pos dell

[toy fanatic78]

I have a problem w/my computer I was wondering if anyone could help me with. It's a Dell inspiron 9300.I have had it for 3 1/2 years.recently the screen started to fuck up,one minute it's fine,then you'll start to see thin lines come across the screen and it blurs out/shadow images stuff,but it only happens on the left side of the screen,the right side looks perfect still.It's real inconsistant also some days it only does it once,other days it's constantly,and it will go back to normal sometimes,other times I have to shut it down for it to go back to normal.any ideas?

 

[KicknAsphlt]

If you have an extra monitor laying around (like from a desktop computer) or can get your hands on one, hook it up and see if the problem persists with the external monitor. If it does, it's most likely your video card...otherwise, your monitor is probably shitting the bed.

 

[toy fanatic78]

If you have an extra monitor laying around (like from a desktop computer) or can get your hands on one, hook it up and see if the problem persists with the external monitor. If it does, it's most likely your video card...otherwise, your monitor is probably shitting the bed.

Right on,I was kinda leaning towards the video card as the monitor is crystal clear when it isn't wigging out.Hasn't done it since I posted about it earlier.And wouldn't it be the whole screen if it was the monitor itself?It's been doing it for about a week,and it is only the left half,from the "E" in dell over.Hoping if anything it's just the video card,they are only $50.Thanks for the help.

 

[KicknAsphlt]

To be honest, I don't think I've ever actually seen a video card go bad, but that's not to say that they don't...esp. the cheap ones like what comes in most run-of-the-mill notebooks. Have you tried deleting and reinstalling your video drivers first? Maybe updating them? The reason I suggested running an external monitor for a while is so that it completely rules out the monitor itself and the flexprint that runs from the mainboard through the hinge into the monitor (think Video Cable). That narrows it down to the video card itself, or the drivers. By deleting and reinstalling/updating the drivers, you rule that out as well. I'd try drivers first, then an external monitor. If it's not either of those, then it's most likely your video chip/card. I'm pretty sure your laptop is running the basic intel video processor, which is integrated into your motherboard.

 

[toy fanatic78]

It hasn't glitched out since I posted asking about it so I haven't even been able to try a different monitor yet.

 

[KicknAsphlt]

Fluke maybe...? LOL! Either that, or it's because it knows to straighten up because I'm involved...HA!

 

[comadreha]

I support a fairly large Dell Notebook & Desktop environment. We deal with similar behavior once in a while.

Go to the Dell Website, then click Support...Drivers & Downloads. Follow the prompts to select the proper system. Once the list of drivers/downloads comes up for your system, open the Diagnostics section and download the Dell - Diagnostics Utility. You will have to pick an applicable download format.

The goal is to get this written to a CD, so that you can boot off it. The GUI is quite simple and easy to follow. You can test your entire system or parts of it. If you have any hardware issues, this utility will find it. If you have an active warranty, then you can inform the phone tech what you found with the utility. It usually speeds up processing of the case.

If you don't have an active warranty, ask the applicable department at dell what it would cost to get one. It might be worth it, if you have a strong attachment to your system or you can shop for replacement parts on ebay, if you wish to perform the work yourself.

Keep that Diagnostics Utility handy just in case you have any other issues in the future.