8890 video issue

I have had the windows reinstall from hell. It has taken 2 weeks and 5 reinstalls of Windows XP but, it looks like everything is done... eccpet for a video problem.



Some, but not all, of the icons as well as buttons in the windows intrerface are corrupt as you can see in the photo. Sorry about the poor quality btw. In any case graphics in games are also very scrambled. The images in both Quicktime and Windows Media Player suffer from the smae problem. I have tried multiple installs of various drivers (both of the drivers posted on Sagers driver page for the 8890 plus some Omega drivers as well as the 4.6 Catalyst drivers). Nothing has fixed the problem. The only time I have seen the problem go way was before installing any drivers for the video card on a fresh reinstall of Windows or when the system is booted in safe mode.

I have exausted my resources. If anyone has any ideas I would be glad to hear them. Thanks.

Stoicite, redid the image link so it might work now. Sorry to hear you seem to be having the same issue as myself.

Anyhoo, I went to the Display Properties and then to the settings tab. Clicked on the Advanced button. Then clicked on the Troubleshooting tab. I adjusted the hardware acceleration to one notch down and the icon artifact issues went way. When I pass the mouse over the minimize/close buttons in the top right corner of a window they get corrupted but, if I close the window or switch to another and back again the artifacts go away.

All in all it doesn't look so good. It seems more like a hardware failure then a software problem. I guess it was just odd timing that it occured at the same time as I was doing a Windows reinstall. Hopefully someone will look at this and have some usefull suggestion. Otherwise I guess I'll give Sager a call, I doubt that they could do anything but a motherboard repalcement to fix the issue, if it is a hardware problem. I don't think that the system is worth spending that much money on though. Bah!

Humm... don't know why that darn image wont show. Ah, well.

In any case I was browsing the 8790 Artifact post and found this, just scroll down to the bottom op the page...

http://www.notebookforums.com/showth...=56210&page=14


That is a decent pick of the kind of problems I ahve been seeing. After dropping the video hardware acceleation down one notch everything clears up eccpet the min/max and close buttons in the top right of a window. At least untill I pass my mouse over it. Then the buttons get corrupted and stay that way unless the window is reduced and brought back.

I tried using the ATI Tool they speak about in that thread but, it is of no help. The program says my system produces artifacts at any setting.

Since I can't do anything about the video RAM I tried messing with the system RAM. I took out the right side 512mb chip and restarted computer. Same problem. I reinstalled the chip I took out and started it up again. Problem fixed. Spiffy!!! I turned it off and put it back on the desk and plugged all of the accessories I use into the compter and started it up again... artifacts. Tried to repeat what I did but, nothing could get the system to behave like it did on the first start up after putting the 512mb ram chip in.

There was 2 changes though. The inital screen when the systme starts up pops up corrupted. Also the Windows Icon screen (Where you see the windows Icon and XP Home/Pro and that little progress bar) has diffrent kinds of corruption with every startup.

It seems like it might actualy be that the system RAM is the where the problem is (good) or it might be the connections to the RAM on the motherboard (bad). I have been thinking of getting one of those 1 gig RAM you posted about in another thread and drop that in. If the problem clears up... well, I'll cry. If the problem is still there then it is ether the motherboard or the video RAM, which means the motherboard as well.

Note: I can't get any video to play such as a WMV or Realplayer without artifacts. The odd thing is that I can run Quicktime files. If I try to increase the size to beyond the files normal play resolution it will get artifacts.

Anywhoo, just an update... and don't call me Dude... Dood.

Are you running the V10 BIOS?

I grabbed the BIOS from Hanko Pankos post on this thread. It installed fine.
http://www.notebookforums.com/showth...t=44490&page=7


Have you run x86memtest on your 8890?

Nope, never heard of it. I guess I can give it a try after I get home from work this evening.


You mentioned you had all sorts of problems with the XP install.
It should go ultra smooth unless you are doing something wierdo.
What exactly went wrong and what was your install procedure?

The first install was a complete mess. It was an IAK problem (Idiot At Keyboard). The artifacting issue was just bad timing. I eventualy got the system running stable on the fist install, eccept for the network card, for about a week then the artifacts began to show. Since then I have done multiple installs hoping it was a problem with the install but, that does not seem to be the case. The last install I did I D/Led all of the drivers from the Sager diver page and installed them from an external HD. Started with the network card since it was the biggest issue atm and went through all the rest of the drivers leaving the video drivers for last. I installed them by selecting them though the hardware device listing and manualy installing each driver. The Video driver I used the Setup that came with it. The system is running fine not counting the problems I listed in the thread.

