Alienware 17 - HDMI OUT (Dedicated GPU) Issue

Hi everyone and thanks in advance for all the help everyone tries to come up always to troubleshoot the issues we are facing sometimes with our beasts!

I will make this post as short as possible.

I have the alienware 17 with 780m and 60Hz screen. As everyone know, you have the option to run the games only on the dedicated GPU with Optimus disabled (FN+F5 / restart).

My problem is, I mostly like to game with Intel GPU disabled and run the game from the HDMI out port to a projector. The problem is that now the HDMI out port does not work while only on the dedicated GPU. If I switch to the integrated GPU (Optimus enabled), it works.


So to make it clear:

1. Intel GPU ON + NVidia GPU = HDMI out works

2. Intel GPU OFF only NVidia GPU = HDMI out does not work.

I do not know if this is a GPU issue or a motherboard.

Any help is highly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

Because you said it worked before and stopped working, it sounds like a driver issue to me. Rollback and try again.

Also, did you install the Intel update through Windows Updates? It was related to HD Graphics.

 

I did all that. I have installed intel driver from intel website and rolled back to a earlier driver of NVidia as well. I have even reinstalled the operating system from scratch. The minute I press FN+F5 it restarts the system and it shows in device manager only the 780m with whichever driver (I have tried so many of them); but if I plug the hdmi cable in the port nothing happens. It is like it does not detecting the card... With both the graphic cards enabled the hdmi is detected immediately...

And btw, I have even removed the GPU from the port and reinserted, power drained the machine and still the same problem... Other than that the machine runs optimal and no issues.

I just like to game only on the dedicated and connected to the projector; but it seams that this is not possible anymore.

Thanks J.Dre for the suggestion and your kind help...

 

I just thought I should give an update in case anyone else is facing the same problem as I did.

I was few days back with Alienware team over the phone for near 1 and half hours trying to fix the problem... Ofcourse they could not see if I plug the hdmi cable in while I was on the dedicated GPU so they have made an replacement for the motherboard and GPU. Unfortunately they refused to deliver them to me (it seams that the policy has changed); so I had a technician yesterday at my house replacing the motherboard and the GPU.

The technician was also surprised about this issue and he said that he never experienced something like this before (I know him for a while) and he is dealing with those type of systems for many years.

Now the system is performing as it was a week back and there are no issues whatsoever.

Thank you Alienware team, you did it again!

 

It was a faulty I/O port on the motherboard? That sucks. Well, at least it's fixed.

 

So a little bit of refresh here...

Unfortunately my system is still under 'construction'. After replacing the motherboard and the GPU the system was getting intensive BSOD. From the tests I had with Alienware team, for over 2 weeks of replacing again the motherboard and GPU the system is still undergoing treatment. Now the problem is that sometimes the NVida GPU is recognized in bios and windows and sometimes it is not. When finally we have it in device manager and install the driver, the driver keeps crashing etc.

Today they are going to take my beautiful beast in depot for surgery and I hope it will be alive on return... I had 3 technicians coming to replace the parts and now it goes to them to figure it out what is wrong with the machine... I know what is the problem but I do not want to comment on it, since lately Alienware team refuses to send me the parts to replace them instead of sending 'technicians' to fix my system... I will keep this post updated...

 

best of luck to you

 

I'm not a fan of the depot. I hope all goes well. Let us know.

 

Hi guys. I got the system back yesterday and it works as it should be... It seams that they have changed the motherboard (3 motherboards have been changed since the problem with the hdmi port and 2 GPU's). Unfortunately they were a bit careless with my system at the depot and they have broke few 'clips' on the back cover that slides into the system (maybe they didn't know how to open it ).

Alienware is going to send me a new back cover and that should be it. Thanks for reading my story and in case anyone else is facing my problem I hope this will be useful (Though I do not wish anyone to go through those issues).