Dead Graphics E1705 - Dell said they have fix?

I have twins and bought two E1705 about two years ago and have been very pleased with them. I had one start the graphics problems (will not boot to windows and has the vertical lines at POST) you have all heard about and after changing the motherboard twice and graphics three times within about six weeks Dell suggested a change out to a XPS 1640, 15 days later it showed up (brand new and no problems).

One week after we received the 1640 my other son's computer is doing the same thing. I asked Dell if we could skip the change outs and go with the 1640 but they did not go for that. I will be shipping the E1705 back to them this time instead of the technician coming to my home. My question is that Dell has a fix now that they did not have a month ago.

Anyone have any ideas what they think they will be doing? They can not change to a ATI 1400 to run cooler because that card stinks. They could change that the fans run all the time but that seems silly. I am hoping they change me to one with two pipes instead of one but I do not know if they will modify the case like some have done to add the 7950 cards. Anyone else had Dell do a repair in warranty in the last few weeks so I know what i am looking at? We really like the E1705 but need something that is reliable.

 

I think Dell switched your first system because they had already changed the GPU and motherboard so many times. If the second system fails to get fixed after three mobos and two graphics cards, I bet they'll switch it as well. I doubt they really have much of a fix other than swapping the GPU again...

 

Thanks Commander, just seems funny when i asked if they had a fix the guy said yes just in the last few weeks. Maybe just uninformed. We carried a desktop to the dorm room this weekend so he has something to use for school. We will just leave it and if this starts another two month death spiral he can still do his homework and keep his data in two places.

 

Just a quick update, I started a chat session with Dell to get a update where my computer was at, online information does not update very real time if at all. They asked me if I was told it would be 5 to 8 days starting at the day I shipped back to them. I have next business day service. They shipped me a box overnight but the return was FexEx Ground (3 to 5 Days). They did get it in 3 days. This all fine but when I asked for any status I was told that I would get a note in the box with my laptop explaining what was done. A "note", what is this the '80's? I think I should be able to see some real time notes online under my call report number or customer number. I was told I am getting a different card not just a working 7900 GS. Not if any of the cards 7900 GTX, 7950 GTX, FX2500M or FX3500M will not have the same heat issue as the 7900GS. Still do not know what that means. If they change me to something better I hope they remember to change my power brick from a 90W to something stronger. I did send my agent all this information that he said he noted on my call report (that I can not access). I will let you guys know what is changed. Day 8 would be this Thursday, my true time without a computer will be Day 14 on Thursday.

 

You wont need a power brick for anything more than 90W for any of those GPUs

 

I prefer not to carry the larger supply around but from the below Case Study it shows more power being required. I just want it to work. My thinking is if they will do the two heat pipe setup I have a much better chance of the machine lasting a while.

The provided GPU (7900 GS) required the PA-10 90W power supply unit. The minimum for GF Go 7900 GTX 512MB and GF Go 7950 GTX 512MB GPUs is a PA-13 130W or a PA-15 150W power supply unit (PSU).

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Case-S...ard-of-a-Dell-Inspiron-E1705-9400.4187.0.html

 

Now my card is on back order and can not give me a date. Does anyone know what a 1D3HG part number that Dell gave me is? DG008 is the normal number for a 7900GS I thought.

 

Looks like I am the only one talking on here but thought the information may be useful for others. When I do a search for ID3HG my post is about the only one that come up. Dell called me today (actually called me) to let me know that the new part has been installed and my laptop should be returned soon. Could not give me the exact ship date yet. I was told the DG003 has been discontinued and replaced with a new part of ID3HG. Not sure if this means brand new or just modified or retrofitted and changed the part number. Hope it is new. Maybe I am the first to get one since I could not find any information online about this. Maybe Dell forced Nvidia to come up with a solution because it is costing them a fortune.

 

Have the E1705 back on business day 11 and real days 19. The card shows 7900 GS and have not found a way to see if it is new or has a manufacturing date of this year or not. Next time I clean it i will look to see if it has some stickers on it or not. I guess i just wait to see if it works more than a month or two without burning itself up again. If I find a way to get details of the "New" card Dell said they put in not refurbished i will let you guys know. The note that they said they would be put in the box was a form letter saying they are professionals and tested the laptop completely before returning. If i did not call i would not even know a different card was put in a just would of thought the same broken stuff was added.

 

If you download I8KFANGUI, you can manually set the speeds of each fan in your laptop. I have the fans locked at full speed, it runs cool and doesnt have any overheating problems.

My friend has a XPS1710, the brother of the E1705. With the 7950GTX, he doesnt see a temp over 70C under full load. Your 7900GS should run less than 65C at full load

K-TRON

 

Thanks K-TRON, my son has used that program for the last year or so and it does help keep the heat down. I hope this one last, it is the fourth card replaced between two computers over the last three months (three in one then Dell replaced with brand new 1640).