Resetting nvidia driver

[scribly]

This isn't for ut3 only, but also a few other games. (newer, like hl2 ep2, painkiller2, heroes of migth and magic 5, etc... But for some reason bioshock runs just fine. And ut2k4 also runs just fine)

I have a geforce 8800 gtx and am seeing lots of artifacts, flashing of textures, and sometimes complete display corruption. (hl2 turns completly inside out and in the center see a couple of texture triangles changing colors)

It's not a faulty videocard because I have a dualboot to vista64, and there UT3 and the other games just run fine. (Just that I really don't like vista64, and hate to each time having to reboot to vista just to play a game)

The drivers on my XP system have been updated to the latest version. Even completly uninstalled once and reinstalled, but the problem persists.

I have the feeling it is due to some configuration of a previous driver that just won't go away(e.g the driver has a specific config for bioshock, which may explain why it runs fine, but the other games don't), but I just can't find out how to reset everything to default, without reinstalling windows xp

anyone got an idea?

[larsdidriksen]

it does sound like a driver problem. Did you run a drive cleaner pass after you uninstalled the VGA driver? Also your vga card could be running hot, are you OCing? what temp is your GPU at?

this might help:old driver removal tool (http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=582) (extrenal link)

[scribly]

thanks,i've uninstalled the drivers again, and this time booted up in vga mode and in that mode install the latest driver.
Now I have normal graphics again.

But as far as I know it wasn't overclocked or anything, the temp was around 79 degrees celcius (normal)

[Lightbringer]

The problem you described is a common symptom for overheated memory on your graphics board.

[larsdidriksen]

agreed, 79c is on your core is to hot aswell. Use this app (http://www.guru3d.com/index.php?page=rivatuner)(riva tuner) and set the fan speed up, till you reach a temperature under 70c. im asuming you are using stock cooling? you might also look into getting a 3rd party cooler. hope it works out

[scribly]

anyhow, the complete removal and reinstalling the drivers fixed all problems and still the same temp.
Seeing the temp regulator goes to 150 and only starts throttling at 110C 79 doesn't seem hot

[larsdidriksen]

the n92 chip goes to 100c however you don’t want it there, anymore then you want a core2duo running 65c all the time. Also the big problem is, a piece of hardware needing to exhaust that much heat will inevitably heat up the rest of you case causing malfunctions elsewhere (your north bridge for instance) just cause your Gfx can handle the 79 degrees doesn’t mean that your Ram, I/O and CPU will appreciate the extra heat dumped into you already hot NB. also 79 for an "old" 8800 chip IS hot, and CAN cause artifacts etc.

[alcom77]

The proper way to uninstall drivers is in safe mode and the Driver Sweeper tool cleans everything out including GPU-specific registry values. While I didn't have artifacts, I think this is the step that cured my hangs, crashes and BSOD's.

http://www.guru3d.com/index.php?page=driversweeper