XPS M1530 GPU Issue

So I've finally fallen victim to the dreaded GPU issue with the XPS M1530 and despite my screen working fine I can't get any output because the GPU is frazzled. I suppose I should count myself lucky that the laptop lasted two years with the problems it's known to have. My problem is that it's out of warranty now (expired last February just before my initial HD went, typically).

The question I wanted to ask was whether anyone had any experience with the various ads on eBay offering repairs for the GPU issue. I'm a uni student so I really can't afford a new laptop at the moment but I'm very wary of trusting any laptop repair firms on eBay even if they do have dozens of good reviews. For an example of what I'm on about check out this link:

Dell XPS M1330 M1530 M1210 Motherboard Repair with mod on eBay (end time 12-Mar-11 16:29:40 GMT)

There's a few others aswell if you search XPS M1530 motherboard. Has anyone used them, do they sound trustworthy, is it even possible to fix this issue without replacing the motherboard entirely?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Essentially what they are going to do is take your motherboard shove it in the oven at 350 for an hour or two and it will come out be placed on a rack to cool, they will then repaste the laptop as well as place a copper shim on top of the pate that goes on the gpu. All in all its nothing new they are just providing a service and if you do not want to do this yourself then this is a great option

 

Will that actually fix it or not though? or is it just a sham? I'd rather not have to shell out for Dell to repair my laptop when it's a fundamental problem with the parts they've used. Especially when customers in the US are getting rebates for the issue. It's even more annoying when the extended 12 month warranty coverage for the issue Dell gave ran out in December for me

 

Dell extended the warranties on said notebook housing the defective Nvidia chips up to 1 year.

Unfortunately motherboard baking results vary wildly and it could work for 2 weeks, and up to 2+ years. I don't recommend copper shims, they can destroy the GPU die if improperly done. Your best bet is to find a repair shop that does BGA work with an infrared solder station.

Also if you order a new motherboard, Nvidia never really released a permanent fix, so there is a good chance you will run into the same issue again. You might want to look at another laptop, or some people have swapped in a Crestline GPU motherboard into the M1330/M1530.

 

Dealt with it for 3 years almost (Got 5 mobo replacements, and finnally got a Studio XPS for it from Dell).

Burn it, get a new lappy

 

Do you have any links or anything to what motherboard people swapped into the M1330?

 

I actually bought a board from this seller a couple of years ago. A friend had a nVidia M1330 go out, I told him it could be converted but he didn't care so I converted it. It's not the one in my sig, I ordered that machine with the Intel graphics. I'm on it right now, it's the little brother because every time I upgrade something on my main M1330, the parts get handed down. T5800, 4GB RAM, OCZ Summit 60GB SSD.

DELL XPS M1330 MOTHERBOARD Intel P/N GM848 - eBay (item 220738422545 end time Mar-14-11 00:06:20 PDT)

 

Ah thanks. I didn't associate Crestline with Intel graphics dumb me

 

is it too late to get in on the nvidia gpu litigation thing?

 

Read this first.....

Index page • The Nvidia Defect Forum

If you do it right and are POLITELY persistent you could end up with a free replacement machine.