nvidia card visual artifact

[adc_raptor]

Hello,

I'm using a nVidia 7300GT video card and since about a couple of days I've been having some problems with it. It started displaying the desktop similar to this picture
graphicscardmemory3.jpg
At the moment I started getting these problems I had Windows XP installed. I thought that it was a driver problem so I tried to re-install the driver. It didn't work so I thought I should migrate back to Linux.
I've installed Fedora Core 10. The first part of the instalation, the display was showing correctly so I thought the problem was solved. But it eventually ended up looking the same as when using Windows.
I managed to install FC 10, but now I have a big problem. The OS loads, but when I get to the login screen the visual artifact appears again. I manage to enter the user and the password, but durring the session start the system freezes. I can move the mouse on the screen but I can't do anything else(not even Ctrl+Alt+F1).

Does anybody have any ideas why this would happen? Or has anybody had a similar problem?

Thank you for the time spent reading this lenghty post,
Dorin

[oz]

Not sure, but if you are certain that you are using the correct drivers, perhaps the video card is beginning to go bad, or the power supply is about to go bad. It wouldn't hurt to make certain the video card is properly seated in the socket.

[adc_raptor]

It's seated in the socket in the proper position. I have no doubts about this.
I've read that this might be the sign of video RAM going bad but I'm not entirely sure. At the moment I'm working on adding a cooler to it(since it came with none). This might fix the problem but again I'm not entirely sure.
The drivers that I'm using should be the "nv" ones that automaticly install with Linux when it detects a nVidia card. I haven't had time to check since the system freezes before I can do anything.
Thank you for your answer ozar... if you have any other suggestions I'm open to anything.

[coopstah13]

Things can definitely go awry with bad or no cooling on a graphics card. This is a hardware problem, you may need to replace your graphics card.

[adc_raptor]

I agree with what you're saying coopstah13, but the problem only appeared a few days ago and I had the video card for almost 2 years now.
I'll try adding the cooler and see if this makes any changes.

[coopstah13]

Perhaps over that time period the parts were slowly damaged and until now were still functional, but recently came to the point where they are outside of their range of tolerance. Do you have another video card to switch in to see if that solves the problem? Fortunately if it is the video card, depending on the type of card your system can handle you should be able to get something for cheap (if you can afford it.)

[adc_raptor]

Unfortunately I have no means of getting another wideo card to test if just mine is problematic.
Buying another one(even if it sounds rather nice and even if it's going to be cheap) isn't an option at the moment since I have lots of other more important ways to spend the funds.
Still hoping it won't be necessary and that maybe someone had similar problems and managed to solve them.

[oz]

Maybe you can try your card in another machine to see if the problem goes with the card. Otherwise, you could try the proprietary nvidia drivers to see if they help, or try moving the card to another slot, or try using a different power connector on the card.

Hopefully, one or more of those options might reveal where the problem lies.

[adc_raptor]

I've just installed the fans on the video card. The problem is not from overheating. And this probably leaves a hardware problem.
I'll have some answers by the end of the week when I get to try my video card on another computer. And this should be the last answer I need.
Thanks for all your help I'll keep averyone interested posted.