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Dell XPS M1330 Problems with Graphics / Video Driver
I have a Dell XPS M1330. Recently, I had been having problems with the graphics and video driver on my computer. My screen will sometimes freeze and go to a screen that is black and has various different lines on it and then the computer will either shut down or recover.
I tried reinstalling the graphics driver, and am continuing to experience this problem.
I bought the computer last November 2007 -- so it is relatively new.
If you have any suggestions on how to fix this problem, please let me know.
I tried reinstalling the graphics driver, and am continuing to experience this problem.
I bought the computer last November 2007 -- so it is relatively new.
If you have any suggestions on how to fix this problem, please let me know.
I’m frustrated
219
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I have this problem, too!
Tell me when someone solves it.
The more people who report this problem, the more it gets noticed.
The more people who report this problem, the more it gets noticed.
The best solution from everyone
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So, I hadn't heard from Bill (poor guy is probably really busy!), so I logged into the Dell web chat and spoke with a technical support representative. He was great and they are sending a tech out to repair my system. He had me connect my laptop to an external monitor to test if it show the diagnostic test he wanted me to run on it (which it wouldn't.. just black screen with green lines) and this confirmed that the video chip was bad and the motherboard needed replacing. The tech should be here in the next couple of days to fix my computer (yay!). Thanks for posting this thread! I can't wait to get my beloved laptop up and running again!
I’m thankful
7 people say
this solves the problem
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Inappropriate?well, so much for my "fix" i wrote about a week ago. 2 days later, same dead screen. i emailed for my box so laptop could be sent for free repair and i got back an email recanting the offer. i was informed i had to call out-of-warranty repair and pay from $199 - $538 to fix either video card or mobo! i blasted back an email refusing, blah, blah, blah, and tried writing to the dell "chief blogger":
Lionel Menchaca (direct2dell community)...
http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/di...
he never wrote me back (got out of office sick auto reply). regardless, same day, i got response to my email from the tech and they said for "one time" i could get my laptop repaired for free and they'd send the box. only because i was just 1 wk shy of the extened 1 yr warranty. (i was 2 yrs 1 wk out of warranty). i'm waiting for the box now.
guess, i'll join the rest of you replacing my mobo a few times.
I’m more than outraged!!
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Inappropriate?I wrote on here a few months ago about my XPS1330, and having to replace the GPU, I have watched the complaint list grow. I took out an extended warrenty after the fact for 2 years having read this would be a recurring problem and for simplicity the premium support is ideal! The service was speedy and efficient in the UK, a contractor from a local company came to fix it, came to my work address and turned up at the exact time I asked for - perfect! He said he'd done 3 Mobos that day on the 1330 and had one more to do. He said that was unusual, but a constant stream had come in during the last year.
I don't think that the problems with XPS are unique to DELL. I guess the rival to the XPS would be something like the Macbook. Just type in "Macbook Problems" into google and read some unhappy Mac users. I would think in this case, unlike the Apple cases, it has been the DELL support and their lack of understanding and their reluctance to recall (or at least repair for free - except in cases where people have pushed for it!) that has got people so angry.
So far I have had the new mobo board for 4 months with no problems. I'm not a high end graphics user, (watch movies, bit of photo shop, no games), so probably not pushing it too much.
One note I will make is that I went for the NVIDIA chip thinking it was not an integrated graphics card. To me that means is upgradable, without removing the mobo. My understanding has changed and it actually means that the chip doesn't share RAM with the GPU.
Let's hope Dell and NVIDIA can sort out this GPU, heat and bonding problem they have on notebooks and provided every XPS1330 user with a new mobo soon.
Cheers,
Eddie2 Comments Add a comment
This solves the problem
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Or money back and new better laptop ;> -
I wish.
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Inappropriate?It seems like I'm not the only one with this strange graphics problem.
I was stuck with "dead" video for some time, could even get to text mode (in BIOS). Then I succeeded in reinstalling latest video drivers and the system looks like working. Somehow.
