HP zd8000 display problem

Meerkat · 10-22-2009

Hello, can anyone please help me with a display problem I'm having with my HP pavilion laptop.
When powered up the laptop seems to boot correctly, but the screen is a scrambled mess.

Computer; HP zd8000 laptop (zd8181ea)
Processor; 3.2GHz 640 w/HT Technology
Display; 17" WXGA+
Graphics card; ATI MOBILITY RADEON X600 with 256 MB DDR dedicated
OS; Windows XP home, service pack 2.
Date of purchase; circa late 2005.

If left switched on for some time (about 1 to 4 hours) it often corrects itself and can be used normally for the rest of the day; but not always, and not recently. I had a problem about 18 months ago (laptop would cut off abruptly), and had it fixed on an extended warranty, (since expired), but I'm not certain what they did. I think the motherboard was changed. Since then I have run it without the battery, since this model appears to have overheating problems (info from the internet), but have never had the vertical lines on the screen problem, which I understand is a common fault with this model. I've always run it at maximum resolution and all 3 fans seem to work OK (i.e. same as usual, like a jumbo jet taking off). Also, it doesn't seem to boot into safe mode, though it's difficult to tell with the scrabled screen.

Wolfeymole · 10-22-2009

Hello Meerkat

Welcome to PC Help Forum

That laptop is getting rather long in the tooth and laptops, by their very nature, are susceptible to things that would not affect a desktop machine.

It may be time to consider a new pc.

Save the hard drive though as all is not lost.

georgeks · 10-22-2009

Helo Meercat

If a monitor is connected through the VGA-out, is the distortion visible there too?

There are no overheating problems with that model, but there was a battery pack replacement program back in 2008, however the notebooks themselves were not affected, only the batteries
(check on the corresponding HP page for more info:HP Notebook PC Battery Pack Replacement Program)

Meerkat · 10-23-2009

Hello there, Thanks for the response...

georgeks
I don't currently have access to an external monitor, so can't try the VGA-out, but I'm looking to borrow one and will try that out directly. In the mean time is there any other test I can do to help isolate the faulty component? If I ever get it repaired I'll be sure to chase up the battery issue, it failed quite soon after purchase, thanks.
I had always assumed the model had heating problems because of the incredibly powerful fans, and comments made on the internet. If not, then my earlier problems could possibly have been the faulty battery cooking the motherboard and graphics card.

Wolfeymole
I replaced the HP two years ago with a Sony Vaio VGN-NR11Z, but I'm not quite ready to give up on the HP yet, (my wife used it for her photography work and the 17" monitor is an excellent display).
In Feb 2002, when I decided to ditch my last desktop in favour of laptops, I purchased my first Sony Vaio, an FX-501, and though only 1GHz with 20GbHD (good for the time), it still works perfectly today has respectable performance.

I've downloaded the HP service manual and would be prepared to disassemble the laptop in order to replace faulty parts, but I have no knowledge on how to diagnose laptop hardware faults. If anyone has experience of laptop diagnostics and servicing I would really appreciate the some pointers.

Thanks for the help.

Wolfeymole · 10-23-2009

I'd wait till you can hook it to an external monitor.

If the picture's fine then it's your laptop screen.

If the picture's still scrambled its the onboard gpu.

georgeks · 10-26-2009

I have to say this:

The ZD8000 is VERY complicated to take apart, and putting it back together is even more difficult.

If you decide to go along and disassemble it, make sure you write down what part came out first, and what screw goes where.

If I were you I' skip the part of removing the motherboard from the base enclosure (bottom part), as by then you will have access to the CPU and heatsink/fan assembly.

I think you'll be surprised finding out what type of CPU is in..

BTW: Those warnings about ESD, take them VERY, VERY seriously.

Meerkat · 10-26-2009

Thanks for the advice and cautionary note, it's appreciated...
However, I've since been able to borrow a small external monitor and, against all my expectations, the laptop ran it with no problems, while its own screen remained scrambled, so it looks like a faulty screen.
My searches on the internet indicate a widespread belief that there's a design fault on the HP zd8000 that causes progressive failure of the screen, and that HP won't admit it; possibly to avoid an expensive recall. By the look of it, I'm lucky my screen lasted as long as it did, even though it finally failed catastrophically. I'm not sure the cost of replacing the screen would be worth it, since the replacements also seem to fail... Anybody tried taking the screen off a laptop and using an external monitor only?

