ATI X800 XT artifacts - please help!?

Jim_T

Registered
Hi there. I posted this both on the Apple support forums and the MacFixit forums but found no answers. I just found this website and I'm praying that someone here can help.

I recently bought an open box special ATI X800 XT video card (Mac version, not flashed) to use in my G5 dual 2.0. I'm using a VGA monitor via an ADC-VGA converter, and have my TV hooked up using a DVI - S-video video out converter. This setup worked fine with my previous card, a stock Radeon 9600 Pro.

With the new card installed, with drivers installed first from the CD and then from an update downloaded from ATI, and the latest ROM version (109), I get artifacts on my monitor - basically dots (mostly green) that appear and disappear, but that get worse when I drag a window or when I use the computer for a while (in which case the dots end up as loosely-formed columns about 3cm wide). Also, the TV out is really jumpy - it seems like it's switching resolutions constantly. My room is cool and the fans on both my computer and the card seem to be working fine, so I don't think it's a heat issue.

The artifacts disappear when I safe boot (as I had to in order to install the ROM update), but they're there if I log in as another user with no login items. I've been able to get rid of them (but not the jumpy TV picture) by using the ATIcellerator II program to underclock the card by around 2%, but I paid a fair bit of money for this card and I'd like to use it without underclocking. ATI's support via their website is a joke: I registered the card and then filled out a "ticket request," describing my problem in detail, only to find that they basically barred me from sending it to them by requiring that I indicate the manufacturer of the card (it's ATI, of course) on a pull-down menu, and then not providing any choices on the menu (which stopped me from proceeding). Ridiculous. I could phone, but I'm in Japan and with the time difference it's a pain in the ass.

The problem existed in OS 10.3.9 and continues in 10.4.3. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this, or how it might be fixed? The fact that the card works fine in safe mode makes me think it's a software conflict, possibly an issue with a kext file, but I can't figure out what it is. I've removed my startup items and still get the artifacts when not safe booting. Help!?
 
That is a really weird issue and it could go a few different ways.

Because it seems to work when it is underclocked it would seem to suggest that it is overheating. It could be possible that the heatsync is not correctly attached and is not as effective as it normally would be.

Of course I have no idea how that would impact safe mode performance

Also, I think ATI is usually pretty good about replacing cards. The open box might not work out though.
 
First off, thanks both of you for replying. I don't think it's the ADC-VGA converter, because the one I have works fine with another video card and with the X800 while it's in safe mode. As for the underclocking, it does seem strange that it helps, but it doesn't totally fix the problem, as the TV out is still messed up when it's underclocked. Also, when safe booted the monitor display (and TV out) are both fine, despite the card NOT being underclocked. Because of this, I'm almost certain it's not a hardware problem, and I'm loath to send it back to ATI.
I think I'd have better luck with this if there were more information out there about both safe boot (and the files it doesn't load) and the files used by the video card. There are quite a few ATI kext files installed and I really have no clue which ones are needed for what, or how I would go about troubleshooting the issue. Can someone with a working X800 card give me some info on your ATI kext files? Lacking any knowledge of the ins and outs of kext files, I kind of suspect the ATI TV Out kext file, because I know from hitting the ATI Displays preference panel in safe mode that this file isn't loaded in safe mode.
I suppose I could do a clean install on another partition and see if things are OK, but the thought of having to redo everything makes me kind of queasy. Any other thoughts?
 
Just an update for anyone who might be reading this: I did a clean install of Tiger on a separate partition, and the problem remains. I tried every ROM version available, and tried removing various kext files and some other things. Nothing helps. I think the card works OK in safe mode because, according to the system profiler, both core image and quartz extreme are turned off when safe booted. I figure some part of my card is actually damaged in some way, which leads to problems when core image or quartz extreme are used. I'll be sending the card back ASAP. Thanks all for reading.
 
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