At a total Loss

So here I am sitting fat dumb and happy as the saying goes on my computer. Minding my own business enjoying a nice quiet night of World of Warcraft, when all of a sudden my screen turns into a bunch of 1/4" vertical blinds that off set themselves vertically about 1/8" and is quite blurry. All video stops as if I am looking at a screen shot . . . in some of the cracks of the broken image that is now dominating my screen I can see what appears to be the blue screen of death and the physical memory dump taking place as the computer prepares for a crash. Shortly there after nothing my computer is sitting in my lap lifeless. At first I thought to myself that it might be the game itself so I ran the repair utility and when it came up with nothing I re-installed it with no joy. So then as I was searching around the internet looking for a clue as to where to go next I was alt+tab between windows the same thing happened but not so much blinds this time as just broken specs all over the display. Same physical memory dump and same lifeless laptop as the result. I do not know if it is a graphics card issue ( I have searched for updated drivers, but that is about the extent of my knowledge in the department) or if it is a Hard Disk issue. Looking for a clue . . . please keep me posted. *edit* just an update . . . I got the message " Display Drivers stopped working but have recovered" error while I was just browsing through some of my pictures on my laptop

 

Use some program to monitor your graphics card temperature before the crashes.. First thing to cross my mind is overheating.

 

don't know what's wrong with your laptop, but make sure if it's on your lap that it has proper ventilation, if it over heats you will have issues.

 

So you were using the laptop AS a laptop? Well, I know that some don't like being in a lap without something under them a bit more secure. See if you have the same problem while using it on a table or slide a masonite clip board under it. The reason is actually twofold - the first, as Ziggy1 said, ventilation. The second is that some laptops, like mine for example, aren't as strong case-wise along the left front. Pressing too hard in that area in some models will actually cause the motherboard to flex and cause the machine to do wacky things, even shut off abruptly (I hate it when that happens).

Give it a check and let us know.

A-N

 

I have a cooling tabletop that the computer sits on in my lap. I am 99% sure that cooling is not the issue . . . Any recommended programs for monitoring graphics card heat? Re installed drivers and the computer has been sitting for nearly 24hrs so I know its pretty cool internally.

 

Well, remember the second thing I noted has nothing to do with ventilation, but actually a physical twisting of the innerds. Try it on a tabletop and see if it acts the same way, or works better.

A-N

 

just an update . . . a table top is of no use . . . I was doing some research and found that this particular card does not get along very well with vista and I am not the only person to have ever had this problem. some of the solutions were switching to classic view mode ( did it and it worked for approx 15 min) another solution was to re-install the drivers that however worked for about 5 min and I no longer have the ability to see anything on my computer. I turning it on and get nothing but vertical lines that start out in various color with the overall look being gray and then it begins in the top corners working inward and down slowly transitioning to black and then back to gray. I am unable to get into any of my set up menus upon start up and all I see is lines. I tried talking to HP but they said since my warranty expired 17 days ago there is nothing they will do for it. even though I already sent it in once for none other than a bad cooling fan ( wonder if this is a bi product of that issue). open to suggestions at this point

 

Running the direct-x install at microsoft.com helped my Inspiron laptop (Vista Home Premium and GeForce GO 7900GS) clear up a lot of graphics issues. I think Dell installed a pretty customized version of DX on the laptop at the factory and reinstalling from MS straightened out the legacy DX9 stuff and all games, new and old, started working great from that point forward.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&DisplayLang=en

 

im going to be blunt....
something similar happened to me, except the ENTIRE screen was corrupted, with no real pattern. this is where the bad news starts:

nvidia F****d up on the G86 chips (8600m GS) and they will ALL fail, it seems like this has happened to yours. technically, nvidia should pay for any damages, but their position in the market leaves them at being pretty much untouchable.

im sorry to say it, but the only thing you can do is repeatedly get at HP and nvidia to replace it either with another 8600m gs one (NOT a preferred option) or an ATi based option. but im afraid thats not too likely.

sorry mate.

 

That's right, I read about this about a week ago and totally forgot about it. I think Nvidia agrees to replace the defective cards though, don't they?

 

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/091008-nvidia-hit-with-securities-lawsuit.html

 

try turning down the video Hardware acceleration in the display properties, or running the game at a lower resolution.

 

from my experience of this, that wont make the slightest difference.

 

it doesn't hurt to try

 

Well I did some research and after a few angry phone calls to some people who speak less that perfect english . . . I am finally starting to make head way. I would encourage one of the moderators to post the following link. http://www.hpnotebooksettlement.com/ it outlines the affected models of HP's that were affected and if you are like me you probably never received notification of the settlement. HP after discovering their failure to notify is all of a sudden much more helpful and willing to right their wrong.