Window Video dead?

[yrralrellim]

I have searched this forum (and others) and apparently my terminology is incorrect to find a cause and\or a solution. I am working on a hobby project ...... I have a Dell Latitude C640 - Windows 7 Ultimate - 40GB hdd - 2GB RAM. Everything was working fine for the past several days as I was installing security and utility software, getting all 139+ windows updates, etc. I can enter BIOS and can see all settings on all pages. BIOS shows the hard drive, DVD, (or second hard drive in bay if inserted). All settings appear as they should appear. When Windows boots there is no video except that I can see moving colored splotches across the uppermost portion of the screen. My external monitor does not recognize any input, even when using the dell notorius Fn & F8 keys. The graphics is integrated with the system board. Thanks ahead of time!

 

[JobCreator]

You can't replace the graphics processor on a laptop. Unless it was a discrete mobile GPU in which case you could probably replace it.

In your case, you're out of luck with that. You have to replace the motherboard.

Disassemble the laptop, retrieve an exact model number and revision from that motherboard and try to find it online somewhere.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Have you tried booting into safe mode? It's odd that you can see BIOS ok, but not the boot screen. If this fails, then I agree with JobCreator in that it's likely a faulty motherboard.

-Wolf sends

 

[yrralrellim]

I just left the laptop turned on and walked away from it. Came back now hours later and the laptop was sitting there at the logon screen. When I cycle Fn + F8 the laptop screen shows normally by itself, the monitor screen shows normally by itself, but when I have both selected, the laptop is normal and the monitor only shows the upper half of what the laptop shows. Now I am totally baffled! Any more possible clues or suggestions?

 

[JobCreator]

My suspicion points to an insufficient/faulty graphics processor. It could be that your graphics simply aren't capable of supporting the #monitors @ "X" resolution.

Same solution would apply here, though. No way to change just your graphics on a laptop. Gotta replace the MoBo.

Frankly, it's time for a new laptop. I can help you with that...

 

[yrralrellim]

Thanks but no - I have 8 or 9 or more laptops already. This was just a hobby project to try to get it to operate with Win7 Ultimate and 2GB RAM. Dell says will only support 1GB but that is incorrect with latest A10 BIOS. I have another C640 as well and may try to combine two of them into one laptop. Thanks again!

 

[JobCreator]

It works with 1GB of RAM?

 

[yrralrellim]

I have not gone back to try just 1GB. It was working fine for four days (30 hours or more running time and several re-boots) with 2GB as I did all the Windows updates and some software.

 

[JobCreator]

Are we certain we can rule out a driver issue?

 

[yrralrellim]

Are we certain we can rule out a driver issue?

I ruled out the driver. ATi Radeon Mobility 7500. I uninstalled, deleted, and then reinstalled the driver from the Dell support website. I tried other drivers and they would not install. Funny but Dell website says Windows 7 is not supported for the C640 yet the laptop has what looks to be a genuine "Windows 7" decal beside the "Intel Pentium inside" decal near the keyboard. That sort of indicates to me that it came from Dell with Windows 7 installed. I now seem to have a laptop that appears to be back to normal. After the post, I can see a colored dancing dotted line across the extreme top of the screen for a short time but the Windows logon screen comes up as it should. I have rebooted several times and everything appears to be normal. I have a new 60GB so my next task is to clone the old 40GB drive and then replace it. Thanks for all the suggestions.