Dead Gaming Computer

[an hero]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

It's an MSI but I won't have all the details till after getting home from work. I'll post all the specs this evening.

My condolences.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

OK just occured to me that I really haven't given enough info. It's a gaming laptop. Does that totally change the ease of removing and installing a new card?

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by photon

yeah that makes a pretty significant difference :d

laptops can range from merely annoying to very difficult to replace the video card. And the replacement cards can be expensive depending on what it is. What model of laptop?

msi gt 780 dx
nvidia gtx 570m
i7 2670qm

[St. Pats]

http://viralvideos.mobi/video/vOW1t3...80-Laptop.html

Found this video on it. Poor quality and heavy accent.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NVIDIA-GEFORC...3027822&_uhb=1

Looks like I can bid for one on eBay

[photon]

Certainly is doable but since heatsink/fans need to be removed/replaced, I'd feel more comfortable having someone experienced do it, since getting that wrong could end up with a fried CPU or GPU. It's not overly difficult (I've done similar before, that laptop looks easy compared to some I've worked on), but experience is very helpful.

That ebay auction mentions that it's an engineering version, the card needs to have its BIOS flashed. No idea how to do that (i.e. can one just do it from the laptop, or will the video card not even work before it is flashed). I'd be very careful in getting the replacement card.

Lol you could even upgrade the card!

http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi/...bone-16f2.html

Though it talks about modifications for different cards so the heatsink matches, not for the faint of heart

Overall you have to ask is saving $150 ($250+ for the card and shipping, self install, vs $400 for the fix) is worth the risk. Or if $400 is worth saving the laptop. Might be able to find a cheaper repair on Kijiji.

This could be worth a try, I've done this with success (though it only lasted 9 months):

http://lifehacker.com/5823227/save-d...ke-in-the-oven

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by photon

Certainly is doable but since heatsink/fans need to be removed/replaced, I'd feel more comfortable having someone experienced do it, since getting that wrong could end up with a fried CPU or GPU. It's not overly difficult (I've done similar before, that laptop looks easy compared to some I've worked on), but experience is very helpful.

That ebay auction mentions that it's an engineering version, the card needs to have its BIOS flashed. No idea how to do that (i.e. can one just do it from the laptop, or will the video card not even work before it is flashed). I'd be very careful in getting the replacement card.

Lol you could even upgrade the card!

http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi/...bone-16f2.html

Though it talks about modifications for different cards so the heatsink matches, not for the faint of heart

Overall you have to ask is saving $150 ($250+ for the card and shipping, self install, vs $400 for the fix) is worth the risk. Or if $400 is worth saving the laptop. Might be able to find a cheaper repair on Kijiji.

This could be worth a try, I've done this with success (though it only lasted 9 months):

http://lifehacker.com/5823227/save-d...ke-in-the-oven

I will definitely try the oven trick. Might as well as practice for removing the card. Meanwhile I can always put in lowball bids on ebay and hope to score a card cheap. If I manage that I'm going to attempt to fix it.

[19Yzerman19]

Wow the $100 install fee, when calculated as an hourly rate, makes me embarassed for them. It seriously cannot take more than 2 minutes for them to do that install. Take off side of case. Stick card into Mobo. Hook up any fans. Done. Hell yeah $3000/hr rate!

EDIT: annnnd total failure of reading given that it's a laptop. Although still this makes it take more like 10-15 minutes rather than 2.

[photon]

That might have been a flat install fee for any laptop, or an estimate with the real charge to be the real actual time, they probably don't know every model of laptop (though they sell MSI and should know them). But still yeah could probably find a better deal on the install.

That particular laptop looks pretty easy. But I've done some where it literally is an hour job (especially if I get everything done and have one screw left over...) to replace a daughter card of some kind.

[St. Pats]

Ok oven is on pre heat and getting the card out was super easy. Took five minutes tops. Don't know if this will work but swapping a card would be very easy even for someone like me who hasn't a clue about computers.

[St. Pats]

Didn't work and still not even the power light comes on. They said it is getting power but I don't see how a bad video card means you can't even turn it on.