Laptop with semi-dead gfx card

[deathwarder]

I have a dell laptop(e1705) with a semi-dead gfx card(works for a few minutes then dies). I have confirmed that it really is a hardware issue. I also have an old dell laptop with a gfx card that looks like it would fit into the same motherboard connection. The card has written on it "Daughter video card" written on it. Would it be possible to use this on the newer laptop? I think the old laptop was supposed to have been using integrated, and I'm not sure what is meant by a daughter graphics card. I did some google searches but didn't find anything. Any help is much appreciated.

[weEvil]

It probably has mini-PCIE or whatever the connection is called.

Chances are it would work if the BIOS supports it.

What video cards do you have. Get whatever printed serial or GPU ID information you can off it and Google it.

[jaclaz]

I doubt that the "old" card would "fit" in the "new" laptop, apart connection a lot of other things, like voltage, hardware ID, BIOS and whatnot may be incompatible.

We need more data in order to be able (maybe) to help you.

Typically:

model of "old" laptop

model of "new" laptop

ANY number, letter, code, whatever you can read on the "daughterboard(s)" and/or on the main chip on it.

Basically:

1) MOST laptops have an integrated video card (NOT detachable)

2) a few laptops have a video card on a daughterboard, using a "proprietary" connector

3) a few laptops have a video card on a daughterboard, using a "standard" or "almost standard" connector, MXM:

http://www.mxm-upgrade.com/index.html

From what you write, it is probable that all is needed is a re-flow of the daughterboard, something that may be costly (if done by professionals with "proper" equipment) or VERY risky (but cheap ) if done as a DIY job.

There was a somewhat "chaotic" thread on boot-land recently:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=6102

where you can find quite a bit of info on the procedure.

jaclaz

P.S.: this is "specific" for the DELL e1705:

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/349/1/

More notebook models:

http://repair4laptop.org/notebook_graphics...eplacement.html

Edited November 22, 2008 by jaclaz

[deathwarder]

the older laptop is an inspiron 1100

the new laptop is an e1705

the graphics card on the old laptop is a CGE ls-1451(not sure if this is the model number)

the graphics card on the new laptop is an nvidia 7800go

I read the last two links, but they don't make cards anymore that would fit out of the box in this laptop

I'm not too sure what the 1st link is about

Thanks for all the help.

[jaclaz]

The two cards look VERY different:

http://usedpchub.com/uph/laptop/79-21236-2...play-Board.html

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/349/3/

The Inspiron 1100 one should be Intel845 based. Even IF it may work, you will need a BIOS update, and you have great chances of simply making the whole thing unbootable/unrepairable.

As I see it, your best choice is finding a replacement card of the same "family" for the e1705, but once you've found it, like on e-bay or on some online shop, before buying it, since they are awfully expensive, examples:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-1705-9400-256M-Vi...107111002r15403

http://www.lapzone.com/servlet/the-6208/UF...ron-9400/Detail

http://www.impactcomputers.com/uf804.html

This appears a bit cheaper, but still a lot of money:

http://cgi.ebay.it/256MB-GeForce-7800-Dell...2QQcmdZViewItem

I would have a go at it with re-flowing.

This may also interest you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Inspiron

Inspiron 9400/E1705

The Inspiron E1705 and Inspiron 9400 (non-US models) are essentially the same machine - with a few minor differences in configuration. The Inspiron 9400 was basically a more up to date redesigned version of the Inspiron 9300 with a few extra added features such as the Dell MediaDirect button which was next to the powerbutton.

Available with either an Intel Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor, this machine features a 17-inch WXGA+ (1440 x 900) or WUXGA (1920 x 1200) wide-screen LCD. Video card options also include an nVidia GeForce Go7900 GS (single heat pipe), ATI Radeon x1400 with 256mb of RAM or an Intel GMA 950. This model uses 533 MHz or 667 MHz of DDR2 memory. The E1705 tends to run hot on its underside which seems to make the card overheat and burnout within a year because of inadequate cooling. On most accounts of users who have experienced this problem, it occurred after the warranty expired therefore "alienating" the end user.

Note: For gaming and high-end graphics use, the GeForce Go7900 GS video card is highly recommended over the Radeon x1400. This is primarily due to faster data processing and fewer heat problems. Additionally, 7900GS can be easily overclocked to reach 3DMARK06 scores as high as in 5000 range. [3]

jaclaz

[S.SubZero]

The 7900GS Go in my E1705 died a while back. I ended up buying a 7950GTX Go for a M1710 XPS off eBay (for $400.. sheesh) and slapping that in. It was fairly easy, tho it did require snapping some plastic off the casing to get the card in due to the second heatpipe.

Of course this was all just before the big reveal that the nVidia chips from around that time had problems, so for all I know the 7950GTX will blow up too. It's a spare laptop on an infinite Craigslist rotation so I don't ever use it.

[deathwarder]

It was my brother's old laptop. I tried turning it on this morning, but it wouldn't boot. I suspect a motherboard problem(one green light came on for a few seconds then went off, no fans or anything). I am hoping to get it working as a headless ubuntu client, but i'm not sure how to get it booting again.

[weEvil]

Of course this was all just before the big reveal that the nVidia chips from around that time had problems, so for all I know the 7950GTX will blow up too. It's a spare laptop on an infinite Craigslist rotation so I don't ever use it.

Way off. The G80 chips and newer have issues.