My graphics card slows down then glitches out in most games.

[Parky]

Sometimes when i play some of my games online (it happens in L4D, CS:S, Company of Heroes) sometime into playing, maybe 5 minutes or so, the graphics slow down horribly til its unplayable then the screen completely messes up. Minimizing the game then going back in usually sorts it out, but only for a few minutes or so.
L4D:
http://screenshot.xfire.com/screenshot/natural/c62c93c7d578f926ab5d8e212ae6790146b2e4ec.png
CS:S:
http://screenshot.xfire.com/screenshot/natural/2729f81aa46112e7e8b94bb6dfbbf7aaaafc6614.png

Although they look different, L4D sometimes reacts similiarly to how the CS:S screen shot is.

As for company of heroes, the game's visual locks itself between 2 frames and it just jitters between those two frames until i minimize.

I've tried without background programs running, and it still happens.

I have an 8800gtx, and ive tried MANY different graphics drivers but all with the same result. Is my card physically deteriorating? This problem is really annoying me and is making my games totally unplayable when it happens. If its worth noting, it only happens when im playing online.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

It could be overheating. Try keeping an eye on the temps and give your card a good clean, sometimes the fan gets full of dust preventing it from cooling properly.

 

[Parky]

Im gonna open the case up a bit later and give it a bit of a dusting, ill give an update later. Thanks.

 

[Laivasse]

Use HWMonitor to keep an eye on temps while you're playing. Dust or no, you'll soon know whether overheating is the problem. Sounds like it to me.

 

[Ennui]

Yeah, sounds like either overheating or your card is dying. This happened to me a few years ago and the culprit was that the fan on my card had pretty much fallen off. Dust it off, keep an eye on temps, if both of those are not the issue than you probably need a new card.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

Yeah, that happened to me after a failed overclock. It's either overheating, dust, or it's loose, I'm pretty sure.

 

[tesher06]

Hmmmm you seem to have Uber Hax.