Try downgrading your ATI drivers to the catalyst v6.5 release. These are the drivers I use for STW/MTW with an Radeon 9000 pro (and you thought your card was old fashioned?) and never have any graphics related problems.
From what you've said though, with regard to the mediteranean climate, it seems to me that it may be corrupt game media and not the graphics card at all. Try resintalling MTW and VI, first cleaning the Disks. After installing MTW see if you have the same problem, then install VI and see if the problem returns, if it does then it could be your VI disc that's causing the problem.
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