Graphics issue

RayG · 3rd December 2011, 08:40 AM

Have an ongoing issue with some sort of barcoding effect.

If I click on my bookmarks or any other menu selection in Firefox, I'm often presented with this type of output, which obscures the very text I'm trying to see.

I have removed or disabled all add-ons, and updated the driver for my graphics card, which has made no difference.

Any ideas?

RayG

Pulvinar · 3rd December 2011, 08:55 AM

My first guess would be a hardware problem: that's a common bad-memory pattern. Have another graphics card to swap in?

RayG · 3rd December 2011, 09:00 AM

No, don't really have another card to swap in, would have to go with the on-board graphics.

If it were a hardware issue though, shouldn't I be seeing the same type of thing when online games are being played, or in other browsers?

RayG

Pulvinar · 3rd December 2011, 09:09 AM

In general, yes, but Firefox could be using some extended graphics capability that's broken. Or it could be something else. Did you change something to cause this?

RayG · 3rd December 2011, 02:35 PM

Hmmm... I figure it has to be something to do with Firefox or I'd be seeing problems with other software. Thing is, I don't recall changing anything to cause the issue, though I'm not the only one that uses this computer.

RayG

commandlinegamer · 3rd December 2011, 06:17 PM

What does it look like when you start the machine?

If you get weird characters during the initial stages of booting, i.e. before Windows starts, that's generally a sign of faulty graphics memory.

Sam.I.Am · 3rd December 2011, 07:24 PM

Yeah, checkerboarding like that is a hardware problem. Lately Firefox has been doing a lot of updates (and unfortunately it has become so bloated of late that it wouldn't surprise me if it tries to use memory that isn't normally used in an attempt to save system resources for other things.

All I can say is try the onboard graphics (pull the card that you have now just to test it out) to see if it persists. .I>.....f it doesn't then you can try either rolling back Firefox to a previous version or trying a different browser with your graphics card plugged back in or go buy a new one.

You might also want to check to see if someone updated the drivers for your graphics card recently. It's a long shot, but if they installed a beta driver that might do it as well.

Good luck hunting down that Gremlin...

3rd December 2011, 08:40 AM	#1
RayG Master Poster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Somewhere in Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,326	Graphics issue Have an ongoing issue with some sort of barcoding effect. If I click on my bookmarks or any other menu selection in Firefox, I'm often presented with this type of output, which obscures the very text I'm trying to see. I have removed or disabled all add-ons, and updated the driver for my graphics card, which has made no difference. Any ideas? RayG
	__________________ Tell ya what. I'll hold my tongue as long as you stick to facts. -------------------- Scrutatio Et Quaestio

3rd December 2011, 08:55 AM	#2
Pulvinar Muse Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 819	My first guess would be a hardware problem: that's a common bad-memory pattern. Have another graphics card to swap in?
Pulvinar Muse Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 819

3rd December 2011, 09:00 AM	#3
RayG Master Poster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Somewhere in Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,326	No, don't really have another card to swap in, would have to go with the on-board graphics. If it were a hardware issue though, shouldn't I be seeing the same type of thing when online games are being played, or in other browsers? RayG
	__________________ Tell ya what. I'll hold my tongue as long as you stick to facts. -------------------- Scrutatio Et Quaestio

3rd December 2011, 09:09 AM	#4
Pulvinar Muse Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 819	In general, yes, but Firefox could be using some extended graphics capability that's broken. Or it could be something else. Did you change something to cause this?
Pulvinar Muse Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 819

3rd December 2011, 02:35 PM	#5
RayG Master Poster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Somewhere in Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,326	Hmmm... I figure it has to be something to do with Firefox or I'd be seeing problems with other software. Thing is, I don't recall changing anything to cause the issue, though I'm not the only one that uses this computer. RayG
	__________________ Tell ya what. I'll hold my tongue as long as you stick to facts. -------------------- Scrutatio Et Quaestio

3rd December 2011, 06:17 PM	#6
commandlinegamer Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mazes of Menace Posts: 5,905	What does it look like when you start the machine? If you get weird characters during the initial stages of booting, i.e. before Windows starts, that's generally a sign of faulty graphics memory.
	__________________ He bade me take any rug in the house.

3rd December 2011, 07:24 PM	#7
Sam.I.Am Illuminator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hunting Moose and Squirrel Posts: 4,154	Yeah, checkerboarding like that is a hardware problem. Lately Firefox has been doing a lot of updates (and unfortunately it has become so bloated of late that it wouldn't surprise me if it tries to use memory that isn't normally used in an attempt to save system resources for other things. All I can say is try the onboard graphics (pull the card that you have now just to test it out) to see if it persists. .I>.....f it doesn't then you can try either rolling back Firefox to a previous version or trying a different browser with your graphics card plugged back in or go buy a new one. You might also want to check to see if someone updated the drivers for your graphics card recently. It's a long shot, but if they installed a beta driver that might do it as well. Good luck hunting down that Gremlin...
	__________________ "Swift, silent and deadly" was a part of my job description Upon hearing me say that my friend asked me "So you're a fart?"... About my avatar.