Laptop making strange noise when playing video

Alison556 · 7 Feb 2016

I've not long replaced the hard drive in my mum's laptop as the old one died.

It's an old lappy but she really only uses it for banking and facebook.

Every now and again, when she goes to play a video from an online source (like Yahoo newsfeed or FB), it makes a strange noise (she says it's going duh duh duh duh duh) and freezes, then she get the BSOD.

It was coming up with an error with nv4_disp.dll so I reinstalled that driver. She says it's doing it again but thinks it's a different error but didn't think to take note of it

Any ideas what the problem could be?

AronSearle · 7 Feb 2016

Well the first error is as you found a Nividia driver error.

And it sounds like its only failing when the graphics card/chip is asked to do something proper,

More than that, laptop model, OS info etc. Shooting in the dark without this.

Alison556 · 7 Feb 2016

It's a Dell Latitude D630, running Windows XP SP3

AronSearle · 8 Feb 2016

nv4_disp.dll is a nividia driver issue, google tells me your laptop has an intel chip.

Definately sounds like a driver issue, check to ensure you have the correct drivers installed (hint, you don't). Often video cards in laptops will work with the wrong drivers, until they are asked to do something harder than the basics.

Also with older computers installing the latest drivers isnt always the best option, sometimes best to look for a driver with a release date closer to the date of purchase, one of my laptops on XP would only properly work with the oldest version of the driver.

Pretty old laptop though......

Alison556 · 8 Feb 2016

I know it's ancient - but it does what she wants (well, it did lol) and she doesn't want a new one.

It does have NVidia chip - it's got a new motherboard. Over time, I've rebuilt it completely - new motherboard, new processor and now new hard drive - mother likes her lappy.

I got the driver from Dell's site but I'll go back and have a look and see if there's an older one and try that. Thank you

AronSearle · 9 Feb 2016

Sounds like you know what you are doing, but If it has a new motherboard (and graphics chip), do you know the model number for those components so as to seek the correct drivers? The ones on the dell website for you model of laptop will no longer be relevant.

If you still have problems, let us know what the strange noise is?

Is it the fan working overtime? or is it various beeps, normally the number of beeps represents an error code.

Alison556 · 9 Feb 2016

I think its an nvidia quadro 135M graphics chip. Strange thing is, I've never had it throw up a problem when I've had it, so I'm trying to resolve it blind. I tried asking her if it was the fan and just got a blank look. She just said as soon as she plays some video's, it's making a duh duh duh duh duh noise - means a lot haha. I might have to take it and try and get it to do it.

AronSearle · 10 Feb 2016

1. Make sure its listed in device manager, under display adapters.

2. Stress test it with 3d programmes or flash video (media player won't stress it).

Googling tells me that GPU is prone to overheating, such faults cause intermittent problems, until the solder melts and its a write-off (or you look at re-solder/cook methods).

kjacko · 10 Feb 2016

She is on XP and is using it for banking?!?!?!?!
I feel faint!
No one else has mentioned this?

AronSearle · 10 Feb 2016

Why?

Does not matter what OS you use, your use of the machine dictates how safe it is.

kjacko · 11 Feb 2016

Since MS no longer support XP and more importantly no more security patching, its open to hacking, and they are always one step ahead of anti-virus software.
It's not related to the OP's issue, i was just surprised when i noticed XP and online banking in the same sentence.
As an I.T Manager governing over 200 computers and devices, there's no way i'd have XP on our network and we have corporate level protection.
Someone 'did' put a client xp machine onto our network only last week (without my authorisation). The very next day we got hit by the .LOL! ransomware. took me over a day to clear it off. Coincidende? Possibly, but a very small possibility in my experience.

Alison556 · 14 Feb 2016

Well, it's behaved itself and hasn't had the issue again since I posted so I've not been able to see what the error was.

I offered her a new laptop - even offered to upgrade her OS if she preferred to keep the lappy - but she's happy as she is.

Mind you, I'm using Windows 7 on mine. I hate 8 with a passion and don't want to go to 10

opps · 9 Mar 2016

Alison556 said:
Every now and again, when she goes to play a video from an online source (like Yahoo newsfeed or FB), it makes a strange noise (she says it's going duh duh duh duh duh) and freezes, then she get the BSOD.

My Vaio Z11 started to blue screen whenever I used the discrete NVIDA graphics card. I just stopped using the graphics card.

Last week the fan, which had been getting noisier started to make chugging noises (duh,duh,duh,duh).

I had to strip the whole laptop down. I discovered that the fan was starting to stick. Too tight to pay £90 for a replacement fan, I decided to take the fan apart and use a little 3-in-1 oil.

Research then suggested that the thermal pad used on the NVIDA fails over time. I replaced it with a 0.5mm copper shim (plus thermal pastes etc).

It might be a an overheat problem.

My laptop was £2300 when new in 2010. by all accounts, the oil may fail in less than a year. I doubt that i would have bothered if the laptop had been a cheap one.

kjacko · 9 Mar 2016

silicone spray/grease is better for fan lube

Couple of quid from maplins.

Laptop making strange noise when playing video

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