Very odd problem w/ z61t - screen flickers on battery...

[zhenya]

Windows XP professional, new machine, new install. When I open a video on battery power, everything is fine. When I close the video, the screen starts flickering/shutting off rapidly - such that I can't really even see the screen. If I either plug the power back in, or start another movie again, it all goes back to normal, until I close the movie again. This happens with both Windows Media Player, and Intervideo WinDVD. I tried reverting to WMP 10 before I realized the problem happened with WinDVD as well. I've uninstalled/reinstalled the video drivers (Lenovo site only offers one driver, and the newer version for my 945gm from Intel would not install - it said to get it from the manufacturer). I've also uninstalled the power management and drivers. Nothing showing up in the event viewer either. Anybody have any ideas? TIA.

[zhenya]

Ok, some further information. I've found that if I disable Full hardware acceleration for video (not all the way, the threshold is at disabling all DirectDraw and Direct3d acceleration) - the problem goes away (and the video quality goes way down!) I've run the DirectX updater, so I'm fully up to date. Anybody have any suggestions based on this new information?

[cj3209]

I use a Z61t. Just the standard answers: run Software Installer and make sure all your video drivers are up to date. Is your BIOS up to date, etc. etc.

If it continues, have IBM take a look at it which may actually be risky...

CJ

[zhenya]

Yes, drivers are all fully up to date. At this point Lenovo has actually pulled the video driver for the 945gm on this machine from their site. I've confirmed that by calling tech support, and am just waiting for an updated driver to be posted. Furthermore, this is certainly a driver problem, as I have two identical z61t's here, and if I swap the drives, the problem occurs on both machines.

[sugo]

Have you tried an older driver?

[casperkid]

It seems you have integrated Intel graphic card right. Try to install these latest files from Intel. Good luck.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... l&lang=eng
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... l&lang=eng

[zhenya]

Have you tried an older driver?

At this point Lenovo doesn't have ANY video drivers available for this machine.

[zhenya]

It seems you have integrated Intel graphic card right. Try to install these latest files from Intel. Good luck.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... l&lang=eng
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... l&lang=eng

I'll check them out, but I did try the available Intel drivers recently. They would not install until I removed the Lenovo drivers, and after installing them, the screen was not usable, and I had to remove them through safe mode. Thanks for the suggestion though!

[steve_wch]

I found rolling back the display driver fixed my problem:

my computer --> property --> hardware --> device manager --> display adaptor --> Mobile Intel 945M ... --> driver --> roll back driver

The working version I have is:
version 6.14.10.4693 Date:9/15/2006

Steve

[zhenya]

Thanks Steve. I rolled mine back (went to 6.14.10.4648) and it seems to be working. I notice today that Lenovo finally put a driver back online - and it's your version 6.14.10.4693. I'll give that a try as well. Thanks!