# Solved: weird problem, BIOS startup text scrambled, blue dashed lines in windows



## cosec(x) (Feb 21, 2009)

This Problem has me stumped, but first, system specs:
AMD Athlon X2 6000
Gigabyte MA790X-DS4 (rev 1.0 I think)
2x1GB Kingston HyperX RAM (I ran memtest86+ and it works fine)
nVidia 9800GT
250GB Seagate HDD SATA2
550W PSU
24" 1920x1200 LCD display
Windows Vista Business

About a month and a half ago, I installed Unreal Tournament 3 and played it. It worked fine. I then installed the new nVidia 180 drivers (can't remember exact version, I'll work it out if it is important) (by uninstalling the old ones then installing new ones) and then played the same game and some time into the game the game froze with dashed blue lines on the screen over the game image. I then rebooted the computer and green lines appeared on the BIOS screen, and windows would not load past the scrolling green bar to the login screen.

At this point Safe Mode still worked though with large blue vertical lines on the left and right sides of the screen, and dashed blue lines at logon, so I went into that and uninstalled the graphics drivers. The computer still didn't work, so I tried to reinstall the old ones. Now, when I turned on the computer, the system properties screen had random text on it, it was basically covered in a's with hats (^'s) on it. This was weird, so I went into the BIOS, and lo and behold, this screen was also debauched by these weird A's as well as other funny symbols, yet other bits were good and readable.

I thought the issue may have been the graphics card, so I stuck a 9400GT in there and the same weirdness happened.

This narrowed the issue to a BIOS or a windows issue. I went to use system restore, but now Safe Mode wouldn't load. Using the Vista disc, I system restored to before I installed Unreal Tournament and all was good.

I thought the problem solved but then, yesterday, I plaed a game called Titan Quest, and 5 minutes into the game, the screen froze with dashed blue lines. After reboot, the BIOS screens were scrambled as before. I went into safe mode and removed the drivers, then ran a driver sweeper to remove any remnants. Still the problem persisted. I ran memtest86+ to see if it was RAM and it didn't return any errors.

I don't want to have to system restore every time I play a 3d game, is there another solution, or do I have to reinstall windows?

Thanks for any help, and please tell me how weird this problem is as I am curious as to well, its weirdness.


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## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

> I then rebooted the computer and green lines appeared on the BIOS screen





> This narrowed the issue to a BIOS or a windows issue


If you read the 2 it really sounds like its a MB issue of somekind. If lines are appearing even before the OS loads you really can't blame the OS. I would try a BIOS update and see if that may fix it. If it does not fix it it could be something wrong with the hardware itself.


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## cosec(x) (Feb 21, 2009)

I'd agree its a MB issue, but that system restore fixed it makes me question that, and put it in the plain weird category, I am planning to flash the BIOS later today


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## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

Yeah I am thinking the system restore part was just a coincidence.


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## cosec(x) (Feb 21, 2009)

turns out it was the graphics card, remembered that whilst the PC didn't load with the second card, at least the lines had gone away.
so, weird lines=graphics issue


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