Get horizontal lines on laptop screen and laptop freezes

[sandeepj]

I have a Dell Inspirion 6400 laptop. On starting the laptop, it runs problem-free for some time and then suddenly horizontal lines cover the entire screen (sometimes with sound too!) and the laptop freezes. The laptop has to be switched off. When switched on again the NUM LOCK turns ON, but CAPS LOCK and SCROLL LOCK keep blinking. I've read that reseating the memory helps in this case. I tried and it works. For some more time the laptop works problem-free and then it again freezes with horizontal lines on screen. I have to keep reseating the memory every time. Is there any other solution to this problem?

 

[Hawkeye22]

You can try removing some of the ram and see if it works with less memory. You can also try new memory. If neither works, the motherboard may be having issues.

http/en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19360902.aspx

 

[p4nz3rm4d]

This is quite a common GPU issue. Reinstall the graphics drivers

 

[Hawkeye22]

I have a Dell Inspirion 6400 laptop. On starting the laptop, it runs problem-free for some time and then suddenly horizontal lines cover the entire screen (sometimes with sound too!) and the laptop freezes. The laptop has to be switched off. When switched on again the NUM LOCK turns ON, but CAPS LOCK and SCROLL LOCK keep blinking. I've read that reseating the memory helps in this case. I tried and it works. For some more time the laptop works problem-free and then it again freezes with horizontal lines on screen. I have to keep reseating the memory every time. Is there any other solution to this problem?

This is quite a common GPU issue. Reinstall the graphics drivers

The bios blinks these lights when there is a ram problem.

 

[sandeepj]

You can try removing some of the ram and see if it works with less memory. You can also try new memory. If neither works, the motherboard may be having issues.

http/en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19360902.aspx

Thanks for the suggestion!
I will try it and keep you posted on the result in a few days.

 

[sandeepj]

You can try removing some of the ram and see if it works with less memory. You can also try new memory. If neither works, the motherboard may be having issues.

http/en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19360902.aspx

Thanks for the suggestion!
I will try it and keep you posted on the result in a few days.

I have tried this (working with reduced RAM) for about a week now and this seems to solve the problem. Thanks! I now need to isolate the cause of it, whether its the other RAM module or the slot which I have not used during this week. Will keep you updated with the result in a few more days. Thanks again!

 

[Hawkeye22]

If these are mixed memory modules, you may want to try running memory with the same specs as what you are currently running. Some motherboards are fussy about running ram that is rated at different speeds.

 

[sandeepj]

If these are mixed memory modules, you may want to try running memory with the same specs as what you are currently running. Some motherboards are fussy about running ram that is rated at different speeds.

I don't think these are mixed memory modules. Actually, I found out that both of the memory modules (512MB each) are working properly when plugged in one slot (one by one) and its the other slot that seems to be the cause of this problem. However, I am not sure if I can buy and plug in RAM with higher capacity, say 1GB, in the working slot and that would work?