Defective Nvidia chipsets in your current laptop/pc? read here

EIN · 16-09-2008 7:01pm #1

just found this here, where the nvidia graphics cards in some laptops and desktops fail!

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=268277
quote:

Nvidia investors were just informed that the company is taking a $150 to $200 million dollar charge related to "higher than normal" failure rates in notebooks for it's (unspecified) "previous generation" GPU and/or it's thermal system.

Update:

The Nvidia G84, G84M, G86, and G86M chipsets (GeForce 8 series, GeForce 9 series) have been identified as the ones that are defective. All of these chipsets (both mobile and desktop) use the same application-specific integrated circuit. It is possible that the G92, G92M, G94, and G94M chipsets are affected as well.

See the list below for actual models that may apply to you. It appears to be specifically related to revision A2. The problem has not been reported with revision A3 and upwards.

This is a heat related issue with the bonding substrate used in the manufacturing process. The thermal tolerance for these materials was lower than what the specs required and can not handle the hot-cold-hot-cold states caused by power cycling the computer as well as voltage variations by the power management software. Notebook users are seeing failure sooner than their desktop counterparts specifically because of these reasons. ("usage patterns" mentioned in the 8k report)

Affected mobile models:
GeForce 8400M G (released May, 2007)
GeForce 8400M GS (released May, 2007)
GeForce 8400M GT (released May, 2007)
GeForce 8600M GS (released May, 2007)
GeForce 8600M GT (released May, 2007)
GeForce 8700M GT (released June, 2007)

The following models were identified by other manufacturers as well:
Quadro NVS 135M
Quadro NVS 135M
Quadro FX 360M
GeForce Go 7xxx (HP recent disclosure and 2007 class action settlement)

Affected desktop models:
GeForce 8300 GS (OEM) (released July, 2007)
GeForce 8400 GS (released June, 2007)
GeForce 8500 GT (released April, 2007)
GeForce 8600 GS (released April, 2007)
GeForce 8600 GT (released April, 2007)
GeForce 8600 GTS (released April, 2007)

has anyone on here experienced a related problem?
woops just realised that someone has already posted about it
cheers

Overheal · 16-09-2008 7:12pm

Good clean post though; should merge with the other thread.

x in the city · 16-09-2008 7:16pm

This is quite old news I thought..?

Spipov · 16-09-2008 7:26pm

veryyyy old news....

EIN · 16-09-2008 7:32pm

Spipov wrote: »

veryyyy old news....

it may be very old news but it would be nice to see what the current situation is? ie how many have failed etc, sony vaios dont appear to be affected ,,,
what others etc.

Spipov · 16-09-2008 10:15pm

well if you keep an eye on the thread on forum.notebookreview, you will see they update it whenever there is something happening on the first post.
at the moment nvidia are being sued and their quarterly reports are in the red....

EIN · 16-09-2008 11:19pm

Spipov wrote: »

well if you keep an eye on the thread on forum.notebookreview, you will see they update it whenever there is something happening on the first post.
at the moment nvidia are being sued and their quarterly reports are in the red....

i wonder could a user which has a machine affected by this issue demand a replacement motherboard, FOC as the pc, is not fit for purpose, i mean it could die anytime, as there are recognised faulty components inside?

Overheal · 17-09-2008 1:21am

I eventually took my 8400M GS in under warranty - it came back with a new system board and my running temps were 20 Celsius lower as a result. Needless to say I wont chance running crysis on it again: it runs, but it was as hot as a mother****er.

BostonB · 17-09-2008 2:11am

theinquirer have been following this for a while now.

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/09/01/nv-should

EIN · 17-09-2008 11:54am

Overheal wrote: »

I eventually took my 8400M GS in under warranty - it came back with a new system board and my running temps were 20 Celsius lower as a result. Needless to say I wont chance running crysis on it again: it runs, but it was as hot as a mother****er.

how did you manage to get them to replace it.?
what did u say?

kaimera · 17-09-2008 11:58am

EIN wrote: »

how did you manage to get them to replace it.?
what did u say?

+1.

What brand and model number?

Lenny · 17-09-2008 12:17pm

Why are dell still selling all there laptops with those graphics cards is what I can't understand. they must be looking to get lots of money back from the call outs

I just bought the following on the ebay outlet for 801 including delivery

Base:   XPS M1530 RED CORE 2 DUO T8300 2.40GHz 
 
CD/ RW:   DVD+/-RW (8X)  
 
Hard Disk Drive:   Hard Drive 320GB (5400rpm) 
 
MISC:   RED COVER  
 
MISC:   Intel 4965WLAN Mini-Card EUR 
 
MISC:   Vista OnLine Getting Started Guide (WW 
 
MISC:   Internal Keyboard Uk/Irish (QWERTY)  
 
MISC:   MS Vista Premium Logo Label NB (small 
 
MISC:   Image Restore - Vista  
 
Memory:   Memory Dual Channel 4.0GB (2x2048) 667 MHz  
 
Misc:   Battery XPS Primary 6-cell 56WHr Li-Ion  
 
Modem:   No Modem  
 
NoteBook Screen:   Display LCD,15.4 WSXGA+ LGP 
 
Video:   ASSY,BASE 256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT 
 
Operating System:   English Genuine Windows Vista SP1 Ultimate

Now should I cancel it or should I ring up and just get the four year war cover, its 200 quid extra?

kaimera · 17-09-2008 12:20pm

@Lenny.

http://gizmodo.com/5038776/dell-extends-warranties-for-laptops-with-failing-nvidia-chips-while-nvidia-stays-mum

Hard to know if it's worth getting the 4ye warranty..

