NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel exception! ....??

Question

iMac, Strange behavior and eventual freeze of the screen!
While using software like google-earth, aperture 2 or sometimes even while just browsing the net with safari 3.1, or changing of the space (leopard spaces) strange behavior with the graphics starts: slowniness showing the dock, intermittent unresponsiveness, frezzing of the screen for various seconds, strange lines or pixelation on the screen, and eventually, spinning pizza and complete freeze, forcing me to restart the machine with the power button. (the mouse pointer moves but anything else is absolut un-responsive)
This happens to me several times a day, while different kind of tasks, its very annoying feeling nervous not knowing when the screen will freeze again.
If i got the chance to see the console before the freeze i can see a lot of lines containing:
Mar 28 19:22:03 imac kernel[0]: NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel exception! status = 0xffff info32 = 0x6 = Fifo: Parse Error
Mar 28 19:22:03 imac kernel[0]: 0000000c
Mar 28 19:22:03 imac kernel[0]: 00100000 00004097 0001b8da 00000002
Mar 28 19:22:03 imac kernel[0]: 00020971 00001d88 080d0bff 00000002
Mar 28 19:22:03 imac kernel[0]: 00000000 beef9601 00000000
Mar 28 19:22:03 kernel[0]: 0000000b
Mar 28 19:22:03 imac kernel[0]: NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel exception! status = 0xffff info32 = 0x6 = Fifo: Parse Error
Mar 28 19:22:03 kernel[0]: 0000000b
Mar 28 19:22:04: --- last message repeated 7 times ---
I have tried resseting PRAM, disconect all usb-firewire periphs.. repair permissions, etc.. nothing seems to help...
I also reinstalled completely leopard, and all my aplications, it took a complete day, with all software updates, leopard graphics update, security updates, etc, etc... and 15 minutes after that it froze again.
Has anybody experience something similar or may it be a problem with my graphic card?
Imac 24"
2.16. Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
2Gb RAM
(NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT)
OS X 10.5.2

Answer 1

Sorry, hit the hotkey by accident and posted without finishing.
Try updates again. They go quick and can not harm the system.
Now, let's skip to the Logitech mouse. Are you aware of the threads in this forum regarding that scenario? The logitech drivers at Leopard's release were incompatible with 10.5. They may have subsequently released new drivers or updates. Apparently, jumpy mouse behavior was a problem with the old drivers BEFORE the graphic updates and 10.5.2 updates were posted. Perhaps the problems exhibit themselves differently with these updates. Worth checking. If there are no new drivers for your mouse you can check out Steermouse or USBOverdrive. Google those.
Your epson drivers are out of date if they say PPC. Install the Intel versions.
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid= 88043&infoType=Downloads
This link may do the trick.
When I say make all updates, I mean you should go to Apples "support" and then "download" site and manually browse every applicable update for your machine going back to October 27, 2007. You will be surprised that some of the updates may not have been installed or packaged or delivered....I have personal experience with a friend on this one. The system would tell him if the update was already performed or not required, etc....therefore no harm no foul.
To recap: Manually download and install every applicable update from Leopard's release.
Install the new scanner and mouse drivers. Avoid PPC processes in backround.
Then check out this:
http://www.parallels.com/en/support/desktop/leopard/
http://kb.parallels.com/faq/4/2/585/#585
and check the second link about installation without CD