Alienware M17x R1 Hybrid Shut Down

I've been having this issue for quite some time now. My M17x runs fine when Hybrid graphics are disabled in the BIOS. When I enter the BIOS and enable Hybrid graphics is when I encouter my issue. If I'm doing normal operations like surfing the web, writing docs, etc. the computer is fine. However, when I go to play any newer game, Skyrim for example, my computer runs the game for 15-60 minutes and then just shuts off. I say 15-60 minutes because less intesive games seem to run a little longer, but newer games like Skyrim on higher graphic settings shuts off very quickly.

What could be the cause of this? I've searched everywhere but haven't found anyone having similar issues. Any suggestions to fix this?

 

Hello, haydenm and welcome to NBR.
How are your temperatures like while gaming? Run a monitoring tool like HwInfo, play a while and see what your max temperatures are for CPU and GPUs.
Maybe you need to replace the thermal paste on the CPU and GPUs and clean your heatsinks and fans, how long has it been since you last did it?

Though my guess is that you're experiencing a thermal shut down due to the high temperature of the integrated 9400M since it makes contact with the system heatsink thru a poor thermal pad. It should show as MCP... in HwInfo. To remedy this you have to replace the thermal PAD between the die and heatsink, it measures 10mm x 10mm and it's 1mm thick and it shares the heatsink with your CPU.

Lastly, for more stability if you experience freezes and temps are good, go in BIOS > Advanced scroll down to Graphic Settings and disable PCIe Gen2, apply and exit.

Cheers

 

Ah katalin, thanks for the quick reply. I'm downloading HwInfo. I'll reboot in Hybrid mode and play the game for 10 minutes or so and check what it says my temp is. I try to run a fan (external portable fan) on the back of my laptop where it usually gets hot, but now it doesn't even seem like it has time to get that hot before shutting down. It used to get really, really hot; almost enough to burn your hand.

And to your question of cleaning the heatsinks and fan and replacing thermal paste on CPU's & GPU's, I've never done that lol. I didn't know that you were supposed to do that. My laptop is out of the warranty period, any teks available on this forum that teach you how to do that?

Thanks again, I appreciate your reply. I'll report back here with what I find on the temperatures.

 

Ok, I ran the game for a bit, this time my computer didn't shut down, but I quit after about 20-30 minutes because it was getting so hot. Before I ran Hybrid mode, I was getting around 56C for the CPU and 69C for the GPU. After I turned on Hybrid mode, another graphic card popped up (GeForce GTX 260M). After gaming for 20-30 minutes, the CPU maxed at 69C but stayed around 65C. The GPU (GTX 260M) maxed at 109C, but the 9400 stayed around 70C.

109C seems really way too hot..

 

Yes, that's hot, Tj for these cards is 110 C.
An external fan/notebook cooler won't help if your heatsinks are clogged with dust bunnies and/or the thermal paste doesn't do its job anymore etc.

Search YouTube for 'M17x teardown', you'll find two official videos on how to reach your cards to repaste them and clean heatsinks. CPU temps can be lowered but they are fine.
Here's an illustrated guide that will help you. Just do the cleaning part and replace thermal paste for your GPUs.
http://www.techinferno.com/2011/02/08/alienware-m17x-teardown-cooling-modification/

That's a M17x R2 but it has the same chassis as the M17x and those are ATi cards so you don't need to do the retention clip mod. Also stock thermal pads are fine, replace them if you want only. So grab a syringe of thermal paste, whatever brand, it makes little difference, and get to work

Go slowly with the disassembly and be patient. Report back your results.

 

Hi, Haydemn!

First of all, listen to Katalin, what he's telling is perfectly correct.

Although, i will tell you this;
If you're not comfortable with opening your system and changing thermal paste and thermal pads, just remove the dust that is clogged up on and around your fan. Since you're running the GTX260, i guess that you've had your PC for probably two years or so. I had the same issue till i became aware of it, and removing only the dust will drop your temperatures enough to stopping it from turning of, and getting burning hot

Although, you SHOULD change the thermalpad and the thermal-paste, but if you're really unsure and don't want to screw around with it, just remove the dust. (Check the video that Katalin linked for you, it shows completely how to tear it apart. Especially remove the dust sitting around your graphics card, in the graphics card fan aswell as on the graphics card heatsink.)



