Terrible artifacting and temporary lockups

Here are a series of pictures, they're 1280x1024 so I made them low quality jpgs, but it's easy to get exactly what's happening. -.- This happens VERY rarely, and only seems to happen if I've left GW on for a long period of time, say, overnight >_> After artifacting like this for a few minutes the game will, on a trigger like me minimizing and maximizing GW, or taking a screenshot, lock up entirely for about 2 or 3 minutes, at which point video freezes and sound begins slowly stuttering. When it catches back up, all the backed up ventrilo chatter comes back in one big cacophony and video resumes 100% normal -.-

And on an unrelated (or maybe related? :O) note, while watching, say, Obs mode, if my camera's not where the main battle is at for a while, and then suddenly switch view to it, I see all the special effects that occurred during my absence in one big flashy heap. *Shrug* not a real issue, just maybe some info that will help. Also, I have it set so that if my video card begins overheating, that it will send a notice of some sort, and it hasn't done such a thing so that might not be the issue

My system specs:
Windows XP Pro x64 edition
Dual-Core Intel Pentium 64bit CPU Driver version 5.2.3790.1830
Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT Driver version 8.1.9.8
VIA SATA RAID0 2x Maxtor 250Gb hard drives






And when I hit printscreen during the hang, here's what I got >_>

Well, you say it only happens after long periods of time keeping your PC on (e.g. overnight), then it's overheating!

Have you checked the fans on and in your PC Case? Collected dust? Clean it of! Compressed air can does the job nicely too.

Have you also tried running any CPU/GPU Temp. Monitors to check your temperatures on your card when this happens? Although imo, it is kinda obvious overheating.

I'd be very much surprised if this isn't overheating.

^ IF that doesn't help, try different Graphics Card drivers.

[QUOTE=Josh]Well, you say it only happens after long periods of time keeping your PC on (e.g. overnight), then it's overheating!

QUOTE]

i had the same beautiful effects when i decided to OC my video card (with the supplied and approved Roadrunner utility)

i only made a 24 % OC before they appeared than put it back to stock.

i must have gotten a better GPU that was left over for that much.

not complaining mind you

Card is overheatring and/or dying. Take appropriate measures.

Your temp monitors only check the GPU temp. Your problems appear to come from bad or overheating video RAM. When the GPU gets too hot or is overclocked past its limits, hard lockups occur more often than just artifacting. But a card can still render (to a point) if its memory is corrupted.

If you've overclocked your card, try setting it back to its original settings. If you've bought one of those "pre-overclocked" cards, try lowering it to Nvidia's reference speed. If neither is the case, and you get this same kind of artifacting in other 3D apps as well, then your card is toast, and it's RMA time.

Okay checked fans: 4 on the front are dust-free, I made this computer less than 3 months ago, I regularly clear dust from it too. The card's relatively new too, and if it's physically damaged well that's just disappointing -.-

Thanks for the advice though, and yes I did have a temp gauge running, is 52C normal or too high?

My 7900GT idles in the low 50s and peaks at about 70 under load, so that's fine. Worst I've ever seen is the AGP version of the 6800GS, its idle temps are in the 60s and gets close to 90 under duress. And that's normal for those.

What are your core and memory speeds?

I have no idea how to measure those -.-

Download Coolbits:

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=815

Install it, answer "Yes" to registry change. Then open your Nvidia Control Panel and you'll see a new line- "Clock Speed Adjustments"

Your core speed will be the actual speed shown. Your actual memory speed will be double the figure shown, because your card uses DDR.

450Mhz for Core, and 2.10Ghz for Memory, then.

Oooh, no no no no. Not all cards are effectively x2. So your memory speed Asplode is around 1GHz, not 2.10GHz, so I'm assuming you have a card that is 1,050MHz.

A stock 7800GT is stock 400MHz Core and 1.0GHz (1000MHz) Memory speed.

So you've probably bought a slightly factory OC'd graphics card which is perfectly fine. I don't think underclocking is going to do anything as your BARELY above factory stock settings of a 7800GT.

From all the ideas you seem to of getting, I've only skimmed this thread as I don't have much time at the moment, but, if your GFX Card is still under warranty, which it should be. RMA it/return it and get it replaced if it was up to me.

Alright, thanks for your advice. One more question, though, if you don't mind. How long does an average RMA take?

it depends on the company.

call their 800 tech (or warranty) line to get the RMA number and instructions for return.

turnaround could be as fast as a week or might be as much as a month but probably less