peculiar problem with 1.1.0.30

[Fraenzken]

Hi,

I've got a peculiar problem with 1.1.0.30: Every time I open an image, I get severe tiling artifacts.

The peculiar thing about this is: I usedn't get these artifacts when I first tried 1.1.0.30. But then my computer suddenly turned itsself of. After that, the tiling issue started. And, most peculiar: I see similar artifacts when using the just-released DXO7 - but only when touching the new "smart lightning"-slider. (PhotoNinja on the other hand works as well as before.)

To make sure it's not a windows issue, I re-installed a backup of my system-drive that I had done a couple of months ago. The problem remains the same. So I guess it is a hardware issue. But MemCheck didn't reveal any memory errors, and a cpu stress test with aida64 didn't show any problems either. So what do you think it could be? The gpu (I have a ATI Radeon 3000 HD on-board graphic card)?

I'd be glad if anyone of you had a hint where to look. Thanx!

Ah, I forgot one thing: Sometimes I have problems now booting my machine (I have to start in "secure mode"). Not always. Just sometimes.

Frank

[Zarastro]

Unless you've activated OpenCL on ASP, I seriously doubt that your graphics card hardware is to blame. Does the problem occur with all of your files? When you process the files, do the output files also show the tiling, or is it just a display issue?

Should the tiling appear on your processed output files, it may be that some metadata may have been lost when your computer suddenly turned off.

On the other hand, given that sometimes you're having to boot in secure mode, I would uninstall the graphics drivers and install them again, just in case.

Good luck!

[Trucks]

Hi,

you can try clear the cache, turn off all plugins, or rename the Pluginfolder.

Trucks

[Fraenzken]

Thank you for your help. I've deleted the cache, disabled all plugins and installed the newest graphic card driver - no improvement.
I think I'll have my computer checked, though that means to send it in.
Thanks again.
Frank

[FalCT60]

Hello Frank,

This sounds like a hardware issue and, according to the description you provided, I'd bet your graphics card actually is the one to blame.
Trying with another one (hope it isn't a laptop!) could help you determine what the problem is.

Regards,

J.-Luc

[andysalay]

Does the problem disappear if OpenCL is disabled?

If no, yet is seems like hardware issue.

You can check RAM easily and very thoroughly.
With the help of PartedMagic or SystemRescueCD bootdisk.

Both contain MEMTEST 86+,
which you choose from the boot menu (hidden in one submenu).
You need to run it for at least six hours, better for 24 hours.
(The test is endless loop, you choose when to stop it).

If it does not detect a single error,
you can run another test - for CPU and memory controller.
It is Win software Prime95. Let me know the results of Memtest, and I can provide detailed settings for optimal CPU test.
This test can also heavily stress memory controller and all caches.

Regards,
Andy Salay

[Fraenzken]

Thanks J-Luc and Andy,
I think I'll try MemTest overnight and post the results tomorrow (I don't have a graphic card at hand). Prime95 sounds like a good idea too.
Thanks for your help.
Frank

[Fraenzken]

Just to give you an update: I've found the problem.

I've got an AMD 3-Core machine which can - as I found out recently - be unlocked to a 4-Core via a BIOS command. I tried that feature out a week ago, but had many many crashes after that, so I re-locked the forth core. A few days after that I became aware of the problems I've described in the first post.

Two days ago I tried Prime95 (thanks Andy) and immediately ran into an error. Each and every time I started, part of the calculations obviously went wrong. So I thought it might still be a result of my unlocking the 4th core. I downloaded the original BIOS, flashed it, and... tata... the problems were gone.

My system runs rock-stable at the moment, ironically even better than before, as I used the opportunity to re-calibrate the cpu fan and put it into performance mode (instead of silence mode). CPU temperature is down to 15-60 degrees Celsius now (60 after 30 mins of max workload) - it used to be 30 at start-up and 85 (!) after hard work.

Thanks again for your help!
Cheers
Frank