This just ticks me right off... Dell and HP balk at replacing bad Nvidia chip

Part of the article...

Even worse, HP and Dell continued to sell notebooks with the same Nvidia chip long after the companies were aware of the problem. (Ultimately, Nvidia released a new version of the GPU that didn't cause overheating.)

Dell has a User Community blog with quite a few PO'd users... http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/d...worldwide.aspx

There is another site called HP Lies on the HP issues... HP Lies: The nVidia Defect

I know you are a Dell fan dohbar so I can see how this ticks you off. I always tried to steer clear of proprietary computers like Everex, Dell, HP. etc... I try to stick with Intel or Ibm stuff. Although I guess my old Amrels are pretty durn proprietary and I do have that old Compaq P1 running DSLinux, so I guess I better eat my words.

I always tried to steer clear of proprietary computers

Sadly, that's pretty much impossible with notebooks.

I try to stick with Intel or Ibm stuff

IBM? They were the originators of proprietary - and the whole impetus for PC "clones".

I was refering to Linux I guess when it came to propriertary hardware. On HP and Everex, Linux installs can be a nightmare. Also when it comes to certain Dell computers also when it comes to wireless because of the Broadcom chipsets. Different Perspective I guess.

I smiled when I read that Apple replaced or repaired any computers with this chip free of charge. But then a Apple consumer paid for it when they bought Apples Hardware to begin with.

Originally Posted by rokytnji

But then a Apple consumer paid for it when they bought Apples Hardware to begin with.

Nicely put.

My Mom's compaq dekstop started slowly messing up last February just after warranty expiration and I'm afraid that its the board. The only thing that I know to do is to have her take it to computers plus to have it tested. I don't even have time to work on it because when I'm not working she is. With all thats going on with it all I know to do is reinstall the OS which she doesn't want me to do. It doesn't have an nvidia gpu so i don't think that its the same problem and it sounds like in the article that this only applies to laptops.

I've never been a dell fan.

There's something to be said about Apple's philosophy - they build excellent computers that perform consistently as advertised. But then I would expect an Apple OS to work on Apple HW and Apple peripherals. And if I felt my PC was just another communications and work "appliance" in the house, Apple might have been my choice. But I tend to dink with things and the PC (thanks to ATX) allows for that.

Originally Posted by roky

I know you are a Dell fan dohbar so I can see how this ticks you off

Yep...we use Dell PC's and Laptop's at work and have quite a few Dell Laptops. According to the Dell site I linked to above it looks like D620, D630, D820, and Dell D830 Lappys are affected. My own Dell Latitude D620 and Dell XPS M1730 are not affected and I'm just in the process of checking the work Lappys.

Originally Posted by Windows Secrets

However, instead of issuing a recall — as you would expect in such a clear case of a defective part — the vendors instead merely offered a BIOS upgrade. The "patch" for the affected notebooks made their fans run continuously in an attempt to lower the GPU-induced heat, which was cooking the motherboards onto which the chips were soldered.

This "fix" merely extended the time before the motherboards finally burned out while simultaneously devouring the machines' battery life — sort of like putting a Band-Aid on a coronary. Of course, notebook purchasers became further inflamed by the power drain on their systems due to the constantly running fan

This also ticks me off..."A BIOS upgrade"...geez louise, a freaking BIOS Upgrade to make the fan run constantly!! If you click on the linkable Dell models you will see it takes you to the units BIOS download page. Hopefully none of the Laptops I take care of are affected but if they are Dell Tech will be getting an earful from me and I have the extra "warranty" on the Laptops to back me up.

If someone know that they have or might have a defective model and it is still under the original warranty, can they demand that their computer be fixed a head of time?

If someone know that they have or might have a defective model and it is still under the original warranty, can they demand that their computer be fixed a head of time?

You can demand anything you want. It does not mean it will happen, or that anyone will even listen. You need to contact the maker. I can assure you they will not replace it because you "might" have a defective part. It will only happen if they know your board has a bad part, or if the part maker actually "recalls" the part - but that does not normally happen until someone dies. As far as I know, there have been no notebooks catch fire from a bad nVidia chip. Bad batteries, yes, but that's another issue. Compounding the issue for the consumer is that only some notebooks using these nVidia chips are having problems. nVidia has accepted responsibility, but not issued a recall. Just updated the driver. They did recall some of their own products with the affected chips, however.

It would seem most of these problems are surfacing after the warranty expires. Why? Well, I am not a conspiracy theorist so I don't believe it is planned obsolescence - I have one idea and it's because notebook makers don't provide users an easy method to keep heat trapping dust from accumulating inside the notebook. Eventually the tiny fan is no longer able to keep up.

I note that both Sony and HP have extended the warranty an additional 6 to 12 months - better than nothing since they don't have any "obligation" to do anything - legally.

If you do fall victim to this nVidia chip failure after the extended warranty has expired and you are not satisfied with the way Sony or HP treats you, it would seem your only recourse is to buy an IBM or Toshiba notebook next time, and make sure Sony and HP (in a professional manner) and all your friends (any way you want) know why.

Looks like Dell has had enough of Nvidia.

Nvidia is out at dell - The Inquirer