Question Dell Latitude E5470 Video Issues

[Spec_tech]

Hey everyone. So i'm having a weird issue with my Dell Latitude E5470 Windows 10 laptops' video, but i have a theory or idea on what the issue is.

So randomly, after several months of using it, the video started going haywire with geometric distortions that make the screen mostly unreadable.
I did some troubleshooting and found that the issue only occurs when booted to an OS that has the official Intel Display Drivers actively running.
The video is fine in safe mode, normal mode when updated Display drivers aren't installed, and other bootable live OS's that don't use the Intel drivers.

I've already tried doing a fresh reinstall of Windows 10 to rule out any OS issues and the issue is still ongoing.
I've also gone through the Dell Onboard Preboot Diagnostics and ran the screen and CPU tests and they've both ran fine.
There are cracks in the screen bezel at the top left and right corners, so i thought it might be a screen issue, but the screen test ran fine like i said. And the screen works fine in other modes like i said above.

I also found the Windows Update will automatically install the Dell display driver as soon as it gets an internet connection, so i've had to keep the internet off while troubleshooting sometimes.

My only conclusion is that, since knowing that the graphics processing is done on the CPU, the GPU/CPU is malfunctioning and somehow causing this.
Now this is only a theory, but this is the only one i can come up with know the symptoms.

Now i'd rather not buy another CPU and rip open the laptop to replace it, but it's the only options I can see right now.

Is this theory sound? Or am i missing something?

https://imgur.com/a/u0RmMj0

View: https/imgur.com/a/u0RmMj0

 

[rgd1101]

test with a external monitor?

 

[Spec_tech]

test with a external monitor?

I don't know if that would give me any more helpful information. Whatever the issue is, it appears to be with the driver (maybe the version) or the GPU once the driver is installed to activate it. And if the onboard GPU is borked, i would think it means an entire CPU replacement

 

[Spec_tech]

test with a external monitor?

Actually, my bad. I spoke too soon. I didn't realize it would confirm if the screen was just the issue versus sending the image to the tv as well. If it shows up on the tv, it's the gpu. Sorry about that. I just ordered an hdmi cable because i didn't have a spare one and i'll test it out once it comes in.

 

[rgd1101]

2 more
check cpu temp
and run memory test

 

[Spec_tech]

2 more
check cpu temp
and run memory test

I have run a memory test since this post and it came back clean. At least the Preboot Onboard Diagnostics one did.
I haven't checked the CPU temp yet, so i'll do that here shortly. Can you tell me the recommended way to check CPU temperatures? Is there a utility in Dell's Preboot Diagnostics? I didn't see anything besides fan and cpu tests i think, and i'm not sure if that's the best test.

 

[rgd1101]

use core temp.
just check the temp when you see the distortions .

 

[Spec_tech]

use core temp.
just check the temp when you see the distortions .

Just thinking about it, if the only time the screen distorts is when the Intel display drivers get installed, wouldn't that kind of make cpu temps as a cause kind of moot?

 

[rgd1101]

probably, but can't tell since it is random
could try a older intel driver if there is one

 

[Spec_tech]

probably, but can't tell since it is random
could try a older intel driver if there is one

Well, it's not exactly random. I can uninstall the display drivers and it goes away.
But as soon as i install even the ones right from the Dell website, it goes wonky.

I also just tried some older drivers and other sources to see if those other version might work and they seem to do the same thing.

 

[Spec_tech]

use core temp.
just check the temp when you see the distortions .

So just monitoring CPU temp (doing this via Speccy, and there doesn't seem to be a "core" temp), before drivers are installed, the CPU tends to hang around the 40's C when idle, and high 40's to 60's C if it's doing minor work.

While I was installing the drivers, temps usually hung around in the 70's C, but went anywhere from the 60's to 80.

Now that the drivers are installed, the CPU temp looks to be behaving the same as above after as it was before