# HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help!



## VSG12777 (Aug 31, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I joined this forum just today. 

A bit about myself:

I'm not new to computers. I've been using computers since a very young age. I did my schooling in Singapore, college in India then started working here. Got married in 2003, went off to Melbourne, Australia to do an MBA and then back to Chennai in 2006. Have worked in HP/Compaq tech support (email/chat), banking (home loan / credit card escalations for an MNC bank) and now I work in the IT industry as an Instructional Designer in the e-Learning domain.

In July 2009, I decided to purchase a HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX top of the line model laptop for my personal use. I do lots of browsing, downloading movies etc. Of course, I love car games and I am a big fan of the NFS series. I chose this model as it was powerful enough to handle personal and official work, multimedia and high definition entertainment, and high profile games.

This laptop cost me 65k. It's got a Core2Duo 2.4 GHz CPU, 4GB DDR2 memory, 500GB 5400RPM HDD, 15.6 inch screen and 1GB ATI Radeon HD 4650 dedicated graphics. We later got an LG 50 inch plasma tv at home around July 2010 and I was hoping to connect the laptop to the tv and enjoy some big screen gaming. Till then I had played some games on the laptop itself and had no problems.

*HP Product Info page:*

Product Specifications HP Pavilion dv6-1154tx Entertainment Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (India - English)

(Except for the nVidia graphics card mentioned, everything else seems to be right)

Most of the games I have tried till now have been quite smooth. The NFS games are lovely. Even Call of Duty Modern Warfare has been very good. Played Wolfenstein as well.

Sometime in late 2010, when I was playing an NFS game (Undercover I think) on the plasma, the laptop just shut off. This was the 1st such instance. I had hardly done any gaming on the laptop till then. Mainly on weekends, 2-3 hours in total.

I tried this a few times after that and the same thing happened. I did not keep track of the time then. I thought the laptop could not handle the "clone" display mode, since the screen is active even when I connect the computer to the plasma tv using the HDMI. 

Then I got really busy with work and other personal stuff, functions in the family, travel etc and I could not do much gaming.

Last month, I became more free after finishing lots of pending work in the family etc and decided to play Blur (racing game) on the laptop with my big Philips headphones. Again, within 30 mins of playing, the laptop just shut off without warning. The game was running so smooth and I was really enjoying it. Then this happened.

This shocked me, as till then I thought this was happening only when I had connected the laptop to the plasma tv using the HDMI connection. Now it was happening while playing on the laptop itself!

I decided to go back to my computer dealer (whom I've known for 12 years now, and who's supplied most of the computers/upgrades/peripherals at my place), from whom I purchased this laptop. I explained the problem to him. He took the laptop and said he would first give it to a multi-brand laptop service place (where he usually sends his customers' laptops for problems) to check this issue out.

He got back to me in 2 days saying that the service centre informed him that the ATI graphics chip (or some related I/C) had become weak and was heating up easily. When the overall temperature went beyond a set point, some protective circuit was kicking in to shut off the machine. It seems they sent back the laptop saying nothing could be done, and to have it for "light usage". Meaning, no games! 

But that's not what I paid 65k for, right?

I discussed this with my dealer again and he suggested sending it to the HP authorised service centre to get a 2nd opinion. In another 2 days, he got back to me saying that the service centre was recommending changing the motherboard, which would cost 29k! 

Now this was ridiculous! Another 5-10k more than that and I can get a lovely new laptop with better specs!

My dealer said there was no way out of this. He said, I should either keep the laptop for normal use and go in for a powerful desktop or even better, try to sell the laptop and then go in for a new desktop. He also informed me that HP had discontinued the extended warranty feature for its consumer laptops, but that it was still available on its business laptops! Though he had offered me an extended warranty (additional 2 years for around 7k or so) sometime in late 2009, I somehow did not take it. Maybe if I had, the board would have been replaced under warranty and the problem would have been sorted out.

A very highly specced desktop with 2TB HDD, 8GB DDR3, 1GB nVidia GTX550 graphics card and 22 inch LG LED monitor itself, is not costing me more than 45k. I have already put my laptop up for sale on Sulekha and Tradeusads apart from OLX dot in. Have already got 2 responses too. Posted the ads only on Sunday.

Since I found a dedicated thread on DV6-6121TX etc, I thought I would come here, tell my story and find out from you people whether you had any idea on how to fix this problem. 

I am still unable to believe that the ATI Radeon HD 4650 1GB graphics chip in my laptop is in this state, despite very little gaming in the last 2 years. I am already losing faith in laptops and HP in particular. 

Before I bought this laptop I checked out other brands at eZone and I was somehow not impressed at all with the Dell Inspiron series that was on display at eZone. The HP Pavilion's build, fit and finish were far better than the Dell's.

So here are my questions to you all.

Has any of you experienced a similar problem on your laptop? Was it fixed? If so, how? Approximate cost? Is this an issue specific to the ATO chip or HP laptops in general? Or, would this problem be a possibility even in Dell and other high end laptops?

Is it a safer bet to just sell the laptop and go in for a new desktop?

Please help me folks! I am in a real dilemma right now.


Thanks and warm regards,
Venkat

Hey people ... 34 views and not a single response? Come on! Please help me out if you guys have any ideas on how to get this problem fixed!

Hey people ... 34 views and not a single response? Come on! Please help me out if you guys have any ideas on how to get this problem fixed!


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## SlashDK (Aug 31, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*



> the service centre informed him that the ATI graphics chip (or some related I/C) *had become weak* and was heating up easily.



First of all graphic cards don't become weak. Their performance doesn't degrade over time. Secondly, check the temperature of the graphics card and the CPU yourself using a software such Coretemp and GPU-z and post the results here.


