Replacing laptop video card

[Jaggannath]

Hello all,
Quick question regarding my Dell Inspiron 9300, which I bought about 6 years ago now: the screen has started showing vertical lines when in use, and recently duplicated the right half of the screen starting at the 2/3rds of the way across (very frustrating). This points to a video card that is cactus.

My question is how hard is it to replace a video card?? And how hard is it to source cards that will be compatible?? I realise that it's an old laptop, but it's been good apart from this. The card in it originally was (from memory) and 6800 Go.

[EzyStvy]

My gut reaction is that the monitor is dieing??

What happens when you plug an external monitor to it?

Odds are your video card is built into the mobo...

[glc]

Not in this case, Steve. It's a removable module. It came standard with an ATI X300, with a 6800 Go as an option. They should be interchangeable. They are not cheap, it looks like used ATI's are running around $100 US, and used Nvidias around $200.

Do verify the issue with an external monitor. Also, open it up and blow the dust out of all the heatsinks and fans.

It's not too hard to change - the keyboard and the top halfshell have to be lifted, then you can get at the module - a couple screws and connectors and it comes right out. You should be able to download the service manual from Dell.

[Jaggannath]

Looks like unfortunately both Steve and George were right.... it's the monitor, not the graphics card as I initially thought. I've cleaned it out, it's usually fine for the first few minutes and then crumps, which suggests to me a heat problem.

Anything I can do to save it??

[rjfvillarosa]

My 17" Toshiba has the same screen as the Dell XPS, my Tosh and a few people I know with XPS' have all suffered the same fate. The only cure is to replace the display panel.
If I remember correctly there are three different manufacturers of this particular display panel and they are all interchangeable including matt and glossy.
Get the part number off the panel itself and search on Ebay for one. Back a few years ago Dell wanted over $900 for a replacement but I have seen new ones advertised on ebay for around $100.
Originally mine would just flash all red now and again but recently I have gotten the black line, the worst I ever saw was on an XPS where the skinny vertical black line had opened out into what looked like a two inch wide barcode running vertically top to bottom on the screen.

[Jaggannath]

rjf, mine was worse than that... started out like that (the barcode), and now has that 'phase' shift to the right about two inches, most frustrating. Mine is a simple Inspiron 9300.

I'll have to look up what the display panel is (unless anyone here has it off hand), but at the moment it's plugged into my old CRT, which makes it less than mobile I'm heading for Darwin in a couple of weeks so would be nice to fix this by then, fingers crossed.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath (unless anyone here has it off hand),

Don't rely on that Jon, get the number off your display panel or you might wind up sorry. It,s not the electrical connections that is different it's the mounting frame, usually the screw holes don't line up.
I have had a few people drop off laptops to have the display panel replaced and they have already bought a replacement off ebay, same make, model number everything and yet you open it up to change them over and there are minor differences in the hardware which usually results in you having to leave out several screws or you can't fit it at all.