Laptop GPU keeps failing - will a GDC external GPU work?

[saas1980]

My dell M1530 laptop has been one of the best machines I have ever owned. Bought in 2008 and lasting around 9-10 years. Still runs butter smooth with an SSD. Problem is since the end of 2017 all sorts of symbols kept appearing on the screen. Same on external monitor. I tried everything and even reinstalled Windows, re-applied thermal paste and went as far as using a heat gun to possibly revive the onboard GPU. Sometimes it works fine again and then boom the patterns cover the entire screen. Occasionally the system shuts down.

Will a GDC external GPU work using the following device?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152550095345

I know this is compatible with my laptop and I have a spare PCIE port. Question is if the onboard mobo GPU fails completely, will this effect the external GPU from working?

 

[mazboy]

It may be time for an intervention here, or at least a retirement party. But if you insist: Contact Dell (they have great on-online and email tech support) and ask them specifically, that when you plug an external GPU into the laptop it shuts off the on-board GPU and activates the new external GPU. I know this is the norm for desktops, but I have no experience with laptops in this regard.

While you're contemplating all this, you might start looking around for a replacement laptop. I cried when I retired my 13-year-old Sony VAIO laptop, but it was time to move on.

 

[saas1980]

Honestly, I have no faith in dell responding with positives with this query as i know very well Dell support would never recommend or encourage anything beyond factory configurations, unless its something super common like swapping out the HDD for an SSD, adding ram, or just replacing standard parts. Saying that, I will have a crack at them for the sake of it (who knows the wizard of oz might be on the other side).

I agree it's time to move on...but cutting my arm off won't come easy, yep it's that personal lol. Actually moving on won't be necessary I already have 2 current machines which out perform the old dell. Thing is, I just fancy having a crack at some simple mods and use the device for a home movie theatre. If it works it would be amazing!