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84737
June 20th, 2013 22:00
Dell D630 display problem
I have a Dell D630 with the NVIDIA chip that is having a display problem which I think may be different and am looking for some troubleshooting advice (it is out of warranty):
The display will start to fade from the bottom up or sometimes random horizontal lines will appear across the display. When they happens the display is frozen. Pushing down on the the top of sometimes the sides of the display will sometimes get the image back. If I hook an external monitor up it works. It appears this may also be heat related. This does not seem to match the sample pictures I have seen of the NVIDIA problem.
For the record this is XP SP3 and the system does not crash when this happens.
So, is this another manifestation of the NVIDIA problem, a failing LCD, or something else?
Thanks.
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DELL-Allan D
4 Operator
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2.6K Posts
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June 24th, 2013 05:00
Hello Paradoox,
Thank you for replying. I also appreciate your efforts in troubleshooting the issue. This indeed seems to be the LCD failure and needs to be replaced.
Does the computer have an active warranty? You can check the warranty status here. In case of expired warranty scenario, we would not be able to extend warranty entitled services. If the warranty on the computer has expired, you may contact our Expired Warranty Services (this is for US based customers).
Please write back for further queries.
DELL-Allan D
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2.6K Posts
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June 21st, 2013 00:00
Hello Paradoox,
There are few steps that can be tried which would isolate if it is a hardware or software issue.
If you observe the same issue on the setup screen or during the LCD Bist, it is not an issue with the Operating System, it is a hardware issue. For more details please check the article on Resolving Laptop LCD Lines, Fuzzy, Color, or Blurry Issues.
Please try the steps and write back to us would be glad to assist further.
paradoox
17 Posts
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June 21st, 2013 08:00
Oh, I'm pretty sure it is hardware as I can get the problem to go away by hitting the top of the LCD or squeezing the sides sometimes.
But, here goes:
1) At the end of the LCD BIST (trying it twice) I get a result similar to the failure I sometimes see. The image fades to white but starting from the middle
1a) Just ran it a third time because the problem was coming back under windows - I can now see the problem in the middle of the LCD BIST test too.
2) I've run the diagnostics from the boot menu and don't see a problem there
3) I occasionally see the problem as soon as I turn the unit on and need to power it off and let it cool down or try hitting the top
4) I don't see the problem with an external monitor
My question really is what hardware is it likely to be:
a) the LCD - my hope as this is perhaps the easiest to replace
b) the invertor
c) the ribbon cable
d) a different failure mode for the NVIDIA chip
e) something else
???
ejn63
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June 29th, 2013 19:00
Before you commit money to repair, uninstall the nVidia drivers and run in vanilla VGA mode (or boot in Safe Mode and run that way). Does the fault show? If it does not, it's just about 100% certain the problem is the video chip - not the LCD. These nVIdia chips can -- and have -- failed in such a way as to render the circuitry that feeds the internal display faulty, while an external screen will show a good image for a while before it too shows faulty.
If so, you need a replacement mainboard - and nVidia never really fixed these chips, so any replacement board is simply a ticking time bomb. If you want to repair the system - replace the board with one that uses Intel video. Another nVidia board will simply fail again. You will need a new heatsink assembly to change from the unreliable nVidia chip to an Intel board.
paradoox
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June 29th, 2013 19:00
Thanks. The warranty is expired, so I will see about the Expired Warranty Services.
paradoox
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May 13th, 2014 08:00
For the record replacing the LCD panel only solved the problem.
Kneblisimo
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May 5th, 2015 12:00
paradoox
17 Posts
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May 5th, 2015 21:00
I replaced the LCD and my problem went away. Note that I never had a problem with an external monitor so I was pretty sure this wasn't the NVIDIA chip. I've now also replaced bunch of LCD panels on Dell D630s and D610s for various reasons and the ribbon cable seems remarkedly resilient so I'm now less likely to ever think a problem was the ribbon cable.