uncledaddy

I have an HP dv9910us. I think I'm having problems with the DVD drive. When I play DVDs the screen will go nuts after about 20-30 min. of run time. Sometimes the screen will just freeze, sometimes a strip down the middle of the screen will just go crazy, like it melted.

It happens regardless of what DVD I play new or old. The driver is a TSST corp. CDDVDW TS-L632N ATA. It is also a lightscribe, if that makes a difference. No problems if I an using the laptop for any other purposes.

So, my questions are:

Is this a common problem with this DVD device?
Is the problem with the laptop?
Should I be taking this thing in for a warranty repair/trade/upgrade?

TIA for all help and suggestions. I need to get this problem fixed before school starts back up in two weeks.

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Jeffbx

It actually sounds like your machine may be overheating. You tax the video card & processor when playing videos which causes them to put off a lot of heat. If it's not dissipated efficiently, you can get symptoms like you describe, lockups and/or bluescreens.

One way to tell for sure is to try to play a video off of the hard drive for the same duration & see if the symptoms repeat themselves. If so, could be a bad fan or bad heat sink connection.

If NOT (assuming you're still under warranty) have them swap out the DVD player. That's about a 5 minute operation.

uncledaddy

Thanks for the tip. I am still under warranty. I got this thing 3 months ago. That's why I'm concerned as to why it would be having a problem and if this is a pattern with this model.

Is there a way to monitor the temp? I don't see a temp monitor when I check performance. I know you used to be able to monitor temp with XP, (or was it 2000?), can you still do it with Vista?

Airencracken

Speedfan will do it.

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

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uncledaddy

Thanks, I will try that before I bring it in for service. Sucks that a computer that is less than 4 months old already needs service.

uncledaddy

Well, I downloaded the Speedfan and was able to watch about an hour and forty-five minutes before it froze. The monitor reads GPU at about 65°C and the core at about 59°C. These are normal operating temps, right?

I guess I will still be taking it in tomorrow. Dammit!

Airencracken

Are they normal operating temps? They seem a bit high. What CPU/Chipset/GPU do you have in that lappy? If you don't know give CPU-Z a spin.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

uncledaddy

My processor is the AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 and my card is the NVIDIA GeForce 7150M/ nForce 630M.

I wasn't thinking, but those are Celsius readings. So, yeah, I guess they are high. I'm cooking my card, huh?

Thanks for the input.

uncledaddy

Well, took the laptop in today. Was surprised. I purchased a 3 year extended and didn't even realize that it came with a loaner plan, (Fry's). Woohoo!!!

Was kinda bummed at first because of school starting back up in a couple weeks. But no problem now.

Glad I got the plan.

uncledaddy

So Fry's calls and says the laptop is ready to be picked up. I'm wondering what had to be replaced.

NOTHING! Not a damn thing was changed. They say that they blew some dust out and restored the operating system.

WTF! How does a 3 month old laptop get that dusty? I live in the city.

Now I'm thinking.......
Did they sell me an old laptop?
Will this happen again?
What do I do?

Airencracken

I use one of these and blow the dust out of my lappy on a regular basis.

Fry's sell something used as something new? Never.

It could have happened.

uncledaddy

I was thinking maybe it might be a refurbished, but then they would list it as such, I'm sure. I don't know. I am just puzzled as to how a new computer can develop enough dust to affect the a fan motor. My buddy has a laptop that is more than 2 years old and its never been opened up for service and it works fine.

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely get the cooler. I don't know if I should be breaking into the laptop while it is still under warranty though.

renovation

it's a HP enough said !

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Jeffbx

I'm sure it wasn't dust. That's just an excuse they use that means, "we don't know what we did but it's working now."

uncledaddy

Interesting point.

uncledaddy

You don't like HP? I have 3. A desktop and two laptops. the others are great.

renovation

i have had 2 hp laptops and both were bought new and died just after the warrentys ran out .and also have had nothing but greef on there desktops. one unit they tryed in vain to repair and they sent me a replacement after months of have there tech's out put in replaced parts. after there junk i just started building my own. infact due to there junk i learn how to repair computers. so owning a hp was not all bad i guess. now i only buy dell or gateway if im not building my own machines !

uncledaddy

Hmm...I'll keep that in mind. You'll definitely hear my complaints if these machines crap on me after the warranties are up.

Airencracken

That's a good point. Also you shouldn't have to open up the compy just to get a bit of dust out. The cooler (or one like it, I think Costco sells one made by Belkin.) is great and has helped my laptop last as long as it has.

uncledaddy

They had this thing for a week. As you know from my post they say that they blew out dust and restored the OS. MY ARSE! When I went in to pick up my laptop earlier, I asked exactly what went wrong. I'm told, no problem found, "OS restored, dust blown out". I made them play a DVD while I looked around just to make sure there would be no problem, they say all good. They want to charge me $69.95 for diagnostics. I freak. I tell them that the damn thing is a new computer. They say that it must have been a software issue. I say then if it's a software issue then, "you guys sold it to me that way". They decide to wave the fee, "this time".

Anyway, I get home and start restoring all my data because they wiped out my drive. Not three hours later, FROZEN SCREEN!! WTF!

I have to power down and power back up, (this can't be good doing this so often). I check the temps. GPU 60°C and core 50°C, that loaner never got above 32°C on either. I'm still baking my laptop and this time I'm not even watching any videos or DVD.

Those techs suck! Nothing wrong my arse, and now I have to go back and sign out another loaner.

renovation

is it not covered by hp for the first part of the warrienty? like first 6 months or 1 year.

uncledaddy

Good point, reno. I should call HP, it is covered for a year.

uncledaddy

Took the laptop back in yesterday and pitched my *****. They decided to just send it back to the factory. Will take about 8 weeks. They gave me a new Toshiba loaner. They tried to give me an opened 15" HP but I demanded a 17" since mine is a 17. They caved. Don't really like this thing as much as the HP though, but it will do for now.

renovation

hope its fix right for you after that long a wait.
if it went back visa Best Buy aka (bestcrap)you have a fair chance of them losing it and giving you a brand new unit. happen to two people i know of here.

uncledaddy

Hmm...I hope they lose it and give me a new one. I hate to think of the damage to the laptop due to overheating.

uncledaddy

Picked up the laptop yesterday. Tech says HP changed the hard drive. Was setting my password, wallpaper, reloading school work, etc. and....freeze!!! WTF!!!

Piece of ****! They had it for over a month. Now I have to bring it back and get another loaner. That last Toshiba was driving me nuts.

They say it takes 4 times before they consider exchanging for a new one.

Can I demand one now?

Oh, and the speaker grill is warped now and sticks up. It doesn't sit flush. And this supposedly was sent to HP for repairs.

GuruX

Sounds like similar things that happened to my brother's HP laptop that he purchased from Best Buy.

Never again will I buy an HP consumer laptop.

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Cheesypuff

wow...what an ordeal. best of luck with you man. dell next time?

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Jeffbx

Yeah, consumer HPs are notoriously bad. Take it back & raise hell, but they'll probably have to send it out again. Keep doing that until they give you a new one.

Not that it helps you now, but I'd also recommend a Dell next time, with on-site service.

GuruX

Dell's onsite service is well worth it. I had that when I had my XPS Gen. 2 laptop, and I needed to take advantage of it twice (first time the Firewire port stopped working, second time the display went).

Both problems were fixed within three days of me calling them.