Dell replacement replacement... LCD woes

R

robmill3r

New Member
My Inspiron 8600 had a hard drive failure. Dell sent me a new machine- a 6400, not bad: bigger drive, faster processor, and a few other nicer gadgets that I didn't have on the first machine.
Problem:
When I move my cursor around it leaves little squared- edge "holes" in whatever graphic is on the screen. It can leave this "pixel trash" either directly on the desktop or on an open window. If it's on a window, I can grab the handle on the window and move it around with the window: it stays in the exact same location on the window without respect to it's location on the monitor. If I move the cursor back over the messy spot it will hardly ever refresh the area, instead leaving it alone and occasionally making it bigger. It does seem to happen more frequently when on battery power.:confused:
Dells' solution:
they had me run my diagnostics (already had and it showed no problem with motherboard, memory, LCD, video card, nada). Then had me reformat, didn't solve the problem. Then sent out a tech with a new LCD, again didn't solve the problem. Finally agreed to send me a new machine.

I just received my replacement replacement machine and it has the exact same problem. Any ideas?
 
It sounds like a defect in the lcd screens they are using on their models. Lately they have been busy recalling some 4.1 million of the Lithium batteries used in their laptops due to fire hazards when the batteries overheat suddenly. Apparently they have been getting crap in from their regular suppliers lately to hear this amount of troubles on their products! :confused: :mad: !!!
 
yeah. My hard drive failed after the battery overheated so badly that it left a burn on my leg and melted the rubber foot off the battery. Dell did send me a replacment foot;) . These guys are so rediculous.

I'd agree that it was the LCD except the trash is moving around when I drag the window around on my screen.
 
If it isn't crappy batteries it's crappy video drivers or something on that idea. Who installed Windows on it? Dell obviously. The video software and drivers are low end apparently. There's a good chance that something didn't install fully and correctly there to be seeing this. The last item to consider is the onboard video chip as a source for this.

There are only three main things that see something appear on the display. Everything needs drivers that work for one. Problems with the lcd screen are a little rare but can't be ruled out these days. And the third is the onboard chip is not working quite the way it should. Try a separate card?
 
When I reformatted and reloaded it should have solved a driver problem. It has to be hardware. The LCD was replaced, and everything else tested out okay in diagnostics (not to say that Dell's diagnostics would be any better than their product- oh yeah- the lcd tested okay too).
 
That's why I mentioned that a problem seen on an lcd would be rare for this type of problem. You would know right away on something like that. But the problem seen there is related more to what is sent to the screen. It could be a simple driver problem being seen from either corrupted or one or missing as a thought or a conflict with some other software. A damaged or missing system file or crosslink there could show this as a software not hardware fault.
 
You could try reinstalling the drivers to see if that corrects this. Another idea would be to see if there is an update at the support newer then the current version of drivers installed. To rule out other programs clashing you can use the msconfig utilty to disable all but video to see if that sees a change that way. Something seems to be interfering with the display signal.
 
The times I've seen faults with lcds if they simply didn't just quite was more like square blocks on the screen that were etched in. Something there sounds like it could be interfering with the normal signal or sending out another one that is causing this. Let's try the software side of this first.
 
I reinstalled the drivers (again) and did a complete system check (again). The msconfig option is just scary to me- can't I mess stuff up?

i jsut got off the phone with Dell. They wanted me to do a credit return and purchase a new system from them. I gave up. This has eaten up way too much of my life, and Dell is just DIFFICULT and IRRITATING to work with!!!!

The problem I described happens most often, though not always, when I’m operating on battery power. It only happens when I have activated trails on my pointer (control panel/mouse/pointer options/visibility/display pointer trails). I have unchecked trails and the system is operating normally. I still believe there is a problem with my system. It should have the memory to handle something as simple as trails. I expect to see more problems with this machine later, but for now its working and I can't bear to spend any more time on the phone with Dell No-Support!
 
That would be their sales policy kicking in there trying to get another unit sold. How long have you had the laptop? If it was just purchased and not over a certain amount of time you could get a refund along with looking at other brands.

A friend got smart after awhile when he found Dell wasn't so great afterall. He would boost how wonderful their support was? :rolleyes: ?! Once he started reviewing things on custom building he couldn't get rid of it fast enough! :P Gee? I simply started building my own after going through enough used systems to get familiar with OSs as well as different hardwares.
 
yeah. I think i'm stuck here:( . The original 8600 was purchased over 18 months ago. i have a 3 year warranty, but i'm with you- i'll either build next time or buy a mac. i do about as much graphics apps as number crunching, and this new system mac is hocking looks pretty good to me, but...$$$!

thanks for your help and support. if anything else comes to mind, let me know.:)
 
At some places you can custom order laptops with the things you want in them for the expected prices there of course. If you are mainly using at home and don't generally carry a portable you can build a half way decent system these days with more in it. You simply have to price shop for deals on different hardwares and even cpu/board bundles. ;)

Laptops are generally limited on how far you can go with upgrades. But the convience of having one is seen when going place to place. With usb hard drives common system to system data transfer is simplified there. Essentially what Dell support offered you was a discount on a new system for trading that one in. :rolleyes: Custom building on the other hand gives you some "practical" experience in solving your own problems! :eek: :D
 
At the time of purchase, Dell was easy and convenient, and hadn't quite soiled their reputation yet. We thought we were making a good purchase with a good company:rolleyes:.

For my partiular application, I take the machine with me from my home office to my work to the field for client presentations. In my line of work, I'm in neighborhoods a lot, so I fish for unsecured wireless connections through which I can log on and send & recieve emails. We will eventually be locating most of our client data on our office server, so remote access will be even more important.

A laptop is definately necessary. As soon as my current deal is up with Dell, I'll probably be handing this machine off to a crew foreman and getting another machine- AND IT DEFINATELY WON'T BE A DELL!!!!
 
robmill3r said:
At the time of purchase, Dell was easy and convenient, and hadn't quite soiled their reputation yet. We thought we were making a good purchase with a good company:rolleyes:.

For my partiular application, I take the machine with me from my home office to my work to the field for client presentations. In my line of work, I'm in neighborhoods a lot, so I fish for unsecured wireless connections through which I can log on and send & recieve emails. We will eventually be locating most of our client data on our office server, so remote access will be even more important.

A laptop is definately necessary. As soon as my current deal is up with Dell, I'll probably be handing this machine off to a crew foreman and getting another machine- AND IT DEFINATELY WON'T BE A DELL!!!!
Click to expand...

I work in a Dell shop and do about 90% of the repair of all our equipment. I understand your woes. If I were you (and I'm not and I only know what you told me combined with my experiences) I would look at the Panasonic Tough books. Granted their support can be very "Dell" like at times but the product is so much better that you will most likely not need them as much as you do with Dell.
 
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wOw!!! :D Those look sweeeet! Iv'e got another year & 1/2. I'll just continue to backup and pray, but I really like the looks of that-'specially for my field support guys!
 
How about the Sony or Toshiba laptops out? Anyone have an opinion there? Of couse some vendors like mwave or the far more "expensive" Alienware custom build laptops according to your needs. HP has always had good products. How many want a MAC book? :confused: Noooo onnee want a DDDeee... :eek: !!!
 
I like the mac's, and I will probably end up with one, but imagine what kind of hell a Landscpae Foreman (that's the biz I'm in) would put a poor laptop through:eek: Seeing that video of Toughbooks being dropped, splashed with water, I mean, woah!
 
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