M1330 artifacting.

Not sure why, but my M1330 has been acting up since last night. I think my GPU is dying or something.

I've got this flickering line of artifacts down the middle of my screen and it seems to come and go whenever anything is being rendered by the graphics card (browser, explorer windows, whatever) unless it's my desktop.

I can't really explain it that well, just look at these videos. It only seems to occure when something is bein rendered across the middle of the screen and it's intensity varies depending in the size of the webpage it seems (image and text boards aren't too bad, but a website like this artifacts like there is no tomorrow). Also, it gets much worse when a window is maximised, compared to when it is at any other size.

Maximising a window.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp-Zarz90dY

I'll edit in the other videos when youtube processes them.

Opening a video (just so you can clearly see the artifacting, it isn't too bad when a video gets underway)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4E2SUGF8doI

Desktop to window.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gf3GyZtUoY

 

Have you tried plugging an external monitor into the laptop to see if the problem persists? If it does, there might indeed be an issue with your GPU.

 

Plug in an external monitor and check, if it persists then it might be the card itself or it might be overheating when running 3D. So you could also try to have a large fan blowing at it and then test if it persists.

Lastly i would reinstall the whole thing and see if it helps, if not --> return to DELL

 

I guess it's a monitor problem then. Got it connected to an external monitor now and well, it's working grand.

Thanks. It couldn't have come at a worse time, I've got uni assignments due in and I feel as if my eyes are being assaulted by the flickering

 

Download GPU-Z and monitor your GPU temperature activities while its artifacting. It could be a heat issue.

 

I gave rivatuner a go, but nothing the temperature is staying roughly constant at around 58-64degrees, occasionaly peaking to 70 or so, but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver.

 

From the looks of the videos you posted, it seems to be a dying LCD. I would look into getting that replaced.

 

I gave that a go when it first started popping up, tried the drivers recommended on here, the ones on tweakforce and the last 'official' ones that were certified for the M1330.

No luck

Edit: One strange thing. The screen temporarily resolved itself for a few hours and was working fine. Then I closed the laptop for an hour whilst travelling to uni for my last week there and the screen is back to attacking my senses.

 

So, how do I go about getting the monitor replaced? I mean like, how much does it cost and stuff. And I may even need my mobo replaced since I have also had that colour band crashing issue other people have had too! Not that often though.

I'm not entirely sure if it's fully covered since the only warranty I've got is the XPS Premium Hardware support, and whether or not that's just like talk support, I don't know.

 

Give them a call and see what kind of warranty you have on your machine. Tell them what is going on and they will let you know exactly what can be done.

 

I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Say if I do have to pay for replacements, you think would it be cheaper to take out a warranty now and then call them about it?

 

I forgot to call dell.

But it's temporarily remedied itself again, so I've turned off the screensaver and turning off the display in fear of the artifacts returning.

But I've had 3 of those GPU crashes tonight, leading to the multicoloured bands on restart. So it looks like I'm either having one problem or the other.

Looks like I'm going to have to get both my monitor and mobo replaced.

 

Looks like my laptop is dying in more than one way.