# Laptop Display problem - lines and fuzz



## JMC2981 (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi, any help would be really appreciated. I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FZ12M laptop. It's about 13 mths old. Recently the display went all fuzzy and the colours look almost as if it's raining all over the screen.

I backed everything up and did a complete system recovery which didn't work, then I unistalled the display driver and windows searched and found a standard VGA driver.

I then unistalled that driver and manually installed my NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT GPU driver.

It didn't work but then over the last day the display goes back to normal for a short while and then breaks again. I've tried another monitor and the display there looks fine. What do I need to do...any help is much appreciated...Also I have run numerous antivirus software and nothing is being picked up including norton 360 Spec as follows:

Intel Core Duo Processor T7250
Memory - 2GB/Go DDR2 SDRAM
HDD 200GB/Go
Op Sys - Windows Vista Home Premium


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

Does external monitor/display show the same issues? If it does then it could be the video card or may be video drivers. Does it behave the same when you go into BIOS setup?


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## JMC2981 (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi thanks for the response, it's fine on the external monitor it's just the laptop screen which is affected. The Bios is behaving the same too...it's been intermitent recently with the laptop screen returning to normal for a short while about 30mins or so and it's only colors affected. Black and white looks fine.


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

External monitor works fine but LCD shows same problems whether in BIOS setup screen or in Windows? If that is the case, IMO the LCD is the culprit here. Try checking/reseating the video cable both in the LCD and motherboard. Also consider replacing the LCD.


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## JMC2981 (Jun 6, 2009)

Hey thanks for the advice  just before I look at replacing the LCD - when I turn my laptop on the Vaio message comes on and that looks completely fine. It's when Windows Vista launches that the little green loading bar and the microsoft logo are all fuzzy.


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

Hmmm I think I asked this already... how does the screen look if you just boot into BIOS setup (NOT WINDOWS)?


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## JMC2981 (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi TriggerFinger thanks for looking at this. So when I turn my laptop on the Vaio message and logo come up...that looks normal but then when the windows bar starts up that is fuzzy.
If I F8 into Bios thats fuzzy too...is it a problem with my Windows Vista?

Also I unistalled my video drivers and downloaded a new one from NVIDIA but Nvidia says that the setup program can't locate any drivers that are compatible with your current hardware. Setup will now exit.

What should I do? I have an NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT GPU graphics card so not sure why?


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

I am not sure about SONY VAIO but some laptops, you need to press F1 to go into BIOS (some F2 or DEL.. see this http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm). I am saying this because I do not think we are talking of the same thing here.

Assuming you are indeed looking at your BIOS setup screen (this can be accessed before Windows loads/boots up. This is also where you see your BIOS level, BOOT devices and boot sequence, model of computer, etc.) and screen is fuzzy then IT IS NOT CAUSED by VISTA (simply because Vista has not loaded yet). Therefore it could be your LCD or your video card or your motherboard causing this to happen. This is where an external monitor would help you narrow it down. If it works well with an external monitor then consider replacing the LCD.

On the other hand, if LCD is not fuzzy in BIOS setup, then it is possible that it could be a Vista problem.


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