Dell xps m1330 Heatsink Issues; Nvidia GPU problems

The bottom line is that if you want warranty support, you must have the seller transfer the system into your name.  Otherwise, repairs are at your expense.

I would agree with that under normal circumstances, but we know that the m1330 has a design flaw with the Nvidia GPU.  In that case there must be some way that Dell is helping users of their machines.  Right now, the laptop is completely useless!!!!!

If it makes you feel any better Dell replaces the faulty parts with more faulty parts (with the same unresolvable design flaw) so even those of us with warranty coverage only get a good few months out of it before it happens again.  Although now that they have updated the BIOS to drain the battery and make the fan run all the time I'm sure I'll last this time until just after the warranty period.

So the way I see it you have 3 options:

1) Continue trying to get the name of the previous dude.

2) Shell out $400 for a replacement part that will probably fail you again in 3-6 months

3) Shell out $400 for the replacement motherboard that doesn't have the Nvidia GPU - it has the Intel X3100 which is a low performance piece of junk that will barely run Vista.

For shame.

I have finally had enough of the XPS 1330. I bought one for my wife for Christmas and the motherboard failed 3 times in a 4 month period. Dell provided a second which also failed just recently.

I am pretty sure what we have here is goods that are simply not of merchantable quality, and cannot be repaired into goods of merchantable qulaity. DELL need to admit that and credit us back with our money we paid for the PC.

I have a 1 year extended RTB warrenty on this PC, once that is up then no more dealings with DELL ever again for me.

I am sure there are more threads on the customer support site on this exact topic, unless they get buried, but a quick hunt on the tubes reveals articles here:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/999668.html

and You tube pictures of the failures here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7gDT7EFkhk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYi_zyNLXdU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2o_CaSqKvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI76dzMtL8Q

I have finally been in touch with the BBB about the DELL practices of sticking to policy, not admitting faulty engineering and blatent lying about the heat dissipation from the GFX card only to be called by a representative informing me there was nothing customer support they could do other than offer me a refurbished machine.

My last course of action is write a formal letter of complaint to DELL and CEO Michael Dell, which again is not likely to do anything useful but make me feel better.

Want a performance lightweight PC? Go by a Mac Book - I have had one fro 2.5 years and the only thing that has troubled me is the battery has faded to 70% after 400 charge cycles - only to be expected since I use it for 3-4 hours a day off power.

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Ptibbs

The MacBook that's contemporary with your 1330 has the same nVidia chip - and it has had problems with that, just like your  Dell.  It's also known  for a spontaneous shutdown-reboot that's a design flaw - one that requires among other parts, a new logic board to fix.  If you're under Apple Care or warranty, Apple will fix it - if not, and you haven't opened up the system it costs $300 flat to repair.  If you have attempted your own repair, it'sn a $1,100 repair.

The new aluminum Macbooks have teeting problems as well, particularly with the glass touchpad.

Translation- the Dell lawn may look brown, but the grass is no greener elsewhere.

Not intending to start an Apple >> Dell  flame war but to provide a complete picture, in 2006 the GPU used in the 13" Macbook was an integrated Intel 950GM, and in the Pro it was a ATI Radeon X1600. The pro is the model I have been running trouble free for 2.5 years.

In 2007 they used integrated X3100 in the Macbook and an 8600m in the pro. Apples usual policy is to attempt a repair and if this fails replace with a new computer as close to the model as they can.

In my investigations of the 8XXXm range of GPU the 8400m is the poorly designed model with heat dissipation issues and the 8600m seems to have less overheating issues (though is by no means perfect, just fails less often).

In the current range they are using nVidia 9400 and 9600 M processors.

I do not deny new to market laptop tend to have teething problems with new technology, but early adopters of new models are in general given a higher degree of technical support and customer service to ensure loyalty to the brand and model.

In this case Dell == fail. 

Thanks

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Ptibbs

I installed a temperature monitor app to monitor my GPU temp at idle and under load getting peak figures of around 65 C and 95 C respectivley with an ambient temperature of around 25 C. (At 95 C we are hitting close to the mark where you may get instability in the GPU - but normally that should not really be a problem until around 105+).

My point is that I did some research, and have found out some further useful facts about the issue from some GPU techs out there.

1) On factory install DELL are using a thermal pad contact rather than a thermal grease. Not a good idea for a higher performance chip. Some tech guys (below) have a "fix" but it will probably invalidate any warranty. It involves using thermal grease and a copper "spacer" to more rapidly dissipate heat to the cooling system. I dont grease alone works as the gap to the heatsink/fan combo is too large.

2) Idle temperatures are ranging from sub 50C to more than 80C.

3) Finally, and most importantly, a link to a DELL blog stating that DELL are extending the warrenty on the XPS 1330 (among other machines) for a further 12 months specifically for this issue! Now why do customer service not tell you this information when you call them, eh? By my guesstimate this should affext all XPS 1330 users with the nVidia 8400m as it did not come to market until late 2007.

Here are the links:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=266624&page=10

http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/direct2dell/archive/2008/09/12/nvidia-gpu-update-limited-warranty-enhancement-details.aspx

A further interesting read is this post regarding a class action against nVidia:

http://www.itexaminer.com/nvidia-dell-hp-sued-over-defective-chips.aspx

When you are finally prompted to write a real letter of complaint to Dell Customer Complaints make sure you get all thos facts in it :)

And make sure you get the 12 month warranty extension in writing!

And next time your mobo fails make sure to ask them to use the thermal grease and copper spacer...

Thanks

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Ptibbs

I don't get it.  If as you say, it's a legal purchase with a paper trail, why are you unable to find out the original purchaser's name?   Sounds a little fishy.

I personally don't buy such an expensive and delicate thing as a notebook (especially if for work) through eBay.

Anyhow, also mine has an issue about overheating. But I know why.

And many notebook users, from any brands, have similar issues out there.

All is related to the thermal paste. The pastes that are now shipping with notebooks tend to dry up quickly.

This is caused by poor air circulation due to the lack of a proper docking station that can help the vent to a good amount of air without the need to spin inward the hot air - so increasing the internal heat - eventually drying everything up.

Drying up the paste has two effects:

a. the dissipation effects vanish

b. the dry paste becomes an antagonist of the good connection between the dissipator and everything that needs to stay cool.

To sum it up I can tell you that:

1. Notebooks usually have 65nm dual-core CPUs (very very hot)

2. performing GPUs (as hot as )

3. vents that are located on the bottom, facing and contrasting with surfaces that don't help the air flow

So I'll never understand why they don't use different pastes/dissipation or make huge thick"feet" that can help notebook to stay separated from desk that usually have bad heat conducting surfaces like wood and plastic.

This is all, in a nutshell.

So your best option is to open it up and remove-change the paste. There are several guides on the web. Just use Google.

Cross your fingers and hopefully you won't have burned all of your transistors on the videocard. Still, it probably needs to be replaced to be fully operational.

Sorry.

I do have a DELL Docking Station and the GPU fried anyway. So much for your theory ... the docking station leaves PLENTY of room under the laptop for air circulation. What burns me is Dell knew this problem was going on and sold me the upgrade GPU anyway.

If this is an M1330, you do not have a Dell docking station for it - there isn't one for this model.