Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 (edited) My dell XPS M1710 died during CS:S last night Upon reboot, the load screens have green has marks across them. What follows is a my chat log. I'm only half way done. more or less. 12:39:43 PM System System You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat 12:39:43 PM System System Connected with LIBX_Mary_191567 12:39:58 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Thank you for contacting/using DELL XPS premium Chat support! My name is Mary, How may I help you today? 12:40:24 PM Customer Charles Moreau My XPS M1710 hung last night while playing a game. 12:40:39 PM Customer Charles Moreau then upon reboot it had distorted video and won't boot into windows 12:40:53 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 I’ll be happy to assist you with that. Can I start with your name, Service Tag, system type, email address, and current contact phone number. 12:41:34 PM Customer Charles Moreau BITE ME HA><ORZ!!!1!1!!!!!!!ZOMG!!!!!11! 12:42:04 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Thank you for those in formations. 12:42:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 One moment please,I will pull up your record.Thank you. 12:43:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 May I call you with your first name? 12:43:38 PM Customer Charles Moreau yes 12:44:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Pleased to meet you Charles,just to inform you the warranty of your system is still active. 12:44:36 PM Customer Charles Moreau thank you 12:44:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Are we chatting on the system with the issue? 12:44:46 PM Customer Charles Moreau no 12:45:16 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Did you try anything already yourself? 12:46:29 PM Customer Charles Moreau well, I cleaned the heat exchangers where they are visible through the chasis grills (by the fans on the left and right side). 12:46:49 PM Customer Charles Moreau I suspected heat, because that was cited as a reason the last service call was necessary 12:46:57 PM Customer Charles Moreau but upon reboot 12:47:20 PM Customer Charles Moreau the screen showed green hash marks superimposed upon the boot screen 12:47:33 PM Customer Charles Moreau then the system never seems to make it to windows. 12:47:39 PM Customer Charles Moreau just a black screen 12:48:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok,Charles can you give me at least 3 minutes to further study your case.Thank you. 12:48:39 PM Customer Charles Moreau sure 12:51:29 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Charles to verify your portable don't boot in normal mode.Correct? 12:51:37 PM Customer Charles Moreau correct 12:51:58 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Have you tried to boot in safe mode? 12:52:02 PM Customer Charles Moreau no 12:52:30 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok lets try it and see what will happen. 12:52:35 PM Customer Charles Moreau ok 12:52:59 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 To access safe mode, restart your computer and at the Dell screen slowly start tapping F8 to access the Windows advanced startup options. Next, highlight safe mode and press Enter, then select the appropriate operating system and press Enter again. 12:54:28 PM Customer Charles Moreau Safe mode is loading. I appear to be at the desktop 12:55:19 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Is there an option? 12:55:56 PM Customer Charles Moreau ? 12:56:03 PM Customer Charles Moreau windows loaded safe mode 12:56:33 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 click yes 12:56:47 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 12:56:53 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 After the Desktop appears with the words Safe Mode in all four corners, click Start, click Settings, click Control Panel, and click Add/Remove Programs. 12:57:34 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 12:57:48 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Remove the program 12:57:53 PM Customer Charles Moreau which? 12:58:09 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Are we chatting on the system with the issue? 12:58:17 PM Customer Charles Moreau no 12:58:32 PM Customer Charles Moreau it is sitting next to me 12:58:39 PM Customer Charles Moreau which program am I to remove 12:58:41 PM Customer Charles Moreau ? 12:59:19 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 What software have you installed recently? 1:00:00 PM Customer Charles Moreau Nothing recently 1:00:24 PM Customer Charles Moreau and I was able to play the same game for all weekend before the sudden crash 1:00:29 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok. 1:01:24 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Anyway what game are you playing when this problem occurred? 1:01:34 PM Customer Charles Moreau Counter Strike: Source 1:01:48 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 What kind of anti-virus your currently using? 1:02:17 PM Customer Charles Moreau Ire currently using Symantec 1:03:09 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Does McAfee still in your system? 1:03:14 PM Customer Charles Moreau no 1:03:35 PM Customer Charles Moreau My employer uses Symantec, and provides updates 1:03:54 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok let me work on it. 1:04:59 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 lets continue to boot in safe mode.Can you restart the computer for me.Thanks. 