Video Card Overheating - Let's Replace the CPU!!

So, I reported to Dell that my Go7800 Rev1 card has had overheating issues about 4 months ago. They declined to do anything about it. Now the heating has gotten worse and I get blank/black screen freezes, BSOD's, and random reboots while gaming or watching MCE recordings for a few hours straight.

After these problems got seriously worse I decided to call Dell and demand a replace video card to stop the effects it is having on the rest of the system. I go through all the hoops they asked of me, grudgingly though, and when running the diagnostics right after a crash I got a message saying something to the effect of "Alert! CPU0 has failed Built-in Selt Test (BIST)" during the Pre-Boot Assessment. Well it was not much of a surprise that the excessive heat from the video card was raising the temps of the CPU to unsafe levels. So after it was evident that the video card heat is now affecting other systems I reported it to Dell and demanded a replacement video card.

Their answer was that they are sending a technician out with a new CPU, Motherboard, and Fan Assembly. Since I only got a warning message pertaining to the CPU they are going to replace the CPU - and the Motherboard and Fan Assembly as a "just in case".

This is all fine and dandy with me that they are replacing parts possibly damaged by the overheating... but they continue to refuse to replace the part causing the problem. They said since the Dell Diagnostics doesn't produce an error they can't replace it. Well I'm sorry but even a faulty card can pass the blinking colored text and solid color bars that those diagnostics call a test. Those tests only show the card is sending signal, and is not rigorous enough to stress the cards to the appropriate level to produce error codes.

So... I'm about to start going through the Dell multiple replacement game as I know this technician will not fix my problem. I'm quite disappointed in this. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to let them do it their way long enough. And after enough attempts I guess I'll just have to bite back.

Anyone possibly have a Dell Diagnostic Error Code for a bad video card? It would definately help me resolve this faster if I can just give them a code to shut them up and send the right part in the first place. *sigh*

Need to wait until I've had a couple replacements done first. I'd rather have a good solid history on these issues before I jump down someones neck. Trying to be patient. But it seems the higher up the "Tech Rep" ladder I go the less English they speak.

Post the link to the Outstanding Issues Form in here for me so I can reference it later please. Thanks.

I already see alot of hours being spent talking to Dell coming up this month. =/

Well I posted what happened yesterday in the other thread and yet I still havent' heard from the Technician today. *sigh*

Finally heard from the Technician... this one can't come out until Tuesday. I won't be back on Tuesday. I'm never going to get my stuff fixed. =/

I think Travis, my new case manager, is coming thru for me. After the technician told me he couldn't come out he called back later and said he would be over in an hour. He came, and went.

Word to the wise... don't talk to your tech, you won't like what you hear. Especially when I heard "I'm not even supposed to be working on Dell laptops, I only do printers and peripherals". That's not good... especially since he forgot the to reconnect about 5 things when reassembling.

And another thing, anyone else have a motherboard replaced and then when you boot it back up off of the battery it discharges your battery yet it's still running off the battery for over 10 minutes without an alarm while the screen says Battery 0%?!?! That one not only confused the Tech, but got me too.

Oh well... time to see if I can repeat my issues before I hit the road tomorrow. Damn thing is already warm just from being on looking at webpages for the past 15 minutes - not fun. =/

Alright, I just heard from Steven which is on the same team as Travis and is the night shift Outbound Tech in the Utah Call Center (OMG... they still have real US support).

After reviewing and finding that the Tech did not have a CPU on hand during service, that I did have a CPU error, and that the issues with the Go7800 Rev1 have been documented before I am receiving a new (not refurbished) T2500 CPU (same as I have now) and a new (not refurbished) Go7900GS Video Card.

I feel better. I really didn't want to have to go thru the system swapping, I just wanted a non-overheating video card that wouldn't cause me all this grief.

Well Evil, this guy worked for BanTech here in Florida. And the same company got the dispatch order again... so it's a coin flip. But if he starts going at my machine is a powered drilll again and trying to force pieces apart without removing all the screws first (yes I stopped him twice for that) I will step in and ask him to stop and I'll show him to disassemble procedure. Not to be a dick saying "I know your job, let me show you" but to protect my own equipment.

Here is my new dispatch Parts List:

Parts information pertaining to this Service Call
Part NumberDescription Quantity
HK430 SERVICE KIT, PROCESSOR, YONAH, 2.00, T2500, C01
DG008 CARD (CIRCUIT), GRAPHICS, 256MB, I9400, G71 1

Again I won't see these parts until next week, but oh well.

And Evil... the Field Tech experience still was not as bad as my initial experience with the Dell Tech Reps. They were horribly script-driven Zombies that I still swear have lil comprehension of the English language.

I prefer dealing with Malaysian Tech Reps the most, because not only do they speak English as good as Americans, but they're usually Technically Educated compared to the "this is just a job" people that are typically hired in the US.

We'll see how it goes, and I'll update in here.

Btw... when did you become a Moderator Evil? LOL

Wow... and so the hourglass is flipped again. Dell has serious server/phone system issues going on.

Service Call Status has worked for a couple days now. And here's something weird you can all try out to see for yourself.

Call 800.624.9896 - this puts you into the Notebook Support system.
Then dial Extension 7254338 - this is the number for the Utah (yes, US only) Inspiron Support Queue.
But today you'll hear "Welcome to Sprint, now together with Nextel".

Weird problem when the Dell extensions are dialing out to other companies, wouldn't you say?

And I missed a call from Dell today and they didn't even leave a message. Then when I got thru on the old Texas Inspiron Support Queue extension, I was put on hold for 10 minutes and then told that "new replacements" were unavailable and all they had currently in stock were refurbished parts.

Apparently the notes on my order that I can't see have me listed for "new parts only", which is fine... but I would've liked to be told before 4 days had passed.

Then at the end of that call the rep said that their supervisor wanted to talk to me. Weird, don't ask and you shall receive?!?! And I decided to vent some frustration on this guy. He claimed to put an expedite on my Service Call and then dodged everything else and ran from the phone.

Oh well... they tried to say I will have my parts in 2 days, we'll see about all that.

Thanks, I'll continue to update as it progresses.