Quoth Alessandro :

> I've successfully installed Mandriva 2009 on
> my Dell Precision M4300 (dual core).
>
> Everything works fine.
>
> It also seems that the NVidia driver for
> my Quadro FX 360M works well (I use
> Compiz without any problem).
>
> Yet, sometimes, it happens that the screen
> ''freezes'' and the colors on the screen turn
> pink. So I have to reboot (often many times).
>
> I see that I am very vague about that,
> but perhaps someone has any idea
> about what is going wrong.

Check for bad capacitors? Hardware failure coincidental with update?

I recall such early warning signs to be the case with an Nvidia card which
eventually "faded to black". I replaced the caps (known crappy brand
according to www.badcaps.net/forum/) and it's been running great for two
years. Warning, skills required: de-soldering/soldering, acumen to
visually spot failed/leaky capacitors, differentiating a pico-farad from
pico de gallo.
--
The Man in the Yellow Hat
Linux with a monkey, since 1996.

Big Yellow Hats wrote:
> Quoth Alessandro :
>
>> I've successfully installed Mandriva 2009 on
>> my Dell Precision M4300 (dual core).
>>
>> Everything works fine.
>>
>> It also seems that the NVidia driver for
>> my Quadro FX 360M works well (I use
>> Compiz without any problem).
>>
>> Yet, sometimes, it happens that the screen
>> ''freezes'' and the colors on the screen turn
>> pink. So I have to reboot (often many times).
>>
>> I see that I am very vague about that,
>> but perhaps someone has any idea
>> about what is going wrong.
>
> Check for bad capacitors? Hardware failure coincidental with update?
>
> I recall such early warning signs to be the case with an Nvidia card which
> eventually "faded to black". I replaced the caps (known crappy brand
> according to www.badcaps.net/forum/) and it's been running great for two
> years. Warning, skills required: de-soldering/soldering, acumen to
> visually spot failed/leaky capacitors, differentiating a pico-farad from
> pico de gallo.

Wouldn't it be better to send it back to nVidia for repair? Most of the
time its covered under warranty.

Peaceful Bill wrote:

> Big Yellow Hats wrote:
>> Quoth Alessandro :
>>
>>> I've successfully installed Mandriva 2009 on
>>> my Dell Precision M4300 (dual core).
>>>
>>> Everything works fine.
>>>
>>> It also seems that the NVidia driver for
>>> my Quadro FX 360M works well (I use
>>> Compiz without any problem).
>>>
>>> Yet, sometimes, it happens that the screen
>>> ''freezes'' and the colors on the screen turn
>>> pink. So I have to reboot (often many times).
>>>
>>> I see that I am very vague about that,
>>> but perhaps someone has any idea
>>> about what is going wrong.
>>
>> Check for bad capacitors? Hardware failure coincidental with update?
>>
>> I recall such early warning signs to be the case with an Nvidia card
>> which
>> eventually "faded to black". I replaced the caps (known crappy brand
>> according to www.badcaps.net/forum/) and it's been running great for two
>> years. Warning, skills required: de-soldering/soldering, acumen to
>> visually spot failed/leaky capacitors, differentiating a pico-farad from
>> pico de gallo.
>
> Wouldn't it be better to send it back to nVidia for repair? Most of the
> time its covered under warranty.

I have something similar, but I can't pin it down. I have a new GeForce
computer with a separate nVidia card, and a BenQ display. The screen
doesn't freeze, but every so often it unpredictably takes on a pink tinge.
It wouldn't misbehave under test. Mains supply here has problems, either
going right off in the domestic area, or surging without explanation in the
industrial area and blowing out equipment.

Do they use picofarads in computers? Apart from SMD capacitors, they all
seem to be electrolytics.

Doug.
--
Orthodoxy is my doxy; heterodoxy is your doxy.
- Wm Warburton, 18th c. Bishop of Gloucester.

