Lines Through The Screen

I have a Dell Inspirion E1705 and when I woke up this morning it seems as though computer had frozen, but the seemed to be white lines down the screen.

I rebooted the computer and even on the BIOS screen there were lines, and Vista would not boot. I tried running the system diagnostics and it had passed every test (I ran the extended tests), and the lines seems to had gone away after reboot.

When I got to the Windows log-on screen there were still some lines, but once I logged in, the lines had gone away...or so it seemed. After about 30 min of surfing the internet, the screen froze and lines went through the screen once again.

I believe my graphics card, nVidia 7900 Go GS, has gone bad, but I can't talk to anyone at Dell because my warrenty has exspired.

I'm hoping I'm wrong about my graphics card failing, and maybe is has something to do with corrupt bios, but I'm not sure.

If anyone can help me out, I will be gratful. Thanks

and Merry Late X-mas

 

Sounds like bad graphics card to me. I mean, if it's even at the BIOS, that sounds like hardware.

 

I will also agree that it sounds like the card is going.

 

Unfortunately I think too that it is the graphic card...

A simple test you could do in order to see if it is the graphic card or the screen is to try to connect the laptop to an external monitor. If at the external screen all is good then it is your screen. If you get troubles there too or nothing too, a gfx card problem is highly likely...

 

Thanks for the replys, I have looked for a replacment and I have found one on eBay for ~$200 for my same GFX card made for the E1705 model. Since they are pretty easy to put in I hope to purchase this; I am also debating ether to take it to our local Computers Plus to see how much they would charge (I know this will probably be more, but hopefully I could get some kind of warrenty).

Again, thanks for the replies!

 

Quick Update: Called Dell today, and they were kind enough to let me extend my warrenty on my laptop for 3 years!

They will even send someone to my house to work on my laptop, but they said if they can't fix it then they will give me a brand new laptop.

Things are looking up!

 

Wow, congrats to you! Dell really hooked you up.

 

I mean, I did spend ~$2200 on the laptop, so they better hook me up lol

and since I'm a college student, money doesn't grow on trees.....yet

 

That's great it worked out for you!

The 3 year extension will surely be for your benefit!

Well, either way I hope it works when the technician comes to fix....Look at it this way, if it doesn't...you get a new lappy!

Good luck!

Cin