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## samudragupta (Aug 31, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

i am facing a similar issue with my compaq. a 3rd party technician told him that issue is with nvidia chipset and to replace it for 5k, however hp service centre told me that issue is with motherboard and to get it replaced for 14k. I dont believe the hp service centre guy and am still looking for a 3rd opinion....


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## VSG12777 (Aug 31, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*



Cybertonic said:


> First of all graphic cards don't become weak. Their performance doesn't degrade over time. Secondly, check the temperature of the graphics card and the CPU yourself using a software such Coretemp and GPU-z and post the results here.



Thanks a lot for that information Cybertonic. I've downloaded the GPU-Z utility and it is running as I type this message.

The GPU temperature shows 56-57 deg C. I have attached a screenshot. Please do take a look and let me know what you think.

I would like to see the GPU temperature when the game is running. How do I do this?

---Venkat


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## doomgiver (Aug 31, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

i've never had a shutdown due to heat in my laptop, but many hp and dell laptop models have serious heat management issues. my dv6846(late '08 model) overheats so quickly (especially under ubuntu) that its uncomfortable to keep it on my lap after 20-30 minutes of use.

and i have seen many dell 14 series laptops whose cpu fans have stopped working due to dust, and they shut down within minutes under load.

this is partly to be blamed upon bad design.

i opened my laptop and found that the gpu unit was quite far from the exhaust vent, and was not getting cooled properly. and the cpu intake vent is quite small so it does not suck in as much air as it should. also, the hard drive heats up like crazy and easily reached 50-60 degrees C (yes, i checked) even under light-moderate load. in fact, to keep temps down, i keep my laptop on a book with the hdd side hanging out and place a fan under it(the kind used in computers). i also periodically wipe the underside of the laptop with a slightly damp cloth (in a primitive sort of liquid cooling ).


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## VSG12777 (Aug 31, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

An update:

I ran the game Blur (racing) for about 10 minutes and did an ALT TAB to check the temp on GPU-Z. It showed 68-70 deg C !!

I quit the game and now as I type this message, it shows 58-59 deg C.

Please help! If heating is gonna be such an issue with the laptop, it is a complete waste of the 65k I spent on this machine. I might as well have bought a low end basic config laptop costing less than 40k, to be used for just browsing, downloading and watching a few movies here and there.

I have already put my laptop up for sale on some classifieds but if there is a way I can get this fixed, I don't mind fixing it and hanging on to it for some more time. I am very happy with the overall performance.

Look forward to your responses.


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## doomgiver (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

well, apart from using a laptop cooling pad/stand, there is nothing you can do.

also, for 40k you can make a great gaming machine, it'll even play crysis at quite high settings


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## d6bmg (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

@OP: Its very hard, but you have to admit that NVIDIA GeForce 9200M GS is not a very good graphics card at all, and HP/Compaq laptops always have heating issues. So, bear with it. I, myself have a Compaq laptop with GeForce 8600M GS, which I bought 4 years ago, had issues when I ran any game on it for a prolonged period of time. So, best solution would be to avoid gaming, although you can run any 3D sdk like autodesk software without any problem to prolong lifetime of your laptop.


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## doomgiver (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

OP has a 4650, NOT a 9200.

and yeah, its a 8400M GS in my laptop


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## SlashDK (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

Since he already ran it for a long time without any problems, it should work properly even now. The temperatures are a bit high. Try to open the casing of the laptop and clean the dust from the fan and then check the temperatures. BTW you can choose log to file in GPU-z and check the temperatures at any time along with a lot of other details.


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## VSG12777 (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

Thanks for your responses guys.

I am not sure if I want to open up my laptop. I'd like to mention here, that just 2 months after I purchased this laptop in July 2009, it used to hang at the HP logo on boot up. It wasn't booting beyond that. Sent it to HP authorised service centre, and they replaced the motherboard under warranty.

I've heard from my dealer that they've discontinued extended warranties on their consumer laptops too. And now for the 3rd or 4th time, I have heard someone saying HP and Compaq laptops ALWAYS have heating issues.

Just wish I had seen/read these before choosing this brand and model.

Which is the best 15 inch gaming laptop to buy now? Apart from HP Pavilion DV6-6121TX ? 

Main things for me to look for would be:

Backlit keyboard
Very good 1GB (minimum) graphics chip
At least 640GB hard drive
15 or 17 inch screen
Numeric keypad on keyboard
No heating issues

Lots of people seem to be talking about and recommending the Dell XPS 15.

Your ideas please. With this heating issue in my DV6, I think I'd rather go for a desktop PC!

Your ideas please.


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## d6bmg (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*



doomgiver said:


> OP has a 4650, NOT a 9200.



But I can see 9200M GS in HP product page.


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## Ishu Gupta (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*



VSG12777 said:


> And now for the 3rd or 4th time, I have heard someone saying HP and Compaq laptops ALWAYS have heating issues.


Send them all to my house. My 4-5 year old Compaq works fine.


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## doomgiver (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*



d6bmg said:


> But I can see 9200M GS in HP product page.



well, maybe OP has got it wrong... but 9200 gs is a weak card, as you said.


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## VSG12777 (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

Nope I haven't got it wrong. I have a sticker on my laptop near the fingerprint reader that says ATI RADEON PREMIUM GRAPHICS. 

The HP Product info page is wrong.

---Venkat


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## doomgiver (Sep 2, 2011)

*Re: HP Pavilion DV6-1154TX (2009) - ATI graphics chip weak, laptop shutting off! Help*

why not post a cpuz screenshot?


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