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[Nmaro Makari]

Hey folks, it's that time of the month again. Time for my computer to have its own drama.

Although it's somewhat serious this time.

Ok, so first things first, chronology of events.

I'm running Civ 5, i.e. a high use program. All of a sudden, mid game the screen totally freezes, and the screen begins to turn white, small little vertical lines but more an more slowly emerging. Try ctrl alt delete, try a few other things, but to no avail. Total system crash. No choice but to shut down manually.

Upon restart, I get as far as the boot menu when it shuts down automatically.

Second re-start startup repair launched. It finds a problem, but informs me it's unable to fix it. Report sent to Microsoft.

At this point, I decide to attempt startup without startup repair. Successful. System appears to operate normally, inc. civ 5 and games, but, obviously something is very wrong.

Searching online for information, varying answers, but most point to a hardware fault with the video card specifically. I run a system clean and a defrag, mostly just to test the water.

Upon running "Driver Booster", which updates out of date drivers, system automatically shuts down, reason unknown, but restarts without drama.

At this point, I've backed up all files and prepared for the possibility I may not be able to salvage it.

This morning, upon startup, there were serious distortions on the display, closest example would be like the effect when you turned off an old-fashioned TV set. But through distortions I can make out a bluescreen. No choice but to shut down manually again.

Upon power up, serious problem. Things start normally, there's a brief buzz as per normal from the cd drive, but then, nothing. The display does not even activate the backlight, screen remains pitch black as if off. The actual sound the computer makes is abnormally quiet, all sounds normally associated with startup simply don't happen. The only visible sign on life is the power light.

Attempt to launch in safe mode, (hold down F8 before and during and after pressing power button) no effect. Same as above. All functions, inc. boot menu thus inaccessible.

But this point, I am now fairly sure the video card and/or some other hardware is shot and probably beyond repair, but I'm here for a second opinion.

Have at it, and thank you all in advance.

Machine Specifications:

Dell Inspiron 1720
Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2370 @1.73GHz
Installed Memory (RAM) 3.00GB
32-bit
Windows 7 (Service Pack 1) (Previously, Windows Vista)
Dell Wireless 1395 WLAN Mini-Card
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT Video Card

[Lyn Farel]

Sounds like the GFX card is dead.

Check the power supply too, it often causes random reboots when dying too, or when too low for the system.

But if you have try to change the GFX card by another one if possible.

[Nmaro Makari]

Sounds like the GFX card is dead.

Check the power supply too, it often causes random reboots when dying too, or when too low for the system.

But if you have try to change the GFX card by another one if possible.

Tried, once removing battery with just power supply, and once with no power supply and just battery. No effect.


Also, updated OP with machine specs

[Vincent Pryce]

Ten years ago called, said they want their hardware back.

Purely by looking at the age of the hardware it could be simply just giving up the ghost due to it's age all around. For a more specific solution in mind, I'm with Lyn, sounds like gfx card is dying. Only real solution is save up and buy a new one, this might or might not be an easy feat depending on your RL. However that piece of machinery is at the very end of it's lifespan all around and there's noway around that fact.

Also running Win7 with 3gigs of RAM with a Pentium chip and playing games... You must have the patience of Buddha to wait anything to happen on that laptop. My hat is off to you my good man.

[Norrin Ellis]

Operator error.  Replace user and try again.

I kid, of course.

I'm inclined to agree with Lyn that you have symptoms of video card and power supply failure.  Last time I had issues that required replacing both of those items, I used it as justification to replace just about everything except the hard drive.

If you do replace your power supply, be mindful that you don't want to base your choice strictly on total wattage.  Anything with motors (fans, HD, video card) run on +12V rails, and you generally need at least 25 amps at +12V, particularly for newer video cards.  Power supplies often list split rails for +12V, but as long as you have enough total amperage between them, it will work fine.

EDIT: I'm dumb.  I totally missed that this is a laptop (and an old one).  Listen to Vince.

[Nmaro Makari]

Ten years ago called, said they want their hardware back.

Purely by looking at the age of the hardware it could be simply just giving up the ghost due to it's age all around. For a more specific solution in mind, I'm with Lyn, sounds like gfx card is dying. Only real solution is save up and buy a new one, this might or might not be an easy feat depending on your RL. However that piece of machinery is at the very end of it's lifespan all around and there's noway around that fact.

Also running Win7 with 3gigs of RAM with a Pentium chip and playing games... You must have the patience of Buddha to wait anything to happen on that laptop. My hat is off to you my good man.

Hardware I have trouble with, but I'm a little good at rigging software It's pretty much held together by metaphorical duct tape and a love/hate relationship.

