The Nvidia Defect Forum

Hello All

I've just found this web site and have found that my laptop advent 5401 has gone all funny the screen comes on and is half white & half Grey the machine just shows a flickering blue light and does nothing else have i got the nvidia problem any help would be great thanks. I've still got my purchase receipt from Pc world showing the amount and date i brought it from them what should i do now as its just lasted just over 2years but under 3 years.

Hello Karl and welcome to our forum.

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing problems with your laptop.

I need to ask a few questions regarding the problems you are having in order to try and determine in you have the defect of now.

1) Can you see an image within the white/grey screen?
2) Does the laptop display to an external screen?
3) You have said that the laptop has a flickering blue light. Which light is flickering?
4) Did the light flicker before?
5) Did you notice any graphics corruption prior to failure?

Please let me know and I will advise further.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

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Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi Paul

1. Cant see any image the screens divided into half/half
2. Cant try this as dont have a monitor using works computer (dont think they would like me unplugging things)
3. Seems to be the hard disk access light its always done this.
4. Laptop made a strange noise while i was watching a film i turned it off left it for a while went to turn on and got the half white/half grey screen all the time now.

Karl.

Hello Karl,

Well, it is difficult to state categorically whether it is just the panel that has failed or if it is the defect.

The only real way to test is to see if you get a display to an external monitor.

If it helps why not book your laptop in for a report. If it is the panel that has failed then I will quote for repair. If you decide not to proceed then all you pay is the collect and return carriage which is £20.

If it is the defect then we can produce a report for you.

Alternatively if you can find an external monitor then you can do the quick test.

I hope the above helps.

Any questions please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi paul

I asked one of the engineer on site to borrow a monitor - Not a problem

The laptop displays a picture when i use a external monitor and shows the microsoft bar windows 7 then goes into start up repair checking system for problems but keeps going into this mode over and over.
When i unplug the external monitor i keep getting the half/half screen on the laptop.

Karl

Hello Karl,

Well, it does sound like you have the defect.

You should now contact PC World and should tell them that your laptop has failed due to the Nvidia defect.

They may tell you that your laptop is out of warranty and that there is nothing that they can do. You should tell them that the warranty status is irrelevant as you have six years from the date of purchase in which to bring an action against a retailer when the goods in question are inherently defective.

They may then tell you to contact HP. You should tell them that you purchased from PC World and not from HP so it is entirely PC World's responsibility to resolve the situation.

There is a step by step guide on this forum that will help you reach a positive resolution and that is here:- post13.html#p13

If you follow my advice in that guide then you will be successful.

If you have any questions or if you need any advice then please let me know.

Good luck and best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Paul

Strange thing happened i turned on the laptop and the screen is working like it should but then goes funny as in flashing/blinking/locking up after awhile i then have to connect the exetrenal monitor to see what the laptop is doing but it keeps trying to do a startup repair and found the following problem.

ACLS on file D:\windows\sysytem32\sppcomapi.dll are not proper.old value = 0x0

Would this mean the nivida Gpu has falied.

If thats the case i'll be going to pc world in the morning also the laptop is a ADVENT are HP the makers of this.

Hello Karl,

I did a quick Google and that error could relate to the authenticity of your Windows installation and is not connected to the defect.

Does the screen change if you flex the lid backwards and forwards during use?

I certainly think that your laptop has the defect. However it could be that that LCD panel has failed though this would not affect the display to the external monitor.

Have you considered performing a system restore to see if the laptop locks up?

If your laptop does lock up during the restore whilst connected to the external monitor then it is certainly the defect.

Please ensure that if you do try the above that you backup all your important files first.

If you have any questions then please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi paul

Sorry for not getting back to you but my laptop has started to work again i've left it running for 3 days straight without having to reboot and have been playing black ops on it without any problems showing i did try moving/flex the screen panel about and nothing happened so i leave things for now. But will no doubt be back when it does go.

Regards

K.

Hi Paul

Well its done it screen now says white/grey tried the external monitior and some times it works and now nothing.

Went to Pc World lady was unaware of the problem said it need to be fixed by the (know how ) new name for tech guys at cost told her its a inherently defective due to the Nvidia GPU. she tried it got no picture showed it to another tech guy came back to me and said that it looks like its been opened as there were screw diver marks near the top panel were the power buttons are i expalined thats how i got it and that its never been opened plain and simple. So i'll be starting the process of gettting this replaced or refund following your guide.

Karl.