2 Hardware issues

[billdcat4]

Dont really want to make two threads, so im going to put both here

Issue #1:
Dell Inspiron 8600
1.6ghz Centrino 1.25gb RAM ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128mb

Symptoms:
Video output on LCD is limited to post and sometimes not even that. Occasionally, the screen will turn on after for a fraction of a second. If connected to an external monitor, pc works, but integrated LCD still shows no response whatsoever.

Probable cause:
Monitor connection to GPU/power
Monitor is broken

what do you think?


Issue #2:
The rig in my sig

I haven't had much time to isolate this, but I have been seeing my Samsung F1 not always show up in my computer/disk management. I tried swapping mobo ports, and it showed up.. for a while.

Which is more probable, an intermittently working HD, SATA port, or SATA cable?

[Gneisenau]

On the laptop hook up an external monitor to it and see if that works. If it does the video card is ok, if not, there it's either the card or power to it. I wouldnt' be surprised if it's not the cable between the screen and the card. It flexes everytime you open and close the laptop.

As for you siggy rig, I'm not sure what it would be they swapping the SATA cable is pretty cheap and easy to test. If it's a problem with the HDD than I would think the HDD diagnostic software would flag it. Maybe not if it's a power power connection or something like that I guess. Someone else here would probably know better. As for the SATA port? It could be, I've had USB ports that would bounce in and out at their whim.

[Eurasianman]

My Samsung drive started doing that a week before it finally kicked the bucket.

[billdcat4]

On the laptop hook up an external monitor to it and see if that works. If it does the video card is ok, if not, there it's either the card or power to it. I wouldnt' be surprised if it's not the cable between the screen and the card. It flexes everytime you open and close the laptop.

As for you siggy rig, I'm not sure what it would be they swapping the SATA cable is pretty cheap and easy to test. If it's a problem with the HDD than I would think the HDD diagnostic software would flag it. Maybe not if it's a power power connection or something like that I guess. Someone else here would probably know better. As for the SATA port? It could be, I've had USB ports that would bounce in and out at their whim.

as I said in the OP, the notebook works with an external monitor

if it is the cable, is this relatively simple to reseat?


Issue2:
I recently reinstalled Win7 on the rig, and I switched the HDD mode from IDE to AHCI
could this be the cause?

[billdcat4]

I took the hard drive out and put it into my Thermaltake External SATA dock

It has no trouble being recognized by the computer now
I've only tried booting it 5 times, but...

[Gneisenau]

as I said in the OP, the notebook works with an external monitor

if it is the cable, is this relatively simple to reseat?

Sorry- your OP didn't actually say it worked with an external monitor.
As for the cable it's more likely frayed and needs to be replaced if that's what it is. I don't know what the chances are you would every find one. The last one I looked at was a flimsy strip of plastic with circuits painted on it. It was easy to connect and disconnect from the motherboard. I don't know what kind of cables they use these days.

[rugrat2553]

Issue #2:
The rig in my sig

I haven't had much time to isolate this, but I have been seeing my Samsung F1 not always show up in my computer/disk management. I tried swapping mobo ports, and it showed up.. for a while.

Which is more probable, an intermittently working HD, SATA port, or SATA cable?

My last X58 board started doing this. I asked for help on their tech support forum. The end result was a replacement mobo. In my case the drive would not be found in the BIOS either. It would boot occasionally then in windows it would lock-up and upon restart it would not be detected in the BIOS again.

[billdcat4]

My last X58 board started doing this. I asked for help on their tech support forum. The end result was a replacement mobo. In my case the drive would not be found in the BIOS either. It would boot occasionally then in windows it would lock-up and upon restart it would not be detected in the BIOS again.

System, once detecting the drive does not lock up

I attached the drive to a SATA cable+Port that is known to work consistently with my WD.. 3 boots without issue

I'll try all of the other sata port/cables to see if i can find an issue

I think it might be the sata ports on my ASUX

[anticupidon]

for your lappy
connect your lappy to a external monitor
run a few test Furmark ,Ati tray Tools.chech temps.
try to pry open the lid above the keyboard,then the keyboard itself..the cable connecting the monitor to the motherboard should be in sight.
check the cable for visible defects,clean the contacts ,reseat.
if the cable looks suspicious,try to chech each thin cable with a multimeter to see if one of the cable is shorted.
assemble it again,should work.
for your main rig
dl parted magic,burn the iso,run the live cd
run smart check both short and long test
check results
if the drive has issues you can fix most of issues with hdd regenerator back your data first
hope it helps

[logain]

as I said in the OP, the notebook works with an external monitor

if it is the cable, is this relatively simple to reseat?