Can't say if the problem is gone forever, I still get some strange freezes from time to time.
I will start using linux in vbox to see if the video problem repeats there.
Just wanted to let you know.4 Comments Add a comment
This solves the problem
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Well, I was too optimistic, the video problems comes back more or less every second boot; and I didn't get the chance to run linux in vbox on it. I just cannot make it get to even BIOS screen again. Video seems to be locked even when disconnecting/reconnecting battery pack...(!)
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I had the same problem and applied the same solution (upgrading the video card)and I am also still having the same problems like Vladimir.Luknar.
When I had this problem the first timeI had completely formatted and reinstalled my Dell XPS 1330, for which I also needed Dell's support for installing the various drivers and had to pay for it (€ 148.00), It worked for a couple of days but then the problem came back again as the Graphics Driver faillure has not been detected by the service engineer and thus not repaired. -
I had the same problem and applied the same solution (upgrading the video card)and I am also still having the same problems like Vladimir.Luknar.
When I had this problem the first timeI had completely formatted and reinstalled my Dell XPS 1330, for which I also needed Dell's support for installing the various drivers and had to pay for it (€ 148.00), It worked for a couple of days but then the problem came back again as the Graphics Driver faillure has not been detected by the service engineer and thus not repaired. -
I had the same problem and applied the same solution (upgrading the video card)and I am also still having the same problems like Vladimir.Luknar.
When I had this problem the first timeI had completely formatted and reinstalled my Dell XPS 1330, for which I also needed Dell's support for installing the various drivers and had to pay for it (€ 148.00), It worked for a couple of days but then the problem came back again as the Graphics Driver faillure has not been detected by the service engineer and thus not repaired. -
Inappropriate?Looks like the same problem...Use Dell extended warranty on this problem to change the mobo...
I’m disgusted
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Inappropriate?Experienced same problem as described by all of you, XPS M1330...
Dell offered free replacement of graphics card at their service centre which was good of them.
But, as it's a work laptop have opted for extending the warrenty at a cost of £120 for 2 years to get the on-site solution which will hopefully be quicker than sending it off to service centre.
Hopefully this isn't a recurring problem, but I'm guessing from everyone's feedback that it is. :( -
Inappropriate?I've got a prob with my xps1330 bought over a year ago from Tesco. Over the past week it's been giving multi coloured pixleation then a crash an it's good night vienna. When i start it most times it will fail an tell me it can't start but sometimes i can start it in safe mode like now but hell it's putting some heat out. I'm under the impression that this is a seperate nvidia graphics card.will this be my problem ? Can i buy another and fit myself?3 Comments Add a comment
This solves the problem
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If I could swap out the Nvidia card I would, anyone know if this is possible? I cannot use my M1330 at all anymore, it gets so hot, it fries my palms and legs. I already had the motherboard replaced one some other parts but now I am out of warranty and would really like to swap the video card.
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If I could swap out the Nvidia card I would, anyone know if this is possible? I cannot use my M1330 at all anymore, it gets so hot, it fries my palms and legs. I already had the motherboard replaced one some other parts but now I am out of warranty and would really like to swap the video card.
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steve, & barbara...
no. the nvidia chip is soldered onto the MB so unless you have the proper microchip soldering equipment, not possible.
Even if you PAID DELLHELL for a replacement MB (which is the case), it'll fail on you again...guaranteed!
if you can find a competent laptop repair shop in your city that does perform microchip soldering on MBs, they should be able to do it at a reasonable cost. This problem is so wide spread, I'm sure there are shops that perfrom this type of repair. In one of my client's city, Vancouver, there is a shop that can replace the NVidia chip on the MB (so long as the MB has not been damaged due to overheating - cost was very reasonable from what I understand, and a permanent solution as compared to the DellHell replacement.)
