9300 Failure to restart properly

Question

I've got an Inspiron 9300 I bought about a year and a half ago. It locked up yesterday evening, I figured that since I hadn't restarted it in a few days, that it probably just got a bit chunky, it's happened to me before.

Anyway, this was not the case, I turned it off and then on again after a few seconds, and when it started to boot up I noticed long vertical dashes running across the screen. At the end of the boot-up, instead of taking me to my usual XP log-in page it just went black. This happened several times, like an idiot I kept trying it and eventually got a flashing green screen, yes... green, with some text on it mentioning 'nv4_disp' or something of that nature (really hard to make out w/the flashing).

After some messing around I was able to get it started up in 'Safe Mode With Networking', and that's what I'm using now to type this. I'm not sure what's going on, right now if I attempt to scroll up or down it's very choppy, there's an actual visible line that goes up or down the screen refreshing it when I try to scroll, the resolution looks wrong somehow, and there are also these little tiny dashes that I can barely see, it's like my entire screen is checkered with little red = signs.

Anyone have a clue what's going on? I fear the worst.

Message Edited by jlener on 11-13-200605:06 PM

Message Edited by jlener on 11-13-200605:24 PM

jlener · Answer

I looked through some other threads and came across this one:

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_general&message.id=233998

Which seems to be reporting the same problem... no reply though, heh.

jlener · Answer

Hey, sorry for the triple-post, but I'm looking into this on my own as well as checking back here. Google has lead my to believe that the mention of 'nv4_disp.dll' is some sort of graphics-card related issue, which I guess makes sense, considering my problems. I have a NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800, if that helps anyone.

EDIT - My NVIDIA driver is dated 11/30/2004, v6.7.7.1

I've looked around but I have yet to find an up-to-date driver, anyone got a link? I mean, it doesn't even look like NVIDIA keeps this stuff on their site anymore, what gives?

EDIT#2 - I downloaded the most recent driver available from Dell (3/22/2006 v8.4.3.0), and no dice. I deleted my drivers and re-applied the most recent Dell driver, no dice.

Message Edited by jlener on 11-13-200609:17 PM

jlener · Answer

Tried 3dguru driver, that didn't work either. Starting to think this is hardware related again. What say you?

jlener · Answer

Ran utility partition:

System Memory passed all tests, but my graphics card failed the 'Video Memory Test' with several errors:

"Detected Failure while writing and reading memory. Video Mode: Dh (320x200x16). Address A0004h expected to read 0h but read 40404040h instead."

I got the same error in video modes Eh, Fh, 10h, 12h, 13h, 102h, and 104h

Modes 100h, 101h, 103h, 105h, 10Eh, 10Fh got "Address A0010h expected to read 0h but read 400000h instead'

I stopped writing them down after that, but there were several more.

Also, on a hunch I ran the fan tests, system fan passed, but video card fan failed with this error:

"Error Code: 3700 011B
Msg: Expected Video Fan on high RPM of 3700 detectec RPM = 5345"

EDIT - Broke down the laptop, took out video card and cleaned it, then put it back in, though I removed a couple nasty looking dust bunnies, it didn't help

Message Edited by jlener on 11-14-200601:21 PM

amiyvivek · Answer

did u run tests on the video card and the Memory. I'd suggets u do so.

saltychips · Answer

Sounds like there is a problem with your fan, which led to the graphics card overheating and caused some damage. I would contact Dell with your error codes and see if you can't get your video card replaced.

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9300 Failure to restart properly

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