Problem With Laptop

[Glen Saunders]

Hey, so I have a Viglen laptop, Windows XP Pro. And every time I use it, within about ten minutes colours run down the screen, and I am unable to use it.

I know that it is not the screen because the whole computer freezes up, but then again it might be. I'm pretty unsure about it.

Anyway, anyone got any ideas?

Thanks,

Glen

[Ponch]

I must say your decription ("colours run down the screen, and I am unable to use it") is not very technical.

Do you suspect a virus ? Did it happen progressively ? Does it happen when you're doing intensive work? Does a restart solve the problem for an other 10 minutes? Maybe you can get into Bios and leave it there for the requested time to get sure it's not hardware.

[dencorso]

Hi, Glen!

Well, before anything, welcome to MSFN!

I cannot help but notice that you have also this thread Laptop doesn't work!, about a Toshiba Satellite, which you opened in Jan 12 2010, in which you said you were about to start a reinstall.

However, the next I see your name in another part of the Forums, it this thread, about problems with a Viglen laptop...

Were I you, I'd let this one sit on the bench for a while, finish the installation and configuration of the first one, and let this one worry me only after I was pretty well sure the other was already running solidly.

Doing too many things like those, all at once, with two different OSes at the same time, would make it much more painful than it need be. Please do heed this friendly advice, take your time, and hasten slowly.

Good luck!

[Glen Saunders]

Hi, Glen!

Well, before anything, welcome to MSFN!

I cannot help but notice that you have also this thread Laptop doesn't work!, about a Toshiba Satellite, which you opened in Jan 12 2010, in which you said you were about to start a reinstall.

However, the next I see your name in another part of the Forums, it this thread, about problems with a Viglen laptop...

Were I you, I'd let this one sit on the bench for a while, finish the installation and configuration of the first one, and let this one worry me only after I was pretty well sure the other was already running solidly.

Doing too many things like those, all at once, with two different OSes at the same time, would make it much more painful than it need be. Please do heed this friendly advice, take your time, and hasten slowly.

Good luck!

Hey and thanks for the warm welcome!

I have already finished with the Toshiba, and am using it now!

Edited January 16, 2010 by Glen Saunders

[Glen Saunders]

I must say your description ("colours run down the screen, and I am unable to use it") is not very technical.

Do you suspect a virus ? Did it happen progressively ? Does it happen when you're doing intensive work? Does a restart solve the problem for an other 10 minutes? Maybe you can get into Bios and leave it there for the requested time to get sure it's not hardware.

Sorry about the non-technicality, I know alot about computers, But I'm 16 and am not very good at explaining things to well.

It basically starts, like I said, around ten minutes after startup. Lots of multi-coloured lines run down the screen vertically, the computer screen behind the colours freezes and the computer has to be restarted. I have not tried getting into the BIOS, but I am pretty sure that it is hardware, because I have connected an external monitor and it still happened. Your don't have to be doing anything major, it starts at random. It only started after I got it back from a computer shop because they extened the memory for me. I got the laptop free from a school because they where going to throw it away, it did not work when they were going to.

Hope that explains a bit more.

Thanks, Glen.

[jaclaz]

within about ten minutes colours run down the screen, and I am unable to use it.

Yeah, it happened to my parka too :

http://www.sickathanaverage.com/.a/6a00e55...866d1970b-800wi

In the case of the parka it was the video card, and since it happens to both internal and external screen (you should actually see the inside of the parka ) I see no reason why it shouldn't be the case with your laptop.

Let see if my crystal ball is tuned, post the exact model of the laptop, I can see that it has a Nvidia Geforce Go FX video card, possibly a 5700 (it could also be a 5200, the ball is slightly foggy around the actual number)....

Now seriously , a number of videocards on laptops suffer from a problem due to bad BGA soldering or overheating, effect is anything from what you described to a complete blank screen.

jaclaz

[Glen Saunders]

Yeah, it happened to my parka too :

http://www.sickathanaverage.com/.a/6a00e55...866d1970b-800wi

In the case of the parka it was the video card, and since it happens to both internal and external screen (you should actually see the inside of the parka ) I see no reason why it shouldn't be the case with your laptop.

Let see if my crystal ball is tuned, post the exact model of the laptop, I can see that it has a Nvidia Geforce Go FX video card, possibly a 5700 (it could also be a 5200, the ball is slightly foggy around the actual number)....

Now seriously , a number of videocards on laptops suffer from a problem due to bad BGA soldering or overheating, effect is anything from what you described to a complete blank screen.

jaclaz

Haha good one

The laptop is a Viglen 2700T

Thanks, Glen

Edited January 16, 2010 by Glen Saunders

[jaclaz]

The laptop is a Viglen 2700T

I seem not to find the specs for that model, most probably it has a "more complex name".

Can you point it out? :

ftp://ftp.viglen.co.uk/files/Notebooks/

jaclaz

[Glen Saunders]

I seem not to find the specs for that model, most probably it has a "more complex name".

Can you point it out? :

ftp://ftp.viglen.co.uk/files/Notebooks/

jaclaz

Yep, sorry. On closer inspection it is a Viglen Dossier NS.

Thanks,

Glen

[jaclaz]

Another proof that my crystal ball is out of tuning:

http://web.archive.org/web/20020824011356/...t/dossierNS.asp

It has a SIS 630 128 graphic card.

It is actually a Clevo:

http://hemmerling.free.fr/html/en/table10.html

http://www.clevo.com.tw/en/index.asp

IF the video card is on a module you may try finding a replacement (or a whole working board) on e-bay or similar.

Attempting a repair is probably beyond normal DYI possibilities and normally not worth it from professionals (example):

http://www.clevoweb.co.uk/repairs%20and%20...oards/2200T.htm

If your screen and hinges/chassis is ok, looking for a functional notebook with broken screen, example:

http://cgi.ebay.it/Notebook-Clevo-Gericom-...=item1c0f6fcd56

could be the easiest solution.

jaclaz

[dencorso]

If the video card is socketed, it would be worth it to remove it, rub hard all contacts with a soft white common pencil eraser, remove the rubber debris with a soft brush, and then reseat it. Since it only started after the laptop was serviced, the video card may have become badly seated during the procedure. And, by all means, do also download the manual from the Clevo site jaclaz pointed to. It has lots of good servicing intructions and great photos, as used to be the rule, whay back when.