Acer 5742G - Barcode lines on Screen [AGAIN. Just got back from Warranty Yesterday] Please help!!

So my Acer 5742G had barcode like lines on the screen right...

Here is what it looked like before I sent it off on warranty to get it fixed 2 weeks ago:


Now here is what it looks like 2 weeks later after coming back from repairs:


Repairs stated that the Motherboard was found to be faulty and thus it was replaced with a new one.

But I am STILL getting the same problem. It happens when the laptop is left alone for about 15-20 minutes or so. The screen goes black and then when I move the mouse to get the screen back, I see these lines...

Now I am wondering if I have Bad RAM or a Bad HDD... because the motherboard was replaced and I am still using the RAM and HDD that I was using when the laptop died the first time...

HDD Tune:


The only warning is from when I plugged the drive into a Caddy and the cord I used was a bad cord.. otherwise it's fine right?

CPU-Z RAM:



But surely neither HDD or RAM could cause this right? This is a screen issue? Or like someone said in the first thread I made, it's a dirty/bad LCD connector? But that was all replaced when the motherboard was replaced...

I must admit though I am getting one odd error. After just simply putting my RAM and HDD back in my laptop after getting it back from warranty repairs I have noticed 1 little weird error. When I connect to my Wi-fi now in Windows 7 instead of showing me 'bars' for my level of reception, despite me being connected it shows the icon with a Red 'X' which indicates that you are disconnected..

Pic:


So what's the deal... faulty HDD? Faulty RAM? Faulty graphics drivers maybe??

I am not sure whether to send it back and get it repaired again or not...

P.S.

Intel Driver and my Laptop screen info:

Here is my Intel Drivers after the update:



Here is the info on my screen:



Nvidia Driver info:

 

Does that computer have an Intel graphics card? If so, do you have the latest graphics drivers?

 

I would also be suspicious of the display ribbon cable.

 

Yes it has an Intel and Nvidia chip. I haven't updated the Intel drivers in awhile..

Acer would have tested the ribbon? I have a huge sheet of paper of all the tests they did...

I'll try updating the intel drivers but I have the card disabled. The laptop is always on AC power so I just have the Nvidia card activated to do everything...

Could old Intel drivers really be doing this?

This only seems to happen when I leave the computer alone. I haven't witnessed it happening without the screen going black/blank from turning off first.. On top of that when I move the mouse over the lines they disappear.

http://support.acer.com/us/en/product/default.aspx?modelId=3308
[[ VGA Driver --- Intel 8.15.10.2182 --- 77.6 MB --- 07/12/2011 --- VGA_Intel_8.15.10.2182_W7x86x64.zip ]]

^^^^
Those look newer than the ones I have anyway. Or I dunno if I auto-updated them via the program on my computer anyway. I'll download them this afternoon and give it a shot. I'm at school again now...

 

I experienced a similar issue with an Intel card from a while back. It also didn't like it if the RAM chips were of different sizes.

 

RAM chips are exactly the same. Same manufacturing date, same type. Same everything. They're just 2 sticks of Samsung RAM. Only difference is the 'Serial Number'.

Well I'll update the drivers this afternoon..

I really am stumped over this matter.. if it really is a software issue and not a hardware issue (despite Acer saying they found the Mobo faulty) then I've just wasted 2 weeks without a good laptop and a bunch of annoying messing around.

 

When the barcode lines are on the screen, do they come up in Print Screen?

 

No they don't. They only show up on the screen, not a printscreen. Also connected to an external monitor. No lines on the screen...

 

HDD is OK and RAm has nothing to do with this issue either.
Since it looks OK on the external screen there are also no issues with mobo, GPU or its drivers.
As mentioned above it has to be the the screen, connector or the ribbon.
I'm afraid you'll have to send it back.

 

Plugging it into an external monitor makes the lines disappear entirely. They don't show on the monitor (never have) and they disappear on the laptop screen.

Wow.. so is sending this back really the only option I have...? I've got a dead screen or ribbon now..?

Ugh useless Acer.. obviously they didn't test this at all... lol "We found the motherboard faulty" what a load of bollocks...

I thought the connector was ON the motherboard? Which means it's either the screen or ribbon?

 

- Sorry for double post, please check bottom of first post. Added Intel and Nvidia driver info -

EDIT: Well after installing the new Intel drivers, as suggested by the second poster here. I haven't been able to reproduce the problem at all. I did a few restarts, let the screen turn off a few times. Every time the screen went out before it always ended up in this barcode problem. Now it hasn't happened once.

I hope the problem is fixed but I wont be holding my breath. If anything happens I'll send the piece of s%"!# back and have it fixed again. Otherwise apart from the weird wireless icon problem there isn't any further issues...

Just wanted to come back and tell what (seems) to have fixed the problem in case anyone else is having the same problem.