Computer problem

[Tbone]

So I came home tonight and my screensaver was frozen. Tried to type on the keyboard to get it to unfreeze and go away, but it just beeped at me. I hard booted and suddenly my screen was filled with dotted vertical lines. I didn't even get to the login screen before it was too jumbled too see anything. I was able to boot in safe mode, but the dotted lines remained the entire time. I'm doing a chkdsk now. What little research I've done leads me to believe that somehow either my display cable has become jarred or my graphics card has gone bad. Strange thing is, I wasn't home and the computer didn't feel overheated when I got back, so I don't know why either of those things would just suddenly happen.

I have a Dell XPS M1710 with a NVIDIA Geforce Go 7900 GTX, I believe.

Ugh...oh, and I'm on my roommate's computer.

[Tbone]

Yeah, it won't even boot in safe mode anymore. The first set of lines are kinda faded white vertical dots in groups of four. Then when I try to boot in safe mode they become thick solid green lines.

[Tbone]

Ran a diagnostics and got:

"Error code: 5300:0119

Msg: Detected a failure while writing and reading video memory. Video mode: 4h (320x200x4). Address B806Dh, expected to read 0h, but read 20002000h instead."

I'm pretty sure my video card is fried from overheating. I guess my fan wasn't working too well. I bought a cooling pad with a fan in it for my laptop to rest on thinking that would help. I'm no longer under warranty either. Damnit...

[Anamodiel]

Eww. Good luck getting everything fixed. I have no idea.

[Tbone]

Well, Dell tells me I'm going to have to buy a whole new motherboard since the video card is integrated, but that doesn't seem right. I've been reading threads where people have just replaced the video card. Can someone help me with this? Is it right that I have to buy a whole new motherboard if my video card gets fried?

[Fuse]

If it's integrated, yes.
Next time, build your own.

[Tbone]

Then what are these guys talking about when they say they got theirs replaced? http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?p=2961294

[Ash]

Sounds like your laptop got knocked to the floor.

[Fuse]

If the card is integrated, which it is on most laptops, you can't change the card. The only thing you can do is change the memory card. Most Laptops have cards for the video memory which can be swapped. I don't know about the dell, it may have a removable videos card, not just the memory - that's on you to figure out.

[Jeyk]

SET YOUR LAPTOP ON FIRE!

But really, I'm not sure what you're going to have to do.  I just got my old HP laptop back today for a similar problem - this particular class of notebooks had quite a high rate of overheating and damage to components due to overheating...because of this, HP did a one-time out-of-warranty motherboard replacement (this is actually the second motherboard I've had to replace on this model - the first was covered under the warranty).

I doubt you are able receive cost-free, out-of-warranty coverage, but if anything, you can simply ask them if there is any way to get it replaced free of fees.

However, I would think that your video card is not an integrated unit - I thought that the GTX series was a separate, dedicated card.  Dell might be trying to give you the run-around.  Anyone able to confirm that this is a dedicated VGA?

[Tbone]

Yeah, Dell just wants my money. I bought this on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=260319022262

So, assuming I can install it without screwing up something else, I'll see you guys in two weeks when this thing ships from Hong Kong...

[Jeyk]

Did that thing cost as much as I think it did?

[NoCry]

ati install on a geforce go motherboard?

also, regarding labels, Associate Deputy is a little bit of a tautology. Kind of like gigantic big. Maybe take a leaf from your CIA and call captains Deputy Director - operations, Deputy Director - humint etc?

tally ho

[NoCry]

oops; just noticed broin's moniker! [as he stands above me dousing my face in water] maybe captains as special agents in charge?

[Tbone]

Yeah, everywhere else I could find the card cost between $600-$800 - the cheapest being $500. I was able to find the 7900gtx for $400 on eBay but then someone pointed out the 7950gtx for $300, so I jumped on that. I have no idea why they are so damned expensive...

It's not ATI Radeon, it's Nvidia. I think they just got some of their product information wrong. The parts number and everything else points to it being the 7950gtx, so I trust that's what it is.

On an off topic note, yeah, in the CIA it is Director, Deputy Director, and Associate Deputy Director. Unfortunately, Associate Deputy Director won't fit..lol. It's just kind of a place holder until I can think of something cooler.