Dead Video Card?

[Manningham]

So I just had to reinstall windows et all because of a particularly nasty virus but have run into what I can only assume is a serious video card problem.

After reinstalling Medieval II, i found that I can only run the game for maybe five to ten minutes before my cursor freezes in place and a small black box appears underneath it - seconds after this the screen phases out into visual gibberish and the speakers release this horrid sound, like digitized fingernails on a chalkboard.

The only way to quit is through holding the power button down as the computer becomes completely unresponsive. This also happens when I run Civ IV (my only other newish game). However, the computer performs perfectly in other programs, including the game Mount and Blade, which I'm sure makes significant use of the video card as well. Anyone else have this experience?

I've got 2gb ram, a pentium 4 processor, and an ATI Radeon 9800x video card at 256mb. the game work perfectly before I reinstalled everything, including the "catalyst control center" video card update from ATI's website.

I guess if there's no solution I'll just have to wait a year or two, or whenever im able to afford a new computer, to play any games made after 1999

[sapi]

This sounds suspiciously like a heat issue - it might be worth your while checking your case for dust, dead rats etc clogging up the fan...

[Manningham]

I will definitely check for that, you may well be right. I've had this computer since 2003 and have never cleaned the innards.

however, as far as that goes, if anyone knows a proper way to clean dust and such, besides just taking the cover off and blowing on the parts, please be kind enough to enlighten me ... never done it before.

sorry if this post is full of typoes, i've been at the bar all night and am only online because it wasn't a good night out, you can feel me on that one i'm sure. if one thing can go right, its me getting this computer working so i can think about making the Danes rule the world as opposed to anything else )

[sapi]

Hmmm

A cloth that won't cause static (and obviously isn't wet) should do for cleaning the fans.

Compressed air is always good, if you've got any on you.

Remember to unplug before cleaning, though, and ground yourself

[skullman86]

Canned air (or "compressed gas dusters" ) works wonders for cleaning dust out of computer parts .

[Manningham]

well, it was incredibly dusty in there but that wasn't the problem, game still crashes in the same way. I did notice that the computer fan was working way overtime while the game ran, though. I spent maybe five minutes on the faction selection screen during which time the fan was speeding up incrementally to insane speeds ... it is sort of hot out