Issue2:
I recently reinstalled Win7 on the rig, and I switched the HDD mode from IDE to AHCI
could this be the cause?

Issue 1: find the function key (FN) and monitor button. Keep pressing both until the screen shows up.

Issue 2: gotta think on it

[billdcat4]

for your lappy
connect your lappy to a external monitor
run a few test Furmark ,Ati tray Tools.chech temps.
try to pry open the lid above the keyboard,then the keyboard itself..the cable connecting the monitor to the motherboard should be in sight.
check the cable for visible defects,clean the contacts ,reseat.
if the cable looks suspicious,try to chech each thin cable with a multimeter to see if one of the cable is shorted.
assemble it again,should work.
for your main rig
dl parted magic,burn the iso,run the live cd
run smart check both short and long test
check results
if the drive has issues you can fix most of issues with hdd regenerator back your data first
hope it helps

thanks, will do when have time

I have the data in more than one place, but not consolidated...
I think the drive is fine, HD Tune health saids its okay

Issue 1: find the function key (FN) and monitor button. Keep pressing both until the screen shows up.

Issue 2: gotta think on it

thats the first thing that we did
it was suspicious, bc it started the same day after the owner disconnected it from an external monitor
but the presses dont affect the integrated screen

[wuzy]

Issue #1:
Does the LCD always turn off at the exact same point if you do get to see the POST screen?
If not, I'd say it's the inverter failing. You should be able to find replacement on eBay. The inverter is usually located on the mobo and not in the LCD assembly. It'll have a metal cover over it which you have to take off to access the inverter PCB.

[beerandcandy]

for the LCD issue
when the CRT is plugged in and you can see the picture does the graphics gui show an LCD monitor as being on or off or available or anything?
also if the back light is fried if you open up something like notepad that is all white sometimes you can just barely make out some of the window that is open or the notepad app

[billdcat4]

for the LCD issue
when the CRT is plugged in and you can see the picture does the graphics gui show an LCD monitor as being on or off or available or anything?
also if the back light is fried if you open up something like notepad that is all white sometimes you can just barely make out some of the window that is open or the notepad app

Well, I didnt have power for 20 some-odd hours
when I was inspecting the laptop with a flashlight, I noticed that the screen turns on, but not the backlight

The cable going into the screen seems to be intact and in good condition.


When the external monitor is plugged in, going to display settings shows two screens, num1 as being the external monitor and num2 being the integrated lcd. Num2 is grayed out, and when I try to change the resolution, it reverts to the same state immediately. When I select extend my desktop across both screens, I get the external monitor as the extended desktop, but still nothing on the integrated LCD.

Issue #1:
Does the LCD always turn off at the exact same point if you do get to see the POST screen?
If not, I'd say it's the inverter failing. You should be able to find replacement on eBay. The inverter is usually located on the mobo and not in the LCD assembly. It'll have a metal cover over it which you have to take off to access the inverter PCB.

The answer is no, it doesn't always show post.

Would the inverter be system specific, and what does this require soldering to repair?
Im not sure that I'm qualified for that

[beerandcandy]

so what it sounds like is sometimes the inverter isnt turning on
it could be a bad cable but it wouldnt be a problem with the inverter because when those things fry they are dead they dont work sometimes.
the other problem it could be is the video card might not be telling the inverter to power on.

if you mess with the inverter be very carefull they are high voltage and if you touch the wires that are connected to it and it has power to it you might find that your skin is burning off where you made contact

[billdcat4]

so what it sounds like is sometimes the inverter isnt turning on
it could be a bad cable but it wouldnt be a problem with the inverter because when those things fry they are dead they dont work sometimes.
the other problem it could be is the video card might not be telling the inverter to power on.

if you mess with the inverter be very carefull they are high voltage and if you touch the wires that are connected to it and it has power to it you might find that your skin is burning off where you made contact

does it make sense that if you keep booting the notebook, sometimes it works perfectly?

[wuzy]

It's just a little surface mount plug-in module. And it's well wrapped in plastic with warnings all over it, so it's pretty safe. Get the P/N and grab one off fleaBay.

[wuzy]

so what it sounds like is sometimes the inverter isnt turning on
it could be a bad cable but it wouldnt be a problem with the inverter because when those things fry they are dead they dont work sometimes.
the other problem it could be is the video card might not be telling the inverter to power on.

if you mess with the inverter be very carefull they are high voltage and if you touch the wires that are connected to it and it has power to it you might find that your skin is burning off where you made contact

Not really. It's like the inverter in ceiling florescent light. I've seen them get charged up momentarily to power the light tube then shutoff permanently after sustained power.