Nvidia 7900GS Faulty Card

Celtic Mech

I hope someone in here may be able to have advice on this. My old Laptop is approx 2and a half years old. A quick search of google for DELL Inspiron 9400 and Nvidia 7900GS problems will throw up a heap of info on the problem i am experiencing with it.
Basically i bought a refurbished card from the States. Didnt fix the problem...seems it was slightly worse! I can run a linux based system on it but the computer freezes up after 5 of so mins! I re-installed Windows initially when the problem came in my troubleshooting methods. This didnt fix problem and hence i know it is a Hardware problem.
Basically looking for help and advice. I went and bought a Sony Vaio VGN-FW560F/T from the states when i was over there. I now have the Inspiron 9400 Sitting about. Would you guys recommend:
1) Try and get the Graphics card repaired (it is removable from the motherboard) and if so, would anyone have details of someone/a company that can repair them?
2) Sell the Inspiron in pieces for spares to others... i.e. the LCD, Keyboard, Hard Drive and i also put 4GB of RAM into it and have the original RAM Kept - Mods i am not looking for any offers in here, instead looking for advice. If i go down this route, i will proceed to Adverts.ie and place an Ad.

I paid over a grand for this so it is a waste to just throw it away!
Hoping some of you guys in here may be able to give some advice and possibly someone may have been in the same sinking ship as i was!!!
Thanks for taking the time out to read this.

majiktripp

Option 1) Bake the 7900GS in the oven

Option 2) Sell it for spares on Adverts or eBay (I think this option might be the most viable!)

Still, might be worth trying the oven trick, nothing to lose really if the card is still dodgy afterwards, no real harm done.

Celtic Mech

majiktripp.... cheers for the reply. Much appreciated. I think i may try your suggestion on the baking...nothing ventured, nothing gained. If it doesnt work then im not in a much worse position than i am. WIll let you know if i have any positive result!

FGR

I baked my own 7900 GS after it went on my Inspiron 9400.

Just make sure to remove the heatsink before putting it in the oven. 200 C for 12 minutes did the job for me.

FGR

Any luck OP?

Ohh may I just add that it's best advised to download the latest BIOS from Dell's support page.

I've noticed that since installing it my fans are running far more often - anything to keep the card from dying a second death.

zenno

if you are going to bake it make sure you have some thermal compound handy. don't even try to use it without some. good luck.

Celtic Mech

ForegoneReality...It Didnt do anything for the 7900 card. Unfortunately it even made it worse. I even went to the trouble when it was dismantled to apply Artic Silver compound to the processor heatsinks. I have an ad up on Adverts.ie now and going down the route of selling for parts. Ah well...ya cant win everything! Was well worth a shot as it has been proven to help in some situations. I did install the Latest BIOS revision from DELL when the problem initially happened but it was too late at that stage.
On the plus side tho...I invested in a Sony Vaio VGN-FW560F/T and am delighted with it!

majiktripp

Thanks for the follow up, was curious to see how it would work out in the end.

FGR

Sad to hear OP. I'm glad you've gotten a new machine however. There's always something nice about a new laptop.

patrickk

Hi someone might make use of this video shows how to take apart to change mother board on dell 9400 on youtube I found :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl2GKcg15Jg

and some parts

http://shop.ebay.ie/patllfixit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

Cheers.

kochu.1980

U may upgrade ur BIOS first. If no joy the replace the graphics card with a new one(i mean a new, not a refurb or a second had as they will be always faulty)..