Multiply layer - opacity = ...stripes? (PS7)

[MikeMakesModels]

This has been happening for months now. It doesn't worry me in most of the things I do, and in at least one situation I have played it to my advantage.. but it's still a problem and I'd still like to sort it. Any suggestions/ideas would be appreciated:

The problem (so far as I can pin it down) is when I set a layer to multiply and reduce the opacity it makes 1px stripes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/DuneFishUK/multistripes.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/DuneFishUK/stripey.jpg

There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to it. This screenshot has the opacity reduced to ~50% .. set it to 62% and the stripes all but disappear, but 63% is worse than ever :P

It's all a bit bizarre and any thoughts on how to fix it would be welcome :)

Thanks.

***(It's Photoshop 7 btw)

[Crysalis]

what type of computer do you have? Especially your video card.

[MikeMakesModels]

It's only a reasonably priced Dell Inspiron Laptop (1.86 Dualcore, 2gig RAM job running XP) The video card is a shite integrated Intel Mobile Express one....

Hmm... do you really reckon it might be something along those lines? It's not an optical illusion - the pic on the right is an actual save of the file zoomed in on the left. Those lines are real.

I'd be suprised if it was, she ain't top-of-the-range, but I've kept her clean and everything runs quick and smooth, even some pretty complex cad stuff. (...Well... everything except any game made after 1998 :P :))

[Ferdinand Venter]

Graphic design programs requires better graphics cards. I forgot what i wanted to say and this is the best i can think of now. I know some really old onboard graphics cards doesn't work well with gradients, but I haven't encountered something like this.

My only suggestion is get a decent graphics card, it doesn't have to be top of the range...just better that your current one. I started with Photoshop CS.

Shit I just re-read your last post and you mentioned you have a laptop...I haven't physically seen graphics cards for laptops but I do know that they have and they are being sold world wide. I live in a small town in South Africa so I don't get to see much of anything.

[MikeMakesModels]

I would get a new graphics card... but my old one is soldered to my motherboard :(

My graphics chip is the weak link in my computer, so it wouldn't suprise me if it was that, and the more I think about it, and what you and others say - it does sound that way.

But outside of newer games, I haven't notice any dent in graphics/performance or anything at all - even with some beastly cad files. It is literally this one pointless multiply thing - which makes me reluctant to upgrade at this time.

Ah well, what is it they say... - "a poor artist blames his tools"

Bloody computers... Cheers guys, I will persevere :)

[Flake]

Go into your graphics card settings and make sure it's set to best quality (32 bit).

[MikeMakesModels]

It's already cranked up to 13.

(well... 32 at least, and with "power saving" turned off)

Thanks for the suggestion though - was worth a check. :)