HP Pavilion DV9700T CTO notebook system board problem

[shaynec1981]

I need a motherboard for the aforemention laptop with the 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS integrated, as was the original. But even on the HP Parts Store, I can only find the 256MB 8400M GS. I've ran google searches in any possible combination I can think of, but to no avail. I don't have the laptop with me physically, because I'm deployed in Afghanistan right now, so I can't just look up the part number. But I'm really surprised it's not listed on the HP website... does anyone have a clue where I can get this setup?

The only other thing I can think of would be if that particular video card wasn't actually integrated into the system board. I know the 256 is integrated, but if this one wasn't, that would explain why couldn't find it... but that doesn't seem the most likely answer to me. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[CalcProgrammer1]

I'd think it would be hard to find a particular configuration of a laptop motherboard. Is your system under warranty? The graphics card is indeed integrated onto the motherboard (saw a picture of the dv9700t board) so you can't replace it. Why do you need a new board? I have that same laptop (with the 8600M GS).

 

[Alvin.C]

Hello,

Ideally, we'll need your notebook's part number to help find the correct system board for it, or the system board's part number if you already know it.

System boards are expensive to replace. If your notebook is no longer under warranty, call HP and see if you can purchase a post warranty HP care pack for your notebook. It is cheaper than paying for a replacement part or for out of warranty repair.

Last month, my HP NX7300 Business Notebook needed it's system board replacing after the BIOS corrupted. Because it was out of warranty, it would have cost me £180 for the replacement system board, and I would have had to replace the part myself. Instead, I purchased a 1 Year Post Warranty HP Care Pack for just £64 and had HP pick-up, repair and return my notebook to me.

What's more, it smells like new electronics again! mmmmmmnnnnn :happy:

 

[shaynec1981]

Heh, well, it's actually ignorance on my part. I had never actually purchased a laptop brand new before, and I thought I knew how the warranties worked, and didn't look into it enough. Here's the story.

I'm in the Army and currently deployed in Afghanistan. I got an emergency Red Cross message for a death in my family and jumped on the next flight out to the states. Well, I only had one little bag with my laptop and some clothes in it and I was just going to bring that as carry on. The bag was like 2 KG overweight, and with my mental state being all messed up and in a hurry, I said screw it, just check it in. Bad idea. When I got home, the laptop wouldn't even power on. I had just bought it in Feb. of this year. It had come with a 1 year warranty. I then proceeded to chat with an online HP rep, just to be sure. They said that I was correct and that it was under warranty until some time in '09. Well, I sent it in to HP to get repaired. I then came back to Afghanistan, and was checking to progress on it everyday. One day I noticed a charge of almost how much I paid for it to begin with, and called them up and asked why they were charging me while it was still under warranty. Apparently the standard warranty only covers hardware diagnostics. But they gave me a list of everything that needed replacing, which in my opinion most of it was BS. But they did tell me the system board needed replaced, which is what I assumed to begin with. I can work on computer hardware and have done so for many years, and I have the service manual PDF file from HP showing how to disassemble the laptop and whatnot. I have a wife and three kids and our only source of income is the military right now, so there is no way I can afford to shell out over $1000. So I had them send it back to me as-is. That is why I need to find this system board and replacing it myself is no problem. I'm just a broke military man that lost his biggest form of entertainment and his main way to communicate with friends and family back home.

 

[CalcProgrammer1]

Well, you could always look for a replacement dv9700t on eBay, if you can find one with a broken screen/hard drive/etc but still functional mainboard it'd be an easy swap. Have you checked the mainboard for the obvious defects (bad power/battery connection, faulty switch, visibly broken parts, etc)? If it's a switch or connector, that'd be easy to fix yourself. Have you tried powering it on via the QuickPlay touch-strip button or the remote control (if you have one)? Try taking the battery out, plugging it in, and then powering it up, mine acted up one time where it wouldn't POST (turn on but wouldn't do anything) and taking out and reinserting the battery fixed it, booted right up and hasn't had an issue since. Does it even recognize power (the blue AC-power-in light around the power jack) or charge the battery (battery charging LED in the front)? Also, are you sure the AC adapter works? I know these things sound simple, but they're definitely worth checking before shelling out a bunch of cash on a new board, especially if you're on a tight budget.

