# Diagnose my strange computer problem! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2001, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966 "2001-08-13T00:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/1 "2001-08-13T00:37:15Z")
See [these pictures](http://3weasel.20m.com/problem.html). The weirdness shows up on everything (even the desktop), not just the boards. It usually goes away when highlighted or scrolled past, but reappears. I’m pretty sure it’s a software problem, since it shows up on the screen captures. It’s mainly streaks around text (as shown) but there are sometimes a few horizontal lines. Any theories on what it is? How do I fix it? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/2 "2001-08-13T01:06:12Z")
Video artifacts. Assuming you have no video applets in memory that would possibly be interfering could be a few things. 1: Defective or failing video card. Make sure card is firmly seated in PCI slot 2: Video drivers Damaged: Need to re-install latest video drivers for this card 3: You may have related but incorrect specific drivers installed for your video card or possibly wrong OS version of drivers. Get latest and re-install. 4: Video card refresh settings tweaked beyond prudent specs 5: Video card is sharing IRQ with other hardware and one or the other isn’t playing nice. Use system setting hardware panel to check IRQ allocation or conflicts. Un-install drivers. Move video card to adjacent (or different) PCI slot and re-install drivers. IF AGP never mind. 6: Any hardware/software you installed that interfaces with the video card like a camera, TV board, DVD accelerator board or screen capturing applet etc. 7: Your video card hates you with the white hot fury of 10,000 blazing suns. ---
**Author:** ![little\_me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@little\_me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_me)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/3 "2001-08-13T01:09:52Z")
I once had something like that but it was a defective font with the same name as Ariel, but a non-standard version. I knew instantly, because I had just loaded a CD of fonts. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/4 "2001-08-13T01:09:53Z")
Should also mention that defective system RAM memory or memory (or overclocked CPU’s) tweaked to incorrect specs can cause this sort of thing as well. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/5 "2001-08-13T03:37:01Z")
Defrag didn’t help. I haven’t changed any settings recently. So, the next easy possible solution is to reinstall the video drivers, eh? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/6 "2001-08-13T03:53:01Z")
Make sure you **un-install** the current drivers before you re-install the new drivers. Simply re-installing without removing the existing driver set may not accomplish a true driver refresh. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/7 "2001-08-13T04:06:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > **Make sure you un-install the current drivers before you re-install the new drivers.** How might I go about doing that? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/8 "2001-08-13T05:05:30Z")
Assuming you have Win 98 or ME 1: The CD or downloaded fileset you are installing from may offer un-install as an option. This un-install option is generally preferred as it does the most complete removal job. or 2: Under Control Panel the “Add\_Remove Programs” applet may list your video card driver set. Unless your video card is very basic and is using generic windows drivers (unlikely) the installed driver set sould be listed there. Choose remove and windows will un-install the drivers. Re-boot and re-install. You may want to double check the specific model # listed on your video card if your driver set install program offers a list of different related models and corresponding driver sets to install so you are choosing the correct one. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/9 "2001-08-13T14:40:42Z")
right click on the desktop, select REFRESH does that change it? ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/10 "2001-08-13T21:56:28Z")
I deleted and reinstalled ATI (video card software) and it seems to have worked. Thanks for the suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/11 "2001-08-14T00:04:31Z")
I have one of those but I didn’t know you were using one of them too otherwise I might have mentioned that. Also they require the acelleration be set to FULL. ---
**Author:** ![Evno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Evno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evno)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/12 "2001-08-14T01:12:27Z")
I actually dreamed about having this problem after reading this thread. Zoiks! ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-strange-computer-problem/75966/13 "2001-08-14T04:52:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Also they require the acelleration be set to FULL. \*\* It was the whole time, so that wasn’t the problem…