OpenGL or gfx card fubar'd...?

[UmarOMC]

So I turned on my computer yesterday afternoon after work and I've these weird graphic effects seemingly out of nowhere on my computer that kick in RIGHT AFTER the grey Apple screen. This subsequently effects the entire computer regardless of user.

I've attempted:

Repairing Permissions
Maintenance.app
Another monitor
Resetting PRAM (complete w/ 2 chimes)
Starting in Safe Mode
Reinstalling Mac OS X 10.4.8 Combo Update
Running Applejack via 'applejack AUTO' command for "deep cleaning"

In attempting to troubleshoot this problem it appears that everything the system uses OpenGL for is affected: The Finder windows (if I'm not mistaken Quartz applies what is seen as a texture on the windows utilizing OpenGL, no?), the Finder's window shading/shadows, OpenGL games, etc.


Sample 1: (Menushade is running so it appears black) This is the top, left corner of my desktop... complete with the random dots.

Sample 2: The Apple menu pulled down... complete with the random dots.

Sample 3: My dock, random dots throughout and within pop-up text as well as at corner of Finder window above...

Sample 4: Dragging images, where shading occurs... the dots.

Sample 5: Dots at shaded areas again—Finder titlebar edges and pop-up description box.

Sample 6: Title screen for Wolfenstein MOD True Combat: Elite... graphics FUBAR'd.

Sample 7: FUBAR'd OpenGL graphics. At these striped areas I can "see through" where I shouldn't be able to see through, in this example it's the floor behind the wall.

Sample 8: Same thing as previous example... industrial canister and areas that I shouldn't see are viewable through FUBAR'd areas... and no, it doesn't help when everything within these striped areas is constantly moving and appears constantly breaking... :tongue:

ANY and ALL help would be greatly appreciated! I'm really praying it isn't my Radeon 9800 that's gone on the blink...

 

[symphonix]

If you have the dev-tools (also known as XCode) you can run the OpenGL diagnostic tool in the /Developer/Applications folder. Make sure that Quartz 2D Extreme is turned off.

You might also consider uninstalling Windowshade, as that might be causing the problem. And finally, does the problem clear after a reboot? If so, perhaps you could narrow it down to a particular program that you run that corrupts the video memory and causes these problems.

 

[UmarOMC]

... a program that FUBARs OpenGL right at boot...? hmmmmm... despite my efforts I cannot narrow it down... Thanks tho

 

[sinclair_tm]

no, what you have is a dieing vid card. those are called video artifacts, due to the card over heating, or parts of it not working correctly anymore. what kind of mac do you have? if you can open it, i'd check to make sure that the fan on the card is still turning. if not, don't turn your mac back on untill you replace it. and hopfully you card hasn't cooked itself to death.