Poll on M1330 Graphics failures

[Update - sorry this was my first attempt to create a Poll. I thought I could make a table with multiple questions but right now it looks like I can only ask one.
Feel free to PM me or comment to tell me if there is a way to add the other questions I summarized below]

Since my graphics failed and motherboard was replaced I started to wonder if the problem was caused by overheating the graphics chip. As some other similar failures have been reported I decided to start this poll to see if there is any correlation with potential risk factors. I realize at the moment there will probably be too few responders for it to be statistically significant but a pattern may emerge with time.

Reasons for the questions:

Graphics type:
(I am guessing only people with the NVIDIA graphics are affected)

BIOS/Motherboard
My A01 Motherboard has A02 BIOS. I had upgraded previous board to A06 or A07 but that might have been after graphics was already damaged. I am thinking maybe should go to A07 to ensure any improvements to fan control are included (though if that mattered perhaps Dell would have done that after changing motherboard).
[Motherboard version is written on white sticker visible when both RAM cards are removed]
At this time I think A04 is the highest rev motherboard available.

CPU speed:
I ordered 2.2GHz. Higher speeds increase risk of overheating (especially as CPU and graphics are cooled by the same heat pipe). Is there a correlation?

CPU type:
This is for the future. People may start fitting lower power Penryn processors which I assume generate less heat.

Heavy game player:
I have played Pacific Fighters on the M1330 - that is probably the most graphics/cpu intensive application I have run. I am wondering whether I dare launch it again. Is it people who have run heavy duty games that have suffered graphics failures?

Fan failed:
A problem with the fan could obviously correlate with over-heating

Overclocked anything?

Installed NVIDA drivers from elsewhere than Dell or Microsoft Windows Update?

Battery type:
9-cell reduces chances exhaust air will get partially restricted by cables run around the back of the machine


For info - posts threads where this issue seems to have come up:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=193117
[Incidentally - can you imagine Sony or Apple giving the kind of support we see from Dell C.A. in this thread? For me this is one of Dell's strong points... they have some trust for their customers and the payoff is it can save time and money for both us and them]
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=177481
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=198616
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=204488
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=204772
http://www.vistaforums.com/Forum/Topic12123-9-1.aspx

 

I have an M1330 with T7500 (2.2 GHz) processor, NVIDIA 8400M video card, A04 motherboard and A07 BIOS. I did a fresh installation of the OS and drivers. For drivers, I installed the Dell provided ones from their website and let Windows update them to the new versions. I have no heating or graphics issue.

 

As I can't create the poll as I intended - here are the answers I would have given myself:

Graphics type: NVIDIA M8600GS (as opposed to Integrated)
BIOS revision: A06 (At time of failure)
Motherboard revision: A01 (Not 100% sure, could have been A00)
CPU Speed: 2.2 GHz
CPU Type: Merom
Heavy game Player: Y (occasional use of Pacific Fighter)
Fan failed: No (but had started to rattle intermittently)
Overclocked anything: No
Source of NVIDIA drivers: (Dell/Microsoft only)
Battery: 6 cell