If you're not wanting to play with it at all, you could try to consult an member of NBR who lives locally close to you, or just visit an computer-shop, they could probably help you aswell!



Good luck,
- Scott.

 

Cool guys, thanks for the awesome replies!

I'm gonna check out that video. If I have all the tools lying around, I'll tear it down today. I may just stick with the dust bunnies for today and when I get a little more money saved up, I'll go get the thermal paste and replace that.

If it's anything like taking apart an xbox 360, then I should be good

 

A syringe of decent thermal paste is not more than ~10$ and is enough to do both GPUs and CPU
As for taking it apart, watch the videos a few times and if possible while you're doing it, take your time. The touchstrip will give you a little hard time the first time you do it, don't forget the ribbon underneath it

 

Ok, I got a chance today to open up my laptop. There was a good amount of dust in it, so I cleaned it all out and put it back together. I turned it on and played Skyrim for 45 minutes, no shut down, and my heat levels were great. They were around 55 C, much better than before.

However, now I've got a new problem. Either graphics mode I'm in now and my computer will just turn off after awhile. I thought at first it was just the Hybrid mode, but I switched to integrated I think it is, and it shut off after 20 minutes or so.

My power cable has a blue light, and the battery is fully charged, but the alien head doesn't go blue. I'm wondering if I somehow screwed up the power ribbon cable. As I was watching the video I didn't realize there was a release mechanism for the cable, so I just pulled it out. Could this have harmed the cable?

 

Oh, and also, when I do get it to boot, some of my icons in the system tray are invisible. It's really strange. And I can't right click on volume in the tray to change the volume, any ideas how to fix this?


EDIT: Nevermind, I figured this one out, had to kill explorer.exe and then rerun it. Fixed the issue.

 

Sorry that we haven't gotten back to you.

It seems like you're having difficulties because of an bad assembly. What i would suggest you to do, is to carefully tear the system down, and then watch the dissasembly video from DELL in reverse. Make sure that all the cables are sitting properly in their slot with their holding mechanism in place. Else will cause instabillity and disfunctionality in your system.

Keep me posted,
- Scott.

 

If you do choose to change the thermal paste, make sure you have thermal pads. Once you remove the heatsink, do not reuse the thermal pads.
I used pads from Frozencpu.com EK Thermal Pad Sheet - 160mm x 155mm x 1mm - FrozenCPU.com

Also, if the display is not working when you get it all back together, don't panic. You may need to re-seat the cable. This holds true for the media touch keys.

Good Luck

 

It's fine to use the same thermal pads,but do reapply thermal paste once you remove the heatsink, if I count the times I changed thermal paste on my cards I would've been broke buying pads to replace them each time.

While the stock pads are not great, they are good and can be reused.

 

broke? really? the sheet listed is <$20. It is enough to change them several times.
I mean, or should have stated, don't reuse the stock ones. To get that far into it to change the paste, it would be unwise to leave the stock pads.

The stock pads on my R1 were garbage. even ripped when I removed the sink. It was nice to have the pad on hand.

 

Not saying that pads with better thermal conductivity (watt/mk) are not the way to go for lower temps but my point is that it's not a must for the average user and that the stock ones are reusable.
I took these guys apart countless times and i was never able to rip them off, as you say, on none of the GPUs.

 

Fair enough.

 

Sorry I haven't been around the last few days, I've been sick with the flu and just trying to recover.

I finally got to taking the thing apart again. I unplugged the power cable from the mobo this time (which wasn't shown in the video) and then plugged it back in, this seemed to fix the issue!!

I'm all good to go now and it's plenty thank to this forum and it's great members, THANK YOU!! I couldn't have done it without your help and now I'm back to happy gaming

 

Good to hear that both, you and your laptop are up and running again.
If you need anything else, you know where to come now