M5550 DVI port problem

I've got the 7600 Nvidia graphics card and have been using the DVI port for a dual monitor setup with my Laptop monitor.

Recently Red is gone from the DVI port to the external monitor. I use a DVI to VGA adapter to connect to the monitor. Initially it would randomly flicker off then back on. Now red is just gone from the DVI out.. The laptop monitor has never had this problem. It is only present on an external monitor. I have never been able to move the cable or adapters to recreate/fix the problem...

When it first started happening, if I clicked around on the external monitor or moved windows around, the red would come back.... Now red is gone for good...


What I've tried (not necessarily in this order):

Different monitor,

Different VGA cable,

DVI to VGA cable (eliminate the adapter from the equation)

Checking for broken/bent pins

Wiggling the physical interfaces to try and get the red to flicker on and off, unsuccessful.

Opened the case to reattach all internal connections related to the external video port.

Reinstalled all the drivers.

I'm getting ready to do a clean install of windows 7 so that is my last hope for a software/OS fix....

So I've got the part number of the DVI port

80GCP5300-B0


And I've found a place (overseas) that I can order it from on line.

What do you guys think the problem is? I'm thinking it's a hardware problem as it progressively got worse...

Any ideas or thoughts would be great.

Thanks a ton!

Yep,

That's kinda where I was headed also.... I'm hoping a fresh OS install will fix it but that doesn't really seem likely...

Any other ideas on where I may find that part. The part is about $100 to order online, and I've seen a couple M5550's on ebay for sale as spare parts. But they are anywhere from $200 to $400.....

Anyone know of a good parts vendor that might be able to get this part?

Update:

Well,
that wasn't the problem so now I'm faced with buying a new video card or a mother board, if I can find one.... Or a new/used laptop.... I have to have a Vid out port as I do a lot of presentations.

I'd like to upgrade the video card as I have the 7600.

Any thoughts on what the MXM option would be?

I've been looking at one of the 8600 cards...

http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8600M.html


Do you all think this is the problem... I'm a little sceptical as the problem is only on my external monitor not the Laptop monitor...

Is there a better video card that is compatible with the M5550?

Thanks again for any input.

Need to look up how to resolder a mboard.....

I've done some wire to wire soldering but never on a mboard....

Can you direct me to a thread here that describes baking?

Thanks!!!

Mboard works perfectly other than the DVI port....

That is the ONLY problem. I Love this laptop but it is almost worthless without the DVI out....


Any ideas on where to get a new Mboard? Last time I called Alienware they wouldn't send me the part but I had to send it to them and they would fix it and send me a bill...

Which i'm sure would be pricey.....

grrrrrrr.

WOW!

I'm not quite sure I'm brave enought for that. I found a refurbished one on ebay for $500.. He says it was just refurbushed by AW... So we'll see.

I'll let you guys know.

Thanks

LOL

Yeah I can't afford to be without a laptop. So I spent a little cash to have a backup or spare parts if needed...

And baking my primary machine was just a little to risky for my first attempt...



Thanks again.

Well it appears that my Video card was the problem... And guess what???

The laptop I bought from Ebay had a bad vid card as well....

yippeee!!!!

I put my vid card in the new laptop and had the exact same problem. The vid card that came with the ebay lap top actualy crashes windows and has some bad pixels repeated across the screen.. How cool is that....

So now I do think I will bake one of them to see if it works.

I may just buy an 8600 but I need to see what the difference is on Bios ver 2.06 vs 2.07...

Searching now.....

grrrr