Checkerboard artifacting...

[Smoof]

I'm going to try and make this short and sweet:
I have a laptop with an 8600GT M. A few days ago, a puppy chewed on my power cable while I wasn't looking and busted it open. I didn't notice until I saw it arcing. So I ordered a new AC adapter and just got it today. Was using my computer and trying to play some games/use Zune software and now I'm getting fucked-up checkerboard artifacting. Only happens in a game or in the Zune software and isn't an issue on the desktop or while browsing. It looks like this: http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8857/cb01he6.jpg

That's not my desktop, but that's how it look when I play a game. Please tell me I won't have to RMA this thing. I uninstalled the drivers and didn't have any artifacting, but when I reinstalled, the artifacts where back.

[GigaFuzz]

Borked GPU most likely, possibly overheating. I'm not sure what you can do about that on a laptop....

[fitbabits]

The Fuzz is right, most likely. Depending on the make and model of your lappy, you may be able to replace the GPU if it's discrete and not integrated.

[Smoof]

I figured the GPU was fucked. Oh well. Looks like an RMA. The graphics are integrated, I'm certain.

It's a Compal FL92

[cp#]

Aren't all those nVidia chips doomed to die anyway? Recalled even?

[Tayaya]

Aren't all those nVidia chips doomed to die anyway? Recalled even?

There was never a recall, but yes there's a defect in the actual wafers that can cause some 8600 and 8800 GPU chips to go bad after prolonged exposure to high temperatures that should be well within tolerance normally.

They're not all borked, per se, but they all have a risk of going bad under circumstances that they normally shouldn't