On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:52:53 +1100, Doug Laidlaw wrote:

> I have something similar, but I can't pin it down. I have a new GeForce
> computer with a separate nVidia card, and a BenQ display. The screen
> doesn't freeze, but every so often it unpredictably takes on a pink
> tinge. It wouldn't misbehave under test. Mains supply here has
> problems, either going right off in the domestic area, or surging
> without explanation in the industrial area and blowing out equipment.
>
All the more reason for a UPS.

> Do they use picofarads in computers? Apart from SMD capacitors, they
> all seem to be electrolytics.

Picofarads is a capacitance measurement, not a type of cap. There's
several different types of caps, with electrolytic being commonly used for
high power requirements.

http://www.radio-electronics.com/inf...itor_types.php

--
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Quoth Peaceful Bill :

> Big Yellow Hats wrote:
>> Quoth Alessandro :
>>
>>> I've successfully installed Mandriva 2009 on
>>> my Dell Precision M4300 (dual core).
>>>
>>> Everything works fine.
>>>
>>> It also seems that the NVidia driver for
>>> my Quadro FX 360M works well (I use
>>> Compiz without any problem).
>>>
>>> Yet, sometimes, it happens that the screen
>>> ''freezes'' and the colors on the screen turn
>>> pink. So I have to reboot (often many times).
>>>
>>> I see that I am very vague about that,
>>> but perhaps someone has any idea
>>> about what is going wrong.
>>
>> Check for bad capacitors? Hardware failure coincidental with update?
>>
>> I recall such early warning signs to be the case with an Nvidia card
>> which
>> eventually "faded to black". I replaced the caps (known crappy brand
>> according to www.badcaps.net/forum/) and it's been running great for two
>> years. Warning, skills required: de-soldering/soldering, acumen to
>> visually spot failed/leaky capacitors, differentiating a pico-farad from
>> pico de gallo.
>
> Wouldn't it be better to send it back to nVidia for repair? Most of the
> time its covered under warranty.

O'reeely?

most_of_the_time - one_year = damn_near_most_of_the_time

Time wins, yet again.
--
Eternity minus a nanosecond
The Man in the Yellow Hat
Linux with a monkey, since 1996.

Quoth Wes Newell :

> On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:52:53 +1100, Doug Laidlaw wrote:

>> Do they use picofarads in computers? Apart from SMD capacitors, they
>> all seem to be electrolytics.
>
> Picofarads is a capacitance measurement, not a type of cap. There's
> several different types of caps, with electrolytic being commonly used
> for high power requirements.
>
> http://www.radio-electronics.com/inf...itor_types.php
>
And just in case... pico de gallo is salsa, for wimps.
--
The Man in the Yellow Hat
Linux with a monkey, since 1996.

Big Yellow Hats wrote:
> Quoth Peaceful Bill :
>
>> Big Yellow Hats wrote:
>>> Quoth Alessandro :
>>>
>>>> I've successfully installed Mandriva 2009 on
>>>> my Dell Precision M4300 (dual core).
>>>>
>>>> Everything works fine.
>>>>
>>>> It also seems that the NVidia driver for
>>>> my Quadro FX 360M works well (I use
>>>> Compiz without any problem).
>>>>
>>>> Yet, sometimes, it happens that the screen
>>>> ''freezes'' and the colors on the screen turn
>>>> pink. So I have to reboot (often many times).
>>>>
>>>> I see that I am very vague about that,
>>>> but perhaps someone has any idea
>>>> about what is going wrong.
>>> Check for bad capacitors? Hardware failure coincidental with update?
>>>
>>> I recall such early warning signs to be the case with an Nvidia card
>>> which
>>> eventually "faded to black". I replaced the caps (known crappy brand
>>> according to www.badcaps.net/forum/) and it's been running great for two
>>> years. Warning, skills required: de-soldering/soldering, acumen to
>>> visually spot failed/leaky capacitors, differentiating a pico-farad from
>>> pico de gallo.
>> Wouldn't it be better to send it back to nVidia for repair? Most of the
>> time its covered under warranty.
>
> O'reeely?
>
> most_of_the_time - one_year = damn_near_most_of_the_time
>
> Time wins, yet again.

Depends on manufacturer. XFX, BFG, ASUS, others > one year. Some are
lifetime.