Win2k Degrading Video playback and graphics

[stealthmonkey]

Hi

Can some kind person help !

I am now on my second install for Win2k.

The first install I had was fine for ages but after a while I started noticing distorted graphics and playback via windows media & realplayer. It was working fine then one day it just seemed to drop significantly in quality. Also my favourite game Unreal Tournament wouldn’t play in full screen anymore even after I tried reinstalling it.

I tried a few things and wasn’t sure what the problem was and It was over due for a format so I thought Ill just wipe the drive and start again.

This worked fine for a few months but now it seems to be happening again, I have looked allot closer at the problem. Some of the potential solutions I have tried are:
)Reinstalling graphics drivers, tried alternative Detonator drivers for TNT2 based cards.
)Reinstalling video codecs.
)Defragmenting HD
)Upgrading media players and latest O.S patches.
)Upgrading Open GL and Direct X to latest compatible versions.
)Tweaking hardware Acceleration and testing various configurations for Media players Open GL, directx Graphics display settings.

All have a minimal effect.

System details are
Intel P2 350m Mhz at 100Mhz clock
300 MB Ram
20 & 10 GB HD
Elsa Erazor III LT graphics card with 32 MB onboard & TNT2 chip
(tried both Elsa and TNT Detonator drivers)

I have been running Win 98 and Win XP on the same machine with no problems in either so I’m pretty sure its not a hardware fault.

Sorry about the long post thanks for reading and Id be grateful for any ideas, suggestions that anyone has, or interested dif anyone has had the same hassles.
I would just use XP but I’m not totally sold on it and 98 Isn’t half as powerful as 2k.

Thanks in advance

Stealthmonkey

[christo418]

Welcome to the PC Mech forums!
Have you checked your cooler fans? Is everything clean inside there? Try swapping out the video card if all else fails. good luck.

[stealthmonkey]

Thanks Chris,
Ill give it a try, but Like I said it is working in 2 other o.s on the same PC with no problems.

So essentially, the hardware seems to be o.k I mean surely I would have noticed problems in Win98.

Cheers

Stealthmonkey

[christo418]

doh,
Did you look at your audio card as the culprit? Bad sound card=bad sound PLUS bad video...