To be honest, yes, this has been a long time coming. I think I've had this machine since age 12. (21 now)

[Elmund Egivand]

So, you said that there is no display and there is also no sound from the laptop?

I would like to ask first about the heat. Before it went kaput, how hot does your laptop run?

Second, seeing that the computer has running lights but none of the usual startup sounds, I would assume it's not just the graphics card that was totalled, but possibly, the motherboard too. You will want to have both checked out. Or just replace the darn thing. Experience taught me that once the motherboard's also gone, the laptop will never stop giving you trouble even after you had it fixed.

[Nmaro Makari]

So, you said that there is no display and there is also no sound from the laptop?

I would like to ask first about the heat. Before it went kaput, how hot does your laptop run?

Second, seeing that the computer has running lights but none of the usual startup sounds, I would assume it's not just the graphics card that was totalled, but possibly, the motherboard too. You will want to have both checked out. Or just replace the darn thing. Experience taught me that once the motherboard's also gone, the laptop will never stop giving you trouble even after you had it fixed.

To clarify, on starting, the cd drive buzzes a little, as it always does, but then other sounds, general buzzing and whirring associated with startup just don't happen. The only sound is a quiet hum, as if it were doing absolutely nothing. This pretty much convinces me it's not a simple display error.

Heat wise, normally it runs at a medium temperature, spiking during task like gaming or hd streaming. It's never once overheated, and the only problem that was ever caused by it was killing the WLAN card temporarily and periodically a few months ago. Whether this  heat problem had anything to do with it, I cannot say. It is an old machine, so heat wear is definitely possible.

I'm leaning towards total replacement, replacement parts are expensive, and due to the the structure of the device, as with many laptops, it may not be possible to actually get to the parts, let alone replace them. Hell, I can't even access the cooling fan, it's just not built that way.

[Esna Pitoojee]

To be honest, yes, this has been a long time coming. I think I've had this machine since age 12. (21 now)

Damn, man. Put that poor thing out to pasture already.

Agreeing that it is most likely a gfx card issue, although I've seen cracked mobos yield similar errors (i.e., if the faults between circuits are opening and closing as the shell flexed). All in all, you're probably best off replacing the whole machine: Even if a gfx card swap fixes the problem now, at that age you're going to be replacing even more stuff in the near future.

[Lyn Farel]

So, you said that there is no display and there is also no sound from the laptop?

I would like to ask first about the heat. Before it went kaput, how hot does your laptop run?

Second, seeing that the computer has running lights but none of the usual startup sounds, I would assume it's not just the graphics card that was totalled, but possibly, the motherboard too. You will want to have both checked out. Or just replace the darn thing. Experience taught me that once the motherboard's also gone, the laptop will never stop giving you trouble even after you had it fixed.

It depends, if something is carbonized dead like the GFX, usually the motherboard will not start properly since the hardware is causing trouble. It's electronics, everything is interconnected. If something fails along the way, there is a huge probability for everything not to start up.

Damn, I didn't even noticed it was about a laptop. I hate those things, it's a real pain everytime to see where it's fucked up... :/

[BloodBird]

Ten years ago called, said they want their hardware back.

Purely by looking at the age of the hardware it could be simply just giving up the ghost due to it's age all around. For a more specific solution in mind, I'm with Lyn, sounds like gfx card is dying. Only real solution is save up and buy a new one, this might or might not be an easy feat depending on your RL. However that piece of machinery is at the very end of it's lifespan all around and there's noway around that fact.

Also running Win7 with 3gigs of RAM with a Pentium chip and playing games... You must have the patience of Buddha to wait anything to happen on that laptop. My hat is off to you my good man.

Hardware I have trouble with, but I'm a little good at rigging software It's pretty much held together by metaphorical duct tape and a love/hate relationship.

To be honest, yes, this has been a long time coming. I think I've had this machine since age 12. (21 now)

From what you have described and your admittance that your hardware is basically ancient by computer standards, I got to agree with the previous notions.

Your hardware is dying. Specifically, I'm pretty sure your graphics card is KIA at this point and possibly your motherboard too. Whatever is the case, I'm also sure that any partial fix you do on any of your old hardware - that is, getting a new graphics card and such - is going to be a very temporary fix until something else bites the dust next.

I would advice you to save up whatever you have to and get a new, COMPLETELY 100% new, rig. Salvage the hard drives ofc and keep your software safe but I'd go for a new machine asap. If you machine is 9+ year old I'm amazed it soldiered on as long as it did, my current machine replaced a 5 year old rig of mine that was showing all the signs of old age as well. Cost me about 20K NOK, but it was worth it, and I expect a good few years more of work out of this baby.

Ofc, your biggest problem right now may be to get the funds, and find something to do without a rig in the meantime.

Good luck with that :3