Salvaging / Using a Laptop with possibly fried video card?

I have a 17" DP Pavillion: dv9233cl

Like many frustrated owners of this laptop series the hinge first cracked because of overheating, then both hinges, then the overheating problem (I am assuming) fried the video card.

One day there were artifacts, then within a few hours total chaos. Now the laptop screen is completely black and an external monitor at best shows an incomprehensible mess of garbled colors, sometimes it's black too.

I have tried plugging in an HDMI cable but the TV gets no signal. Without access to any controls I can't tell if it's even activated, I thought I may be able to use it as a media center.

My question: how can i salvage this laptop? Any suggestions for getting HDMI output enabled, if that still works? I have found geforce go 7600 video cards on ebay, but they're like $150+ (!?).

Are there any startup USB or Live CD solutions that may give me remote access?
Do they make plug n play USB powered videocards that would be appropriate for handling hi resolution display out?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated, thanks!

bump because SOMEONE here has to have a solution for this....?

Just get a new laptop. Replacing the gpu and/or the mobo and fixing the hinges would not be worth the cost and hassle.