Dead laptop display

[Cuchulainn2010]

Hi,

 

My laptop (Alienware m9700) display/graphics card has partially died.

 

On boot I get the Bios flash and windows xp loading bar but as soon as windows loads the display goes dead, not blank, it just shuts off.

 

On boot up the graphics cards (2xNvidia 256mbs in SLI) start, they generate heat and the fans start spinning, on windows startup they just stop.

 

In safe mode the display works so I scrubbed the drivers and replaced them with the latest ones, and the same problem occurred. Then i reset the computer to its "out fo the box" settings and drivers, the same problem occurs.

 

Opened her up and replaced the CPU and main graphics chip heat pads with proper paste as the pads had melted to where the chips where in direct contact with the heat sink. (The laptop is out of warranty so fiddling around wont void my warranty). Problem still occurs.

 

Anyone have any ideas on what to do, as its out of warranty and I have exhausted my computer knowledge, and dont really have the money to get it repaired, laptop repair is very expensive!

 

Only good thing to come oout of this is I resurrected my 8 yr old desktop and with some elbow grease and £50 worth of components I got it to run GTA4 (at low settings, but it still runs!).

 

Thanks.

[locutus]

The only thinkg I can think of that does not meen the laptop is completely broken is if the resolution is set out of the screen's range.

 

Boot into safe mode, change the resolution down to the minimum then reboot normally. Lets see if that helps.

[dx100uk]

yep woth a try

also try vga mode

 

dx

[Conniff]

If it boots into Safe Mode and the display is ok, it looks more like a software problem than a hardware one.

[Cuchulainn2010]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I have tried every display setting in safe mode, but as soon as I reboot the graphics cards switch off and the display goes blank.

 

Thats why I think its a problem with the vid cards, or maybe something with the SLI connectors. I really dont think its software related as I have tried all combinations of drivers and settings.

[dx100uk]

i'm puzzled by your comment the graphics cards switch off

 

what do you mean...i take it - the screen goes blank.

 

what does it do on an external monitor?

 

and have you checked that no muppet has set windows in normal mode to switch to an external monitor only

typically a Fn + Number Key

 

dx

[Cuchulainn2010]

As I said earlier, the laptop boots up and starts to load windows, as soon as windows loads the display goes blank, as in it is not on. If I check the vid cards during boot I can see them start to work (i.e. fans spin and they heat up) but as soon as windows loads, they stop working (i.e. fans stop and cards cool down).

And, yeah, its not set to external monitor only.

[dx100uk]

can you switch to external monitor?

try booting with one connected

i've known that to cure weird issues.

 

what puzzled me is the working in safemode

if the cards were dead, they would not work at all.

 

but i must admit this sounds a wee bit more involved.

 

dx

[locutus]

Have you tried a complete OS re-install?

[Cuchulainn2010]

can you switch to external monitor?

try booting with one connected

i've known that to cure weird issues.

 

what puzzled me is the working in safemode

if the cards were dead, they would not work at all.

 

but i must admit this sounds a wee bit more involved.

 

dx

 

I believe in safe mode the graphics are done by the motherboard (it might have a crappy graphics chip on it).

 

And yes, i have done a full re-install of the OS.

[riget]

The basic drivers don't put any load on the graphics cards, as windows loads and the graphics drivers load the cards can't take it and cut off.

Go in safe mode and uninstall the graphics drivers, then let windows start, it should start, if it's vista or 7 it could auto load the drivers that will again kill the cards, and new cards cost more than the laptops worth, that's if you can find them.

[midnight1200]

nvidia cards in some laptops especially hp dv6000 have a problem which could mean the graphics chip might need reballing (basically using a laser machine to remove the graphics chip clean the solder then reball the chip and place back on motherboard ) the problem can be intermittent. safe mode might work because you are not putting a load on the graphics chip. youtube has lots of videos explaining the reballing service

[Jasper1965]

nvidia cards in some laptops especially hp dv6000 have a problem which could mean the graphics chip might need reballing (basically using a laser machine to remove the graphics chip clean the solder then reball the chip and place back on motherboard ) the problem can be intermittent. safe mode might work because you are not putting a load on the graphics chip. youtube has lots of videos explaining the reballing service

 

That's exactly the problem I've had with both an hp DV2000 and dv6000 laptop.

 

I solved both by spending less than £100 on an Aoyue rework station with a hot air tip cleaned and fluxed then reflowed the GPU's. The basic one is about £30 if you don't plan on doing much soldering.

 

Got the cost of the station back straight off on the laptops and am comfortably into profit as it's the perfect tool for curing the infamous red ring of death on many xboxes. (Quite contrary to all the internet postings about that being crable with x clamps etc).

 

If you don't fancy doing it yourself, I suggest you dissassemble the mobo and trawl your local independent mobile phone shops as these places often have access to an SME rework station for the chips in mobile phones.

 

It's quite easy to do just flux (paste) the solder around the GPU and gently heat with the gun, you'll see the solder reflowing, no contact neccesary or indeed recommended.

[riget]

That's exactly the problem I've had with both an hp DV2000 and dv6000 laptop.

 

I solved both by spending less than £100 on an Aoyue rework station with a hot air tip cleaned and fluxed then reflowed the GPU's. The basic one is about £30 if you don't plan on doing much soldering.

 

Got the cost of the station back straight off on the laptops and am comfortably into profit as it's the perfect tool for curing the infamous red ring of death on many xboxes. (Quite contrary to all the internet postings about that being crable with x clamps etc).

 

If you don't fancy doing it yourself, I suggest you dissassemble the mobo and trawl your local independent mobile phone shops as these places often have access to an SME rework station for the chips in mobile phones.

 

It's quite easy to do just flux (paste) the solder around the GPU and gently heat with the gun, you'll see the solder reflowing, no contact neccesary or indeed recommended.

 

Hi Jasper, can you give me some info on the rework station you've got, I'm interested in getting one, but no idea on the best(value)one.

Thanks.