More problem Nvidia graphics card details emerge

The continuing saga of the buggy/crash-prone Nvidia GPUs continues to develop: Engadget notes that both Dell and HP have released information on the specific machines affected by the problem.

Dell has released a patch which, as previously hinted, runs your laptop's cooling fan more frequently (albeit at slower speeds, so as not to kill battery life) in order to help mitigate the risk of a GPU meltdown. Dell is also hinting that more fixes are on the way, but this current BIOS patch is merely a stopgap measure. Also worth noting: Dell says that if your computer is already displaying video problems of any kind, your GPU is already in the process of failing and the BIOS patch won't correct them. It will only make at-risk systems less likely to crash in the future.

HP has a huge list of machines in both the Pavilion and Presario notebook lines which may be at risk for failure. Look up your HP computer on the linked page and reference the product number (aka "p/n") on the service tag (found on the bottom of your computer). If your model computer is listed, continue along the steps outlined on the page to update your BIOS, if a new one is available. HP also has information on enhancements to the warranty on affected systems that are showing active problems, including free shipping if you have to return the machine for repair. 

Although at least one commenter accused The Inquirer's previous report of being some kind of vendetta against Nvidia, that's rapidly proving not to be the case. As The Inquirer alleged, the affected chipsets aren't just the GeForce 8600 and 8400 series GPUs, but also at least some chips in the GeForce 7000 and 6000 lines and a few in the Quadro series as well. Nvidia still hasn't announced how far back this problem extends, but things are looking grim for any computer with an Nvidia inside.

More details as the story develops.