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Windmill[_3_]

Jeff Liebermann writes:

On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 13:45:16 GMT, lid
(Windmill) wrote:

Jeff Liebermann writes:

[...........................] Those models are also
in the class of machines with the defective Nvidia chips.

In what way were they defective?

There was a class action suit involving Dell, HP-Compaq, and some
others. I attempted to get 5 laptops repaired under the settlement,
but was denied because I lacked the original receipt. I did manage to
get one repaired by Dell. They replaced the motherboard with another
defective motherboard trading one problem for another. When I called
Dell to get their repair fixed under their warranty, they announced
that they do not warranty their own warranty repairs. I gave up.

The original Nvidia settlement web site was removed immediately after
the settlement window had expired. These offer some detail:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/nvidia-reaches-settlement-in-class-action-suit-affecting-apple/
http://slickdeals.net/f/2445870-NVIDIA-LAWSUIT-www-nvidiasettlement-com-Includes-Notebooks-from-hp-compaq-dell-aaple
What I find disgusting is that even during the settlement window,
Nvidia was continuing to ship known defective video chips.

I have a cheap EMachine whose VGA
output failed (the HDMI seemed to still produce some output, but I
can't use that) and a cheap Gateway laptop whose output to its LCD
screen also failed (at about the time I had decided to use it with a
serial link to the EMachine to try to see what was going on.

Sorry, but I can't help you. You didn't bother supplying the model
number or either the machine or video card. I have had serious
difficulties in the distant past dealing with Emachine hardware and
refuse to fix them. The most common problem is a failing power
supply, which initially causes parts and pieces of the computer to act
oddly (hangs, crashes, feature failures, etc). Eventually, the power
supply just quits, making the culprit obvious.

I have 3 assorted Gateway laptops in the closet (for parts). All have
the same problem. They won't turn on. Gateway has been uncooperative
bordering on hostile, has refused to supply repair information, parts,
or repair information. I don't have the time or equipment to do
reballing, so they're destined for either a miraculous fix if I can
find the parts and time, or cannibalization.

Both have NVidia chips.

So do most of my working laptops.

Then I used the laptop with an external VGA monitor and a serial link
to the Emachine. When I made the serial connection, both machines
started to display correctly, and have worked for some months since!

Yes, that's common. There's no common failure mode for the Nvidia
chips. More correctly, there are multiple failure modes most of which
are itemized in the settlement web pages. Sometimes, and external
monitor works, sometimes not.

That's enough to make me wonder what is in those NVidia chips besides
VGA circuitry.

There's a HUGE amount of technology in the video chips. The idea is
to offload anything that has to do with video to the video chips,
leaving the CPU to run programs, not deal with video management. Just
read about the enhanced technologies used by game programs and you'll
have a clue.
http://www.nvidia.com/page/technologies.html
http://www.geforce.com/hardware (near bottom of page)

Thank you for the links; I'll take a look. After I complete my tax
return :-(

--
Windmill, Use t m i l l
J.R.R. Tolkien:- @ O n e t e l . c o m
All that is gold does not glister / Not all who wander are lost