1:05:22 PM Customer Charles Moreau I'm already in safe mode. Do I need to restart? we haven't done anything yet 1:06:29 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Yes we need to restart the system to verify if it starts up properly in safemode. 1:06:58 PM Customer Charles Moreau k. gimme a sec. 1:07:39 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Take your time. Edited October 27, 2008 by Shropshire Slasher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 You can probably see where I start to scratch my head at some of the responses and requests I'm getting. As it get's more comical (odd requests, poor grammar), I start reciprocate. For lulz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 1:10:48 PM Customer Charles Moreau k safe mode has (re) loaded 1:11:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Ok tell me what will happen next 1:12:10 PM Customer Charles Moreau well, I get a desktop, with safe mode written in all three corners. 1:12:23 PM Customer Charles Moreau The bios boot screen still exhibits distortion 1:12:58 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 you video distortion still occurs/ 1:13:13 PM Customer Charles Moreau during bios and windows boot screens, yes 1:13:24 PM Customer Charles Moreau In Safe mode, distortion seems to be gone 1:13:32 PM Customer Charles Moreau Still cannot boot into windows normal mode 1:14:48 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok let me clarify you cant boot in normal mode and your video screen is distorted.Correct?In safe mode its the same both problem still occurs? 1:15:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Is there any error message? 1:15:32 PM Customer Charles Moreau If I boot in normal mode, the BIOS screen and windows boot screens are distorted, but I never get into windows. Just a black screen where login should be. 1:15:55 PM Customer Charles Moreau If I boot into safe mode, I get the BIOS and windows boot screen corruption, but I can log into windows 1:16:03 PM Customer Charles Moreau No error messages are ever displayed 1:16:33 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok let me check on something.One moment please.Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters October 27, 2008 Share stutters GC Alumni October 27, 2008 btw, dr. moreau? like, uh, as in "the island of dr. moreau?" [utube]H4Fk8WU17Dw[/utube] er, wait, meant this one [utube]zLVIXyUPVl4[/utube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magruter October 27, 2008 Share Magruter Member October 27, 2008 WOW, sounds painful. I'd just call next time, speaker phone is much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 My guess at this point is that I've got a crappy nvidia chip (7900 GTX). After all, the problem is happening in the bios boot screen. This indicates that it is coming off the card at the hardware level. We'll see what we get down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 oh, and another thing... stay by the keyboard. I've noticed that they will leave you hanging for 5+ min. But if you don't respond in 30 sec, they start pestering you, with a finger on the dump button Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magruter October 27, 2008 Share Magruter Member October 27, 2008 I pester them after 30 seconds too. They do like to take short coffee breaks, it's a method that deters people from calling in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 1:18:23 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok lets try to run diagnostics.woul 1:18:53 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 heres what we are going to do. 1:19:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Hi,are you still there? 1:19:50 PM Customer Charles Moreau yes 1:20:33 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Kindly turn of the system.Thank you. 1:20:48 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Push and hold the power button for 10 seconds to confirm the system is completely powered off. 1:21:18 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 tell me if your done. 1:21:27 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 1:21:30 PM Customer Charles Moreau done 1:21:48 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Press and hold the <Fn> key, and then press the power button to power the system on. 1:22:03 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Release both buttons. The Pre-Boot System Assessment screen appears and the PSA diagnostics begin. 1:22:08 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 1:22:18 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Do not press any keys while the tests are running unless prompted to do so. 1:22:30 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 1:22:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Document any error codes displayed by PSA diagnostics. After the error tones, or completion of the PSA diagnostics, the Dell 32-bit Diagnostic screen appears. 