[wizzardxexe]

i am helping a friend build a computer and he got a 4850 x2 (against my wishes). we have it plugged into a hi res samsung monitor, and when we boot it up, we can see the desktop but only in a bunch of rectangles. it looks like a checkerboard.

we stuck an old pci video card it and it works and boot into windows xp fine, so does this mean it is a bad video card? or is it a driver related problem?

im pretty sure its a sapphire 4850 x2

[Yamikotai]

so does this mean it is a bad video card? or is it a driver related problem?

It could be either; you didn't mention any part where you installed the drivers - did you?

[wizzardxexe]

he tried the one from sapphire and the latest ati driver.

[S0ULphIRE]

Did it do that from the start? e.g. you put the card in, then installed the OS right? And when installing the OS was your screen patchy?
I've said it many times, I don't like ATI drivers, they seem to fail a lot. Try downloading an earlier driver, see if that helps.

If not, then RMA that card asap.

[vernong1992]

Sounds like the card is starting to die or its just bad...

I'd just go ahead and RMA it

[HAVOC]

The card requires 2 power connections to the board. (1) Six Pin PCI-e & (1) 8 pin connector. Have you ensured that both are connected? How are each connected? Are you using a 6 pin and a adapter that came with the card? If you are using the adapter, make sure that the adapter is connected properly and that you have NOTHING else sharing that line to the PSU.

[Mak213]

Have you also made sure to remove the old video drivers from the previous video device before installing the new drivers from ATi?