Faulty Laptop Graphics Card

[lektronimo]

So I got my laptop's fan fixed today (was filled with dust, started making loud noises, and laptop would overheat at anything CPU intensive), took it home, switched on and left it for 5-6 mins, only to find the POS faulty GeForce 8400M GS completely fucking out which caused the display to degrade with vertical lines running down the screen. When I switch the laptop's on-board graphics back on, it works fine.

Apart from taking it back to repair place, does anyone know what else I can do with the laptop? My specific model was never officially recalled by Sony, even though it has a well documented problem with nVidia's GeForce 8400M GS. Oh and it's a two-year old Sony Vaio SZ58, with three months over the warranty period, which means I had to go to an Sony Authorized repair centre, and not to Sony Repair in Nugent St.

P.S. I'll have a youtube vid when it uploads, and hey look, the repair people made my keyboard not have functioning arrow keys!

[Dazza]

Honestly dude you should take it back and complain. Especially if it didn't have the problem before you took it in.

They could have stuffed it up when they "fixed" the fan, either by crimping some cables or screwing on the heatsink on back too tight.

Plus your arrow keys no longer work !!!

[badassmofo]

Send it back, given they've just serviced it. And cos they've fucked your keyboard.

If worst comes to worst...

I fixed an old Video card a while back by baking it, following some instructions I saw on the hardforum (and by recognising the method from the original heatgun RROD Xbox360 fix), I've just checked the page now and the guy has also updated it as he baked a laptop. It can be found here.
http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1421792

A week ago I fixed an Acer with a Dodgy Nvidia 7x Series GPU by removing the mobo etc, and putting the mobo in the oven, using the same method as I had for the video card. (didn't realise the guy had updated it on the hardforum for a laptop, but it's good to have his instructions there). It's working, for now, but who knows for how long?

If you can't get it serviced, you can always try that. And if it has an external PCIE Video card rather than integrated you could always look at replacing it.

[plaz0r]

Very similar thing happened to my laptop a year or so back too (Dell Vostro 1400) - manufacturing fault with 8400M and 8600M GPUs - http://www.electronista.com/articles...84.g86.faulty/

Consumer guarantees act should have your back - you'd expect a laptop to last longer than two years, especially at Sony's prices

[lektronimo]

Here is the video, skip to about a minute in to have a look at the fault. Yeah, I plan to go there tomorrow and just play dumb, they need to sort this shit out. Another thing, can they fix the GPU? My understanding is that they're all faulty so that would only happen again.

[doppelgänger of someone]

Bitch at them for putting faulty hardware into their laptop. It is definitely Sony's and nvidia's problem. (I don't know if there is any comparable card available) Maybe make them give you store credit or something.

From my experience laptop repair usually isn't worth the time. The technician has to be real careful to put things back to the way it was, and most technicians, from my experience, can't be bothered.

My 8600M is (touch wood) still going strong though.

[lektronimo]

I went there, said my keys stopped working and 10 mins later my screen fucked out which I showed them. She wrote out all the stuff out, and it's 'under diagnosis' right now. I played dumb (which usually isn't hard in my case) when I told her, just said the screen is borked, and kept it calm.

I reckon they didn't connect the keyboard to the mobo properly when they damaged the arrow keys, or worse case scenario, they damaged the connector when they were putting the fan back on. As for the graphics card, I hope they give me full credit for the amount I paid if it can't be fixed. Is this common?

Oh, and if anyone is interested, fan replacement in my case cost $280 inc. GST which I thought was reasonable (...considering it's Sony). It was about 100 bucks for the fan, and rest was for the labour, so definitely worth it from a second-hand laptop point of view.

[crocos]

Originally Posted by lektronimo

I reckon they didn't connect the keyboard to the mobo properly when they damaged the arrow keys, or worse case scenario, they damaged the connector when they were putting the fan back on.

If that's the case you'd be getting more than just the arrow-keys faulty, as it's not like there's one line per key. More likely something under the key blocking the contact-pad on the circuit membrane.

[doppelgänger of someone]

Always keep it civil, but why would you hide your knowledge of the fault in 8400? It is a known problem, and Sony NZ, from the looks of it, doesn't bother to extend the video card warranty like Dell and HP. If that service person can't make a decision, just ask for someone who can.

Just googled a bit, looks like Sony US is doing 4 year warranty for the bonked video card:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/s...aptops-offers/

[lektronimo]

Okay, checked the job online and got this:

Machine is Ok on ext display. Found that when machine is turned to Stamina mode rather than Speed it works fine. Mainboard is faulty when using Speed mode. We can quote cust for MB or cust can use on Stamina mode without problems.

Now, I reckon they will try to pawn the laptop off as having a faulty motherboard, and not a faulty GPU. Is it possible that external display (via VGA) might still work with a faulty GPU? Gotta know before I bring in the shitstorm for citing a faulty motherboard (which it ain't IMO). Oh, and I haven't been contacted yet, so I won't jump to any conclusions before they tell me what exactly they think it is.

[crocos]

Could be both borked mobo and vid, but agree, more likely vid. Either way it's still well within a reasonable timeframe to expect such a premium (as in they charge one) product to work for.

