but don't ignore it, help me anyway.

I need some advice on how to proceed with my laptop that recently "died". It's an XPS 1530 laptop, it's 3-4 years old. I've diagnosed that, at the very least, the video card, an NVIDIA 8400, is dead. The laptop starts up and goes through the motions. The LCD backlight comes on. It seems to start-up (if the noise wasn't evident enough, it also flashes the webcam, which it normally does right before the login screen, but the screen stays black through and through. When I hooked it up to a monitor it also stayed black, which again makes me think it's the video card.

So, what are my options? Can I buy this video card and replace it easily enough? Is it a difficult enough thing that I should get someone's help? I've only ever worked with parts on a desktop PC, and even then I was kind of experimenting with myself (ew okay what that belongs in classifieds). Its an older XPS 1530 so likely all the heat problems is what killed the video card I guess. Is it worth replacing? The laptop was 1.2k or something when I bought it. I know it's probably not worth much on resale anymore, but I feel like junking it would be such a huge waste.

9/5/2010 3:06:16 PM

...shit this belongs in Tech Talk.

9/5/2010 3:06:43 PM

$(lafta)tree.fiddy

9/5/2010 3:10:05 PM

The video card should be integrated into the motherboard. So you'd have to replace the entire motherboard if it really is the video card.


1200 for 3-4 yrs of use, that sucks man, sorry to hear about that.


Edit: have you tried disconnecting the video card and reconnecting it? I know it may seem a little "trivial" or something, but it's worth a shot.

[Edited on September 5, 2010 at 3:24 PM. Reason : .]

9/5/2010 3:20:54 PM

Is 1.2k for 3-4 years for a "gaming laptop" really that bad? I mean laptops can burn out quickly enough but when you try to call it a gaming laptop...

Also, really think it's integrated? I thought if anything maybe it might not be integrated. Guess I'd have to open it up but I'm not very confident doing that.

9/5/2010 3:30:00 PM

Quote :

"Also, really think it's integrated?"

yes

9/5/2010 3:32:32 PM

Quote :

"Yet Another Fucked Up User Thread"

9/5/2010 3:35:47 PM

looks like replacement boards run ~200 bucks
http://www.discountelectronics.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4283

9/5/2010 3:48:57 PM

Quote :

"Is 1.2k for 3-4 years for a "gaming laptop" really that bad?"

1.2 K is pretty cheap for what you wanna call a gaming laptop. A good alienware laptop can cost closer to 3K

9/5/2010 4:33:10 PM

Yea, but it's not expensive because it needs to be, it's expensive because Alienware makes it. An XPS is still overpriced for the same hardware, but Alienware is doubly so. At the time it was still very much a "gaming laptop".

I guess my question becomes does anyone think it's worth it to spend 200 bucks, and you know, however much more it would be to get someone to do it (because if it's integrated I'm not sure if I could do it). How easy would it be to do myself?

I have a desktop PC and a netbook, so I don't need this laptop to function, just that I don't want to "get rid of it".



Also, I kind of need data retrieval from the HDD (which should be functional). So if I don't fix it, that's a pretty simple service right?

9/5/2010 10:00:31 PM

I have the same notebook. replacing the mobo isn't that hard at all. I think there was even a video or forum post somewhere on how to do it. google around for it..

it is a "gaming" notebook, thus pretty good performance specs, but a little overpriced... but not alienware priced.

9/5/2010 11:23:03 PM

Yeah, integrated video is the standard with laptops.

it's not tough to replace anything in a notebook really. You just have to figure out how to take it apart and keep track of what screws go where - there will be quite a few screws, and while they'll all be small, they will vary in size.

-- but first, definitely try disconnecting and reconnecting the video.

It should be pretty easy to find the manual online. It will show exactly how to take it apart. It really just comes down to finding the screws and figuring out the order you have to do it in (some things will have to be removed before others if they overlap). Someone with notebook repair experience would be able to figure it out themselves. And you probably can as well. But you'll have no trouble if you just follow the manual.


Regarding: "is the price worth it", I think you'd have to look at what you would spend for a comparable system today. Or what you would spend for an even better system. Without looking into it, I'd bet you can get a better laptop for just a few hundred more than the $200 you'd have to spend for a new mobo. The laptop would be under warranty for the next year, and it wouldn't be 4yrs old. So, it's probably at least worth looking into.

And I just meant "sorry to hear that" in that it's a lot for just 3, maybe 4 years of use and then completely dead. If you could get a new one but still use that one for general use here or there or even sell it, that'd be a lot different. Plus I wasn't sure if you actually used it to game or not. You may not believe how many "reasonable" people buy laptops like that and don't do anything more than use office and the internet.

[Edited on September 6, 2010 at 12:51 AM. Reason : .]

9/6/2010 12:44:04 AM

It was my main computer until last year when I built my gaming desktop PC that handles far more than the laptop (while costing about the same, taught me a thing or two about "gaming laptops"). Since then I have also purchased a netbook to replace my mobile computer needs. I gave this laptop to my father, but now that it's dead I'm looking into fixing it.

Basically it doesn't HAVE to be replaced, I just don't want to toss it, and at least I won't until I do the data retrieval. I guess I'm just wondering if it's worth it in the long run to replace it, either to sell it or just to use it in some fashion.

9/6/2010 3:10:13 PM

Personally, I'd say it's on the fence of being worth it or not. It is still a decent computer compared to today's standards. And performance-wise, it'd be just fine for a few more years with typical day to day stuff. And you're not going to get a NEW comparable laptop for $200 (assuming you can definitely get the mobo for that).

Selling it as is, it's not worth much... if anything. If you spend the $200, i imagine your dad would continue to use it. So, is whatever it will be used for worth $200?

Another option is to fix it, then sell it. Not sure what it would go for, but I wouldn't expect to do more than break even or maybe make a little more. - but maybe I'm wrong. maybe the xps line holds a little better value based on the name.


but definitely open it up and try disconnecting and reconnecting the video cable (there's a small cable). Most likely, it won't fix it. But i've seen it resolve such problems a few times. And it's worth trying before spending $200 or leaving it sit in a corner or whatever.

9/6/2010 3:50:59 PM

I'm going to open it up and see if that helps. At this point I'm thinking I'll try to replace the video card / motherboard and sell it for maybe ~300, at least make some money. Just found out today that I actually do have the harddrive backed up, so not too worried about it. Just don't want to junk it for parts.

Thanks for the advice.

9/6/2010 9:06:58 PM