Attention All Laptop Owners Massive Recall, Read This!
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Sanest Florida Man
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From: Florida
Attention All Laptop Owners Massive Recall, Read This!
Much like the Sony laptop battery fiasco of a few years ago which affected almost all laptop manufacturers, Nvidia is facing a massive recall due to overheating graphics processors. At first Nvidia it only affected previous gen GPUs but now it's come out that all Nvidia GPUs over the past few years are affected.
Dell has released a "fix" but all it does is increase the fan speed of the GPU to keep it cooler which isn't much of a solution.
symptoms and causes are:
If you have an HP laptop see here
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...c01300427_dv20
for dell:
http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...op-owners.aspx
Now this SHOULD affect all laptop manufacturers that used these Nvidia chips so if you have any links for other companies please feel free to post them. I'm sure we'll hear more as this goes along. Much like the Sony battery fiasco it was a while before all the manufacturers came forward with recalls.
NVIDIA reported higher than average failures in both the laptop GPUs and in laptop chipsets.
NVIDIA said that the chips and their packaging were made with materials that proved to be too "weak". NVIDIA passes the blame to notebook manufacturers, which it says contributes to the problem. Typically notebooks have poorer ventilation and components concentrated in a smaller space than desktop computers.
The result of the recalls is that NVIDIA will be taking a onetime charge of $150M USD to $200M USD to cover the damages. It plans to use the money to repair or replace defective parts. It also hopes to collect part of the money from insurers it uses. However, it has acknowledged its problems and switched the materials it uses.
The news has resulted in NVIDIA taking a beating on the stock market, sliding over 25 percent.
It turns out virtually all the NVIDIA mobile chips are defective. NVIDIA tried to brush off the issue stating that the issue was a "previous-generation" problem. However, it turns out that virtually all 8400M and 8600M chips are defective. These chips make up the bulk of NVIDIA's higher end graphics offerings. While NVIDIA started to roll out the first of its 9 series mobile chips, the 8 series represents the flagship line of its mobile offerings.
The low to middle end chips are also virtually all defective. Among the defective lines are the GeForce Go 7000 and 6000 lines, as well as the Quadro NVS 135M and the Quadro FX 360M.
NVIDIA said that the chips and their packaging were made with materials that proved to be too "weak". NVIDIA passes the blame to notebook manufacturers, which it says contributes to the problem. Typically notebooks have poorer ventilation and components concentrated in a smaller space than desktop computers.
The result of the recalls is that NVIDIA will be taking a onetime charge of $150M USD to $200M USD to cover the damages. It plans to use the money to repair or replace defective parts. It also hopes to collect part of the money from insurers it uses. However, it has acknowledged its problems and switched the materials it uses.
The news has resulted in NVIDIA taking a beating on the stock market, sliding over 25 percent.
It turns out virtually all the NVIDIA mobile chips are defective. NVIDIA tried to brush off the issue stating that the issue was a "previous-generation" problem. However, it turns out that virtually all 8400M and 8600M chips are defective. These chips make up the bulk of NVIDIA's higher end graphics offerings. While NVIDIA started to roll out the first of its 9 series mobile chips, the 8 series represents the flagship line of its mobile offerings.
The low to middle end chips are also virtually all defective. Among the defective lines are the GeForce Go 7000 and 6000 lines, as well as the Quadro NVS 135M and the Quadro FX 360M.
symptoms and causes are:
a number of NVIDIA mobile GPUs had extremely poor thermal tolerances thanks to defects. This leads to early chip death and faulty behaviors, such as artifacting, as chips start to fail. <a href="http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2008/07/25/nvidia-gpu-update-for-dell-laptop-owners.aspx" rel="nofollow" title="NVIDIA GPU Update for Dell Laptop Owners ">According to Dell</a>, signs
of GPU failure include multiple images, random characters appearing onscreen,
lines on the screen, or no video at all. Dell claims the updates will not
affect battery life. Its new Vostro line of notebooks is shipping with
the fix preinstalled.
of GPU failure include multiple images, random characters appearing onscreen,
lines on the screen, or no video at all. Dell claims the updates will not
affect battery life. Its new Vostro line of notebooks is shipping with
the fix preinstalled.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...c01300427_dv20
for dell:
http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...op-owners.aspx
Now this SHOULD affect all laptop manufacturers that used these Nvidia chips so if you have any links for other companies please feel free to post them. I'm sure we'll hear more as this goes along. Much like the Sony battery fiasco it was a while before all the manufacturers came forward with recalls.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,092
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From: Florida
If you're not sure if you have Nvidia GPU and you want to check if you have one here's how.
For Vista:
open the start menu and type in "device manager"
open device manager and under display adapters it will tell you which GPU you have.
For XP:
open the start menu and right click on "my computer" and choose "properties" at the bottom
then choose the hardware tab
open device manager and under display adapters it will tell you which GPU you have.
For Mac:
basically if you have a Macbook Pro your got Nvidia graphics but if you want to be sure
click on the Apple icon and choose about this mac.
Choose more info button which opens system profiler
in the list on the left choose graphics/displays which will list the graphics for your Mac.
For Linux:
I don't need to tell you cause you already know cause you spent an hour searching the internet trying to find drivers for your GPU!
For Vista:
open the start menu and type in "device manager"
open device manager and under display adapters it will tell you which GPU you have.
For XP:
open the start menu and right click on "my computer" and choose "properties" at the bottom
then choose the hardware tab
open device manager and under display adapters it will tell you which GPU you have.
For Mac:
basically if you have a Macbook Pro your got Nvidia graphics but if you want to be sure
click on the Apple icon and choose about this mac.
Choose more info button which opens system profiler
in the list on the left choose graphics/displays which will list the graphics for your Mac.
For Linux:
I don't need to tell you cause you already know cause you spent an hour searching the internet trying to find drivers for your GPU!
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Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,092
Likes: 11,836
From: Florida
Originally Posted by zot09
I have a 8600M GS on my HP, but I can't find my notebook series on the website. I have a Pavillion dv97xx, but it only goes up to dv94xx on their website. Am I fine?
Also the inquirer is reporting that ALL Nvidia G84 and G86 are defective desktop and mobile since they use the same ASIC, IDK if this is true or not.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquir...ia-g84-g86-bad
I have an 8800GT so I hope this doesn't spread.
I checked Nvidia's site and couldn't find anything except a mention in their fiscal earnings report and the inquirer says Nvidia is deleting any mentions of this problem on their forums!! That's bullshit!!
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Aug 4, 2008 at 01:01 AM.
I don't have a Ferrari in
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,437
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From: Southern California
http://apcmag.com/nvidia_disaster_th...pus_faulty.htm
Update to the issue. Its from a much more reputable source than the Inquirer.
Update to the issue. Its from a much more reputable source than the Inquirer.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,092
Likes: 11,836
From: Florida
Woah woah woah!!! NO!! I know better than to quote the inquirer as truth!! The first post is based from Dailytech, I've also seen it at engadget and gizmodo. This is legit. Note when I mentioned the inquirer I said and I quote
Don't try me like I'm some :noob: I know what's up!
I was gonna mention the shady record of the inquirer but I forgot and when I went back to edit AZ slowed down and I didn't make it within the 5 minutes.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/n...-are-defectiv/
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=12553
Originally Posted by me
IDK if this is true or not.
I was gonna mention the shady record of the inquirer but I forgot and when I went back to edit AZ slowed down and I didn't make it within the 5 minutes.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/n...-are-defectiv/
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=12553
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Aug 4, 2008 at 01:32 AM.
I don't have a Ferrari in
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,437
Likes: 2
From: Southern California
Originally Posted by #1 DOUCHER
I was gonna mention the shady record of the inquirer but I forgot and when I went back to edit AZ slowed down and I didn't make it within the 5 minutes.
It froze yesterday completely. I can't move the mouse, couldn't use the keyboard. Usually a force quit will do but this just completely froze. My old Powerbook never even blipped.
Hope its okay.
Registered but harmless
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Los Angeles, CA
My Lenovo 3000 Y410 is all Intel chips and adapters. 
My HP DV5XXX has a Nvidia chip (based on the decal applied to the palmrest area); I'll have to check to see if it has one of the Geoforce 8400 or 8600 processors at the next log-on.
My HP DV5XXX has a Nvidia chip (based on the decal applied to the palmrest area); I'll have to check to see if it has one of the Geoforce 8400 or 8600 processors at the next log-on.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,138
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From: 808
Originally Posted by sho_nuff1997
We have Dell D630s at work, haven't seen any problems with them yet.
Originally Posted by Osamu
we use the same one's at work too. I think the nvidia graphics card is an upgrade though, and the default the an intel one. If you do have the nvidia card is it part of the recall?
Originally Posted by NighthawkCruiser
My MacBook Pro 2.2GHz has it.....GeForce 8600M GT. Wonder how Apple will react.
I'm anxiously awaiting to hear what Apple will be doing.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,092
Likes: 11,836
From: Florida
It seems that Dell and HP aren't doing recalls, they both released a firmware update that makes the GPU fan come on much more often and I think they extended the warranties. Unlike the sony batteries this won't spontaneously combust so they'll probably try not to do a recall and just fix all the broke ones much like MS is doing with the RRoD 360s even though the fail rate of the 360s is at about 33% they still haven't and won't do a recall.
Originally Posted by #1 DOUCHER
For Linux:
I don't need to tell you cause you already know cause you spent an hour searching the internet trying to find drivers for your GPU!
I don't need to tell you cause you already know cause you spent an hour searching the internet trying to find drivers for your GPU!
ATI is the typically the pain in the ass when it comes to Linux (although I have no recent experience). nVidia has native drivers for Linux posted on their website. Plus, most recent distros come packages with or give you easy access to nVidia drivers. I know Ubuntu does.
NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go (Toshiba)
This article explains A LOT since my laptop has been acting weird for the past few months. Out of nowhere, the screen would go berserk, freeze up, and the computer itself would lock up. I am forced to do a hard reboot.
This article explains A LOT since my laptop has been acting weird for the past few months. Out of nowhere, the screen would go berserk, freeze up, and the computer itself would lock up. I am forced to do a hard reboot.
I don't have a Ferrari in
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,437
Likes: 2
From: Southern California
Originally Posted by mrdeeno
wait...so if my XPS 1330 laptop dies because of the Nvidia card, does that mean I won't have a chance to delete all my porn before sending it back?
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,092
Likes: 11,836
From: Florida
Originally Posted by Pure Adrenaline
NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go (Toshiba)
This article explains A LOT since my laptop has been acting weird for the past few months. Out of nowhere, the screen would go berserk, freeze up, and the computer itself would lock up. I am forced to do a hard reboot.
This article explains A LOT since my laptop has been acting weird for the past few months. Out of nowhere, the screen would go berserk, freeze up, and the computer itself would lock up. I am forced to do a hard reboot.
