Serious Graphics Problem

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El_Wray

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Hi, first post. I tried searching google, I tried searching the forum but no-one had any info that could help me.
Here is the problem.

My pc screen randomly turns pink (distorting the colors) and it crashes so bad that I have to reset. BUT everytime I reset when the pc boots up I get a split screen display. That only goes away when I reset even further.
The good news is, I have been using my computer on safe mode and so far it hasn't died on me.

But if I boot up normal windows vista then I get the pink screen (it's driving me mad) and ALWAYS after the pink screen I get the split screen (at this point I feel like throwing the whole thing out the window) :pfff: :(

I'm really sorry I can't describe it any better.
I couldn't get pictures of the pink screen, but I can show you what the split screen looks like.



NOTE: the split screen starts straight from the boot screen. so not only windows
NOTE2: the split screen loads windows on safe mode. Regular windows crashes if the screen is like that.

Thanks for your help. Bye

Laptop Info:
Dell Vostro 1510
Graphics Card: nVidia 8400M GS
HDD: 250gb 5400 rpm
RAM: 3gb
OS: Windows Vista Home Basic
 

El_Wray

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jtt283 I thought the same thing. But if I boot up Safe mode. The computer works fine. Pretty sure I have 2 different issues here. One Being the pink screen for Some reason and the split screen boot that happens for another problem. Thanks for the replies I'll make sure to update when Dell tells me what they think
 

El_Wray

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No news from dell. I kept using Safe mode but had to give it another try. I rebooted to normal windows vista and the computer worked fine for about 8 hs. Then When I started watching The big bang theory on GOM player. I got pink screen crash again. BUT this time, the lcd went dead and the audio kept on playing until the end of the episode... (I left it because I was courious if the computer had crashed or if the monitor died but the computer was still on) However I couldn't pause the episode or anything so I asume the computer crashed (No idea about the sound still working). I don't remember watching videos the other times it crashed. But I uninstalled my codecs and re-downloaded them. To test if it was a codec problem.

I'll keep you posted.

Suggestions needed
Thanks
 

dokk2

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It could be a cold solder joint,,,I mean after all it is a mass produced Dell that means that the software/hardware combo is more or less running on how many other Dell boxes ??? plus you are not reporting any windoze errors,,so me thinks hardware/loose connection./heat etc,,maybe..:)
 

pat mcgroin

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Try to dump the drivers altogether and start windows using the standard vga driver that windows will give it.
It will look just like safe mode but will load the full compliment of the rest of the drivers.
Also try to disable any additional codecs.
this will help determine if it is video drivers.
If it still happens use msconfig and turn off all start up programs and see what happens.
If it still happens press F8 and disable half of the system drivers and then the other half to try to isolate what is causing this.
 

El_Wray

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Great ideas. I will try and let you know how it goes.
On the dell front they told me to do a pre-boot diagnostics. And the test crashed half way through the 3rd memory test. And last time the crash happened I was watching How I met your mother and opened mozilla firefox. Firefox is pretty heavy on the ram side. Maybe the whole thing is just a memory error, causing windows to crash and the pink screen is just windows way of saying "WTF?!". I'm currently waiting on dell's second response. In the mean time I'll try your suggestions.

Thanks a lot.
 

El_Wray

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Thank you SO much. The problem is still here but at least now I can work while listening to music. No need to play any games so as a temporary workaround, it worked. I guess I have to think possitive right? otherwise I would be posting a youtube video of my Laptop flying of a 2nd floor window.

Thanks again and I will keep updating. (the whole point of this post is to leave precise info about the problem and the solution, if we find one, for anyone else that might need it.)
 

El_Wray

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Ok The answer from DELL to my pre-boot test crash is quite simple.... There's a new motherboard on the way. But I still think that changing parts like that without any real research isn't so good. It's time effective but no learning involved.

Let you know if anything changes
 

El_Wray

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Ok I have stress-tested the safe mode and the computer works PERFECT while on safe-mode ... no crashes or anything... no audio either. Could the problem be audio-related?
 

El_Wray

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Dell replaced my Mother board and ... it works like a charm. No more crashes, no graphic problems and since they cleaned it when they opened it . ventilation is better and it runs cooler. Hate not knowing what the problem was, but now it's gone.
 

shayne_01

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I have a very similar problem with my HP dv6500 notebook.
The only difference is that instead of a two way split I have a six way split !!!

And to compound problems, I am in another country for the next two months and out of warranty coverage. So el_wray's solution will end up too expensive for me. Does anybody have any ideas?

BTW: Should I post in a new thread?

Config:
HP Pavilion dv6516tx
Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS
HDD 160 GB
RAM 1x2 GB
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
 

El_Wray

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When the guy changed my motherboard he found dust blocking the air flow so the GPU wasn't properly cooled. He told me that it that may have been the whole problem but still changed my mobo just in case. I try to keep it clean but I was to much of a coward to open it up and REALLY cleaning it.
So my suggestion is to open it up and make sure everything is clean and nice so the airflow and cooling work perfectly.

