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Inspiron 9100 Major Display Problem

post #1 of 21
12/23/05 at 9:30pm
Thread Starter 
Everything has been fine so far.. i have had the 9100 for over a year and a half.... i recently took it to vienna (stupidly put it in main luggage) and when i turned it on once i was in vienna, it was fine until the windows login screen!

Once it reached the windows xp login screen (where u enter ur password), the screen was black..and changed colours every couple of seconds...slowly changing them though, it was a kind of trance. Anyway I restarted and put it in safe mode... it is normal in safe mode, except obviously uses nothing and nothing works in safe mode as usual!. I uninstalled the OMEGA drivers installed, and now it works ok in normal mode, yet i have no display drivers so i cant run any games, and the resolution is shitty, as soon as i reinstalled the OMEGA drivers, the problem repeated itself! Now ive had the omega drivers installed for a longtime with no problems, and i dont think its anything wrong with them.... i dont know what has happened but has anyone got any suggestions??

I cant seem to find my original drivers cd..so i cant try out the dell ones!!

please help!
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post #2 of 21
12/23/05 at 10:08pm
luggage WoW, just go to dells site and get your drivers.
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post #3 of 21
12/23/05 at 11:24pm
For the time being you'll have to resort or basic drivers provided by DELL or the other 3rd party drivers because something you have set up in conjunction with the catalyst drivers is causing this issue.
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post #4 of 21
12/24/05 at 8:36am
Thread Starter 
I use the Dell drivers and have the exact same problem, when i was travelling i didnt change the software at all, maybe the XRAY disrupted it??
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post #5 of 21
12/25/05 at 5:03am
The xray thing never occured to me but you know nothing is odd in this sort of field. The problem doesnt occur without drivers so basic windows mode is free of the issue so we nee dto elinimate the barriar of errors between a properly installed videocard driver and one that occue after lots of time and xrays.
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post #6 of 21
12/25/05 at 10:53am
Thread Starter 
Ok,

Ive now installed the original inspiron 9100 radeon 9700 drivers which came with the laptop

The updated drivers from the dell website

The OMEGA drivers from the driverheaven

The Catalyst drivers from Radeon

(Ive uninstalled them all properly aswell, before reinstalling the drivers)

NONE of them work, and they all still give me the same problem!

What can I do? My warranty is no longer, would it file under insurance (i have insurance for my laptop)??

Anything i can do for the meantime? I know when I phone DELL they probably wont be able to help me further, so does anyone here know what to do!?!?!

Cheers
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post #7 of 21
12/25/05 at 2:33pm
See if the issue crops up on Windows Safe Mode. To access safe mode bash the F8 key during boot up and see if the issue occurs there.
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post #8 of 21
12/25/05 at 3:35pm
Thread Starter 
There is no display problem in safe mode as i earlier noted. IT works ok, except for the fact that since it doesnt use hardware acceleration the resolution is crap, and the display speed is very slow.
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post #9 of 21
12/25/05 at 7:21pm
Thread Starter 
just an update.. i tried connecting the laptop to an external monitor and used the FN + F8 thingie...and no display stilll....

argghh this is soo annoying!!!

please help
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post #10 of 21
12/25/05 at 8:47pm
This is one reason why it is so important to image your drive with Ghost or Acronis. You could restore an image from a time when all was well. Then you could be almost certain if it's a software issue or not. But now, you'll probably have to do a clean install of XP to see.

BTW, use Driver Cleaner Pro to uninstall your old drivers if you haven't already done so. Then reinstall the stock ones. That might help.

Also, check all of the hardware that you possibly can to make sure all of the connections are sound.

Good luck!

http://www.drivercleaner.net/
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post #11 of 21
12/25/05 at 9:16pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by odious_m
This is one reason why it is so important to image your drive with Ghost or Acronis. You could restore an image from a time when all was well. Then you could be almost certain if it's a software issue or not. But now, you'll probably have to do a clean install of XP to see.

BTW, use Driver Cleaner Pro to uninstall your old drivers if you haven't already done so. Then reinstall the stock ones. That might help.

Also, check all of the hardware that you possibly can to make sure all of the connections are sound.