Lenny · 17-09-2008 12:33pm

Yea I read that alright, but on my ebay item it does say it comes with a 1 year standard warrenty,. should I ring them to up confirm that I'll have two?
is there a direct link on dells website though saying that they're extending it, they seem to be 3rd party links

Dartz · 17-09-2008 1:49pm

You might have a later A3 version of the chip. It's not as much of the problem with the 1530 anyway... at least not as compared to it's 13 inch cousin. The 1330's have been dying in droves because they run the GPU so hot.

There must be a tipping point somewhere, where you can cycle the heat below this point and it won't bother it too much, but drive it much higher and it weakens much quicker.

kaimera · 17-09-2008 1:51pm

I'm not actually sure.

I read it also on direct2dell.com

When I called about my vostro1500, the lady had to go confirm the link information was correct and afaik the warrenty extension is true.

Safer to just call them imo.

Lenny · 17-09-2008 3:41pm

yea i had heard it was mainly the 1330's that were giving the most trouble.
can't get throguh to the gril, gave her my cc details on monday adn still haven't received any email regarding the laptop either!

Overheal · 17-09-2008 4:17pm

Dell and HP have deals with Nvidia that nvidia will cover the cost of GPU repairs so theres no reason for Dell and HP not to sell the cards - to not sell them is a pure waste in stock, and less than 100% of the chips reportedly have failed to date. Its mostly to do with what you use it for and your laptop model. In short, theyre taking the gamble that it will cost less to replace them than to abandon so much stock.

Bri~ · 02-12-2008 3:03pm

HP only offered an extended warranty on select models, which use the AMD chipset. There are over 450 HP customer kicking up a fuss on the HP forums but HP are ignoring for the moment.

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/categoryhome.do?categoryId=411

No doubt there is plenty going on behind the scenes. Meanwhile it seems expensive, 13 month old HP laptops are turning into expensive paper weights every day. Just like 16 month old Pavilion :mad:

Overheal · 02-12-2008 6:09pm

EIN wrote: »

how did you manage to get them to replace it.?
what did u say?

kaimera wrote: »

+1.

What brand and model number?

Simply, I just told them my temps were much higher than spec (should expect 40-50C on desktop not 70); that the laptop was becoming too hot to touch on the underside; I was experiencing artefacts; etc.

Throwing them some links to the articles from gizmodo helps a bunch too I'd say. You have better odds by letting them know that you know that your hardware is wonky, and that you want it repaired.

It was an HP Pavillion dv6500t. So no, my laptop is not covered under the extended warranty.

If thats the case BRi why has nobody filed a new class action suit against Hewlett Packard?

Bri~ · 03-12-2008 1:48pm

Overheal wrote: »

If thats the case BRi why has nobody filed a new class action suit against Hewlett Packard?

There is one being prepared at the moment...

http://www.hpnotebookclassaction.com/index.html

Links to this site have been posted many times on the HP forums, but HP are heavily censoring it's customers posts.

BostonB · 03-12-2008 3:07pm

9300/9400 chipset on Mac Books...

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/11/29/nvidia-heat-causing-macbooks

Do-more · 03-12-2008 4:17pm

Sorry for the NOOB question, but I recently purchased a refurb XPS M1710 with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX, 512 MB card.

I don't have access to the laptop at present , it was despatched directly to Sweden, but when I do will I be able to check the revision number of the card from the device manager?

Laptop has 18 months service tag outstanding but I would consider extending that by another 12 months if it's not the later model GPU.

03-12-2008 10:56pm

I'm guessing I'm screwed, according to Everest my laptop has a revision A1 8600M GS.

Overheal · 04-12-2008 1:27am

Do-more wrote: »

Sorry for the NOOB question, but I recently purchased a refurb XPS M1710 with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX, 512 MB card.

I don't have access to the laptop at present , it was despatched directly to Sweden, but when I do will I be able to check the revision number of the card from the device manager?

Laptop has 18 months service tag outstanding but I would consider extending that by another 12 months if it's not the later model GPU.

According to that HP forum a fair number of 7 series cards are taking the hit as well, which had me baffled.

BostonB · 04-12-2008 3:40am

Overheal wrote: »

According to that HP forum a fair number of 7 series cards are taking the hit as well, which had me baffled.

I haven't seen that anywhere else. I don't think its the same issue?

Defective Nvidia chipsets in your current laptop/pc? read here

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