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XPS M1330 boot problems and blank screen
Hello,
I have an XPS M1330 with the nVidia 8400M GS video card. Since yesterday, I randomly have problem to start the system, since sometime at boot, it simply shows a blank screen instead than the DELL logo. The system is stuck there, without showing anything and without doing anything.
I bought this laptop in Italy, but now I live in US and I still have more than one year of warranty. Today I called Dell's support in Italy, they told me I should have called the US technical support. I called the US technical support, and they made me run a set of tests, which were all passed, since the problem happens only randomly, as a consequence nothing was done. This evening I had exactly the same problem: they system froze, then I restarted and I saw first the Dell logo surrounded by blue dots, instead than the usual black screen, and then a white screen without anything on it (I have a boot password, it should ask for it at that point). After a few attempts the system booted again successfully. I repeated the diagnostic tests, and nothing emerged!
Now I'm in the not very nice situation of having a laptop with clear hardware problems, still under warranty, but that randomly works, and can pass all the DELL diagnostic tests.
How should I act to have this system examined by a technician, since it clearly has problems?
Thanks for any suggestion.
albertop
4 Posts
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October 21st, 2009 12:00
I had the problem again. Run the whole suite of diagnostic tests again, and all the tests are passed as before, but randomly my system cannot startup and shows a blank screen which, after a while, starts to have some coloured vertical lines with some distortion.
I'm still unable to reproduce the problem systematically though, so I'm not really sure on what to report to the support service, which will anyway ask to run the tests again :-(
albertop
4 Posts
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October 21st, 2009 14:00
Hi,
same problem appeared. I found an authorized support centre for DELL machines close to me, so I carried the machine in. The technician simply told me that I first have to transfer my warranty from Europe to US before he can even diagnose the problem. According to him the only warranty transfer could take until 15 days! It is ridiculous, since this XPS has an on-site warranty with a maximum time of intervention of 5 business days!
If this issue do not get fixed soon, I will simply buy another machine since I need it, not from DELL for sure. I've been a faithful customer for years, but with this machine DELL made a big mistake: first they sell it with a "potentially" defective video card, and when it breaks they take much more than expected to "diagnose" the problem.
I'll try again to contact the technical support by phone, hopefully this time they'll believe in what I say, even if the test (that does not really test the video card extensively) says everything is OK.
Bye
albertop
4 Posts
0
October 26th, 2009 16:00
Hi,
writing again from my laptop, to report that DELL service actually fixed the problem on time, after some initial difficulty with the international warranty.
After a couple of calls, I finally could talk with a very polite call centre operator who suggested to fill the warranty transfer form online (it is actually the property transfer form, where you give your name as new owner and your new address). He also managed to open the repair request and send the replacement parts to the local technical support without any further delay.
To sum it up, I contacted DELL support the last time on Wednesday evening, and on Friday I have been contacted by the local technician to repair my laptop, which has been repaired today (Monday). Considering the fact this laptop was not bought in US, that the warranty had to be transferred and the politeness and speed of the service, well... GOOD JOB DELL! :emotion-2:
I still think a bit more care was necessary in building the XPS M1330, but at least if a problem appears, DELL fixes it very quickly. I guess I won't change brand after all, since I doubt I can find such an efficient service very easily!