1:22:58 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Press the <Enter> key to select the Express Test from the menu. 1:23:23 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Document any error codes that are received 1:24:43 PM Customer Charles Moreau tests are running. The screen corruption is visible during these tests, but don't het seem to affect them. 1:26:55 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 so cant see if theres an error code/ 1:27:47 PM Customer Charles Moreau The corruption doesn't render the screen unreadable. Imagine viewing the screen with small green or white pixels superimposed on top of it 1:27:58 PM Customer Charles Moreau in a regular pattern 1:29:39 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 is there any peripheral connected top your system? 1:29:45 PM Customer Charles Moreau no 1:30:09 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 By the way what kind of video cards are you using? 1:31:00 PM Customer Charles Moreau the system still has the nVidia 7900 GTX that it shipped with. 1:31:23 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok.thank you for that information. 1:34:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 All right Charles since diagnostic wont work.Lets try system restore would that be fine with you? 1:35:19 PM Customer Charles Moreau ? diagnostic is currently running. 1:35:37 PM Customer Charles Moreau would you like to let it finish? 1:36:03 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok.thought there is no error sorry,my mistake. 1:36:13 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 let it finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters October 27, 2008 Share stutters GC Alumni October 27, 2008 is mary you're customer service rep.or your friend her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 is mary you're customer service rep.or your friend her? Maybe both! I'll ask her out here while the memory diag is running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters October 27, 2008 Share stutters GC Alumni October 27, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieChan October 27, 2008 Share JackieChan GC Alumni October 27, 2008 (edited) 12:40:53 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 I̢۪ll be happy to assist you with that. Can I start with your name, Service Tag, system type, email address, and current contact phone number. I'd get rid of the information you gave on the forum if I were you. I mean, I wouldn't have it there. Edited October 27, 2008 by JackieChan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 12:40:53 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 I�€™ll be happy to assist you with that. Can I start with your name, Service Tag, system type, email address, and current contact phone number. I'd get rid of the information you gave on the forum if I were you. I mean, I wouldn't have it there. Done. Good point. 1:51:18 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Actually Charles im suspecting athat it might be the LCD or the controller thats causing the problem. 1:51:27 PM Customer Charles Moreau ? 1:51:59 PM Customer Charles Moreau I would place money on the controller, as the lockup happned in game, and the corruption isn't visible in windows safe mode 1:52:44 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 But then you told me that you can't boot to window.That complicate it 1:54:13 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok 1:54:29 PM Customer Charles Moreau I CANNOT BOOT TO NORMAL MODE!!!!!!! 1:54:39 PM Customer Charles Moreau ONLY SAFE MODE!!!!!! I'm pushing it here. But, c'mon! FTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boiler October 27, 2008 Share boiler Member October 27, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclean October 27, 2008 Share Unclean Member October 27, 2008 Wow. It's like someone at Dell support got fired, but before he left, he messed with the scripts. Does the user have graphics problem issues? Yes: Uninstall the error message. No: Ask about anti-virus software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 1:57:03 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 I figure it out. 1:57:09 PM Customer Charles Moreau ? 1:57:28 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Would you mind if we cancel the memory test. 1:57:33 PM Customer Charles Moreau not at all 1:57:58 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Your system is in safe mode now,correct? 1:58:10 PM Customer Charles Moreau no. diagnostic mode 1:58:33 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok go on safe mode. 1:58:59 PM Customer Charles Moreau how do I end diagnostic? 1:59:04 PM Customer Charles Moreau just power off /on? 2:00:23 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 press escape or power off. 2:01:12 PM Customer Charles Moreau k booting into safe mode 2:02:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok 2:02:44 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 tell me when its done. 2:02:51 PM Customer Charles Moreau done 2:04:04 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok while in safe mode.Kindly remove the video card driver. 2:04:41 PM Customer Charles Moreau use "add/remove programs"? 2:04:49 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Just tell me when your done. 2:05:53 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ues 2:05:59 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 go in device manager 2:07:28 PM Customer Charles Moreau drivers removed, rebooting. still in safe mode? 2:08:30 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Great,Now Charles,lets try to boot in normal mode and see what will happen.Can you that for me?Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwEEziL October 27, 2008 Share dwEEziL Member October 27, 2008 You need to give Dell TS a call. This chat log is a huge joke. Tell Mary to start writing down the answers to some of the things she asks you fgs (for goodness sakes). By the time this chat session is done, your computer won't be under warranty anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 (edited) ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2:10:19 PM Customer Charles Moreau i'll let you know if/when I make it 2:10:43 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok. 2:10:53 PM Customer Charles Moreau in Normal mode, with standard VGA driver. 2:11:10 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 yes 2:11:26 PM Customer Charles Moreau Found New Hardware Wizard came up 2:11:40 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 What does it say? 2:12:16 PM Customer Charles Moreau Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard 2:12:28 PM Customer Charles Moreau Can Windows connect ot windows update to search for software Edited October 27, 2008 by Shropshire Slasher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 2:46:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 can you go to support.dell.com 2:48:05 PM Customer Charles Moreau yes 2:48:33 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 We will just download the driver.Through support.dell.com 2:48:50 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 2:49:03 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 tell me when your there 2:49:12 PM Customer Charles Moreau there. will I enter the service tag? 2:50:24 PM Customer Charles Moreau que? 2:50:38 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 yes, 2:51:13 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 are you there? 2:51:27 PM Customer Charles Moreau yes 2:52:03 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Then click on video 2:52:14 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 2:52:48 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 download NVIDIA 7900 GTX,XM1 2:53:54 PM Customer Charles Moreau The option I have is 7900 GTX 174.31 XP, A05 2:54:36 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 click Nvidia 7900 GTX 2:54:52 PM Customer Charles Moreau k 2:55:09 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 tell me what will happen. 2:55:21 PM Customer Charles Moreau It wants me to download R180918.exe 2:55:44 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 let me verify it. 2:58:39 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 Im sorry my mistake please choose 7900 GTX 174.31 XP, A05 3:00:14 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 then download R180918.exe 3:01:04 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 tell me when it work.Thank you. 3:01:13 PM Customer Charles Moreau I have the file downloaded. 3:02:09 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok.So can we consider this issue resolved? 3:02:35 PM Customer Charles Moreau um... what? 3:02:46 PM Customer Charles Moreau I downloaded the driver. Did you want me to install it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 3:03:34 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 yes kindly install.Im sorry for the inconvinience. 3:03:50 PM Customer Charles Moreau working 3:04:14 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok 3:05:24 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 just tell me when your done. 3:05:50 PM Customer Charles Moreau Just now, as the driver was installing, my screen went black. 3:06:08 PM Customer Charles Moreau Now it is just sitting here. A black nothingness. Alone, cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire Slasher October 27, 2008 Author Share Shropshire Slasher Member October 27, 2008 And the laughs keep coming 3:07:04 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok let me see what else we can do. 3:08:24 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 ok lets try it again. 3:08:56 PM Customer Charles Moreau k. Do I go back to safe mode, uninstall drivers, then boot normal mode, reinstall the nvidia driver? 3:09:15 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 yes. 3:10:44 PM Agent LIBX_Mary_191567 anyway Charles believe you downloaded the drivers successfully. 3:11:15 PM Customer Charles Moreau question for you as I do that. How might a bad video driver in Windows cause vga corruption during the POST screen, Windows startup screen, and diagnostic mode screen? 3:11:25 PM Customer Charles Moreau yes, driver downloaded successfully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclean October 27, 2008 Share Unclean Member October 27, 2008 This is kind of a weird spectator sport, btw. 6 User(s) are reading this topic (0 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)6 Members: Unclean, Shropshire Slasher, [LaW]Maverick, san`, BushM, lonewolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewildered October 27, 2008 Share Bewildered Member October 27, 2008 3:11:15 PM Customer Charles Moreau question for you as I do that. How might a bad video driver in Windows cause vga corruption during the POST screen, Windows startup screen, and diagnostic mode screen? Enjoying the thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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