.jpeg distorting virus?

[Tiretool]

Anyone ever heard of such a virus that will make all of your jpeg images appear as colored dots? Millions of colored dots show up anywhere I try to view any jpeg image. In explorer, outlook, paint, etc... also... my sound has become garbled. Very irritating sounds come out of my speakers since a week ago. Wife said she opened some email and was deleting it when this all started. I've since deleted all partitions on her HD, reformatted, and installed Win2K Pro. Same thing. I'm beginning to wonder if it's not just a bad motherboard. I've changed Video cards, and it's still the same. Also moved the sound card to another slot. No change.

Any info will be greatly appreciated!

[mairving]

If it was a virus, you would have killed it by reformatting. A boot sector virus could survive but wouldn't have those characteristics.

Most of the time that I have suspected virus, it has turned out to be hardware or software related and not a virus. Sometimes a problem like you are having is harder to fix than to remove a virus. Probably going to have to start swapping things until you solve it. Is it onboard audio/video?

[Tiretool]

I thought hardware first... swapped parts out left and right and then started suspecting a virus or some other type of explanation. I've swapped the video card, sound, and NIC. None of these helped. I'm fearing a problem with the motherboard. That's the only other thing I can assume might be wrong.

Motherboard is an MSI K7T 266 Pro2 Ver 2.0
I've tried two different GeForce 2 cards that were working fine just a few days ago. Both display everything correctly except jpeg images.
Sound card is a sound blaster live value. Known to be working.
NIC is DLink. I know it's working fine too...
I guess I'll break it down tomorrow and see if the motherboard is the culprit. Thanks for the response Mairving. :)

[TwoRails]

Very curious, Tiretool..... It seems like you've done it all. I hope it's not the mobo. Somehow, though, it's hard to imagine a mobo affecting only jpegs and not other video signals???

I don't know if your a gamer, but I'd guess you have a least a couple of games even it your not: did you try playing any?? How do things work then?

TwoRails

[RenegadeKing]

Could this be it?
http://www.vanshardware.com/articles/2001/july/010725_FUD_And_AMD_JPEG/010725_FUD_And_AMD_JPEG.htm
Scroll down to The AMD JPEG Issue.

[Tiretool]

It would appear that you have hit the nail on the head RenegadeKing. Thanks very much for that information. I guess this processor will be replaced shortly.

I knew there was something wrong that I had never seen before. Odd how something with no moving parts can go bad after working for such a long time flawlessly.

Thanks again!

[TwoRails]

Another nice link by RenegadeKing! (that's at least a couple just tonight:) )

I, too, have never seen that one!!

TwoRails