BleepingComputer.com: Several problems with my HP dv8380us

Hello, I have an HP dv8380us running Windows XP 2005 Media Center Edition with SP 3.

A few months ago, the computer started to ask for a check disk at startup, but it would never go past 18% so I would always skip this step.

Also, the monitor started displaying a one inch thick faded strip on the display, and eventually, a bunch of colored lines running all accross the monitor appeared. I thought the monitor was going bad and that I would replace it once it went completely out.

Recently, the fan on the laptop started making a horrible grinding noise and the fan eventually stopped working altogether. After that, the computer started to overheat and shut down within 15-20 minutes of it being on.

I found a manual detailing how to open up my laptop to clean off the dust on the heatsink and fan. I went ahead and disassembled my laptop and cleaned off all the dirt on the heatsink and the fan. I also cleaned off the old thermal paste, and applied some arctic silver 5 to the processor(?), reinstalled the heatsink, and put the laptop back together.

When I turned my laptop on, the fan was working again, but the screen did not go on. I then tried hooking up an external monitor and pressing F8 and the external monitor worked. Another new problem arose however, after skipping the disk check, windows did not start normally, instead, I got a blue screen (which I've found out is the blue screen of death) saying something about finding a fault in a non paged area and a file named nv4_mini.sys.

The laptop still let me restart in safe mode. I tried doing a system restore, but this did not do anything.

I've tried a few things since then.

I tried deleting the video card (GeForce 7600 Go) drivers in safe mode, and this allowed me back into normal windows mode. However, as soon as the drivers for the video card got reinstalled (within a few minutes of start up), it once again gave me a blue screen of death. I've also tried manually reinstalling the Nvidia drivers from the Nvidia website, but, once again, I still get a blue screen of death. Safe mode seems to work perfectly fine however.

The laptop's monitor has worked on rare occassions too, and has once again stopped working at the first restart of the computer.

I've checked my memory with memtest86 and after one run, it did not find any errors.

Here are a few of the blue screens of death I've been getting.

First

Second

Third

Curiously enough, one time, I turned off the internet on my laptop; apparently, the Nvidia drivers did not install themselves automatically at start up, and the system did not crash. Instead, I got two different windows pop up,

First window

and

Second window

I messed around with the display settings, and surprisingly, I was able to; I'm not sure if this means the computer was making use of the video card or not.

Any help is much appreciated guys, and thank you in advance. Also, if I've made my post confusing in any way, please, don't hesitate on asking me for clarification. Thank you.

This post has been edited by InaPinch: 11 May 2010 - 11:34 PM

from the beginning of the post you claimed you had a faded strip across the monitor.
usually on a nVidia chip this is due to overheating/damage to the gpu.
you probably fixed the noise and fans by cleaning it up but unfortunatly the damage had already taken a toll on the gpu.
now when you boot to safe mode you do not load the drivers and the one time you got it to boot to normal mode and nVidia did not automatically load it was loading a standard display driver.
the actual nVidia drivers clock the chip up to where it is supposed to run which for you is now not possible as the chip has been damaged.

it is kind of like over heating a car engine.
you can limp it down the road at 10-15 mph but as soon as you hit highway speeds it starts to spit and sputter and throw a fit.

Thanks for answering my post meuchel.

I have a few questions.

Is that also why the monitor on the laptop doesn't work? Does that mean the video card need to be replaced?

Also,

would the display on the external monitor be unaffected by a fault on the video chip? I don't see the rainbow colored lines or the faded stripe on the external monitor. It displays everything fine.

This post has been edited by InaPinch: 12 May 2010 - 11:41 AM

does the external monitor work with the nvidia drivers installed as well?

It works fine until the drivers get installed (or a few minutes/seconds after), then I get a bsod.

yeah...i would still point at a bad gpu.
if you want before you go replacing anything you can back up your personal information and reinstall windows clean and update the drivers.
that will eliminate software conflicts but unfortunately that would be the only way to test.

Hi I suggest you try going to the HP website and downloading their drivers at this link I am providing for you. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3192912

I suggest you choose where it says Drivers - Graphics (2) the fifth one down the list. There are two drivers under the plus sign, choose one of those.

Although Nvidia does have drivers on their web site, they always recommend that you go to the vendor of your laptop for the correct drivers because those were designed specifically to work best with your HP hardware.

Good luck and hope all works out well for you.

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'll try using those drivers when I get home.

Also, I'm still wondering if a faulty gpu is what's making my monitor not turn on at all.

If I were to replace the video card, what would be my options besides the GeForce Go 7600? My laptop is kind of old and I was looking at prices online for the video card, and it's over $100 at some places, used! I was shocked at how expensive it is. I mean, I wouldn't mind paying that for a top of the line video card, but not a 5 year old one.

Another question,

Would it be possible to prevent the installation of the video card drivers and work with my computer like that?

InaPinch, on May 12 2010, 05:31 PM, said:

Well you could use the generic drivers that windows offers you.


As for the question is your video card fried? It is a possibility, but before you go out and spend money on another video processor, you want to make sure your options of getting the present one to work are exhausted. That is unless you planned on updating the graphics accelerator to a better one.

Try those drivers from HP first, it costs nothing to try them and nothing to lose at this point.

If those fail, then post back and we'll look into a recommendation for a new graphics accelerator.

This post has been edited by MrBruce1959: 12 May 2010 - 04:45 PM

Hi again. Actually, I would rather not have to buy a new graphics card, so I'm all for troubleshooting the problems and exhausting all of our options.

I tried both of those drivers listed on the HP website. Apparently, one of them wasn't compatible with my computer, and the other one yielded the same bsod results.

would you be willing to do a full format/reload?

I'll rather avoid it, but I would certainly try it as a last resort.

Would that be the next step?

I mean, for starters, I really don't think there is any software issues that are making my laptop's monitor not turn on.

Ok hang in there, I usually go the extra mile to find solutions, have a lot of time on my hands since I'm retired from the computer electronics field. So I very much like doing this sort of trouble shooting for others in need. Guess its something I've always loved, to be truthful. LOL

I'll reply back to you as soon as I've done some research.

Hahaha. Thanks a bunch MrBruce. I was reading some other threads before I made this one and I though to myself, "I sure hope MrBruce posts in my thead." I liked you for your awesome demeanor, how helpful you always are, and how you don't give up easily at all. xD

Yeah little do you know I have about 5 Internet Explorers open with sevarl different links minimized at the same time....talk about multi-tasking huh?

But I love it!! Having 3 computers here at my desk helps a lot as well, I have a nice C shaped desk here so its easy to multi-task between the three keyboards, oh hey did I tell you about the laptop...er...Oh where was I.... Oh yeah....


LOL just a little humor to brighten up everyones day...get back to work Bruce!!!

Oh, OK.

Be back in a bit.