 

[shaynec1981]

I appreciate the help. Well here is what I did do.

When I plug the AC adapter in, the blue light does come on. When I press the power button on the touch strip, nothing happens. I popped the battery out and put it back in and the lights in the touch strip come on, like it's powering on, but they only stay on for a few seconds and then turn back off. I haven't tried the remote. Oh, one thing I almost forgot to mention was before it started doing this, I could turn it on and it would actually boot up, but only be on for a few seconds to a few minutes and then it would just turn right back off. I was trying to pull data off my hard drive to save during this time, and eventually it got to the point where it just starting doing what I'm describing now.

And no, I haven't checked the motherboard for any obvious defects yet, because I thought it was still under warranty and didn't want to crack it open and void it. I don't have it in my possession yet, and I'm waiting on my wife to send it to me, but when it gets here, I'll crack it open and check the board itself out. That is unless that 1 Year Post Warranty HP Care Pack Alvin mentioned would work, in which case, I'll just send it back to HP again. But that's a good idea of checking eBay for a used replacement laptop to check for the spare motherboard.

 

[CalcProgrammer1]

That's odd, my old desktop (a Celeron 500MHz) did the same thing when it died, would randomly shut down, and eventually would only stay on for a few minutes, now it doesn't work at all. I'm thinking it's a bad capacitor on the board, though I ended up just replacing the board with a better one.

 

[shaynec1981]

Well, I'm sure it's damage it received in the belly of all the airplane rides. The screen was also horribly cracked, which is an easy fix. So I know it sustained some damage on the flight home. So as soon as I get the laptop, I'll get the part number off the motherboard, and hopefully I'll be able to find a replacement that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I'm thinking, not at all happy thinking, about just downgrading to the 256M motherboard. How much do you think that would affect gameplay on games like CoD? With the 512 I could play Crysis, but I had to turn the settings all the way down. I'm assuming if I get the 256 I won't be able to play Crysis at all anymore, tho.

 

[CalcProgrammer1]

I would definitely not do that! The 8600M GS 512 isn't even that good of a card, the 8400M GS is even worse! I would get the 8600M GS one and overclock it, then you might be able to play Crysis on slightly higher settings (I overclocked mine, but I don't have Crysis).

If the screen is cracked, are you sure that the mainboard is the problem? Computers often have short detection and other built in circuit fault protection. If the screen cracked, it is possible that wires in the screen broke, the inverter broke, the light broke, etc, and that the board is shutting off to prevent a short or other fault due to a broken screen. I don't see how a physical impact would damage the board (unless the board is obviously physically damaged, cracked, chipped, or has parts missing).

 

[Alvin.C]

Hello,

HP's limited warranty (covered by all HP products from date of purchase, usually for a period of a year) covers the repair or replacement of defective components of an HP product at their discretion. However, unfortunately it doesn't include accidental damage as standard. If HP know, or if it is clear at diagnostics, that a product doesn't work due to accidental damage, they'll pass the costs onto the customer. You can check to see what your warranty covers at the following webpage: http://www12.itrc.hp.com/service/ewarranty/warrantyInput.do.

As for the post warranty care pack, it is only a solution for products which are out of warranty (to extend expired warranties).

You'd get away with having it repaired under warranty (free of charge) only if HP are unaware of how your notebook came to be damaged, and if it isn't obvious that it's defective due to accidental damage.

Luckily, in some countries and for some products, HP offer accidental damage protection. You can check the availability and price at the following webpage: http://h40059.www4.hp.com/services/support/pricelist/ . It is cheaper, easier and worthwhile. Looking at the price list, it looks as though a 3 year pick-up and return, accidental damage care pack is available for your notebook, for £168 (about $293 USD) as of this month. The Care Pack part number is: U4821E. I'd call up HP and confirm it with them. Once purchased, you can then register it with your product and have HP pick-up and repair your notebook.