Need help with HP ZD8000 Notebook

My wife was checking her email the other day and I got a Video Card error. I've reinstalled windows to make sure it wasn't a virus or something, but here is the problem. I load everything to just after the Windows OS load screen. Everything goes black and stays black after that. I can hear the sound of it loading the desktop so I know it's working, but nothing comes up on the screen.

Is my video card out completely then? Any suggestions or ideas of what might be casuing it if not. Thanks everyone!

 

Try an external monitor. Do you have a visual while the computer is posting and windows loads?

 

Try closing the lid and reopening it. That should cycle the LCD off and then back on again. Probably won't work, but it's worth a shot.

 

I had the same problem after a year with my zd8000. I had to send it back to HP. They had to replace the GPU. It was very frustrating because I could do exactly what you could do, load into windows, but I couldn't see anything. I believe the problems were caused by constantly leaving the laptop on and it was simply overheating. The desktop processor and components in this thing give off enough heat to heat a room. I had the x600 ati chip by the way.

 

Ok it gets a little more strange today. I opened up my notebook and I had visuals all the way up to the desktop until I did too much with the machine. I loaded two web pages and it locks the whole machine EXCEPT the mouse. Then it goes completely black yet the sound remains and the computer stills runs.

Is it possibly some wicked virus that survived a complete HD wipe and clean Windows reinstall or am I just screwed with this Vid card? Any other thoughts? Thanks for the help thus far everyone.

 

So assuming that my laptop isn't under warranty would I need to pay for this myself? Or better yet, did you have to pay for this to get done? If so how much did you have to pay?

I've never had this problem before but it does seem to be heat related cause once the machine starts getting hotter than normal I just get a complete black screen. Very odd.

 

yes it was outside of warranty by about 2 months. I was not very happy at the time. It cost a flat $300 and that covered overnight shipping back and forth, replacement of the card, in which they also replaced the processor heat sink, processor and battery. I don't know exactly if those were related but HP said they had been damaged. Since then I do not leave my laptop on overnight or for exteremly long periods of time. I have not had any problems since then and it doesn't overheat and shut off anymore. Hope this helps.