help fixing my m1710. Video issues? :[

:'(

Just got this m1710. Has 2.13 cpu, 100gb, 7950gtx, 4gig.

Bought it cheap cause the monitor wasn't working, but would work with external monitor.

Reinstalled xp sp3 without format and started installing driver from dell for bios, chipset, system utilities, system firmware, network, audio, video(which didn't seem to work) and input devices.

At some point during one of the installs and I'm pretty sure it was one of the dell installs not windows updates, that the monitor just popped on and was working. So, my dumbass figured ok it works I will now format the drive and do it all over again. Well, didn't work that way. I installed everything again, but the monitor doesn't work now and if I try to install nvidia drivers the computer freezes at some point.

I hope I'm just missing some driver or order or something.

I'm assuming everything works, because like I said it started working and kept working till I started all over.

Any help would be much appreciated. ;D

Also, sometimes on certain screens there are quotes around. Like on the windows setup screen. I don't know if it is a bios prob. I updated the bio to a07. I want to try and totally redo this thing. Don't know if I need to clear the cmos or something??

 

Update.

I reinstalled windows again and when it started up, voila! It worked....for about 1-2 min. Then some lines and stuff appeared on the screen like a video card issue and now the screen won't work again. Only on external monitor.

 

It's not a GPU issue if you have a proper output to an external monitor. You've either got a loose connection or a bad screen (or a bad component of said screen). Your backlight or inverter may be dying, but "lines and stuff" appearing on the display usually aren't symptoms of a backlight or inverter problem. Try re-seating the display connector?

 

Well, I wouldn't say it has proper output to external monitor. Would it output anything to external monitor if the gpu was bad or going bad?

I checked the connections and even cleaned and reapplied thermal compound.

Same thing. I can get it to boot to external, but resolution is basic and I tried to reinstall nvidia drivers and same thing happens in middle of installing drivers, external screen goes black and neither will work. Backlight seems to work fine. What's the inverter?

 

gpu fried... sad

 

+1
had the same thing with my 7950gtx.. was working in basic resolutions until the gpu drivers are installed and then black screen....

 

Thanks for the info.

I found a brand new m1710 with 7950gtx for $1000 with warranty. Think that's a good deal??

 

"brand new" is relative considering they aren't produced anymore. $1000 seems steep to me. I would get the service tag to verify all the information including the warranty. What are the other specs?

 

Have a look at dell outlet.
http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/notebooks?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh