The Nvidia Defect Forum

Hi all

I bought lenovo 3000 n200(Geforce 7300 chip) in april 2008, with one year warranty. in june 2009 laptop screen starts showing fizzy pictures without any reason, then in around sep or oct 2009 laptop start giving one long beep and two short beeps, could hear windows starting, hard drive running, dvd rom running but no display on screen


-called lenovo, they said it could be motherboard but I ll be paying for repairs as out of warranty. and cost of the reapairing was more than 300 euros.

I didnt know that its bloody universal defect with nvidia chip, left the laptop in cupboard, bought new Apple mac book.

since then more than year it was lying dead there. then one day I just read some online forums about this.
then I read all about nvidia faulty chips and reflow of GPU etc..how to start laptop using 'wrapping method'
so i took out laptop from cupboard, turned it on, left it on and wrapped it in blanket.

after 30 minutes pressed the power button and shut it down and presses it again to start. surprise!!! laptop started normally, screen came on. I just coudnt believe it..

so now its 200% certain that its problem with GPU, and little heat make it running again.
and i reinstalled fresh windows. it started fine then but again did not start again after few hours. same beeps no display.. again wrapped in blanket for 30 minutes, started again fine.

bottom of laptop become very hot, cant touch near the fan.

so its only temporary fix, GPU needs 'reflow' thing. and its fault with nvidia GPU.

so its worked fine for one day then again went dead next day.
so what should i do?

should I contact laptopsdirect.uk or lenovo directly.
can i make a claim agaisnt laptopsdirect who sold me this laptop?
lenovo is claiming there r not many numbers 3000 n200 laptops failed to due to this fault so its unique and not bother.

its not what laptop model, its problem with the faulty chip.. am I in any luck here?

many thanks for help.

Hello Foxhill and welcome to our forum.

Sorry to hear that your laptop has failed.

As you purchased the laptop from Laptopsdirect.co.uk then it is them that you need to pursue. Lenovo didn't sell you the laptop and so they are not obligated to you in any way.

I have seen many failures of laptops that contained the Nvidia 7300 GPU so I would say that it is highly likely that your laptop contains a defective GPU.

Even if the GPU were not defective then the problem could lie with the underlying BGA grid. This is the grid of solder balls that provides connection of the GPU to the mainboard. Due to the changes in the law manufacturers had to remove the lead content from the solder. Big mistake! The solder that has been used cannot withstand the same conditions as its predecessor could and the solder balls fracture and break and cause the type of failure that you are experiencing.

If it is the BGA grid then this would also constitute as being a manufacturing defect so it really doesn't matter, in real terms, if it is the GPU or the BGA your right to take action still remains.

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.

Hi Paul
Many thanks for quick and informative mail.

I am going to start the process. and will keep updating here my experience with laptopsdirect.co.uk.

the guide you provided explains almost everything.

best wishes

Hi there,
I just emailed to laptopdirect.co.uk. here is copy:

Hi there
I purchased lenovo 3000 N200 notebook, from laptopsdirect.co.uk on 13th Apr, 2008, with 1 year standard warranty.

unfortunately, laptop become faulty in aug 2009:
one long beep followed by two short beeps. no display on screen, can hear windows loading, hard drive spinning,
tried resetting RAM, other hold power button tricks.

the only way to turn it on is hold laptop in blanket for 15 minutes and then it ll start but will not start next time.

I can see on internet all over world people with faulty nvidia chips are manage to start laptop with this 'heat trick', which confirms the fault connection of the GPU to the mainboard.

well, I contacted lenovo, they said its most likely motherboard has died. but they refused to fix for nothing as it was out of warranty.

It was recently I came to know about nvidia chips failed so many of them and they are giving refunds to costomers. the GPU in question GoForce Go 7300, is 'nvidia inherent defective' GPU.

the fault in above laptop is inherent and was present, when the laptop was purchased and i was sold a faulty product under the Sale of Goods Act.

The problem is well in the news all over the web forums. a quick google search throws up many instances of this fault and acknowledged by the leading PC manufactures.
As I purchased product from http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk, hence my contract(Sales Contract) was with laptopsdirect.co.uk not with lenovo or nvidia. I acknowledge that laptopsdirect.co.uk may not have been aware of this problem at the time of sale, under the Sale of goods Act, I was sold a product simply not fit for purpose.


other point I would like to acknowledge is 'out of warranty'status, is irrelevant here, as product in question is inherently defective.

As the laptop was faulty at the time of sale and in accordance with the Sale of Goods Act, I now expect you to remedy this situation.
there are three options, I could think of:
Repair, Replacement, Refund.

If you would like I will forward you a copy of Engineers report
a copy of invoice for the engineers report, the costs of which I wish to claim back from laptopsdirect
a copy of the original sales receipt.

Yours faithfully
Mr x

Hi Paul
This morning I got email from headoffice of laptopsdirect.co.uk. following is the copy:-

Dear
Thank you for your email. As the item is out of warranty then please send us the independent engineers report and a cover letter quoting your sales order number.
We will then look in to this further for you.
Head Office
laptopsdirect


Kind Regards
Customer Service Team


atleast laptopsdirect didnt deny altogether and are willing to look into matter. so that gives the hope.

anyways
now I have to find one engineer in Ireland. how can I know if a person is qualify engineer to testify this and make a report and it ll be acceptable by laptopsdirect.co.uk or any other concerned in this case.. cos I see there are loadza computer shops around in Ireland selling PC! Are PC world, dixons etc are doing these kinda reports?

anyone know any engineer in Ireland or UK who is qualify to create such report?

I think Paul would be qualified Engineer!
best wishes

Hello Foxhill,

Well that email is good news as it means that you are now moving forward.

We can help you with the engineers report and have provided many for customers living in Northern/Southern Ireland.

Furthermore we have provided many reports for customers of Laptopsdirect and those reports were all accepted.

If you would like further information on how to obtain a report please take a look at the following post:- need-an-independant-engineers-report-t62.html

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

thanks for ur reply

I registered on lapcure.co.uk. waiting for confirmation email, an hour passed .. still no luck..

would you pls look into it.

thanks n regards

Hello Foxhill,

Sorry for the delay, you should have automatically received an activation email.

I have now activated your account and you can now proceed to login.

If you have any problems 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.

thanks paul

Hello everyone

It been long since I came here..today got another email from laptopdire...

well here is update so far..

17th March, laptop collected by courier, ...waiting....
laptopdirect acknowledged got it on 31st March...waiting....

and today I got Email from them stating :

Dear Mr...
Thank you for the return of your goods.
We have been in contact with Lenovo who manufactured your laptop, they have indeed confirmed the unit was supplied with the Nvidea defect as per your engineers report. In order to resolve this matter they have agreed to take the unit back for a repair to be made, this repair would involve a new motherboard being fitted to the machine.
As a gesture of good will Buy it Direct would also agree to reimburse the cost of your engineers report if a receipt could be provided.
Can you please advise how you would like to proceed so the repair can take place and the unit returned as soon as possible.
Kind Regards
.....

So I wrote them back :

Dear....

Thanks for your email.

I ll be happy to accept the repairs, being fitted the new motherboard. would you please confirm or check with nvidia, if the new motherboard will be 'free from nvidia defect' and I will not face same issue again in near future. I hope new motherboard will be 'nvidia defect free'.
If all is well then you may proceed with repairs.

I havnt heard since then.

Paul can you put some light on it what you think will happen next?

Many thanks again for good work paul

Kind regards