Video Card problem, I think! Help? (Dell comp)

M

M3peat

I know this isn't a tech forum but everyone is (I would think) using a computer day in and day out and may have run across a similar problem. I've looked at the Dell forums and didn't see much help, if any. I'm also out of warranty.

I have a Dell Inspiron E1705 w/ a Core2Duo 2.0, 2 Gigs of Ram and the GeForce Go Nvidia 7900 GS video card running on Vista Home Prem 32 bit.

Late Tuesday night while I had some charts up (keeping an eye on the ES) but not doing anything, the BSOD screen pops up and has since only allowed me to boot in safe mode.

Some of Errors listed are:
"Display Driver Failed"
"Stop: 0x00000116" with a few other 0x89xxxx codes following (I wrote them down if needed).
"Nvlddmkm.sys - Address 8FA0FF30" plus another similar code and a datestamp.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I see a lot of exclamation marks and vertical lines when trying to boot up!!!

I also tried the Dell diagnostics and the video test had several failures.

I have updated the driver and after not helping, uninstalled the driver and then installed an older driver which also didn't help. I also did a system restore to 2 weeks ago, which also hasn't helped.

I understand something is wrong with either the vid driver and/or card but is there anything I can do to verify which it is, so I only replace/repair what is needed? And is it possible it damaged other parts in the process?

If pertinent, I also recently (3 weeks ago) started using an Antec laptop cooler which plugs into the laptop for powering its fans.

Anyone with any help or advice is much appreciated.
 
Quote from M3peat:

I know this isn't a tech forum but everyone is (I would think) using a computer day in and day out and may have run across a similar problem. I've looked at the Dell forums and didn't see much help, if any. I'm also out of warranty.

I have a Dell Inspiron E1705 w/ a Core2Duo 2.0, 2 Gigs of Ram and the GeForce Go Nvidia 7900 GS video card running on Vista Home Prem 32 bit.

Late Tuesday night while I had some charts up (keeping an eye on the ES) but not doing anything, the BSOD screen pops up and has since only allowed me to boot in safe mode.

Some of Errors listed are:
"Display Driver Failed"
"Stop: 0x00000116" with a few other 0x89xxxx codes following (I wrote them down if needed).
"Nvlddmkm.sys - Address 8FA0FF30" plus another similar code and a datestamp.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I see a lot of exclamation marks and vertical lines when trying to boot up!!!

I also tried the Dell diagnostics and the video test had several failures.

I have updated the driver and after not helping, uninstalled the driver and then installed an older driver which also didn't help. I also did a system restore to 2 weeks ago, which also hasn't helped.

I understand something is wrong with either the vid driver and/or card but is there anything I can do to verify which it is, so I only replace/repair what is needed? And is it possible it damaged other parts in the process?

If pertinent, I also recently (3 weeks ago) started using an Antec laptop cooler which plugs into the laptop for powering its fans.

Anyone with any help or advice is much appreciated.
More...

Trouble shooting is trial and error....

Suggest you backup all important files, then do a fresh install of your OS + video driver. If you're still having the same problem, might be hardware related.
 
Quote from Scataphagos:

Trouble shooting is trial and error....

Suggest you backup all important files, then do a fresh install of your OS + video driver. If you're still having the same problem, might be hardware related.
More...
Thanks, I'll do that (was planning to anyway) in a few minutes and report back (assuming I can still use this POS).
 
Quote from imabadboy:

delete your sound driver and use microsoft default driver. worked for me.
More...
Can you explain a little more? Was it a sudden problem and how did you determine it was your sound driver? Which sound driver were you using before going back to the microsoft default driver?
 
mine was an ati driver crash. while trying to find wtf was happening i found that it was common to both ati and nvda drivers. i also found it not related to a particular driver release, but ongoing for years prior. the typical response was "wtf is nvda going to fix this" or ati, as the case may be. it was just a hunch, driver crash driver conflict, so i pulled the sound driver, was adi as i recall. i now have W7 driver dated 07/09 so that may not help. ver.# 6.1.7600.16385. if you can live without sound for a bit try the control panel and disable the device or uninstall the driver. try it, like i said it solved it for me a year and a half or so ago while today i still use the same video card.
 
Do you have onboard video and a separate video card?

If so disable onboard video that's what I have to do. I have a matrox 200 4 head and oboard video so I disable onboard and everything is stable.

Furthermore, it could be your PSU is does put out enough watts for the stuff you are running or it could be failing, just a thought.
 
Quote from imabadboy:

mine was an ati driver crash. while trying to find wtf was happening i found that it was common to both ati and nvda drivers. i also found it not related to a particular driver release, but ongoing for years prior. the typical response was "wtf is nvda going to fix this" or ati, as the case may be. it was just a hunch, driver crash driver conflict, so i pulled the sound driver, was adi as i recall. i now have W7 driver dated 07/09 so that may not help. ver.# 6.1.7600.16385. if you can live without sound for a bit try the control panel and disable the device or uninstall the driver. try it, like i said it solved it for me a year and a half or so ago while today i still use the same video card.
More...
I guess the only thing that confuses me is why now? I've had this for 3 years and been using TT's Xtrader for over a year as well.
 
Quote from dandxg:

Do you have onboard video and a separate video card?

If so disable onboard video that's what I have to do. I have a matrox 200 4 head and oboard video so I disable onboard and everything is stable.

Furthermore, it could be your PSU is does put out enough watts for the stuff you are running or it could be failing, just a thought.
More...
Separate video card (I think). I'll into this.

I'm not running that much, as far as I know and again, I've haven't changed much if anything in the past year. Wouldn't it give me some type of error reflecting that too?
 
Quote from Scataphagos:

Trouble shooting is trial and error....

Suggest you backup all important files, then do a fresh install of your OS + video driver. If you're still having the same problem, might be hardware related.
More...
Did this over the weekend and now computer runs hit and miss. Sometimes works fine (haven't tried the trading software yet, actually wouldn't load) and other times I get the same BSOD as I did initially.

I have actually spoken with a Dell sales rep who says he will get this covered under an extended warranty (which I will pay for) but he had to get his 'buddies' on it.


********To anyone***********
Assuming worst case scenario, any recommendations on a new Laptop for trading? I will be getting a 2nd monitor. Our place isn't that big and I need to move my computer out of the way when friends come over, which is why I don't get a desktop.
 
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