Laptop Graphics Card Replacement

[popel]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1420 Laptop, (Core 2 Duo, T7700 2.4 GHz, 4 MB Cache, 2 GB Ram) with Nvidia 8400M graphics card.

I do not play games at my laptop, but recently the Graphics card chip overheated and it silently went out of order. (Yes it overheated with just normal operation of Windows), making the laptop out of display at all ! The laptop ages more than two years and there is no Dell certified service center here. However, I have options to replace the burnt chip from a local service center. But as I don't play games with the laptop, I would like to have Intel integrated graphics now, instead of a heat prone NVidia one. But is it possible with a laptop to replace the graphics chip?

I mean, for my desktop, I can easily get off my 3D graphics card and turn the onboard integrated intel graphics on. But in case of my Dell 1420 laptop which came with 8400M graphics chip, is the intel integrated graphics chip still there? And can I just disable the burnt chip, open the laptop cover and plug the display cable to the "apparently_present_there" Intel Chip ??

I am not acquainted with laptop motherboards actually. By the way, if any intel graphics chip is not present there, can I have a Intel Chip (may be GMA3000 or something like that) on it instead of a new heat prone 8400M ?? In fact one local service center offered me to replace the burnt chip for a new one for around $100. But I do not find the real price of a 8400M chip anywhere Could anyone give some hints ?

Any form of suggestion is welcome. I am looking forward to hear from you.

 

[bobkn]

There's a lot of information on your system at support.dell.com.

If I understand the specs correctly, you have an Intel 965PM chipset, without integrated graphics. (Another version uses the 965GM chipset, with integrated graphics, but that's not what you have.)

I doubt that it's practical to convert to the chispet with built-in graphics, but you could ask your repair shop. The performance of the nVidia graphics is probably much superior, but you appear to not benefit from that.

 

[MadMaxData]

If a local service center offered to replace the GFX chip for only $100.00 don't let them touch it! That's WAY under-priced for the work required to do that. When you run into something to good to be true, it usually is. Just a thought.