[lektronimo]

Okay, so the technician contacted me and just like I predicted, he said it was the motherboard... Except I cut him before he could finish his sentence, to which I said it was the faulty GPU and is a known hardware problem. Then I went on to say that because of the fact that stamina mode (on-board Intel GMA) works fine, it's definitely a GPU problem, after which he caved and changed his answer to "umm, yeahh...". During the entire conversation he sounded like he knew he was saying bullshit, so I asked him because it's a GPU problem what can they do, and he went on to say to bring the original receipt.

Then I asked him if this is covered by Sony to which he had to ask someone next to him, and after a brief pause he said 'no', and how I'm out of luck because my particular model has not been officially recalled. Apparently even if I show him my original receipt, the service still won't do anything! After I asked him what about the keyboard, and he said he needed my Windows password to get in. Why does he need my password ffs!?! I didn't give it, said I'll email it and now I'm here.

So here is the thing. Sony Authorized Service won't fix the GPU because it's not an officially recalled model, and they want my password for windows (can't they test it in BIOS!?) to fix the keyboard which they fucked up. Do I give them the password, or pick it up and get them to have a written confirmation it's a GPU fault, so I can take it to Sony Service in Newmarket and deal with them??

Edit: got an email, needs my password to go into Windows and test the keyboard. Shoulf I do this?

[crocos]

Originally Posted by lektronimo

Edit: got an email, needs my password to go into Windows and test the keyboard. Shoulf I do this?

"Shoulf" lolz

But seriously: don't they have a HDD they could dump in with a diagnostic build on it they can configure the drivers and use? Cheap-ass outfit if they don't.

Talk to their manager, not some front-line techo: The plebs don't have the authority to fix things out of warranty. Again with the "be calm, be pleasant", but if they fuck you around even then don't get mad, just approach commerce commission and outline the known hardware issue they are refusing to fix.

[lektronimo]

I bet they do, this service does all major past-warranty brands including Apple, Toshiba, HP... Anyway, do I go and tell them to eff off and pick it up then take it to Sony, or do I let them fuck around more, and waste my time until Monday when they possibly fix the keyboard/say it was my fault?

They have the fault logged (GPU/Keyboard) and I can always come back in a week or two and get them to fix it, should Sony refuse to take in the laptop/exchange etc.

Edit: Sony Repair in Auckland sent me there, they said all of their past warranty laptop repairs are officially done by them, so they have Sony's blessing to fix it.

[crocos]

Talk to Sony Repair - get them to slap these other clowns about a bit?

[doppelgänger of someone]

Just quote the consumer guarantee act, get the peon to direct you to someone with authority. State that this is clear breach of the act when they are selling known faulty product.

If that doesn't soften them up, do a Forest Hill Motor on them and quote all the names.

[lektronimo]

I took it in to Sony, I should know what's up next week. Basically the guy who took the job down said that they might overlook the warranty period and get it repaired at no charge, or I could work something out with the manager if it's not how I like it to be. I did have to pay a $75 booking fee which will be refunded if it's a legit fault deemed by Sony. I did explain the faulty nVidia graphics card, they took note of it afterward.

Anyway, I have enough proof it's a GPU fault, so there *shouldn't* be any problems (better not be...). Oh, and if anyone is taking a laptop for repair, create a guest account or another user so they can log in without a password.

Edit: when I picked it up from Service Plus, the keyboard worked fine since the technician had to open it up to check for a fault. He probably reset the connector in the process, so that part is sorted.

[lektronimo]

Good news! Sony Service in Newmarket were awesome, and they fixed my laptop at no charge without any issues. Took it there, said what I thought it was, and a week later got a phone call saying it's done. They also refunded my $75 booking fee, and now I have an additional year worth of warranty for the broken part... the whole motherboard had to be changed I think. So yeah, if anyone has issues with GeForce 8400M GS, take it back where you bought it, and they *should* fix it.

Only fucking shit thing is, my Win7 RC expired in the meantime, and now I have to use Vista

[crocos]

Vista, LOL

But GG Sony for being sensible about it (certainly more-so than the other munters you were dealing with)

[lektronimo]

Yeah man, but in the other services' defense - they were an authorised repair center, not Sony so they sure as fuck wouldn't want to foot the bill for a new motherboard (Motherboard $492 + GST and fitting is $195 + GST). I just got angry, 'cause I expected the worst

I'll be wiping my Win7 RC and chucking on a legit Win Server 2008 R2 copy (thanks Dreamspark!). Fuck Vista, it just takes forever to do anything useful on it.

[Fx.]

Originally Posted by crocos

But seriously: don't they have a HDD they could dump in with a diagnostic build on it they can configure the drivers and use? Cheap-ass outfit if they don't.

too much time / effort, i usually just reset it if i don't know what it is.

edit: the bios doesn't exactly have notepad but yes they could use a boot CD of some kind.

[Fx.]

edit: to the real careful to put stuff back where it was comment up there, .... pretty much everything in a laptop can only go where it is supposed to.

takes same amount of care as pc repair imo its just way lamer to do