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    Alienware 17 Lights Issue

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by DaveHoudii, Apr 4, 2016.

  1. DaveHoudii

    DaveHoudii Newbie

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    Hi don't know too much about the inner workings of laptops..

    Have the alienware 17.

    Lately (more often than not) the lights will flicker/blink constantly very fast to the point it's unbearable to look at.

    Sometimes it happens. Sometimes its fine but lately its lasting longer and longer. A few times its happened when ive unplugged cables its triggered it. Other times im just watchiny thr screen and it will start or stop.

    Connecting and external screen via hdmi doesnt display the issue. Laptop screen still blinks but external monitor ok.

    I suspect the lcd screen is also fine because the backlight for the alienware logo underneath the screen blinks aswell.

    Faulty lcd cable? Maybe..

    Anything i can do to check out the problem whether cable, gpu or whatever else?

    Drivers all updated for everything including bios updates. Ive pulled apart the screen and disconnected and reconnected the lcd screen but the issue still remains.

    Thanks
     
    DaveHoudii, Apr 4, 2016
    #1
  2. Zoltan@zTecpc

    Zoltan@zTecpc Company Representative

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    If the the AW logo also blinks under the screen then most likely it is a wiring issue.
     
    Zoltan@zTecpc, Apr 4, 2016
    #2
  3. Mr. Fox

    Mr. Fox BGA Filth-Hating Elitist

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    Which one? The original Alienware 17 Ranger (R1) with socketed CPU and MXM GPU or an Alienware 17 Echo (R2, R3) with BGA CPU and GPU?

    They are made completely different, so the help you are looking for could be slightly different depending on which model.
     
    Mr. Fox, Apr 4, 2016
    #3
  4. DaveHoudii

    DaveHoudii Newbie

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    Im almost positive the original, bought a couple of years back but never remember seeing an echo tag next to the name.

    When i search for driver updates it just lists my device as "Alienware 17" and then service tag and express service tag numbers. I have a photo of this but i wont be back to check the laptop physically for about 10hours.
     
    DaveHoudii, Apr 4, 2016
    #4
  5. DaveHoudii

    DaveHoudii Newbie

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    Anyway to check this? Disable some lighting function or anything?
     
    DaveHoudii, Apr 4, 2016
    #5
  6. Mr. Fox

    Mr. Fox BGA Filth-Hating Elitist

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    If it is a Ranger 17 you can tell by the specs. What CPU and GPU does it have?
     
    Mr. Fox, Apr 4, 2016
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  7. DaveHoudii

    DaveHoudii Newbie

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    Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4700MQ CPU @ 2.40GHz
    Video Card 1 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M
    Video Card 2 Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Memory 16 GB
    Operating System Microsoft Windows 8.1 (build 9600), 64-bit
     
    DaveHoudii, Apr 5, 2016
    #7
    Mr. Fox likes this.
  8. Mr. Fox

    Mr. Fox BGA Filth-Hating Elitist

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    Yup, you have a "real" Alienware 17, not one of the BGA turdbooks. Nice! :vbthumbsup:

    I am going to move this to where it will be seen by more owners of machines like yours.
     
    Mr. Fox, Apr 6, 2016
    #8
  9. DaveHoudii

    DaveHoudii Newbie

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    Haha cheers mate.

    Actually decided to try rip it apart. Couldnt find anything wrong or any loose connections but totally disconnected and reconnected the lcd cable from everything and its been working fine for about 24hours so I'm guessing something was loose.

    Thanks anyway!
     
    DaveHoudii, Apr 6, 2016
    #9
    Ashtrix, Trabant Dave, deadsmiley and 1 other person like this.
  10. Trabant Dave

    Trabant Dave Notebook Consultant

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    You are lucky to have the Ranger - options to upgrade CPU and GPU, and all being well the glitch is sorted!

    Sometimes the heat can make things just go loose, or if the unit is moved around a jar or knock can cause such things.....

    Mine's a 'desk queen' so less likely to happen - although it did have a little trip around Europe last week!

    Welcome to the 'Elitists' - us Ranger owners can be smugly superior to the mortals with soldered components........
     
    Trabant Dave, Apr 12, 2016
    #10
    Ashtrix likes this.