GL. -
Inappropriate?I m glad im not the only 1 with this problem. Well I have contected every 1 (dell, pc world.. etc) no 1 seems to care about this problem... so i sent my xps to china and got it fixed from there for about £20.
im not sure how long it will run but im glad im not going through dell...
I’m amused
1 Comment Add a comment
This solves the problem
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My XPS1330 was a rip, all i've had is trouble, i will never buy or recommend from a company that knows of a defect product they have sold and won't do right by the customer and fix it or do a recall. i spent almost a yr dealing with Dell and got the run around from people in other countries who suck as bad as 1330 i bought for Dell... DELL SUCKS ASS!
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Inappropriate?Good news!!!
I have this problem, and it started the month after my warranty expired. I read online and realized that MANY XPS m1330s had this exactly same faulty NVIDIA chip and that at first, Dell was doing nothing about it. Extremely frustrated, I did some research and found that:
Dell has extended the warranty to cover this problem!
You can read about it here:
http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/di...
The tricky part is getting ahold of a tech support person who actually knows about the warranty extension and will diagnose your computer properly. But if you call the XPS support line directly at:
1-800-232-8544
You may eventually find someone who gets it. (Unfortunately for me, my tech support people had me completely reformat my hard drive, buy and install a new one, and install the OS on it -- only to find the problem was still there -- before concluding what I originally thought: this is the same NVIDIA problem everyone else has).
Anyway, they're finally sending me a box and offering to fix the problem. Hope you'll all have some better luck getting help too!
Just insist!
Alexa
I’m relieved
4 Comments Add a comment
This solves the problem
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Alexa,
Sorry to burst your bubble, but their solution doesn't solve your problem.
It's only a bandaid solution - they'll replace it with the SAME defective MB. IT WILL FAIL AGAIN - I guarantee you this. -
yup. What Sid said. It will fail again.
Today I officially complained to Consumer Protection. If they cannot get any satisfaction from Dell, the next step is a Magistrate's court. Around that time Ill get the media involved, Im sure some bad publicity on "Today Tonight" ought to get someone's attention at Dell. -
yup. What Sid said. It will fail again.
Today I officially complained to Consumer Protection. If they cannot get any satisfaction from Dell, the next step is a Magistrate's court. Around that time Ill get the media involved, Im sure some bad publicity on "Today Tonight" ought to get someone's attention at Dell. -
Thank you very much Alexa,
Having read your mail on the DELL XPS problem, I have immediately called Dell Netherlands, The came up with 2 proposals:
1) I could have the motherboard replaced for an amount of approx. 400 Euro since my one year guaranty period has expired (my DELL is nearly 2 years old)
2) I still may extend the guaranty period by three years for 200 Euro and Dell will send someover to my place to replace the motherboard by a new one FREE of charge.
The new guaranty period will entry into force after the repair has taken place and valid until Dec 2012!
So I choose for the 2nd option.
Best regards, Herman Impal -
Inappropriate?I had the rapair done 7 months ago and have issues ever since. My hard drive has now crashed three times in three months with some dataloss, but luck would have it that I back up every week (now every day). The repair seemed to be OK though, LOL! I have just had a new hard drive installed at my local repair shop and gone out and bought a Sony Vaio VPCCW17FX. Awesome! My Dell is now in the back of a very dark drawer as a reminder never to go there again.
I’m excited
1 person says
this solves the problem
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Inappropriate?Hi Everyone who's reading this. I posted earlier that my graphics card had failed 7 months out of warranty. Well yesterday i phoned Dell who offered a free replacement or a chance to purchase a 1,2 or 3year warranty which would entitle me to a next day home replacement. I opted for the 3 year for £160 and today a weird geek with a charisma by-pass came and fitted a new motherboard, fan and maybe a heat sink for no charge at my work place. Luckily i won't miss £160 but i can see that it would make a dent in a lot of peoples finances. I'm happy that i now have a working computer that will most probably fail again but i have the peace of mind that the dell warranty will sort me out. Thanks to all the advice this thread has provided.Goodluck. Steve
I’m happy