10-22-2009	#1
Meerkat Bronze Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8 PC Experience: Beginner	HP zd8000 display problem Hello, can anyone please help me with a display problem I'm having with my HP pavilion laptop. When powered up the laptop seems to boot correctly, but the screen is a scrambled mess. Computer; HP zd8000 laptop (zd8181ea) Processor; 3.2GHz 640 w/HT Technology Display; 17" WXGA+ Graphics card; ATI MOBILITY RADEON X600 with 256 MB DDR dedicated OS; Windows XP home, service pack 2. Date of purchase; circa late 2005. If left switched on for some time (about 1 to 4 hours) it often corrects itself and can be used normally for the rest of the day; but not always, and not recently. I had a problem about 18 months ago (laptop would cut off abruptly), and had it fixed on an extended warranty, (since expired), but I'm not certain what they did. I think the motherboard was changed. Since then I have run it without the battery, since this model appears to have overheating problems (info from the internet), but have never had the vertical lines on the screen problem, which I understand is a common fault with this model. I've always run it at maximum resolution and all 3 fans seem to work OK (i.e. same as usual, like a jumbo jet taking off). Also, it doesn't seem to boot into safe mode, though it's difficult to tell with the scrabled screen. Last edited by Meerkat; 10-22-2009 at 03:02 PM.

10-22-2009	#2
Wolfeymole Tech Support Team Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In the Slaughtered Lamb having a pint. Posts: 6,672 PC Experience: Smarter than the average Bear	Re: HP zd8000 display problem Hello Meerkat Welcome to PC Help Forum That laptop is getting rather long in the tooth and laptops, by their very nature, are susceptible to things that would not affect a desktop machine. It may be time to consider a new pc. Save the hard drive though as all is not lost. __________________ If PCHF has helped you please consider a donation by clicking this link Donate

10-22-2009	#3
georgeks Tech Support Team Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,625 PC Experience: Some...	Re: HP zd8000 display problem Helo Meercat If a monitor is connected through the VGA-out, is the distortion visible there too? There are no overheating problems with that model, but there was a battery pack replacement program back in 2008, however the notebooks themselves were not affected, only the batteries (check on the corresponding HP page for more info:HP Notebook PC Battery Pack Replacement Program) __________________ You are, What you do, When it Counts

10-23-2009	#4
Meerkat Bronze Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8 PC Experience: Beginner	Re: HP zd8000 display problem Hello there, Thanks for the response... georgeks I don't currently have access to an external monitor, so can't try the VGA-out, but I'm looking to borrow one and will try that out directly. In the mean time is there any other test I can do to help isolate the faulty component? If I ever get it repaired I'll be sure to chase up the battery issue, it failed quite soon after purchase, thanks. I had always assumed the model had heating problems because of the incredibly powerful fans, and comments made on the internet. If not, then my earlier problems could possibly have been the faulty battery cooking the motherboard and graphics card. Wolfeymole I replaced the HP two years ago with a Sony Vaio VGN-NR11Z, but I'm not quite ready to give up on the HP yet, (my wife used it for her photography work and the 17" monitor is an excellent display). In Feb 2002, when I decided to ditch my last desktop in favour of laptops, I purchased my first Sony Vaio, an FX-501, and though only 1GHz with 20GbHD (good for the time), it still works perfectly today has respectable performance. I've downloaded the HP service manual and would be prepared to disassemble the laptop in order to replace faulty parts, but I have no knowledge on how to diagnose laptop hardware faults. If anyone has experience of laptop diagnostics and servicing I would really appreciate the some pointers. Thanks for the help.

10-23-2009	#5
Wolfeymole Tech Support Team Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In the Slaughtered Lamb having a pint. Posts: 6,672 PC Experience: Smarter than the average Bear	Re: HP zd8000 display problem I'd wait till you can hook it to an external monitor. If the picture's fine then it's your laptop screen. If the picture's still scrambled its the onboard gpu. __________________ If PCHF has helped you please consider a donation by clicking this link Donate

10-26-2009	#6
georgeks Tech Support Team Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,625 PC Experience: Some...	Re: HP zd8000 display problem I have to say this: The ZD8000 is VERY complicated to take apart, and putting it back together is even more difficult. If you decide to go along and disassemble it, make sure you write down what part came out first, and what screw goes where. If I were you I' skip the part of removing the motherboard from the base enclosure (bottom part), as by then you will have access to the CPU and heatsink/fan assembly. I think you'll be surprised finding out what type of CPU is in.. BTW: Those warnings about ESD, take them VERY, VERY seriously. __________________ You are, What you do, When it Counts

10-26-2009	#7
Meerkat Bronze Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8 PC Experience: Beginner	Re: HP zd8000 display problem Thanks for the advice and cautionary note, it's appreciated... However, I've since been able to borrow a small external monitor and, against all my expectations, the laptop ran it with no problems, while its own screen remained scrambled, so it looks like a faulty screen. My searches on the internet indicate a widespread belief that there's a design fault on the HP zd8000 that causes progressive failure of the screen, and that HP won't admit it; possibly to avoid an expensive recall. By the look of it, I'm lucky my screen lasted as long as it did, even though it finally failed catastrophically. I'm not sure the cost of replacing the screen would be worth it, since the replacements also seem to fail... Anybody tried taking the screen off a laptop and using an external monitor only?

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