Solved! Dell XPS L502X Graphics dying on gaming Issue

[abradus1]

Greetings
I would like to ask for assistance regarding my laptop. It is a dell XPS L502X with:
Intel core I5 2410 2.30 GHz
8 GB of RAM ( that was upgraded from the original 4 GB )
500 GB of Hard Disk
NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M
During gaming the computer crashes, giving a stuttering sound and a message of " NVIDIA drivers stopped working and has recovered " Furthermore, I can't shut down the application forcefully (like through task manager) and have to force restart (as it will not shut down either). This issue has been plaguing me for a very long time, with dell service being unable to find the reason. They have tried replacing the hard disk, replace the cooling unit, the power adapter and etc. with nothing working. Thermal paste was changed with new thermal pads applied as well. The computer was formatted multiple times over the years. The only solution to my issue was down clocking the GPU. Which worked... for a while. As originally this GPU was running at 600 Core clock MHz by 900 Memory clock MHz and dropping it down helped. But now I am on the lowest settings possible 300 by 450 and the problem still continues to urge.
While I know this is not a new laptop and is probably at the end of his life. But if there is something that could bring in some life in this machine I would be grateful for the help.

 

[hang-the-9]

Only thing possibly that may fix it would be to replace the video card. It may be in an MXM slot and thus removable. Check eBay for a replacement..

 

[abradus1]

Well this does not have a MXM slot and in order to replace the GPU you would have to replace the whole motherboard. Which has been done in the past. Over the years many parts were replaced: RAM, CD reader ( twice ), entire cooling system ( twice ), hard disk ( thrice ), mother board, Screen and hinges and etc. Hmm but I wander could this issue be similar to thermal throttling, perhaps the cooling pads that were placed in were bad or the thermal paste used was bad... I dont know sadly.

 

[hang-the-9]

With that many replacements I would have just gotten another system, at some point maintaining will cost more than a new laptop or close enough that cost difference does not matter. Usually I stop at motherboard replacements unless system is about 3 years old or less and I can do the work myself.