My laptip is giving up on life...

[ttsgeb]

So, my laptop seems to be giving up on life. From what I can tell, the main display doesn't work, but it happily accepts a VGA display under windows... When I go to set the resolution, it gives the VGA the properties of the main display, and only acknowledges one display.

Also, it's only booting in safe mode due to vidja driver initialization or something.

I tried installing Ubuntu, but Ubuntu install won't acknowledge the external display...

The laptop has ATI discrete graphics, but judging by how it refreshes the screen now, I'd say that's shot and it's somehow playing with integrated graphics now...

so, how this pans out...

does anyone think this is fixable?

 

[vskid3]

This thread is useless without model numbers.

 

[ttsgeb]

flax, right...

Dell studio 1737 pp31L
gfx: radeon mobilty hd 3650 iirc

 

[grossaffe]

Maybe it needs to spend some time in the oven

 

[Aux]

Former Dell Certified Repair Shop technician here, but I need more info.

Does the main screen turn on at all? If so, what do you see (lines, bars, distortion, etc)? Does the backlight come on?

Also a Dell Service Tag might be helpful here- 7 letters and numbers on a sticker on the bottom.

 

[ttsgeb]

Nothing at all on the screen. I rebuilt the computer last night and checked all connections. Service tag: H2CL3K1

This is hardly the start of video problems, btw. A week after I got it, video fried and I sent it in for repair. About a year ago, I started getting rendering errors in source engine, and as of two days ago, no display at all.

The only way I got it to work is by booting in safe mode, disabling the ATI chip, and using VGA output for video.
I'm pretty surprised that works, actually. Pretty happy about that. Miss the built in screen like Heck, though.

 

[ttsgeb]

Ok, so I just got a different monitor and different cable because my other one was flax, and I've noticed that rather than it being just a crappy screen/cable, there is a very noticeable CM fringe effect on vga output, especially in high contrast areas.

 

[Lindabel]

According to what you are going through they are clear signs that the time of the laptop is over. Sorry to break down the reality of the situation. Even if you fix it for the moment it will keep on giving you more and more trouble. Be ready to buy a new laptop soon.