NP8150/P150HM black screen on power up

Hello,

I've posted here ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...evo-p150hm-owners-lounge-517.html#post9162678) about my problem, but I figure'd I'd try to reach out to a bigger audience and see if anyone could give some insight.

After a normal shutdown with no issues before hand, my laptop would power up with a black screen. No BIOS, no start up screen, no nothing. The LEDs would flash, capslock would work for a few seconds, the HDD would show activity, and FN+1 would work fine. But no monitor at all.

My GPU is a HD 7970M got from Sager so that there wouldn't be any BIOS conflicts as opposed to buying directly from the local Clevo reseller (who helped out very much, thank you Aftershock esp. Marcus and Zen.)

As I had already gotten a burned out HD 6990M, I have now always kept HWID on to monitor temps. And the temps after swapping out the HD 7970M would never go above 80c. Never in its ~8-10months of operation.


I've opened up my laptop, checked the RAM, HDD, cleaned out my GPU and CPU vents to no avail. I'm worried my HD 7970M has died on me, but am hoping that my monitor (which always looked pretty for a 95% gamut glossy for some reason) simply wonked out.

I can't access the monitor cable from the top.

I need help. Can anyone give any advice at all?

External displays don't work by the way.

Many thanks, and sorry for the wall of text.

 

how did u try to connect the external displays? cuz its a known issue with 7970m gpus in HM series machines that the hdmi out functionality is not given. so if at all possible, try to use dvi in order to rule out ur gpu being fried (or not).
at this point, there are four possible culprits: cpu, gpu, ram or mobo. psu could be ruled out by running on battery, or the other way round by running on psu without battery.
got any buddies who could help u out with a second cpu and ram to try? that could narrow down ur problem a bit.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

I've tried connecting with DVI with nothing going out.

Unfortunately, I have no fellow Sager/Clevo/enthusiast notebook user here in my city. The closest place that would has a Clevo assembler is all the way in Singapore, and I won't be back there until August..

Would it be worth it to do a tear down and check the LCD connection, or is this really a dead 7970M? I just got it from Sager last August 2012 after my 6990M died too...

 

if it was just the display connection u would at least have an external image. additionally to that, u would be able to hear the windows sounds when booting.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

VGA is always one of the best types to use to troubleshoot.

 

Will try to use a DVI to VGA converter.

I dont hear Windows boot... Ill reseat the card soon and see, but Im halfway to breaking down on yet more wasted money on shoddy parts....

 

Silly me, I forgot the Sager's have dropped support for that *doh* But if you are getting nothing then something sounds a bit dead.

 

God damn it. How could a GPU die without reaching any sort of critical temperature in its short life? I can't RMA it all the way to America... That'd cost nearly as much as just buying a new card... Again...

EDIT: Actually... Is there a possibility that my CMOS battery died? Would this be a symptom?

Would the CMOS battery even die this fast?

 

Usually a dead CMOS battery just means with a power off (Mains and main battery removed) all your settings would reset along with your clock.

 

Yeah this is not a symptom of a dead CMOS battery, johnxfire. Sorry to say, it sounds like the card. Possible ESD damage.

 

Wellp, I've done about everything except for reseating my CPU and GPU. Will buy some paste soon and do so...

Would Sager accept an RMA of the card? Because I am ing pissed that it has suddenly decided to die, and that this is the second card to do so in a year and a half. Sadly I cannot recommend Sager in good faith after this. Independent Clevo assemblers maybe. But Sager, no.

 

Their warranty iterates that accidental damage is not covered, so even if it wasn't your fault, at this point, they may be leery. You can inquire and explain your case to them; maybe they will be willing to meet you half way at least, given the circumstances.

http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=support

 

While they may be leery if you followed the correct procedures then go for it and don't let them tell you no.

 

Okay guys.

Contacted Sager.

Won't put the email here of course, but the gist of it is that...

They've stopped getting HD 7970Ms.

They do not carry anymore HD 7970Ms.

I am totally absolutely ed aren't I?

I'm getting my Clevo reseller friend to contact the guy at Sager he talked to with regards to the original purchase of my HD 7970M... Hopefully something sorts itself out... Otherwise I have a really big useless slab.

 

Hopefully they can supplement it even if they don't stock the 7970M anymore. If you're still covered, they should accommodate you somehow.

 

Obvious option would be a 8970M when they come through.

 

Yeah, they typically will upgrade you when they don't have the parts required to fix the machine through RMA. Without those parts being released yet, can't provide them of course. Maybe downgrade for now and save up for the new card?

 

No way would I accept a downgrade for now, 680m if they have nothing else since its the only option for them.

 

black screen on boot -it happening today with me to......
no BIOS logo,but MB is working, and all indicators is blinking .
so,i was connect laptop to external monitor -my windows7 is OK.
i spend half day to locate a problem place - no luck. in the end i just move and pull a cable from motherboard to screen and softly bend a screen .
it was a luck!
now i am again online, but worry to move laptop.......

Can anyone show me how to replace a video cable in a LCD?
i ll be very glad for link.

 

Here is how to remove the LCD screen to get to the video cable connection there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mamKTSgZAuE

To get to the connection at the board, I believe all you need to do is remove the keyboard cover (the bezel just above the keyboard and just below the screen). If you can't see the video cable from there, you'll need to remove a lot of screws on the back to take off the top case and access the video cable.

 

thanks!
i saw this one. there not clear about other side of cable....... till now my laptop is working,we'll see farther ....

 

So external outputs are working fine?

 

The other side (at the board) should be just below the keyboard cover (the cover hiding the 5 screws at the top of the keyboard that secure the keyboard). That bezel lifts right off.

In any case, interesting that the laptop is working now. Did you mess with the cable at the LCD panel?