BIOS fix for NVIDIA GPU problems may be other type of fix

The NVIDIA faulty GPU fiasco is getting worse. In what was originally detailed as an isolated amount of faulty parts contained to some HP laptops, is starting to look like a much bigger problem. Now it is being said that all NVIDIA G84 AND G86 parts are bad, across multiple brand names, including, laptops, desktops and mobile devices.

The thermal based problem reveals itself after going through so many heat cycles. The components literally aren’t standing up to the heat. HP and Dell have offered upgrades, but these are more designed to stall the problem. HP recommends to flash the BIOS, which in effect, just keeps the fan always running. In other words, it’s a band-aid, and from their perspective maybe the problem will stay away until your device is out of warranty.

You probably shouldn’t listen to them.

By “upgrading” to a constantly running fan, you are getting less that what you paid for. Power consumption goes up, battery life goes down. Wear and tear goes up, and the faulty GPU is still there anyway. Good for them, bad for you. In a rather revealing move, HP doesn’t even have previous BIOS versions available. Once you do it, it’s done. (Dell does have older versions on another page).

This thing still has a ways to go before it plays itself out, so check your warranty info carefully and stay tuned. Your best bet, at the moment, seems to be to get the manufacturer to replace them broken GPU’s.