ok......
I have a P4 2.8Ghz
512 ram
GForce4 Ti4600 128 megs
SB Audigy 2
Monitor: 21" Hitachi Superscan 800 (6 years old)

Playing Unreal tourney 2003.......after awhile.....I get a few horizontal line distortions then my screen goes black for a millisecond....and then it comes back. I am still in the game...it does it again. Then it runs fine...then boom...again. It does it intermittently here and there. Also happens in Asherons Call2. Both games are high graphics.
What I have noticed is......it doesnt happen right away.......its like 10-15 minutes in the game or so. Its got me and some friends baffled....
Could it be my monitors refresh rate?........
Could it be my video card is overheating?
I am lost

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Oh.....I have directX 8+
My video driver has been updated too.

It could be a heat problem
I think a good place to start is with a Little Dusting and Cleaning
Make sure the Monitor vent slots are clear
and free of any dust bunnies

You could also attach a small fan to the Top to draw heat out of the unit.
Or on the bottom to push air into the unit.

If you find it cures the problem then you may want to open the case.
And do a good careful dusting and cleaning
Small amounts of dust bunnies can cause heat build up


In the past I have seen this as a sign of a monitors failing
One place to look is at the back of the Tube
Where the cable connects to the tube.
If you find blowing air cools and corrects the issue you may be in need of a replacement monitor

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

It sounds like an overheating video card to me as well. You can also test this by removing the cover and directing a small desk fan to blow on the video card, then play your games hard and see if the problem is gone. If it is, then you need to upgrade your heating and if it isn't you will need to keep looking.

There are two things that I would try.

First: I would try hooking up another monitor and see if it
gives you the same problems. If it does you can rule out your
21" Hitachi monitor.

Second: I would try another video card (you probably have an old
one lying around.

Without trying these two simple test first before you start posting
in this forum you are just being a KNUCKLE HEAD!!!

I hope this helps.

Sincerely, Gunter

Gunter,

Welcome to PCGuide Forums.

That said, please note that name calling is not a good way to introduce yourself in this Forum, it is generally not well tolerated. It is also true that not everyone has a spare monitor and/or video card sitting around to use for testing, so calling someone a name for not doing this is even more inappropriate. Further, switching out monitors and video cards can be a lot more hassle than some of the other tests that can be done, so it is not even necessarily the first way to go. And finally, many people who post here have very little knowledge and experience with computers; this is supposed to be a safe place for them to get help and name calling takes away that safety.

I will try some of the procedures that were mentioned here except the one trying another video card.
I dont have a spare GForce 4 Ti 4600 laying around. Using a lower end video card would defeat the purpose due to the high end graphics I run.
So that suggestion is out.
The other suggestion with the fans and cooling issues I can do.

And being a knucklehead?.....well.....thats a possibility.......
Arent we all knuckleheads at one time or another. Thanks Gunter.
:-)

I went home last nite and rented a crane to move my 21" monitor to the garage. Took the back off and got confused. I thought it was the vacuum cleaner bag. That thing was loaded!! I thoroughly cleaned it with compressed air, being careful not to touch anything. Then I took the cover off my system and placed a fan directed toward the computer.
Low and behold.......I played all last nite without one blackout!!!
Didnt feel like troubleshooting. I will remove the fan tonight and see if the issue still exists. If it does....I will get another fan for my system.
THANK YOU all who helped me.

BTW........Gunter is my best friend here in Jax and was messing with me.
hehe. He informed me last nite on the phone that he didnt mean for it to go public....wanted it to be a private message.
Later all.

Well.....its not my monitor.
Its my video card. I now have to have the case open and a small desktop fan blowing on the card.
Talked to Gunter the other nite via phone and he said there is a pci card with fans built in that I can insert to keep my card cooler. I may try that with the addition of another fan on the case.

I want to thank everyone that responded to my post for helping me.

Later all!!!!!