HP PAVILION ZD8000 CHECKERED DISPLAY PROBLEM

Hello,

I am having trouble with my HP Pavilion zd8000 notebook. The display sometimes has a checkered display, or sometimes some sort of odd pattern---it varies. The notebook is a little over 1 year old, and when i researched on the hp website on the issue, I have noticed that many people are having very similiar problems & during the same time period as well. I think the graphics card needs to be replaced. Its a ATI Raedon 128 graphics card. I have included some pictures I have taken of the wierd display patterns I have seen so far. If anyone can please help me, I will be very thankful.

Once again thanks!

1. Here is a pic from when the computer first loads up:


2. Here is a pic when windows loads:



3. Here is a pic with windows on:


If the pics dont show up, then please go here:
1. http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?d159a9561e.jpg
2. http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?c00edd8102.jpg
3. http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?1981452f85.jpg

 

You are having serious artifacting and it points directly to your video card. Now this can happen due to...

1. Your card needs to be reset.

2. Your card's fan is failing and the artifacting is due to over-heating OR your laptop is overheating and it is affecting the video card casuing this issue.

3. The card is dying and you need a new one.

I speak from artifacting experience!

As you note, many people are experiencing this and I think you are correct that the card needs to be replaced.

 

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it.

As I mentioned earlier, alot of people are having very similiar problems with the zd8000... and also during the same time frame as well. I think it might be due to a designing flaw in the notebook. Do, by any chance, think that HP might recall them or probably fix it for the customers free of charge? I know they have done it before concerning the battery overheating/catching fire.

 

If it is under warrenty and is known to be a common problem, by all means HP should do all they are required to do to fix this issue.

 

Have just seen this , posted about similar issue onto the Hewlett Package IT Resource Centre Forum here at http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/...20362&admit=-682735245+1175596344070+28353475 .

I also think it's a product design or manufacturing fault. Would someone please like to offer any advice about the screen shot, as described, by poster Vince Shalom? ...his external monitor works but onborad display seems shot, "... lcd display showing blue band/line, and green/band line, on right hand third, of visible screen".


Thanks in anticipation,

Freewheel

 

The Guy posts a link to a screen shot if that helps?

http://www.mvpicton.co.uk/images/HP-Pavillion-8000-Display-p (Medium).jpg

Freewheel

 

Its a damn good machine i have one myself..

 

skhanz, Just as a matter of interest, when it happens, can you move the pointer on screen?

 

P2P2P,

Thanks for your reply....

Yes, I can move the pointer around. Everything functions as it should, except the display is always messed up...

 

Hi Skhanz,
Obviously the ideal solution is to get someone to fix it in a shop but I'll tell you my experience and the extreemly technical way I fix it.
I have a SONY VAIO and a similar problem but with mine the pointer doesn't work and the screen eventually fades to black. No I'm not bursting into song here. This first happened about a month after I got the thing and a little like you (I think) I wanted to fix it myself rather than hand it over to someone and wait 2 weeks.
With mine, it's a loose connection to the screen, which is apparently quite common with laptop manufacture that has been moved to China. (is yours)
Anyway if I take my laptop and hold it with the vga/network/printer ports pointing downwards and pretend to drop it (obviously while still holding on) just to give it a good jolt it pops the loose connection back into place and it always works fine until I put it back in it's case where I think the orientation of the way I store it can unseat it again. I know it sounds ridiculous but it works every time and I had to do it before I started typing this. I can sometimes hear my screen move slightly if I turn it upsidedown and just through experience I have a fair idea where the connection is so try it yourself and with a bit of luck it'll work for you too.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks again for your reply P2P2P,

Thanks for your advice, im going to try that out. I actually connected the computer to an external monitor, and it still had the same problems. Like you said, I am trying to avoid computer shops. Unfortunately, it looks like i need to go to one (hahaha). I'm thinking about Best Buy's Geek Squad.

I have noticed that the pics i posted up are no longer active, so i am going to reload them on another server.

Thanks to all of you who have responded to this post, i really appreciate it.

 

Oh, If it shows the same when connected to an external monitor then it's not the screen connection. Mine will display perfectly when connected to a monitor.
It may still be a loose connection but now it's not the screen and more likley a graphics card issue. If it's an ATI 128mb card they could first check the connections to make sure nothings loose and if there's still a problem, simply replace it but if you have Integrated graphics (Card is part of the motherboard) the problem is a lot more serious.
If the notebook is only a year old get them (HP) to fix it asap.

 

I had similar problems with My zd8000,
The unexpected shut downs, battery overheated, Shutdown occured more frequently and within 30 seconds of going into game that uses graphics.

Went to the BBB to file a complaint.
Also the HP forum that had many of the same issues described got removed.

I believe the problem to be a Design Flaw.
To keep the laptop from overheating I have it on top of a grill so that air circulates around it. All my fans work and I vacuum the vens frequently.
It is getting progressively worse.


