Video Card overheating???

I figure I'll post this question here because this is where the problem first showed up:

Ok, so i was cruising around in GW then all of a sudden, a whole bunch of colored "static-like" lines appeared all over my screen. I exited GW but the lines still remained. I went on the internet for a while but could barely make out any words due to the random lines everywhere. I rebooted and all these colored blocks appear everywhere on the boot screen. Windows would load halfway but would crash eventually.

So I decided to remove my Video Card and use one of those keyboard cleaners to blow away the dust collected on the fan. I inserted the card back and rebooted. The boot screen and Windows loading screen would be covered in weird colored blocks, but once I got into Windows, everything was fine. Thus, I was able to post this thread.

Now my question is: is it my video card heating up? should i think about getting a new one?

I dont think it's a driver issue cause I've been playing GW since the day it came out w/ no problems.

My Card: ATI 9700 Radeon w/ latest drivers (i got it about 3ish years ago)

Thanks

I think... your card is fried, Try buying an on board fan for it (most modern cards have one)

Try calling ATI's customer service

your card may be overheating and your getting what is called artifacts. if youve overclocked it you may want to turn it down, also your fan may have stopped working without you realizing it

All I have to say is wow...I have the same video card and the latest drivers..and I have the same problem. I tried another video card but had the same problem. But..my motherboard just died, so I have to order a new one..and if the same problem continues I'll probably call customer service and see what they have to say.

I have a VIA/S3G KM400/KN400 x.x its a piece of crap.

And i have BAD overheating problems, partly from the comp being in the dustiest room in the house, and the fact its in the hottest room of the house (save for the attic) cause there is no a/c and its on the porch basically.

I asked GW support and got the result mine is overheating, so i tried fans... they are a temporary relief mainly, then i cleaned it out and it worked fine for a while, but i still get it if i stay in towns too long or any of that, its very very very annoying and terrible x.x

What card do any of you suggest?

I had an ATI AIW 9700 pro that decided to do that on me. Great card until it decided to puke out.

fox....if your in the usa, try grabbing a old pair of what you call pantyhose (we uk peeps call them tights) and placing a bit of them over your fans and the intake holes of your PC to help you cut down the dust...
(just dont pop any on the heatsink fan, or vid card fan or power suply one^^ they might get tied up in them)

radmanthys (sp) have you tried looking for a copper vid card cover? i thought about it for my Geforce4 Ti when it started getting to hot cause the fans bearings had gone..at the worst, i had to keep the case open and start the fan with my finger
i tried to get a thermaltake copper fan, but since the card was a chaintech, and they had placed the fan heat sink holes (the bits they use to keep it on the card) in the wrong place for that brand, i ended up having to use a Geforce4 Ti 4800 i was given by a friend that upgradet to a spanky new card to play Farcry ^^

however, i had thought of using one of thermaltakes sheaths that are all copper and have no fan...removing the problem of fans that go Squeek, squeek,whine,crump, in your PC that might6 work for you, you never know

I have an ATI Radeon 9250 made by abit and mine doesnt have a fan, it has metal that will abosorb the heat. Maybe a virus messed up your video card software(mine came with some). Virus writers today are finding flaws in everything. Althougth this also happened to my friend's computer. We hid behind his grand piano incase it exploded. But I dont think your compy will explode. Try calling geek squad(im not a member ha ha).