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Laptop problem - advice

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
hi

my laptop has an odd problem, I tried re installing windows thinking it may be a software related issue but it appears not. The machine just consistently goes into standby because it cannot cope with anything higher than the lowest screen resolution. It boots ubuntu and xp pro in safe mode but on a new install of xp pro - i put the resolution to 800x600 and the screen immediately turned off. The music i had on in the background still played tho- like the screen just couldn't cope with the high res.

Has anyone had this and resolved it or does anyone know the cause?

Any help much much appreciated- i dont really want to have to send it to dell because i need my laptop really!! Uni starts sooon.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Phone them up if your still under warrenty they might be able to send your the part for your computer and you could fit it yourself

    Sounds really odd, have your tryed XP Home?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    CoolMe wrote: »
    Phone them up if your still under warrenty they might be able to send your the part for your computer and you could fit it yourself

    Sounds really odd, have your tryed XP Home?

    I was on XP home previous and switched to Pro when i did a new install.

    I cannot understand why it boots in safe mode or it boots in ubuntu(linux). With no problems. I don't know enough about hardware to understand, unless its to do with the motherboard or something. Perhaps something has been damaged.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You got the right GFX Drivers?

    (Silly question but might be the answer)

    Because when in safe mode it disables the GFX
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    CoolMe wrote: »
    You got the right GFX Drivers?

    (Silly question but might be the answer)

    Because when in safe mode it disables the GFX

    No idea- I put all my drivers on disc from home and re-installed them on my new XP pro install (these drivers came with the laptop). The computer was acting the same in home and it had the correct graphics drivers in home- thus telling me it is unlikely to be drivers but a specific hardware problem maybe. Looks like a phone call to dell tomorrow.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They are open on Mondays too you know :D
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds like a driver problem to me. Try downloading the latest ones online and see if that helps.

    I can't really see it being a hardware prob cos you'd be more likely to not be able to get anything on the screen if it was a hardware failure.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Laptops normally come with recovery CD's or D2D recovery. Did you do it that way or by using a fresh WXP CD?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Monserrat wrote: »
    Laptops normally come with recovery CD's or D2D recovery.

    That's a point did you delete the Recovery section on your Dell Laptop? If not Use that to restore and everything should be okay
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Monserrat wrote: »
    Laptops normally come with recovery CD's or D2D recovery. Did you do it that way or by using a fresh WXP CD?

    I'm not sure where the recovery CD is. I just used a fresh WXP CD to install. Perhaps I should do some research and get a friend to download some drivers for me. I'll look into this.

    FAO CoolMe: it is bank holiday Monday so i doubt they will answey
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Woops :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you use the recovery CD (s), and/or D2D recovery, you'll most definitely get the correct drivers installed for the system :-)

    If you're TOTALLY stuck, then contact the laptop manufacturer on Tues and they may be able to provide you with a set of recovery CD's. Expect a charge though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    what about the refresh rate, maybe it's too high?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Monserrat wrote: »
    If you're TOTALLY stuck, then contact the laptop manufacturer on Tues and they may be able to provide you with a set of recovery CD's. Expect a charge though.

    If your under warrenty Dell won't charge you for the CD's

    They sent me 3 Sets once i was like :hyper:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That's cool about Dell providing free replacements. I do a lot of calls with Acer because my firm supply Acer laptops and they charge £50 for replacement CD's even if the customer is under warranty. Daylight robbery!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ouch, but with the Dell CD's they are specialy programed for their systems so you can't install their software on a non Dell PC:)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Same with Acer's but they're a bunch of robbing gits :-)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Acer....eww...i'm sorry, but i run a small business doing computer support, and most of the repair jobs i get are bloody Acers. :banghead: :banghead:

    Acer: BRILLIANT displays, CRAP computers!
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