XPS display flashing colors

Hi Dravorak,

I recommend you to connect an external monitor and check the display status on it.

I also request you to run a test on the display. To test the display shut the system down, next press and hold the letter ‘D’ on the keyboard and press the power button. This will initiate diagnostics on the display. Check the status of the display and please revert.

Hi Dravorak,

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When I connected it to an external monitor it works fine.

I also took out the battery, and shortly after the display restored on the laptop.  Then after running the laptop w/o a battery for a while it worked normally.

But after I also removed the laptop from its cooling pad, then problem reoccured.  Then after reconnecting the cooling pad, within 15 minutes the display was back and has been working on the cooling pad w/o a battery for the last 72 hours. 

Would I be right in thinking this is most likely a distressed LCD cable?  What else do you think it could be?

Hi Dravorak,

I request you to flash BIOS to the latest version from the link below:

BIOS: http://dell.to/WtNx2g

Select the Operating system from the drop down list, click on BIOS and download the latest version.

Please connect the Ac adapter and make sure the battery has minimum 15% charge as this needs uninterrupted power supply. Do not use the system till it restarts and comes up to the desktop. Please check the display after flashing BIOS.

In case the issue persists, I also recommend you to run a diagnostics on the hardware components of the system. Please remove the cooling pad before running the diagnostics. To run diagnostics, restart the system and at the Dell logo tap the F12 key every two seconds. This will start the One-time boot menu. Using arrow keys select ‘Diagnostics’ and hit enter. This will run diagnostics on the hardware components of the system which may take around 5 minutes. Please reply to this post in case of any error message.

 Hi Dravorak,

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That did not do anything to help with the problem.  I am not sure why a BIOS reflash was suggested, when I have said that it is affected by the heat being generated in that area of the computer.

It still sounds like a cooling system issue, or a distressed cable.  I am hoping for the cable since that would be both easier and cheaper to repair myself than an issue with cooling.  

Does this sound like it could be a cable issue?

Hi Dravorak,

The main cause of overheating is dirt and dust being sucked into the computer by the system fans, which build up over time, forming a layer on the computer's circuits and heat sink. Computer chips can become extremely hot with use, and a layer of dust can stop the heat from dissipating and block airflow over the chip.

If the computer crashes or a freeze after it has been running for a while, the system temperature in the computer's BIOS could be the reason. Flashing BIOS will help resolving this issue.

In case it is a hardware issue, running diagnostics will help in isolating which part is failing,

Please let me know if you ran diagnostics and also I request you gently blow dry the air vents with compressed air.

For now we cannot rule out if it is a cable issue.

Please my problem is nearly mrs Dravorak, i tried to make all you told her, but i couldn´t see the diagnostic, because the screen was blinkling with some colors lines. I press D and turn on the laptop, i could see for a moment in the whole screen red, blak and other colors and finally back to the problem again. Please tell me what is the problem? video card? screen? what else?

My laptop is a DELL  INSPIRON 3137

I´ll be waiting your aswer

thanks