Laptop wont turn on after bios failure /corrupt

Hi there,

My Alienware M17x R4 won't come on after trying to install bios A12 and won't come on seems like there no power at all in the laptop.

Any help is much appreciated and getting desperate as I dunno want to do.


Thanks

Ritz


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Yikes. That's worse than the time Nvidia bricked my previous Alienware 17's GPU with an update.

 

Looks like a failed BIOS update.
There's a revival workaround with a USB stick, maybe that'll work.

Otherwise you'd need the fallback method with a BIOS programmer (and desoldering the EC chip).

Had that on a r4 too when playing around with BIOS versions. For me the second method worked.

 

There used to be a fix by using a usb stick.

https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/1525-m17x-r4-bricked-bios-fix/

Not sure if it will work today. Almost 7 years old now. Best of luck.

 

Thanks for your help, I've tried to USB stick method but the laptop won't start at all

Is there a link to the second method in how to do this properly

Thanks


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http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/m17x-r4-bricked-bios-svl7-a10.811865/page-3

This one is it.
U48 is the BIOS and U36 the EC Chip.

You'd need to strip everything off the mainboard and remove the BIOS battery.

You'd also need a CH341a.

I was able to program the BIOS chip directly but the EC chip I had to desolder to be able to program it and then solder it back to the mainboard.

 

Hi there thanks for your help much appreciated.

Do you any link or guidance on how this process can come completed safely.

I can you my laptop now it's like a bricked this bios failure killed it.

Is there any video or website I can read on how to complete this processor is it better to get a tech to do it and how roughly it would cost?


Thanks again lads

Ritz


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I did most of it myself. You could check YouTube for how to handle the "ch341a".

Don't exactly know how much that would cost, I'd estimate it would have cost me around 100€ when done by a technician, so I think it should be around 100$.

By doing it myself it cost me about 33€, 15 for the programmer, 5 for a chip, 10 for the soldering and 5 as tip.
(I had bought another chip so I could program it already and just let the soldering be done by a pro).

If you're not handy enough with disassembling the whole thing to the bottom, better let it be done by a pro.

 

Hi mate,

Hope you are doing well.

I've done the desoldibg of the bios chip and solder a new one using the hotair witg the 2-1 workstatioj kit that I bought off Ebay and also an already program bios with the manufacturer latest bios.

After weeks of preparation and researching on how i can complete the replacement of the bios chip.

Ive done it but Unfortunately i still having no power to the laptop?


Any suggestion is much appreciated not sure what yo do anymore.


Ritz


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Hey pal,

did you write the data of the same BIOS-version on both chips (e.g. A11 on both or A12 on both...)?

Did you read and save twice and hex-compare each of the files, just to be sure they match?

 

Hi mate,

I bought it off ebay already program with manufacturer bios installed.

I’ve only replaced the bios chip see picture below. Do i know to replace the other one aswell?






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Do i have to replace this one aswell?





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Yes, and only this one, the U36 is the EC chip that's the one needing to be rewritten/replaced.

The one which seem to have replaced, doesn't need to be touched at all, as far as I know.

 

Ok thanks pal, I’ve order a the the below from eBay and will replace it.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/381657547857

The chip will be programmed with the latest BIOS revision/version released from the manufacturer.

Please check the kink and let me know if its the correct one. Ive contacted the seller aswell to the my laptop model and board model.

So hopefully it works, and again your the best your help is much appreciated

Kind regards
Ritz


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Hope you haven't messed up too much by now.

The chips from your link seem to be ok.

Best is to first reposition the chip which you had removed again with the original one and then to start and replace the 2 new chips you've ordered, on the positions U48 and U36.


I'm not such a pro at all, just had a similar situation with one of my m17x r4s, and this method worked for me

 

Hi mate,

Just an update, I’ve reposition the one i have took out with the original one as mentioned above.

I’ve also replace the u48 & u36 with the new bios & Ec chips but unfortunately its is still wont power on.


Any advise ?

Thanks



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Did you check if the pin 1 of every chip is on the correct position?

Possible you have misplaced the BIOS and EC chip?

 

Hi pal,

I dont think i’ve misplaced the chips as the sizes are a little different.

I made sure that each one are line correctly/properly on the board.

I will get a picture of the Bios and Ec later to show you and let me know if i done it correctly.

Cheers




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EC CHIP




BIOS chip




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Hi pal I've managed to solder the a new bios and ec chip the one I bought off ebay, after the bios failed to update but now the laptop keeps on restarting in a loop every 40seconds? No beep code.

The laptop was dead after replacing the ec and bios chips it alive again but having the above mention issue I don't think it's posting.

Can you please help me hear you knowledge is much appreciated.

I took all parts from a working Alienware.


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Sorry pal, I'm not that pro at all, but let's see, maybe others will also chime in.

After all it's good that it's working again.

Do you get a boot up to Windows and then it shuts down or don't you get to the Windows screen at all?

 

Hi mate,

It does not boot up windows at all. It just keeps on restarting every 40seconds also with the keyboard and fans working.

Do you think I should blind flash with the USB methods maybe that will help?

I'm not sure really may be the current bios I bought off Ebay are not letting the laptop to post.


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Yes, that's what I'd suggest finally, but unfortunately there's always the risk of bricking it again...


So better start with removing some components and see if it reacts on that (beep codes) when you try to power on, remove the RAM 1 by 1, also power it on without all the RAM in, after that without CPU and then without the GPU, so every time with 1 component removed.

 

Cheers mate,

I will try the below as advised is there a proper website /guidance where I can download the the bios and guidance on how to do the blind correctly I don't want to messed up again.


Thanks


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Let’s establish if the laptop posts - power it on and keep hitting caps lock key. Do you see the caps lock light going on and off as you hit the button? If the light blinks with your key presses - laptop posts.

Do not remove the CPU - laptop will not post without a CPU. Other advise is spot on.

Do you have a 3D screen and/or upgraded GPU in the laptop?

Is your Windows installed in uefi with legacy disabled or legacy enabled?

 

Hi bud,

Thanks for trying to help,

I'm have tried the caps lock presses as advised, unfortunately I can't see any lights coming on or off.

I don't have 3D screen and the laptop have original GPU installed.

I've tried to boot with hard disk UEFI installed and another had disk with legacy both no luck.

Many thanks again if uih have any suggestions its much appreciated





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No worries, mate. I did not have this particular issue you are having so I can only give some general advise. It looks like the laptop doesn’t post based on no caps lock activity.

Try the cmos reset next: disconnect the PSU, remove the main battery and then cmos battery from the mainboard. Press and hold the power button for 30s.

If that does not work, try carefully removing the gpu. Heatsink does not need to come off. GPU can be removed with the heatsink still attached. The laptop should post without the GPU as your cpu has onboard graphics.

 

I've followed all the above now the laptop is give me 5 beep code??





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5 beeps stands for BIOS battery, iirc.

 

How to fix this is it CMOS?


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First of all try a new battery, I'd suggest.

 

5 BEEPS usually comes on after a CMOS battery battery pulled reset.

Shut it down and power it back up.

That's usually what happens on my M18X R2 whenever I do a full reset of powering down.

 

Yes, after reset, first time POST is always 5 beeps, but as I understood it's always beeping 5 times now when he tries to power it on.

 

Yes it's either 5 beeps or keep on restarting black screen without any sound


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Does it matter if it UEFI or does it have to be legacy??


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Depends on how Windows is installed.

Did you test RAM 1:1 already?

 

Yeah I did still no luck


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Legacy and uefi only matters if your card is 980m. The laptop will not post in legacy if I remember correctly. If you have 680m, it will post in either mode.


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My bad, 680ms won't POST on UEFI (besides sm Clevo models) but it should give you (8) beep codes.

 

Mate can you confirm that EC CHIP will have to flash with the same bin file as the bios im using CH341A Programmer and trying to flash my bios with the A12 bios ??

Thanks


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Mate, there are 2 different files, one file is for the BIOS chip and another file for the EC chip, I don't know when I'll be on the laptop again to tell you the exact names, maybe tomorrow evening or on the weekend.

 

Cheers pal let me know when you can there’s no rush.

Thanks


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Ok, as most of the time I'm online via mobile at the moment, don't come to the laptop more than 1-2 times a week.

 

Apologise mate but i just managed to find these 2 files below in picture do you remember which is for the EC & bios chip.

Cheers




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Assuming they are named correct, the mx25l1005.bin should be for the EC chip.