Faulty graphics chip on vgn-nr38z. Thoughts?

The Vaio has recently started producing random graphics. These start right from POST and include a load of random smileys (LOL) and once booted into windows, every other vertical line is a fixed colour.

It's not the screen, and I've plugged in an external monitor into the VGA port so this leads me to believe it's the chipset that's partly died due to overheating (maybe due to excessive 3D gaming at some point).

I've taken the laptop apart to check against dust and it's pretty clean, and there isn't anything obstructing the vents. Anyway, as the corrupt graphics appear even when cold, I'm leaning towards a partial hardware failure.

Has anyone else come across this? I fear I might just have to chuck it in the bin (maybe salvage the HDD and memory). It's a shame as it's a perfectly good working laptop apart from the graphics.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

nVidia 8x00 are known for premature failure. You can try search up 'baking' or reflow your graphics chip.

 

Thanks. will look it up