Overheating symptoms? Glitchy graphics?

Hoping someone else has seen this 'behaviour'...

Noticed last night while playing Test Drive Unlimited for the first
time that after a few minutes of play I get lots of weird artifacts on
screen, looks like graphics tearing, flashes of colour in the middle
of the screen etc.

I initially thought that the game was just poorly coded, but couldn't
find any evidence online that people had suffered similar issues with
TDU.

After finally getting hold of the DIRT demo I found a similar problem
- starting a new game was initially OK but after a short period of
gaming I start to get the same graphical glitches appearing.

I'm guessing this is an overheating problem 'cos the games start OK
but quickly deteriorates, possibly due to the amount of work the CPU/
GPU is doing (and consequently generating heat).

My 360 has a fair bit of space around it to get rid of heat, so there
is nothing I can do short of adding a colling device. Is it on its way
out? Anyone seen similar problems?

Typically it is a little over 1 year old so no official warranty. No
problems before now, so I guess something to do with cooling has
failed. I will contact M$ but wanted to see if this is a common
problem first.

Ta.

>
> My 360 has a fair bit of space around it to get rid of heat, so there
> is nothing I can do short of adding a colling device. Is it on its way
> out? Anyone seen similar problems?
>
Make sure your power-block also has good ventilation. Best raise it off
the surface a little.

> Make sure your power-block also has good ventilation. Best raise it off
> the surface a little.

Thanks BW, must admit the power block was sitting on carpet - I moved
it onto a well ventilated glass shelf but this made no difference.

Once the effect starts, even pausing the game (so that there is very
little going on in game) does not stop it, so if it is heat related
the unit is not cooling down enough to get rid even while I am not
playing.

I'm a little surprised that the box is not locking up or giving red
lights.

P.

On 26 May 2007 07:33:10 -0700, pauly <a991eby@googlemail.com> wrote:

>
>> Make sure your power-block also has good ventilation. Best raise it off
>> the surface a little.
>
>Thanks BW, must admit the power block was sitting on carpet - I moved
>it onto a well ventilated glass shelf but this made no difference.
>
>Once the effect starts, even pausing the game (so that there is very
>little going on in game) does not stop it, so if it is heat related
>the unit is not cooling down enough to get rid even while I am not
>playing.
>
>I'm a little surprised that the box is not locking up or giving red
>lights.
>
>P.

sounds like your GPU is dying mate, i had it happen to me. first
noticed it playing COD2 when one of the walls in a building was
flickering red/green, then it started happening in other games and the
dash.
i'd get it replaced, cos it's only going to get worse.
--

gamertag: Chrisflynnuk
http://live.xbox.com/member/Chrisflynnuk
Current eBay auctions: http://tinyurl.com/hutcb
360, DS, PS2 and Saturn Games For Auction.

> sounds like your GPU is dying mate, i had it happen to me. first
> noticed it playing COD2 when one of the walls in a building was
> flickering red/green, then it started happening in other games and the
> dash.
> i'd get it replaced, cos it's only going to get worse.
> --
>
> gamertag: Chrisflynnukhttp://live.xbox.com/member/Chrisflynnuk
> Current eBay auctions:http://tinyurl.com/hutcb
> 360, DS, PS2 and Saturn Games For Auction.

Agreed, I don't think it is a symptom of overheating, the sides are
cool (when drawing in air), warm air blowing out the back but not what
I would call 'hot'.

The effect is the same whether the fans are on (when playing from a
disc) or off (when playing a demo).

Will give M$ a call next week. Thanks for you advice all.

P.

"pauly" <a991eby@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1180197274.583514.64920@p47g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...
>> sounds like your GPU is dying mate, i had it happen to me. first
>> noticed it playing COD2 when one of the walls in a building was
>> flickering red/green, then it started happening in other games and the
>> dash.
>> i'd get it replaced, cos it's only going to get worse.
>> --
>>
>> gamertag: Chrisflynnukhttp://live.xbox.com/member/Chrisflynnuk
>> Current eBay auctions:http://tinyurl.com/hutcb
>> 360, DS, PS2 and Saturn Games For Auction.
>
> Agreed, I don't think it is a symptom of overheating, the sides are
> cool (when drawing in air), warm air blowing out the back but not what
> I would call 'hot'.
>
> The effect is the same whether the fans are on (when playing from a
> disc) or off (when playing a demo).
>
> Will give M$ a call next week. Thanks for you advice all.

Just to support what Chris has said about the GPU.
My original 360 was working fine using the VGA connection. Then when I
started to play Call of Duty 2, the game was displaying these weird streaks
across the screen in all sorts of angles. It was like a heavy dose of black
rain (not like the rain in the game). After many checks of swapping the
disc, trying another cable and a different monitor, it was concluded that
the GPU was faulty. The machine never overheated. I got a replacement
in-store.