Video Issues - M17x w/260M

M17x Single 260M video card.

I just wanted to report this in case someone else has same issue. My two month old M17x started developing lines and distortion on screen two days ago. Video quality has declined to the point where laptop screen is unusable. Can use external monitor because that is powered by integrated graphics. There's no distortion using integrated graphics, only when switching to discrete graphics or hybrid mode. With integrated graphics switched off in the bios same distortion occurs at bios level.

Dell said it was video card and sent tech out to replace it today. Replacement (refurbished) 260M card did not solve the problem, so they are sending another video card and replacement MB tomorrow. Dell tech said it was possibly an issue with the video card connection at the MB, but he said that whenever Dell sends out parts they're refurbished and frequently bad.

Anybody else see this problem?

 

Dell's refurbished parts aren't usually bad, like the tech said.

I have had pretty good experiences with parts.

If the mobo and gpu swap doesn't fix it, ask Dell for a replacement system.

 

Motherboard and gpu replaced, but unable to access discrete gpu. Dell tech was here for four hours including two hours playing around with it trying to get it to work to no avail. (Good guy, by the way.) Dell decided to replace system and is shipping me a new M17x.
I asked the tech if the replacement system would be new or rebuilt and he said they told him it would be new. They are saying 2 to 4 weeks. In the meantime I can operate with integrated graphics.