that go around disabling services "you don't need", right? (Because, in reality, you DO need them all, and disabling the wrong ones can cause all kinds of bizarre system problems)

Also, you said you tried switching back to your old MS mouse - did you also uninstall all the Logitech drivers when you did that? And, was that using the USB port or PS/2 port?

When you say "fresh Windows XP Sp2 install"....HOW fresh? What other software is installed when you are testing and seeing this problem (seriously, ANYTHING - download accelerators, antivirus software, firewall software, etc)?
 
Dosent seem to be hapening in the BIOS but It is hard to tell as it is a DOS based screen and I only have arrow key control.

I tried even running another OS using the Knoppix Linux 4.01 Bootable CD version and the jitter/ghosting was even happening under Linux. So that definatly rules out any problems with Windows XP.

I have replaced both hard drives, I was running 2 x Maxtor 60G before and now I am running with 2 x WD 120G.

My temps are good, CPU 32-IDLE / 38-LOAD GPU 49-IDLE / 53-LOAD.

Yes I did uninstall the Logitech drivers but this problem was happening even before I got my new Logitech MX1000.
 
Ummm....got a digital camera you could try taking a vid of this with?

Have tried a different monitor?
 
Make sure you don't have any "wall warts" or any other power supply (for a printer, speakers, scanner) near the monitor. Those things can make a monitor go crazy at certain resolutions.
 
UPDATE:

Here is a small fraps video from a game that clearly shows this problem. Look carefully at the edges of the boards on the window and the edge of the roof as I move. First part of the video I am moving with the keyboard, then with the mouse.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO
 
I see that you didnt say anything about your memory. have you by chance looked at your memory timings in the BIOS or your memory speeds? It sounds like this could be memory related to me.

I would try running memtest. Run it through a few cycles if you have not done so already. Have you changed memory lately?

Link to memtest -> http://www.memtest86.com/
 
I did swap out the memory with some Kingston sticks. Also I just picked up two Corsair 512M TwinX PC3200XL's and poped them in yesterday and still getting the jitters...

It's enough to pull your hair out! :confused:
 
MarkFahey said:
Please try the video link again. I just tested it and it is workin.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but it's not working for me. I believe it may be because I don't have permission to view the file, actually, although what I get is a 404 error. When I remove the "?bfxmypDBzE9Nq5_p" at the end of the file name, I actually get a proper "You do not have permission to get the requested URL from this server."
 
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