Good luck!

http://www.drivercleaner.net/
how can i check to see if connections are sound???

driver cleaner doesnt help unfortunately
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post #12 of 21
12/25/05 at 9:30pm
Remove and reinsert the RAM, NIC, etc. Take a look under the hood at the video card, motherboard, etc. Look for any disconnections or broken parts (do you hear anything rattling around if you shake it?)

Perhaps some hardware has just become loose or "unseated." Those luggage handlers can be very rough! Otherwise, reinstall XP and etc. to see if it could possibly be a software issue.
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post #13 of 21
12/26/05 at 9:36am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by odious_m
Remove and reinsert the RAM, NIC, etc. Take a look under the hood at the video card, motherboard, etc. Look for any disconnections or broken parts (do you hear anything rattling around if you shake it?)

Perhaps some hardware has just become loose or "unseated." Those luggage handlers can be very rough! Otherwise, reinstall XP and etc. to see if it could possibly be a software issue.
Is this easy to do?!?! and wont it void my warranty? then again i dont have any warranty left lol!

ARGGHHH whyyyyyy?!?!?!!
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post #14 of 21
12/26/05 at 1:53pm
Easy for some perhaps, but it would take a little bit of care and mechanical ability. It really sounds to me like a problem with the videocard, but I could be wrong about that.

DL your service manual PDF from Dell support and it will show you where everything is and how to disassemble it.

Well, if you don't do it yourself, then you'll either have to have a friend who is good with PCs have a look at it or you're going to have to pay to have it fixed.
It's very unfortunate, but what else can you do?
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post #15 of 21
12/26/05 at 1:57pm
Another idea..... you could make a Ghost or Acronis Image of your HDD in its current state. Then, use the Dell Restore to return your HDD to its factory state (software-wise, that is). That way you can be sure if it's a software issue or not.

If you don't want to image the drive first, then be sure and backup your important docs, settings, passwords, bookmarks, etc. before you do the restore.
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post #16 of 21
12/26/05 at 3:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by metaltian
Is this easy to do?!?! and wont it void my warranty? then again i dont have any warranty left lol!

ARGGHHH whyyyyyy?!?!?!!

You have warranty? Why are we even having disccussions about cracking open your poor notebook? Call Dell up right away and explain the situation so they can take of your problem (usually and hopefully with a replacement parts) First however I do feel a reinstallation of windows is in order once you give that a go and nothing turns out right that way either than its time to hit up Dell for a fixer upper.
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post #17 of 21
12/26/05 at 5:06pm
Thread Starter 
sorry.. i dont have warranty, i didnt really make myself clear...

im pretty sure it is a hardware problem as i cant relay the display through to the monitor when the graphic card is enabled.
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post #18 of 21
12/26/05 at 7:41pm
My mistake I didnt read the last part of your statement which clearly said you didnt have any warranty left. Because of the unique nature of the 9100/XPS its going to be difficult to aquire specific parts other than the videocard and basic parts. Right now your best bet is to cheaply get a 9700 from somewhere such as ebay or the F/S section here. Unless you know anyone else with a 9100/XPS who is willing to let you test out parts.
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post #19 of 21
12/27/05 at 9:04pm
Thread Starter 
Just an update...

I have formatted the harddrive...... and reinstalled windows.

Well?? SAME BLOODY PROBLEM!! this proves it is a hardware problem!, i was on the phone for 30min trying to convince the DELL technical support that it must be a hardware problem, but they kept insisting it was a software problem!..... arggh... i also slightly cracked my battery... but put it back in..at its running ok...

I was wondering... is anyone selling any ATI RADEON 9700 or 9800 mobility graphics cards? where can i get them (im from the UK).. i cant find any on ebay, dell website or the internet..... anyone online who wants to sell one? I will then try to install the gfx card, and if it still doesnt work, it must be a motherboard problem!!!

This is so frustrating!!!!!
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post #20 of 21
12/27/05 at 11:29pm
Im not sure how the UK works but see if Dell Tech support can transfer you to a Spare Parts division. Here in the US Dell Spare Parts will sell you any parts they have in stock relating to your dell hardware including your notebook videocard for a fair price. If the UK has no spare parts division then your SOL sorry.
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