Laptop ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 resets itself constantly

[Kallen]

I've tried everything from updating the driver, deleting driver and restarting system, changing output screens, using the ATI catalyst application to no avail.

The system works with zero issues at max resolution and suddenly randomly just starts randomly picking display settings and changing to whatever screen, again, at random.

Is this something to do with perhaps a bad HDMI port? or perhaps related to the LCD inverter which I'm also having issues with (Part is on order). doesn't seem likely though.

I'd really appreciate some help to get this system stable again. I've already replaced it as my main laptop, but I'd like to keep using it as it's still more powerful than the more portable Acer i picked up for $300 USD. The laptop in question is a Sony Vaio VGN-FW455D.

thanks in advance, happy holidays.

 

[imthebigchief]

Are you running a dual monitor setup? One of the monitors needs the inverter? If so, that could certainly be the issue. The monitor with a bad inverter does not send a signal to the graphics card, so it is trying to switch from dual displays to a single display.

 

[Kallen]

Yeah, I'm porting out to a Samsung LED LCD tv screen via HDMI. I had the same issue with a smaller different Samsung LCD flatscreen on my workdesk via HDMI. It works perfectly for a day then out of nowhere it just starts going crazy and changing to any and every random display setting/monitor configuration. I will know in a month or so if it is the LCD inverter as I have one on order from Hong Kong, but it's a $20 gamble in my opinion. It's also really my only possible answer, i can't think of anything else, i've tried pretty much everything else but buy a new laptop screen (tho this is a new to me screen from a scraptop of exact same model). New hdd, new os installs, driver reinstalls about 5-6 times. I'd give up but the system works so nicely when it does (esp for a 6-7 yr old computer I've used every day since buying it new. My brand new this month low-end Acer Aspire R3 series underperforms against it).

 

[ffg7]

does it still have that problem when just using the laptop screen itself?

 

[Kallen]

it has done the same with just the laptop screen, and the reason i got the inverter was in hopes to fix the flickering the screen does, which is also intermittent as it works perfectly calm at times, including BIOS startup.

 

[ffg7]

replace the inverter to see if that corrects the problem.

 

[Kallen]

I replaced the inverter with a brand new one. Same problem. I completely removed the LCD screen that was flickering like mad, only using the HDMI out and the system keeps trying to add a non-existent "Mobile PC Display" which turns on and off the screen as it tries to change over. As before, i set it to only use the HDMI display and it reverts back trying to make it an extended display to the "Mobile PC Display" which does not exist (The laptop has no screen installed of its own now).

 

[Kallen]

How do I tell the adapter to stop looking for another screen?

 

[ffg7]

go into display properties in control panel & have it detect your tv as might see 2 screens shown, laptop screen & tv.

 

[Kallen]

I physically removed the laptop screen. It has no screen physically attached, no inverter, only the HDMI screen that is my TV.

 

[ffg7]

did you try another hdmi cable? does your other monitors or tv have vga as can try laptop vga to monitor\tv vga?

 

[Kallen]

Not sure why I'd use VGA, i have a few HDMI cables, but this has been happening even without the TV being used as a monitor, and i was using a different screen with a different HDMI cable producing the same issue. All i really want is to stop it from trying to fix something that works well enough. I'm not sure if the screen i removed is bad (which would mean 2 separate issues) as it flickers like crazy when i have it plugged in (giving me emotional seizures). I totally removed it, yet the adapter is 'seeing' a Mobile PC Display that is not there when it automatically tries to adjust my settings for me.

 

[Kallen]

I wouldn't even bother but the laptop works nicely as a BluRay player and base media system. I really don't want to sledgehammer it.

 

[ffg7]

as it does the same thing both with laptop screen & external monitors even with laptop screen removed then must be an onboard videocard problem.