3820tg Discrete Graphics Failure

My 3820tg has been working just fine until a last week when I would lose the display after logging into Windows. I thought that a clean install would fix the problem which it initially did, until I installed the drivers for the 5650, that's when I realized something was up with the discrete graphics card. I went into bios and chose "discrete only" graphics from switchable and now nothing shows up on the screen on boot up.

I'm not sure if I can even get back into the bios menu, but if any of you can write down exact key stroke instructions to switch back to switchable graphics and save settings, I would appreciate it.

The other open would be to replace the motherboard, any one know where I can get a replacement part?

Thanks!

 

Mobos are hard to get in the US. In the EU, there are decent part suppkiers but the boards are not cheap.

 

Yeah I figured as much. I'm not in any particular rush to fix it, even considering just purchasing something else, but can you or anyone else please provide me with the keystrokes used in the bios to turn switchable graphics back on and saving the new selection?

At least with switchable graphics, I had stuff on the screen. Now there's nothing when it's on.

Thanks!

 

For the sake of conclusion, I have looked on google for images of the bios but I think the computer hangs even before I can make the changes.

It's no longer under warranty, so I will be parsing out the internals and replacing the laptop.

If anyone needs any parts let me know! =D

 

If ATI graphics no longer works, why don't you just use Intel? You can install modded BIOS and select to only use integrated Intel video card.

To blindly reset BIOS settings you need to do the following:
1. Turn off computer.
2. Turn on computer and keep pressing F2 for approximately 10 seconds
3. Press < F9> and press < Enter>
4. Press < F10> and press < Enter>
5. Your computer should reboot in a Switchable-graphics mode.

If that does not reset the BIOS settings and you still see nothing on the screen, download the service guide for 3820TG and search for "reset CMOS". It should be around page 77. Follow the guide to short small gap under the keyboard to reset BIOS settings to default.

After you get your laptop working again, follow my guide on how to disable ATI card in the BIOS.

There is no need to part out your laptop . In fact, I use my laptop exclusively in Intel-only mode.

 

Wow, thank you! I'll give it a try! =D
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Looks like I'm gonna have to bust it open. Think the computer is hanging even before I can enter in the shortcuts =\

 

You only need to remove the keyboard to reset the BIOS. No need to remove any screws. Follow the service guide provided above, it has all the necessary instructions! Just don't forget to remove the battery and disconnect AC adapter!

Keep us updated

 

When I get back home later today I'll give it a try.

 

I took off the keyboard, but no where in the service manual can I find a reset to the CMOS. To remove the CMOS battery it takes more than just taking out the keyboard. =(

 

Page 83 of the PDF document (which is page 75 of the actual document), "Clearing a BIOS password". It will reset NVRAM and all the BIOS settings.

 

=( I tried it, no dice. I guess it's really kaput hahaha...

 

I don't think so, maybe you just didn't do it right? It happens even to the best of us! Did you short the pins with some metal object, plugged in AC adapter and turned it on? If there was no contact, then it wouldnt reset.

If you did everything correctly and it still doesn't work, try taking it apart and removing the BIOS battery for a few days.

Other than that, I can't really think of anything.

 

I'll give it a try when I get back from work! Not sure if I'm making good connection since the pins are flat. Thanks for the suggestions =D

 

No dice =( Took the battery out and everything =\

 

ok, here is how my friend fixed his with a problem not much different than yours:


1. remove/disconnect the cmos battery, main battery, and power cord
2. hold down the power button for 30 seconds (make it a minute just to be sure)
3.plug everything back in and boot back up!

 

So. I seem to have a similar problem. I already posted in the 3820TG owners lounge, but whatever...
I have an 3820TG with an i5-480M and a discrete ATI 5650M. It all started when I noticed that my ATI card had vanished in Windows, so I tried to reboot, enter to BIOS and set the GPU to "discrete". After that my 3820TG didn't even start and I got a black screen and one long and two short beeps, then nothing. Some research showed me that the error code means the GPU can not get initialized. What I've tried so far:

- Removing battery and power supply and holding the power button for ~1 minute to reset the EC - No change.
- Entering the BIOS with "F2", then pressing "F9" + "Enter" and then "F10" + "Enter" to load default values - Doesn't work, the laptop still beeps and doesn't seem to enter the BIOS.
- Creating a crisis disk on 2 different USB sticks and applying it with "Fn"+"ESC". The laptop doesn't beep, but as I can't see anything, I don't know what happens...
- Creating a bootable USB stick and an automated batch to re-flash the BIOS - Laptop doesn't even boot the stick.
- Resetting the CMOS by bridging the switch mentioned somewhere and starting the laptop. Several times - No change.
- Removing the CMOS battery for a day to clear the CMOS - No change.

I'm pretty clueless on what else to try. I could live with my laptop being IGP only, if there was a BIOS file that would just fix it to IGP...

A question: WHICH graphics card is the laptop actually starting with, or to put it differently: Which GPU is it saying that is broken? If set to "discrete" in the BIOS is it actually booting/displaying (into) the BIOS with the ATI or is it booting with the IGP anyway, and then switches to the ATI GPU? That would tell me wether I could just try and change the CPU...

Pretty desperate here... so any ideas are welcome,

Kim

 

If any of you guys want to sell out the parts I'm willing to buy the CPU. My i5 480M has starting to fail on its graphics core so I need to replace it. Shoot me a PM if interested.