IFL90 turns on and only shows a white screen.

So for about 4 days I could not use my IFL90 when I would turn it on it would show a white screen(I was looking at pictures when it first happened). Sometimes it would turn darker but I could not see anything, however the computer would stay on as if it where fine.

Today I took it to get it repaired and all of a sudden it worked I still left it there to see what had happened and they told me the motherboard needs to be replaced. So I have two questions:

1. Has this happened to anyone and does it sound like a motherboard problem?

2. Where could I find a motherboard for the IFL90?


I bought it in 2007(I think it was the first versions to come out) its specs:
2 GB RAM
2.2 GHZ
WXGA 15.4
Video Card GeForce 8600M GT

Thanks

ps. I am now using the computer and its working but the repair guy said it would go blank sometimes when they where testing it out...

 

bump...

Do I really have to change the whole motherboard or could I just change the GPU it seems some people have been able to change the GPU?

IF I can jsut replace the motherboard where can I find it?

thanks

 

looks like GT8600 dieing, not the motherboard. Try with replacing GPU first.

 

as I understand it the GPU is attached to the motherboard and I cant replace the GPU without replacing the whole motherboard is this correct?

If not, with my specs what kind of card could I get?

Thanks

 

no. But you have to disassembly whole laptop to get to GPU. Your best choice is Radeon 3650 DDR3.

here's the thread about replacing GPU in IFL90/91:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/compal/299494-hd3650-ifl91.html

start there.

 

No. The Compal laptops use an MXM slot for the GPU so you can replace it or even upgrade with something compatible without changing motherboards. If you want to go down this path, search these forums for more info on how to do it and which cards can be used (there's actually a flavor of the 4650 that will work, but it's rather hard to come by). However, I'm not entirely sure it's the GPU. When these GPUs die, the machine simply doesn't have anything on the display anymore; it usually doesn't turn white. It may also be the case that the cable between your motherboard and display is damaged.

In general, if you bought the laptop in 2007, you're probably better off just using it until it dies and then buying a new one. Unless you enjoy tinkering with the machine, the repairs will probably cost you more (in your time spent as well as money) than it is currently worth.

 

If it is only the GPU that needs to be replaced then I would want try that but what else do you think it could be?
The guy I took it too didnt say the cables were damaged but then again he said the GPU must be replaced with the motherboard. I was not charged for them taking a look at the pc nor did they try to sell me one after they said they couldn't fix it so that is strange.

I have upgraded my pc's with ram and changed video cards before and open up my laptop to clean it but I have no idea how to tell the cable where broken.

I was thinking of baking the card and if that not works maybe replacing it, but not sure what to do anymore, lol...

thanks

 

Try hooking the laptop up to an external display. If it shows the same white screen, then the problem is probably the GPU and you can bake it. If not, then it's something else.

 

when my GT8600 broke down it was showing only grayish-white screen meaning only backlight on the LCD panel was on. You should try to borrow working GPU or something and try it out. You problem looks like GPU to me at least.

oh btw, when you turn your laptop on and leave it for let's say 30 secs, do you hear OS loading (any hdd activity etc.)? If OS loads and the screen stays white, it's 100% GPU dieing.

 

yeah I hear the OS loading, I mean the computer can stay on for 3 hours and I see nothing... It never shuts off, just the screen stays white sometimes it gets darker but I can never see anything...

I will go ahead and try to bake the GPU to try and see if I can get some more months out of it...

 

it's 99,9% GPU problem then Buy new GPU and replace faulty 8600GT and you should be just fine.

as for baking the card, I did that too and it lasted for about 3.5 months. And I play a lot and almost never turn off my Laptop. After that it was just acting weird. Crashing system if there was more load on the gpu, but it was working fine if not under heavy load. I replaced 8600 with Radeon M3650 at that time and never had any problems ever since

 

Yeah ill try to bake the card...

Do you know if the official dissasembly guide is enough... I have only put in cards on pc's and have opend my laptop to clean it but not take it apart completely... so is there a specific guide for the ifl90 just to take the gpu out?

 

did you see if you could boot into the system with safe mode,,,if you can , probably driver

as the other thread suggested, if you can boot onto an external display, and you see nothing there,,,its your video adapter more than likely.....

 

i tried with an scable because that is the only screen I have avaiilable to me and I couldnt see anything...

 

yeah the guide is enough (I did it with that guide twice and it's working fine).

 

I might have an 8600m GT from my old IFL90 at college, I can ship it to you if you want. Not sure if it's working, I'm pretty sure the motherboard died and the GPU works fine.

 

Tried baking it and it worked so far... I had gotten a media connector error and by searching on the internet I found out it was HDD connetion problem.. well I hadnt connect it haha... I did and it worked after that

Its been only a day but my graphics card was done and its been working for 2 days now.

Im a noob with most of this stuff (ie. opening up a laptop) and I was able to do it by just following the guide...

btw this is how I did it:

1. Put foil on a baking sheet and then the 4 foil balls to put the video card on.

2. I set the oven to around 380/90

3. After 5 minutes I took it out because I realized I had left the plastic, I ended up leaving it on because it was too hot to remove...

4. Put it back in for like 3, 4 min more and then let it cool off for around 20 minutes...


I know this will not last for that long so Ill decide what to do, if to go with another laptop or a new gpu...

 

Unless you are not crazy about gaming and want to safe a few bucks, I'd replace the card with a hd3650 DDR2 or DDR3. The latter is more expensive, but in the end you won't spend more than 100 euros.

As you now know how to disassemble it, installing the hd3650 is a piece of cake (who mentioned backing?).

To make the hd3650 ready for gaming, you might need to do some minor modifications to the heat sink. Some more modifications might be needed if you try the 4650, which also seems to work.

I was right were you are now - 8600 gone, I was thinking to either bake it or get a new one. I decided to get a new one, and then had to think thru which one to get.

The 3650 is the safest bet (4650 might leave you with PCI-E throttling issues), and does not really need modifications or vbios flashing unless you want to.

Good luck!