Icon Dragging Graphics WINDOWS Glitch

[Ambassador]

EDIT

Before I formatted this computer, I had Windows XP SP2. Everytime I dragged an icon, it would look messed up. Simple as that.

Format and reinstall with SP3 later, and it still look screwed up.

This isn't an exclusive case either. I remember having the same glitch on a high school computer also running XP SP2.

My hardware is as follows:

AMD Athlon XP 2100+

ATI Radeon 9000 Pro

512 MB of RAM

Samsung Syncmaster 960BP monitor analog connection running at 1280/1024 resolution and 32-bit colours

I've included a pic that clearly illustrates the glitch. And I have tried turning ClearType and Font Smoothing off. No effect.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Edited September 28, 2009 by Ambassador

[Tarun]

Have you tried updating your graphics drivers?

[cluberti]

Better test - does it happen in safe mode...

[TravisO]

Better test - does it happen in safe mode...

If it happens there, it's your graphic drivers, if it doesn't, it's something else (junkware?)

I'm 99.9% sure the problem is your graphic drivers, it's even possible this problem exists in the newest version and you might have to downgrade until the next version.

Edited August 28, 2008 by TravisO

[Ambassador]

Ok, back.

I had a feeling it might have been the ATi driver (the latest). I believe though that it hasn't been updated since 2006, so waiting for a new version is probably futile.

Safe mode was inconclusive. The same glitch occured, but an ATi service had loaded, so I'm not sure.

[magicfly]

Ok, back.

I had a feeling it might have been the ATi driver (the latest). I believe though that it hasn't been updated since 2006, so waiting for a new version is probably futile.

Safe mode was inconclusive. The same glitch occured, but an ATi service had loaded, so I'm not sure.

try to uninstall any ati driver and see..

[Ambassador]

The glitch is still occuring, even with all ATi stuff removed! So is it the graphics card itself?

[cluberti]

It would seem so, yes.

[Ambassador]

crap. I hope it wasn't that.

But then how come the same problem was affecting unrelated new school computers, not even with the same graphics card? I find it hard to believe that all those computers' graphics cards were broken.

[cluberti]

One thing to test - install Windows from a CD (not an image), and don't install ANY drivers. If the problem happens on that new install...........

[Ambassador]

I've finally discovered the source of the glitch, and it isn't the graphics card, considering that every Windows computer I have used seems to have the same problem.

This glitch occurs when you turn off "Show Windows Contents While Dragging":

With it on, there is no icon distortion when dragging:

With it off, there is icon distortion when dragging:

I tried this switch on a newer, faster, and more graphics-capable machine, and the same thing happened.

So this appears to be a bug in Windows. I don't know how you would fix it; anybody else have any ideas?

[cluberti]

Well, honestly I can't repro it on any machine (or VM) I've tried. Intel GMA, ATI graphics (Radeon 9800, x1350, 200m, and 3650), Nvidia 9800 and 7950), and even vmware and microsoft VM video "chipsets". None of them reproduce the issues you are seeing, so it can't be specific to Windows, as if it was I should have been able to repro it (note I tested XPSP3, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 and SP2 - I haven't tested Win7 or 2008 R2 as of yet, although I could if I had to. I am going to rebuild this box that's currently running Vista SP2 to Win7 in the next week or so when I have some downtime, but I don't remember my other Win7 machines doing this either.

Edited September 28, 2009 by cluberti
Just tested a Win7 and a 2008 R2 box (DE enabled) - no repro there either