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    Is this Graphics Card problem? Overheating or what?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by kns, Aug 5, 2014.

  1. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm having occasional problem with the display. Sometimes all of a sudden the screen went blank with small words on the top saying something like there is no graphics/picture (don't remember the exact words). The screen saver is not working as before: instead of the pictures it's a blank screen also with words on the top saying something like there is no picture.

    Is this Graphics Card problem? Could it be caused by overheating? I recently watched a lot of videos on the laptop rather intensively (plane crash investigations on you tube :D), so could that cause overheating? Are there other possible causes? Is the problem serious? (So far only happened a few times, not often) How to fix?

    Windows 7 Professional 64
    Intel HD Graphics 3000

    FYI I don't play games, only occasionally watch short videos. The recent video watching is unusually intensive for me. The laptop is 3 years old, never had any problem before.

    Thanks for any help!
     
    kns, Aug 5, 2014
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  2. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    What laptop are we discussing here to begin with?
     
    ajkula66, Aug 5, 2014
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  3. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    Thinkpad X220. (sorry, thought I mentioned it).
     
    kns, Aug 5, 2014
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  4. TheStar

    TheStar Notebook Geek

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    This happened once on and old X220 I had. The screen went Dim and I thought for sure it was a goner but after restart it came right back on and never happened again
     
    TheStar, Aug 7, 2014
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  5. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    In my case it's not dim, but just blank, with tiny words (error message) on top. In one case it's black screen, the other case it's my desttop background color. Haven't happened again since I posted this. Maybe over heating from constant video playing. Hope it doesn't happen again.
     
    kns, Aug 7, 2014
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  6. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    Are you monitoring your temps?

    ThinkPad Fan Control is a nice utility to ensure that the system is running at optimal temperatures...

    TPFanControl by troubadix

    Good luck.
     
    ajkula66, Aug 7, 2014
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  7. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

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    What is your screensaver? If it's the picture gallery then you may have moved your picture files where the screensaver can't find them?

    If you can, next time the error comes up, try take a picture with your camera/phone if it isn't one of those error messages that just flash on the screen and disappear immediately,
     
    namaiki, Aug 7, 2014
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  8. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks. I have CPUID and Core Temp. I'll add the one you linked, too. I didn't check the temperature when that happened. Usually it's no more than the 50's (F).

    No I didn't move the files. It's nothing to do with screen savers. I'll take screen shot or photo next time it happens. Thanks.
     
    kns, Aug 8, 2014
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