Inspiron 1501 - coloured vertical lines down the screen!

Question

I hope someone on here has more of a clue than the so called technical team employed by Dell.   My laptop is relatively new (since August last year), however since Christmas time I have been having issues with it, which I think point to the video card.   On Christmas Day I got a blue screen for all of two seconds, before my laptop shut itself down.  Since then at intermittent intervals I have been having problems with either the screen turning black, bar a square of rainbow coloured lines about a pixel wide, where the mouse pointer was, or alternatively the whole screen is covered in coloured / black lines, about 1cm wide.   I have spoken to technical support on more than one occasion, but despite their running tests, updating the bios file, collecting the laptop, reinstalling the operating system and the video drivers, the problem continues.   Does anyone have any suggestions for what I could do?  All I want is for Dell to collect my laptop and not return it until the problem is resolved, or if they cannot locate the problem, then replace it.  Unfortunately it seems that they are either too cheap, or too incompetent to arrange this for me.  Every time I call them I am forced to run through the story for the umpteenth time, and nobody is taking any ownership for my problem - so frustrated!!    (PS - wasn't sure if perhaps there was a problem caused by the lack of compatibilty of Windows Vista and the hardware they've used perhaps?  Last time I spoke to someone from Dell, she told me that there was one 'switch' or option that hadn't been activated and that this should stop the problem.  She was going to call me back regarding this but never did)   I suspect that this is perhaps the video card, but am not technical enough to know what to do.  Please help!   Message Edited by pois0n_ivy on 04-06-2008 01:23 PM

pois0n_ivy · Answer

PS - have updated the bios file... Message Edited by pois0n_ivy on 04-06-2008 01:24 PM

ejn63 · Answer

To pin down the problem, attach an external display. If it shows the same fault, call back and have the mainboard replaced. If it doesn't, the problem is with the LCD display panel, not the mainboard.

pois0n_ivy · Answer

Thanks - I'll try that...

BTW - searching on the Dell technical support solution network I came across this which is exactly the problem I am experiencing, including pictures- http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&l=en&s=gen&docid=3616A755A867671BE040A68F5B2819F5&journalid=400A65C95757B4C1E040A68F5A280A90&Query=VGhlK0RlbGwlZTIlODQlYTIrSW5zcGlyb24lZTIlODQlYTIrMTUwMStNYXkrRXhoaWJpdCtWZXJ0aWNhbCtMaW5lcytvbit0aGUrRGlzcGxheSs=&SystemID=INS_PNT_1501&ServiceTag=&contenttype=-1&os=-1&component=-1&lang=-1&doclang=en&toggle=false

Have updated both the BIOS and Video drivers again for good measure, but suspect that this is not going to resolve the issue, as I had already done this...

Think maybe it is the motherboard/video card which needs replacing?

ejn63 · Answer

There's no video card;  it's a chip on the mainboard.  You'll have a better idea once you see if the fault shows up on an external display panel.

Philip_Yip · Answer

This appears to be a common case in the inspiron 1501

I had the same problem, I managed to significantly decrease it on vista by downloading the driver directly from the ATI / AMD website however the problem persisted alot in xp.

I done the BIOs update and graphics update, unfortunately it crashed in the BIOs and I had to force shut it down. Lost the BIOs so nothing ran on the laptop.

I purchased a new motherboard, stripped down the laptop and replaced the motherboard, have had no problems with the unit since.

It appears alot of these integrated boards are dodgy, has happened in several 1501s also has happened in a few hp laptops of my friends.

I think the intel chipsets are more reliable but to be fair my girl friends 1501 works perfectly and now does mine now the motherboards been replaced.

Note I spent a good 3 months trying to get rid of the grey lines before crippling it with a partial BIOs update.

Philip_Yip · Answer

p.s a supposid fix is disabling power now didnt help me but maybe it can help you.

Switch of your 1501 hold F2 whilst powering up this will take you into the BIOs settings

Press the arrow key right to the advanced tab go to powernow control and disable then exit setup.

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