[moni94]

Hi. I recently got a new Dell Vostro 220 with an Intel G45 1GB graphics card. I recently installed "NFS Most Wanted" and was shocked to see some very screwed up graphics. See the screenshots below:

This is how it looks like on default settings (almost everything set on min):


This is how it looks like on max settings (resolution is same though):


This is how it looks like on min settings:


When I start playing on min settings the graphics are fine, but when I reach a high detailed areas I can see some color loss, and on even higher detailed areas It gets blue like the previous images (see screenshot below):


I have all the latest drivers installed. The graphics card is 1 GB and on the site it says that it supports high-graphics games like "Crysis", so I don't see what the problem is...
I have also tested this game on system requirements lab and it passed the test. I also tested games with even better graphics and they also passed the test.....

I would be glad if someone helps me find a solution to this problem, without telling me to buy a new graphics card.

[avarice]

what graphic card does vostro 220 come with? i did some googling and found multiple options available. But for any card, those screens are horrifying. . these dont seem like artifacts.. so guess the card's okay. Try uninstalling the driver, then use driver sweeper to remove the traces of the same in safe mode... then do a fresh install of the latest drivers. This should get ur card up n running. Else, its time to redeem your warranty.

[avarice]

BTW.. have u tried other games? do they look the same?

[moni94]

I tried playing Runescape and it ran perfectly. Before I installed NFS MW I tried NFS Shift which was even worse! The graphics looked like a pile of mud....

The graphics card is an Intel G45 1 GB. Most Dells come with intergrated Intel cards.

[avarice]

if its an intel onboard gpu, driver sweeper wont help. a driver reinstall should help. have u tried reinstaling the drivers? u never mentioned if u tried that. those images are not conclusive of a fried gpu.
try changing the video adapter settings in bios.. shuffle with it a bit to find a stable setting.. 1gb gpu that u mentioned should be shared with DRAM. try lowering it a bit.. 256-512 should suffice.. that way u'll have more physical ram to work with.. coz seldom does a game use more than half a GB of video ram..

[moni94]

Does reinstalling the drivers mean uninstalling the current drivers and installing them again, because I installed them over the current drivers and it didn't help. Also I didn't find the settings you mentioned in the BIOS menu......

[avarice]

you'll have to perform a clean install of the drivers.
and the V-ram settings should be under advanced tab.. something like shared video memory or stuff.. my friend has the same board.. i'll ask him and get back to you.

[avarice]

dont bother changing the v-ram settings. try the driver reinstall first.. try updating direct-x, install the latest patch for nfs most wanted.. they seem to have included lots of "graphic glitches" fixes with that patch.

[moni94]

I'll try although I'm kind of scared uninstalling my current drivers....

[avarice]

scared? lol... lots of issues are fixed with a fresh install of drivers.. i mean, if i were u.. i'd do that. but is totally up to u... get ur pc changed if u are skeptic about the cause n effects of changing minor settings.

[moni94]

Ok I reinstalled the graphics driver... still doesn't work....

[avarice]

there is a software called furmark. it is used to test the stability of a graphic processing unit(gpu). its free. download it and run a stress test.
watch closely for any artifacts. if you get artifacts, we can narrow down the issues.

[moni94]

No artifacts, but it was really slow - 1,2 fps.

[avarice]

hmm, in that case.. there are possibilities that the game files are corrupt.
if furmark produces no artifacts, then nothing s wrong with your gpu.. u can be sure about that.

[moni94]

But it didn't just happen with this game. It happened with NFS Shift as well...