Laptop screen graphics 'jumping'

Fire_Fox

I am not sure if this really is the right place to post this ....

For the last couple of weeks the screen on my laptop has been flickering up and down, much as old TVs did when the tracking (is that the right word?) was not set properly. It was only every few days at first, now is occurring daily but still only intermittent.

Fujitsu-Siemens say it might be Windows or damage to the cable that connects the screen to the main computer. I have a feeling it is the latter as I do use the computer daily, and it seems to happen when I am typing, i.e. jogging the laptop slightly.

If it is the cable the laptop is under warranty until September (1 year from purchase) so will be repaired for free, tho it will have to go away for up to two weeks. Not good as I am a student with assignments to do over the summer! They have said any repair will only be guaranteed until the end of the current warranty period, i.e. just a few months. If I want longer I will have to pay for a three year extended warranty. :mad:

Is there anything I should be doing to prevent this problem recurring? Is it worth buying an extended warranty? Can I ask for a new machine or insist that they extend the warranty on this fault?

macman

Firstly check if it is a screen fault or software problem by plugging in an external monitor. If the image is OK then it is not a graphics card problem or software problem.
If it still flickers, then it is not a display or cable problem but more likely a software or graphics card problem.
I'm puzzled that FS didn't ask you to check this first.
However the symptoms you describe would indicate a connection problem-does it flicker when you move the lid slightly?

Fire_Fox

I only rang FS to find out the procedure, I had to ring from work and didn't want to take my laptop in case I damaged it further. They have said to ring with the serial number and they would troubleshoot, but the if it is hardware I will have to send the laptop away which I can't do until the end of term.

I don't have an external monitor and, although the screen was flickering quite a bit this morning, but hasn't at all this evening. Not even when I move the lid. Until I typed the fullstop on the last sentence!!!

macman

Just visit a friend with a PC and use their monitor. If it's OK, you can get an old CRT monitor for nothing and use that as a stopgap until it's convenient to get it fixed.

Fire_Fox

I don't think I know anyone locally with a monitor except my father, and he is abroad until June. He also has an external hard drive, another reason I want to wait until then before sending the machine away! I live in a flat and use my laptop literally on my laptop. I don't have a desk or table I could work at.

I could take the laptop to work on a weekend and plug into their monitor, but because the fault is intermittent (not occurred at all today!!!) it won't really prove anything if the laptop behaves itself with monitor.

S0litaire

Ok quick check! Does anyone in the flat have an LCD tv?
Some LCD TV's have a VGA connector. If yes then you can pick up a cheap VGA cable for a £5 or so. and borrow the TV to check things out!

4743hudsonj

my laptop had the same issue a few months back, turned out to be the ribbon cable getting pinched in the casing from a previous repair and being cut whenever i moved the screen!


i would go for a repair asap as then you will be safer for longer, ask for a longer guarantee on the parts and labour but if you cant get this then you can always rely on the sale of goods act if it is faulty again, you see warranties are merely extensions of your statutory rights, SOGO is where your real power comes from and it is your underlying rights. You could claim that the machine itself and/or the parts replaced are not of satisfactory quality and demand a repair which it is your right to, but be warned this will cost you as you will need to prove the fault by paying for an engineer. also companies like to deny that soga exists and tell you they dont have to give you a repair when in most cases they do! (free of charge)

Basically SOGA will protect you but often it takes a lot of frustrating emails and phone calls to get anywhere, where as an extended warranty give you peice of mind as it means you dont have to force them to do anything.

Fire_Fox

Thanks everyone. I do have an LCD TV, I didn't think of that ... doh!

I am pretty good at writing complaining letters when I receive poor service/ goods and I have the legal right for a repair/ refund/ compensation. That's why I at least had the sense to check how long the repair was guaranteed for. It doesn't seem right to me that they can take my laptop for a couple of weeks, then potentially fix it just enough for the machine to limp through the magic one year window of opportunity.

I never take out extended warranties as they are usually very expensive. I am also worried the same fault would not be covered as obviously it would predate the extended warranty.

4743hudsonj

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I do have an LCD TV, I didn't think of that ... doh!

I am pretty good at writing complaining letters when I receive poor service/ goods and I have the legal right for a repair/ refund/ compensation. That's why I at least had the sense to check how long the repair was guaranteed for. It doesn't seem right to me that they can take my laptop for a couple of weeks, then potentially fix it just enough for the machine to limp through the magic one year window of opportunity.

I never take out extended warranties as they are usually very expensive. I am also worried the same fault would not be covered as obviously it would predate the extended warranty.

well as i mentioned you will be protected

think of the sale of goods act as an implied variable warranty on every product you buy, any manufacturers warranties just add to this and extended ones even further.

for example when you bought your laptop you didnt buy an extended warranty as you thought you didnt need it, well more accurately, you didnt actually need the original warranty eitherl as you have soga.