In fact the other day I felt my left hand a bit too warm (the keyboard was hotter than usual) I opened it, and there was a small patch of dust blocking the vent. seriously small. But removing it made the WORLD of difference. Hope this helps since it could be a overheating issue
 
G

Guest

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I tired everything bios default setting clean my fan rivatuner latest and older nvidia drivers. my standard sektop temp was 54°. I opened the damn thing up im not gonna send in a card back to the producer just to get it clean. guess what my desktop now runs at 38-39°. I say "What a change" :O. Most important thing no more nvlddmkm errors. I bet the most of the people have this error just because of the blacked airflow. In my case i had like a whole layer of dust and dirt and whatever blocking the airflow system. I had been using the card for over half a year without even thinking about it. In my oppinion the airflow system is flawed. Reason is because if people buy a card they will most likely use it for more than half a year. Big problem though open your card to clean it = warranty void. In this case nvidia would have to come up with some sort of dirt filter that blocks the dirt go past the shafts. Maybe something like a pull out draw you take out without having to screw your card appart. And having to be afraid to kill the card completly in the process.
 

muchene

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Dell warranty rocks! After weeks of split-screen issues at bootup (with nothing but vertical lines showing after Windows XP loads) very similar to that shared in the picture here, and failed attempts at BIOS reset and such, I called Dell and the diagnostics showed a problem with the LCD inverter. Fortunately my D630 is still under warranty. Tech replaced screen with no luck then Dell shipped new motherboard and D630 runs and looks like new!
 

muchene

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Dell warranty rocks! After weeks of split-screen issues at bootup (with nothing but vertical lines showing after Windows XP loads) very similar to that share here, and failed attempts at BIOS reset and such, I called Dell and the diagnostics showed a problem with the LCD inverter. Fortunately my D630 is still under warranty. Tech replaced screen with no luck then Dell shipped new motherboard and D630 runs and looks like new!
 

acadianfragz

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ok well ive finally been able to run game again on my laptop its a hp pavillion and it got a 8400m gs that overheated and crashed
well started by giving me blue screens so i formated then did it again so its hardware so i started trying drivers and drivers and found out that the 167 version of the driver make the system a bit more stable at least i was able to boot the computer normaly lol even with some crash but w-e so there what i did i started down clock the system one part at the time and decreasing the speed of the VRAM fixed it so if you get crash like that the driver crashed and recovered or just you know you got a stupid 8400m gs or a 8600 just use rivia tuner and 167 drivers if you can find it hehe neways cya and good luck now my laptop work again :)
 

pedramslhr

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This is almost the same problem I'm having with my vostro 1510. Today suddenly while playing a game it crashed and after restarting I received what is displayed in image you've posted. I couldn't log into windows in normal mode but I did in safe mode. Each time I uninstalled graphic driver in safe mode, I was able to log in normal mode(with a split screen). but graphic driver was installed automatically and next time it didn't load in normal mode.


So I restored my laptop to factory image and after it I got following error while trying to load windows:

error: no such device: b296169b96166061
press any key to continue

and diagnostic test at start up tells me about an error that it's code is 2000-0146. It seems my hard disk is gone. :pfff:

and I have ubuntu installed on my laptop too. I try to load it and after a few seconds I get nothing on screen. but if I choose recovery mode it goes on with command prompt in the same split screen. it seems it's because it's in text mode this way.

And if an external monitor is connected to laptop it displays correctly until ubuntu grub menu but soon monitor goes blank.

(and during all this, screen was split into 2 parts from turning on moment)



EDIT: and now a new error : 0221. dell website says: "Interval Timer Channel 0 (mode 0) is not generating interrupts" and bios should be updated. while it is up to date.
 

pedramslhr

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Last night image was displayed correctly for a moment but after a restart it split again. I installed WIndows manually from vista dvd. but as soon as I install a graphic driver and restart it vista can not load in normal mode unless I choose safe mode and uninstall the driver.
And another monitor connected to laptop was working correctly just a few white dot were seen during windows loading.
Any way it's now in a service centre and they've said they'll inform me later.
 

pedramslhr

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They told me probably there is a failure with graphics chip and MB should be replaced, but it's not affordable for me. So they offered to do something with graphics chip (probably heating it as their expert said) if it's faulty. It may make it working or may not. maybe for a few days or a few weeks or more. nothing is guaranteed.
I've decided to do it as the last resort.
any idea?
 

pedramslhr

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As I said I took it to a service centre(a few months ago) and they heated the graphics chip. But their final tests failed.
The Image was OK during this period(about 5 months) and last night suddenly my laptop stopped working while surfing the web. After it restarted automatically the screen was split again.
The problem has returned!
 

Tamz_msc

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8400 M GS? You're very unlucky mate.Nvidia is under fire from laptop manufacturers for a faulty batch of this GPU.They have started recalling laptops worldwide for this.
 
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