See also:http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/Laptops4.htm
According to information on the web, the HP Pavilion zd8000 and zd7000 series have problems with overheating. This is because they use an Intel Pentium 4 desktop processor that is not designed for use in a notebook. Special mobile notebook processors are designed to use less power (to save batery life), and run much cooler than desktop processors. Both the Pentium 4 processor and the graphics chips produce heat that the internal case fan probabably cannot remove quickly enough to prevent the computer from overheating.

According to information on the web, some owners of the Pavilion zd7000 series have had the motherboards of their computers replaced many times during the 12-month warranty period. In fact, because of the high number of failures with this series of notebooks, HP has agreed to replace motherboards with failed graphics processors free of charge - even if the computer is out of warranty. This policy doesn't appear to apply to the zd8000 series, but, if the graphics processor has failed, you will probably be able to have it applied in your case, because the design of that series isn't markedly differen from the zd7000 series.

To prevent a netebook computer from getting hotter than it should, always use it on a hard surface, never on a bed or couch, because it needs air to circulate under it. Stands are also available that raise a notebook above the surface so that the more air can circulate under it, and you can purchase a cooling pad that has fans inside it that the notebook is placed on. Such a cooling pad reduces a notebook's temperature by a few degrees, which might be enough to cure the problem.

 

I stumbled across this thread while googling on the zd8000 heat issue. Just wanted to throw in that I've twice sent mine in for this issue in the last year. Each time I was under extended warranty ($129/year). It's a display card heat issue as best as I can tell though I can't get any HP personnel to acknowledge it. They have replaced the main board each time. I guess I will continue to renew the extended warranty as long as they will allow. I, too, have noticed that a couple of posts to various HP forums have been deleted. There still is some activity on the HP Business Support Forums. Go there and search for "zd8000 video problems" or "zd8000 heat problem" and you'll see we are not alone. Basically, if the problem occurs in BIOS boot stage and resembles the above pics it's the video card and the main board must be replaced. By the way, I always mount my zd8000 on small supports to keep it off whatever surface it's on so to allow better circulation. It may buy a couple of months but won't put an end to the issue. From the other HP forum posts you will see that HP does not get involved other than to take our calls and arrange for warranty repairs. Don't expect a recall.

 

In ethernet land, nothing can hide some truths forever!

For those who unfortumately missed the Hewlett Packard HP Pavillion ZD8000EA 'removed post', concerning the display issue....I think the link below will help inform.

http://www.mvpicton.co.uk/cache/IT Resource Center forums - HP Pavilion zd8000 display.htm

No such thing as invention, only discovery!!! xx

 

And maybe I'm a bit dull, but I have also just discovered that this model is..........discontinued!!

From the Hewlett Packard website at http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF10a/21675-38187-38191-38191-38191-12090742.html

Reading from these posts, I don't have to wonder why!

 

...and now I'm sending my zd8000 back for the second time in 2 weeks. Same problem. The new main board installed last week made it only 8 days.

 

thanks guys for all your responses...

I sent my notebook to a technician, and he told me that it will cost almost $800 to repair. I thought it wasn't worth it and hoped that HP will offer a recall of some sort. Unfortunately, I doubt a thing like that will happen, so I'm planning to sell it on ebay or something. Thanks for all your help!

 

Contact HP, and ask them to replace it. Show them the posts in this thread and any other posts which reflect the same problem.

If they don't replace the notebook, trash it, and move on to a different manufacturer.

HP hasn't been the same since they merged with Compaq.

 

Contact HP - What A Very Good Idea but...I believe it's no use joining the queue if the queue is not being processed fairly...or not at all!

Who was it that said, "Everything we do must be for the customer. If it's not, then we need to reconsider why we're doing it."

ANSWER:- Mark Hurd, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Hewlett-Packard Company. Well it seems to be clear at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/bios/hurd.html

Which entity states, ""We believe technology should be accessible to everyone in the world as a means to learn, work and benefit from information."

(Well...errrrr....Provide reliable products and a fair service...that's no problem either!)

ANSWER:- HP Global Philanthropy at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/grants/index.html

I believe Mr. Mark Hurd wants to hear from anyone of you, expressing your views, to improve the 'Hewlett Packard Customer Experience'. "If you have any ideas or suggestions on how Hewlett-Packard can serve you better, please e-mail them to me by using the form below."


Please have faith in him. He is just a man like any other, in charge of a business like any other. Please send him an email about this Hewlett Packard ZD 8000 (any model overheating display etc,) situation, (it appears to be the case that he wants you to!) and refer him to this site and any other links supplied.

Give respect, get respect. It is natural law, often violated but impossible to change.

E-mail Mark Hurd
http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/email/hurd/index.html


Don't give up on Hewlett Packard or each other.