Alienware 17 8 beeps at post

Ok so for the past couple days my Alienware 17 with 780m has been acting odd. For the first couple days it would randomly just not boot up on first try. However if I powered down it would boot up normally.
Today however when I tried to boot it up all I got was a black screen (no power) and 8 beeps. I tried powering down still no luck. I tried removing the battery and reseating the GPU still the same thing.
However I noticed if I kept the lid mostly closed and tried to turn it on the screen would come on but be very distorted. After a bunch of attempts I managed to get it into Windows and switched to the integrated Intel graphics. Even so I still get a black screen unless I keep it mostly closed (on bootup) but now at least my picture is clear and doesn't have bleeding colors. Once the screen comes on (while booting) I can open the lid the rest of the way.

Anyways a quick search and it looks like the 8 beeps may be either an LCD problem or a graphics problem. Keeping the lid closed most of the way makes me wonder if it is a problem with the display and or cables. I am wondering if the video card from my old Alienware 17X R2 (I think it is a 5880M) Would work in the computer to test if the problem is in the card or the display. Also any other help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

Also I have tried a couple other things. I have uninstalled and re-installed both video cards (Intel integrated and the GTX) I have also tried hooking the laptop up to my TV via HDMI. While using the integrated card the video shows up on my TV but when using the GTX it does not.

 

lcd cable goes from motherboard, inside hinges and to screen. The fact that moving screen affected picture would strongly suggest the cable is broken or maybe connector is loose. if it was my computer I would open it up and reseat video cable on MB, then take out the screen and reseat connector there as well. If that didn't work, I would leave it open and wiggle lcd wire slightly to see if that affects picture. If so I would replace cable. I actually had something similar in my old laptop, one of wires broke inside lcd cable, I found which one was it and where exactly it broke, so spliced the insulator and soldered it together, since new cable cost more than the old laptop was worth. But in your case just get new cable, that's assuming you're out of warranty and have some repair skills. Otherwise send it for repair, since you could damage something else taking it apart.

 

Thanks for the reply. I have been doing some testing the past couple days but have been unable to confirm what the problem was. However now there are some new developments. For some reason sometimes neither the BIOS or Windows sees the GTX video card. If I reseat the card the bios will see it and so will Windows but as soon as I do any gaming or video testing the computer locks up. On reboot the video card is no longer seen. It tried a fresh format and install of all drivers (for the hell of it) with no improvement. Also no matter what I do I still have to keep the lid mostly closed (open less then 45 degrees) in order for the computer to boot. I tried reseating both ends of the video cable and that hasn't helped any. I also pulled the video card to see if it would boot like normal without it but I still have to keep the lid closed even without the video card in.

At this point I am thinking I will order a new lcd cable. But the fact that the bios doesn't see the video card makes me wonder if the card itself or something on the MB is going out.

Does anyone happen to know the part number for the non 3d video cable? Also any good places to buy would be appreciated.

Thanks for any help.

 

If it was my computer, I would take the cable out at this point and run it straight, bypassing the hinges and twist it in my hand, to create the issue and verify cable is the problem, before buying new. There is a lid sensor, that detects when screen is closed, which could also create similar issues, even if normally it is less likely to fail and as far as BIOS not detecting video card, that could be different problem altogether. If you are planning to replace the cable, you may as well take it out now. This will also help you pick the right cable as far as how many pins inside connector and how long it is.

 

Have your problem got solved ? i got same sort issue therefore looking in to this

 

No shortly after this my computer completely died. I bought a new MB based on a Dell support recommendation but that problem turned out to be the video card. (The one thing I failed to remove on my dead tests). So now I have a computer with no video card that beeps unless I hold the screen mostly closed on power up and a spare MB since they wouldn't take it back because I opened it.
At this point I am planning on either parting the comp or selling it as a project (cheap bare bones to put a better video card in and cable or new display)
I was able to verify through all of this it wasn't the video card or the MB. Also once the comp boots the screen is rock solid no mater how much I move the screen or even the video cable.

 

Which country are you live ? Where your location? I am also planning to buy some MB but currently not sure about it.
But i don't understand if you remove dGpu why your computer beeps. It should work fine. I am doing diagnosis on my alienware 17 R1 too. It boots up normally if i remove 780m .

 

I live in the US.

Yes I still get the 8 beeps if I remove the Video card. It does the same thing with the video card from my old Alienware as well.

 

I think than it might be problem with you iGPU. You Graphic card seem to me OK. Have you tried Fn+f5 graphic card switch? I think in case of dGPU removed bios only detect iGPU.
When i remove Graphic card . My bios simple does not show graphic card Nvdia GTX and boots up using integrated GPU.
Here is thread of my problem
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/help-needed-alienware-17-r1-strange-issue.779858/

 

My 780m is dead completely the computer won't turn on if the card is installed. As a matter of fact it does this weird safety thing where if I plug in the power cord the power cord's led turns off.
I suppose the iGPU could be having a problem as well however I can run the computer with just the iGPU as long as I close the screen most of the way when I power it on. Unfortunatly I don't have the resources to test the CPU in another machine.

 

My purpose was to advice you don't buy part unless quite sure as far as alienware support is concerned , my experience is that they always do rough guess and at the end you have a lot of spare parts with problem still there.