Project Reality Forums

MSI GX720 laptop:

Win7
Centrino 2 2.3 P8600
Nvidia 9600M GT
HDD WD 320 0BEVT 5400rpm

My problems started with my plugged in HD monitor switching itself off.
I removed the fan and removed alot of dust from the insides of the two air exits reapplied heatpaste and all was good...for a day.

Then when switching on the laptop it seemed to be in sleep mode, fan running with the moon sleep symbol lit up, but no display, no HDD noises.

I tried full reset by unplugging mains and battery and CMOS battery and pressing the power button for a long time - no change.

I have just removed the SATA HDD and to my joy it fires up with my OEM WIN7 disc in it ofc starting the win7 install.

So before I get the HDD checked by getting a box to plug it in to the wifes desktop or see if the local shitty shop can test it I would like to know if theres any way to test my Nvidia 9600M GT graphics card before either paying $40 for the shop to test the HD or buying the box to USB it?

Thanks guys as where I am stuff is horribly expensive on Tiger Direct a lovely i5 desktop complete componants set is $750 but to buy a similar set up here is $2000.


EDIT Running ok in safe mode (i don't think my laptop has any integrated or onboard video) had one black screen laptop still running so far I am now DLing new 314.22 driver as this has happened to quite a few people, I'd still love to know what che ks I can do to my VGA nonetheless

Video Memory Stress Test 1.7.116
A tool to thoroughly test your video RAM for errors and faults.

Video Memory Stress Test CE 1.21
Tests all video RAM accessible by 32-bit CPU address space from a clean environment.

Hiren's BootCD 15.2 - All in one Bootable CD ? www.hiren.info

Google for Hiren's Boot CD or for the program names, you'll find downloads.
This Hiren's Boot CD also has all of the HDD diagnostic tools your local PC shop will use.

I think it's the HDD, not the GPU, but just a hunch on your quick post.

Well so far so good I'll fire up PR tonight and see what happens.
I agree the on sleep problem seems HD, but the monitor shutting down is more graphic card, but after the dust removal and updated driver we'll see.
If we get anymore HDD issues I'll get the crucial M4 128 SSD with the cable as I only am using 60GB ATM.
Thanks for reading and replying.

That Hirens is incredible....

Last night I got a pink screen of death where the screen is totally pink, I am pretty sure that points to a failing GPU but I will hook up a second screen to test. Temps are low under 60c.

Cards are available from 100 percent feedback vendors in china and I assume the motherboard and GPU bios is unlocked as my laptop was sold as a 1127 barebones when new. As most cards are secondhand from Acer machines but I'll have to check if they're BIOS locked.
I am very tempted to try baking the card....

If you weren't having the PSOD before the deep cleaning you might have knocked the vid card loose, or gotten dust/dirt in the slot, worth a shot to remove, clean and reset the card.

Nothing I can add besides that I concur with your diagnosis and choices going forward, definitely reseat before you bake,

Before you bake the card in a standard UK home oven, you might try the heat gun approach, if you can find a cheap heat gun.

'[R-COM wrote:LITOralis.nMd;1883816']
Also, it is much safer to use a heat gun then an oven.

Heat gun method:
trick_m0nkey has shown us another method of fixing a dead gpu on a laptop motherboard using a heat gun. How to do a reflow (performed on a DV 2000) - [H]ard|Forum

Oven method:
Holy ****, it worked! Dead video card resurrected! - [H]ard|Forum

Its best to clean with a compressed air line or a can right?


I also rolled back to my previous driver.

Standard UK oven in New Caledonia lol got some awful gas fired chinese **** but I'll ask amongst the housewives to find someone who has a decent electric one. I checked out that 74 page baking thread a while ago.

I removed the fan and removed alot of dust from the insides of the two air exits reapplied heatpaste and all was good...for a day.

GUessing you know what you're doing, sometimes sh*t happens and the GPU and GPU cooler doesn't sit perfectly well after you clean it, I'd suggest just going at it again, even if you have to buy more thermal paste.

Your best bet might be rubbing alcohol and your wife's makeup removal cotton wipes (no fragrance, no oils, etc kind).

10 years ago: old credit card to scrape existing paste, rubbing alcohol, cotton QTip (aka Cotton swabs (American English) or cotton buds (British English) or ear buds) was all that was needed. Still works fine.

Before you buy a replacement GPU, make sure your GPU isn't soldered to the motherboard btw.

No its not already removed it MMX II type, as mentioned my laptop was sold as a barebones 1167 GX720 so its fairly good to take apart.