Problems w/Graphics Card and 1.7.2

Hi all, been having a slight problem with a graphics card, this has happened once in a while (every few days or so) before, but now, with 1.7.2 I can't stay in SL more than 3-5 minutes before my whole screen goes haywire and I can't see a thing due to the garbage. Streaks coming out of objects, eyeballs, basically anything transparent OR the land getting a checkerboard effect or green lines across it. Unfortunately, when I try and snapshot it, the snapshot turns out clear MOST of the time which tells me that I may be able to change something on the graphics card to fix it. However, this is not always the case, this picture was taken and my screen was almost all black (tho the picture doesn't show it).

Any thoughts or ideas would be welcome. All my drivers and DirectX are up to date btw. This system has been running SL fine for months and nothing has really changed, so, something with 1.7 is messing with it.

And I have EVERYTHING in SL OFF, no bumpiness, no shine, no shadows, no nothing.

If you have a 6600GT or 6800GT card and could post your SL and Video Card settings, I would be most appreciative. The more the merrier as I need to find a set of setting that will work.




Thanks for your time!

=Riz

System:
XP SP2 (Completely updated)
IC7-MAX3 MB x/2.8Ghx Intel P4 HT CPU
Enermax EG651P-VE PS
2GB Corsair XMS Matched Memory
BFGTech GeForce 6800GT 256mb GDDR3 AGP (nVidia)
ForceWare Version 77.72 (Newest one 81.85) freezes whole system as soon as SL is opened)

Have you tried clearing your cache?

Have you recently updated your drivers? If not have you tried that?

Wow, that looks like either A) your graphics card is almost dead B) your drivers are corrupt, or C) you videocard is overheating which would explain why it happens a little after you get into the game. I have used 2 6800's in my system, both worked fine with Forceware 81.85 and with SL. If you got any other games you can test that will get your videocard running hard I would suggest you give that a shot, you might be suprised to find hat this issue also affects them too.

I agree with Striker Wolfe there. Most likely corrupt drivers or Overheating. Go to the GeForce Tab in Display settings. There should be a setting for Temperature. Click on it. NOW- Run SL in a Window & see what your temps rise to.

Well, it seems that 1.7.2 for some reason DOES make the card run hotter. My computer has been sitting here for ever running the same way, and even WoW was running fine today, however, I blew out the fans and put the side back on (I never have the sides on it) and it is running fine now. Usually the card runs about 54-64C and with SL 1.7.2 running it was jumping to 80C with the sides back on it's holding around 66-68C and seems stable again.

Thanks all,

=Riz