red dotted lines on screen

[commentator8]

I have a computer just come back after i did a tune up on it with a bsod saying nv4_disp (stuck in an infinite loop). Odd. When i try and boot into windows the first couple of times i get the same thing. But after that upon turning the computer on i get a grey/purple (mottled) screen that looks like the card is dead. On one occasion i managed to get into bios and after 30 seconds red dotted lines appeared on the screen.

Does this sound like a failing video card, screen, inverter...?

 

[TLE]

Does this sound like a failing video card, screen, inverter...?

Yes it does sound like a failing video card, screen or even a bad cable. Not the inverter though, that is only there to provide power to the CCFL tubes which control brightness.

I think you need to perform some diagnostics such as trying an external monitor.

 

[commentator8]

Ouch. Had an exam today so im a bit out of it. dying screen 101. Will do. Just checking the cable connection in case (not that i really think its going to be that).

 

[TLE]

Ouch. Had an exam today so im a bit out of it. dying screen 101. Will do. Just checking the cable connection in case (not that i really think its going to be that).

Sorry dude, wasn't meant to be harsh

Ps. Hope you did well on the exam

 

[commentator8]

No problem! And the exam went well, thanks...


As to the laptop, the cord is well seated and when plugged in to an external screen it seems to work (both are working at the moment so i took the opportunity to uninstall the driver and get the latest from nvidia) - but, when i press slightly in the lower left hand corner of the laptop the (external) display changes. Dots streaking down the screen, but the picture seemingly stable. What does that suggest to you?

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

As to the laptop, the cord is well seated and when plugged in to an external screen it seems to work (both are working at the moment so i took the opportunity to uninstall the driver and get the latest from nvidia) - but, when i press slightly in the lower left hand corner of the laptop the (external) display changes. Dots streaking down the screen, but the picture seemingly stable. What does that suggest to you?

GPU/Video card. You didn't mention the model. this may be a known issue for whatever brand it is.

 

[commentator8]

Its a Geforce 8400m GS on a dell 1510. Doesnt seem to have any more trouble than other models at first blush.

 

[commentator8]

This takes the cake. I'm convinced that it is the graphics card, it does weird on the external too, even during post. Here is one effect i have never seen before though, it got up till the "windows did not start properly...safemode..." screen (the abridged one) and every other (not exactly) letter was capital, every other normal. Odd.

Edit. Since then i continued into windows and had it running fine all last night on both an external screen and laptop screen. Restarted this morning, went into bios (exited without changing anything) restarted and the screen is mottled grey like it had been hit with a hammer... i waited it out and it loads into windows looking fine and working. Just remained grey until it hit the welcome sound.

This really doesn't seem clear cut!

 

[commentator8]

Ok. So now the norm is when it boots, it either does one of three things:

Boots normally
Boots passed the normal bios splash screen then goes grey/purple (oil spill looking)
Boots straight into the grey/purple oil spill.

In all three cases it continues to boot into windows if you leave it sitting there for a minute, and the regular screen comes up fine.

An added issue, he brought it to me with an issue that the sound would stutter. I got the system, down to 25 odd processes on startup, very low cpu/ram use and still occurring. I finally fixed it now by chancing on a setting in BIOS and changed it from ATA to AHCI. Now the computer is more responsive, the sound does not stutter at all etc etc. Odd because i believed that it shouldn't have any effects beyond possbily giving a BSOD if the windows has the wrong config.

I dont see the second affecting the first as a) it still occurs and b) the oil spill screen begins before the computer registers the HDD, no?

One other point i noticed, when i put it in hibernate it immediately went to purple spill (when it would have transitioned to the scrolling hibernate bar). So it seems to be that when running windows its fine, outside of windows it isn't.

 

[red12049]

Ok. So now the norm is when it boots, it either does one of three things:

Boots normally
Boots passed the normal bios splash screen then goes grey/purple (oil spill looking)
Boots straight into the grey/purple oil spill.

In all three cases it continues to boot into windows if you leave it sitting there for a minute, and the regular screen comes up fine.

An added issue, he brought it to me with an issue that the sound would stutter. I got the system, down to 25 odd processes on startup, very low cpu/ram use and still occurring. I finally fixed it now by chancing on a setting in BIOS and changed it from ATA to AHCI. Now the computer is more responsive, the sound does not stutter at all etc etc. Odd because i believed that it shouldn't have any effects beyond possbily giving a BSOD if the windows has the wrong config.

I dont see the second affecting the first as a) it still occurs and b) the oil spill screen begins before the computer registers the HDD, no?

One other point i noticed, when i put it in hibernate it immediately went to purple spill (when it would have transitioned to the scrolling hibernate bar). So it seems to be that when running windows its fine, outside of windows it isn't.

Have you checked the ram?

Rick

 

[commentator8]

Hadn't considered it (considering all else, windows working, never getting a bsod from that etc). But am doing so now.

Point to add, while the screen goes normal once it hits windows the same doesnt apply for booting from a disc.

Edit: Ram passed.

 

[Jamie]

Sounds like the gpu is starting to give up, common sign on those dells

 

[emsbronco]

Since the RAM tested OK look for hotspots...the GPU could be failing when it hits a certain temperature or it may be overheating. Check the heat sink to make sure it is making good contact with the GPU.

That being said, in my experience when you start to see corrupted displays like you describe, the damage has most likely already been done to the chip.

 

[commentator8]

Thanks all, helps to know what to consider and what not. Ended up giving the computer back with warnings, and considering the price of swapping the MB out of warranty, and the price of a newer, better computer - he will just use it and if it fails replace it.

 

[Adept PC Repair]

The fault is with the gpu memory.

Could try a reflow with flux to get a bit more use from it.