Their has been one other oddity that happend a few times but, I havn't seen it in well over a week. Sometimes the sound comming through the sound card (External Audigy NX2) was slow. Any sound comming throught the card came though at 5-6 times slower then it should. Sounded like you were in one of those Star Trek "time dilation" episodes. Like I said it hasn't cropped up for a while now. Should note that one of the problems with the first install was that the sound drivers randomly dropped out of the system. I'd be playing a game or listening to music and the sound would stop. I'd stop what I was doing and reinstall the drivers (though the device manager) and go back to what I was doing. That problem did not crop up after the second install of windows.


My other suggestion is to go back to the ATI 7.92 video drives as supplied on the driver's CD supplied by Sager.

I am using the Sep '03 drivers from the Sager driver page for the 8890 which would be the drivers from the CD. I stopped updating the video drivers back in Dec '04 because the newer ones did not run well on the 8890. If it ain't broke don't fix it and in any case gaining 2-5 FPS is really not something to worry about.


Anyway, thanks for the input. I will check out the memory test.

Ran memtest86. Seemed simple enough. THe program was reporting errors. Almost all of them were from test #5. A few cropped up in tests 8 and 9. Don't know how to show the results or really what the mean. Looks like the system RAM is the where the problem is. I guess I should go out and get some RAM to test it out.

Small update. Grabbed some ram from the local warehouse electronic store. The 8890 did not like it. It started up with a protest beep in prgress. I removed the ram and reinstalled the old stuff and everything still works. I returned the ram (I hope I didn't damage it) and have debated on wether to buy new ram. Do you have any suggestions on what to get with 512mb ram sticks? I don't see any reason to get 1g sticks since I am questioning the investment of even the 512mb sticks. 2 1/2 year old system, flaky battery and the screen has started up with a flickering issue. Bah! Sounds like the poor thing is starting to die. Unfortunatly it is not even worth brakign up and using the pieces to make a new machine. CD burner not a DVD burner. 5200rpm HD, (patuy!) and a 3ghz P4... ahh well.

CORSAIR ValueSelect 512MB 200-Pin DDR SO-DIMM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Notebook Memory Model VS512SDS400 - Retail

Cas Latency: 2.5
ECC: No
Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime
Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered
Voltage: 2.5V
Model #: VS512SDS400

Unfortunatly the RAM configuration utilites that I have come across do not include the 8890. They do have the Clevo Portanote D800P (or is it P800D). I am sure that is the Clevo model for the 8890. They suggested Corsair System Select ram. http://www.corsairmemory.com/corsair...h_results.html That seems to sell for $80ish each.

I looked for a Kingmax 512mb stick but, they don't seem to produce any . I tried to find some Apacer ram as well since that was the brand in the system and that was a dead end too. As a side not their spec sheet on the ram that in in the 8890 says it is CL 3 not 2.5 but, the sticker on the ram itself says 2.5.

edit: quick on-line search found some 512mb Kingmax ram but, it costs as much or more then the 1g sticks I could get from Newegg. BAh! I am thinking of just getting a single 1 gig stick and calling it quits. I lose out on the Duel Channel part of the ram but, I really don't need the extra oomph atm.

Ah well. Thanks for all of the help anyway. I am gonna go back to doing something more productive...

Bonox, I have no idea.


Small 2 part update.

1) Looked up the warrenty on the Apacer website. The RAM in the Sager has a lifetime warrenty... woot! Contacted Apacer, it took a week to get a responce but it was a decent one, guessing that English is not this persons native language...

So, looks like ether way I could get a replacement for the problem RAM. Spiffy.

2) The RAM ain't the problem. Before recieved a responce from Apacer I went ahead and got some RAM to drop into the system. This time everything worked unlike the first time I tried. Unfortunatly the artifacting problem was unchanged. So ether the RAM isn't the problem or there is other issues with the system. It is possable that the probelm would be on the motherboard at the RAM connecters. I would think that a problem there would show on the memory test and look like it was a RAM issue.

Ah, well. I can still use the system for anything but, games and video so it isn't too bad. I have had 3-4 BSOD's though since my last post. It looks as if the system is slowly on a downward slide. Gonna take an easy fix though, buy a new desktop. I was planning on getting one this year anyway so i'll just get is a bit sooner then expeced. That will take my Sager away from being my main system and only used when I need mobility. That should extend the life of the machine sufficently for me. I'll jsut have to remember to back up often if I am doing any important work out in the field. I don't use the Sager that way too often so no big deal there. The only bummer is no more playing WoW at work on a slow work day. Sucks for timing since every workday in March is a slow day. In seven hours yesterday I answered 15 or so phone calls , pumped 2 inches of water out of 3 boats and took a nap. It was SO stressfull!

No, I didn't speak with Sager. I kinda figured that it would end up as a motherboard replacement. A "new" 8890 would run 500-600 bucks off of ebay atm and a motherboard replacement would cost almost the same. I just felt it was too much money to put into the system at this point.

BTW, they arn't hiring. Only one bench to nap on so I wouldn't want anyone else about... would cut into my naptime.