"rms" wrote:

?After much research and discussion in various forums I've come to the
(sad) conclusion that the frequent crashes I'm getting are almost
certainly signs of a failing or buggy graphics card.

Disassemble and clean the fan and heatsink, and put on new thermal
compound.

rms

Thanks rms. I'm a tad nervous about attempting as much as that. I have air
dusted it. I will next remove it from its slot and dust it again and
replace it, as that alone might help. And anyway I need to know how to do
that ready for the replacement if necessary.

It's interesting that you mention the fan, because several times in the
last 6 months or so it's become noisy. A high pitched, almost 'whistling'
sound. Plainly sounded like it needed lubrication. But after removing the
label I could find no way to access the spindle or bearing.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4019461/Fan-Noise-1.jpg
Eventually, after a bit of poking and prodding, it quitened down again.
That's happened another couple of times since. I assume unrelated to my
crashes.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK