topic Black screen with green dots. in PCs & Accessories

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:14:19 GMT

Since buying this laptop i have encountered countless problems. But recently the two worst are the fact that the hinge snapped then followed by my laptop not loading.

After having it on hibernate, i turned it back on for the laptop to freeze on a black screen. After powering off then back on, the laptop came up with random lines of colours then after the loading screen it just freezes on a black screen with green dots.

I have tried system restore to last week and nothing, and have also done a vaio hardware diagnostics test with no errors detected. The only options i get is to go to start computer normally or go to diagnostics, no safe mode or other options.

Any help? Thanks, Mark.

Black screen with green dots.

Blencogo — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:15:09 GMT

Hi Mark,

Can you please tell us the Vaio Model, the OS and the Graphics chip manufacturer,

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:13:19 GMT

Hi, this is very strange, nothing like i've seen before 😕

It's and AR51M on vista home premium and has an nvidia gforce 8400M.

I have tried system restore which failed as it couldn't load on start up thereforre couldnt complere the restore. After many hours last night with my uncle attempting to fix it, we saved all files needed after opening in safe mode, then tried factory reset. Unfortuanately, it seems to have affected the whole system, as when i did factory reset the laptop failed to load, comes up with the windows is starting for first time, and the loading of drives, but freezes therefore i can't even load the computer anymore 😕

Completely lost. It comes up with red lines down when the vaio logo comes up, flashes blue then goes to the black screen with green dots.

Any ideas?

Black screen with green dots.

Blencogo — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:25:30 GMT

Hi Mark,

It could be several things but I think your nVidia Graphics Chipset has probably developed a fault and is causing the problems you have as soon as you try to load Windows.

You could try booting the Vaio and connect it to an external monitor to see if the problem is with the chipset or with the screen itself. If the external monitor is OK then it may be a screen fault.

I would have a word with one of Sony's Service Partners - are you based in the UK?

Have a look at this previous discussion as I believe you have a similar problem: -

https://www.sony.co.uk/discussions/message/614005#614005

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:41:11 GMT

so would as fault to the graphics card stop the computer from loading properly? 😕

edit: after researching i came across this message on the forum: https://www.sony.co.uk/discussions/message/614258#614258 .... it seems as though this is a recognised problem yet sony still do nothing about it? any advice on what the next steps are?

Thanks.

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:19:30 GMT

Hi blencogo, thanks for the quick response.

I don't think that this is the case as when going into diagnostics or loading the laptop in safe mode, the picture is fine. However, i cannot connect it to another monitor as the keys dont work for me to press fn and f7 to change to the hdmi output.

The only time the colours come up is during loading, which is now as far as i can get but it doesn't appear to be a graphics problem.

Is there anyway of getting the files needed to do factory reset? as the laptop seems incapble to do it by the c drive.

It's quite hard to explain the problem but hopefully you follow :L

And yes i'm in the uk

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:51:34 GMT

Apologies for the number of replies but i have just done the test recommended: http://genesis.sony-europe.com/instranet/ccil_sony/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=34820&l=en_GB&m=VGN-FZ21Z

The outcome was that there where red 'dotted' lines verticly like the image second from bottom (the left side of the image). However, this only occurs in the light blue and dark blue sections of the bottom image, not in the grey. What does this mean? Hardware?

Black screen with green dots.

Thalamus. — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:41:50 GMT

The outcome was that there where red 'dotted' lines verticly like the  image second from bottom (the left side of the image). However, this  only occurs in the light blue and dark blue sections of the bottom  image, not in the grey. What does this mean? Hardware?

Markj1993, could you let us know if those lines are visible in safe mode and/or in the BIOS.?

Black screen with green dots.

Thalamus. — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:42:34 GMT

edit: after researching i came across this message on the forum: https://www.sony.co.uk/discussions/message/614258#614258 .... it seems as though this is a recognised problem yet sony still do nothing about it? any advice on what the next steps are?

Hi Markj1993,

as you can see by the statement below Sony have identified the range of models that possibly have the affected NVIDIA chip installed, unfortunately, according to Sony, it appears that your model is not included in those models..:smileysad:

Sony have released a statement confirming that some Vaio models can have distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip.

The models concerned are as follows..

VGN-FZ11x, VGN-FZ18x, VGN-FZ21x, VGN-FZ31x, VGN-FZ38x
VGN-AR11x, VGN-AR21x, VGN-AR31x
VGN-C1Zx, VGN-C2Zx
VGC-LM1xx, VGC-LM2xx
VGC-LT1xx, VGC-LT2xx

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:10:56 GMT

Safe mode no longer loads as i tried factory reset but it failed to load. On the BIOS it has the red dotted lines in the blue sections of the screen but not the grey parts 😕

I didn't the the graphics card would stop the laptop from loading, thought it'd just affect the graphics...

Black screen with green dots.

Thalamus. — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:20:17 GMT

I've noticed you have two threads on the same subject...:smileyconfused:

Here is a reply that I posted in your other thread...

You could try contacting one of Sony's authorised repaires as recenty another Vaio owner provided feedback on some excellent service -

I have since been in touch with Laptop Hut of Hove in Sussex (one of the authorised repairers listed) , who came back with a remarkably helpful and honest appraisal:

This is something we can help with and it sounds like the NVIDIA graphics chipset has gone. Without seeing it we can't be 100%, but if it is the graphics chip there is two ways of resolving the issue.

The first is an expensive route with a 100% success rate, which is to replace the system board which has the card attached. These are normally in the region of £500-£600...

The second option is to attempt a repair on the system board with something called a reflow of the graphics chip. This has about an 80% success rate and would cost £195.00. If this didn't work all you would pay is £29.95 to cover the engineers time.

To find contact details for Sony Vaio support..

Open Vaio support, either by clicking Support at the top of this page or use the following link:Vaio support

Under Log-in option 2: Select your model from the drop down list.

Then click Log-In

Once logged select Get In Touch

Then Click on the Out of Warranty tab

Black screen with green dots.

markj1993 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:04:17 GMT

Yes sorry about that.

I think i will just leave it as i don't really want to pay for it to happen again. Think it's time for a new laptop from somewhere else, until sony are prepared to fix this problem across the whole range that is affected.

Thanks for your help

Black screen with green dots.

Thalamus. — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:09:32 GMT

Thanks for your help

You're welcome, just sorry we can't help you resolve your graphics problem..:smileysad: