M17x R4 New Mobo

My friend gave me his laptop with a faulty motherboard. See link here

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/alienware-m17x-r4-wont-power-on.786979/#post-10181320

I just replaced the mobo but it is still not turning on. It doesn't seem to be short circuiting like before. The charger stays on when plugged. Any ideas?

 

Check all the connections again. Specially the power button.

 

Checked all the connections and it seems fine. PSU also seems fine since it charges the battery. Also I should add that the laptop has not been turned on in a year. It was given to me recently and just replaced the mobo. Would a dead CMOS cause the laptop not to boot up?

 

dead cmos would probably cause system to beep,

try this take out the processor, gpu, ram, see if it starts beeping on you

 

Removed all three and finally booted up giving 7 beeps. Then tried putting back one at a time and it only wouldn't boot up with the graphics card attached, again giving 7 beeps. Also, it would not boot up with just the PSU, only with the slightly charged battery.

Seems like I need a new graphics card (or could it just be the BIOS?) and PSU? If so, anyone have any recommended graphics card and PSU and where to get them?

 

is it a 120hz model? which graphics card does it have?

 

It is the 60hz model, Nvidia GTX660M, and a i7-3610QM

 

so when you take the card out. does it boot to OS? it should

 

It doesn't. Screen stays blank, and beeps 7 times. Keyboard lights up though.

 

have you tried cmos reset? take out cmos battery, disconnect all power sorces, press power button and hold it for 20sec, put the cmos battery back then power on and wait, then reboot after you hear beeps.

7 beeps means CPU problem, but can be related to MB problem too.

btw, could that be that you bought m17x r3 motherboard by mistake? they look idetical, except that r4 more often has white cpu socket, while r3 has grey(but could be white also)
main difference is that r3 does not have msata ssd port under the keyboard.

 

I've tried the CMOS reset with no luck. The motherboards are identical. I just ordered a new power adapter and going to buy a new CMOS battery. Going to try replacing these two before maybe trying a new graphics card.

Also, I forgot to add on my previous post that when the laptop was plugged to the PSU directly with no battery and no graphics card it would not power up. But when I tried with a slightly charged battery(showing 1-2 blocks of power) and still no graphics card, it powered up with a blank screen, working keyboard and fans, and gave 7 beeps.

 

might be that your cpu is fried.

so you can confirm that it has msata port(100% proof it's R4) in the left corner under the keyboard? also the cpu socket is of white color(not 100% proof)?

 

7 beeps almost never means it's the CPU. 7 beeps indicates a motherboard failure that no Alienware owner can figure out. Same as 8 beeps. These r3s/r4s always get it. Usually means a dead board. OP probably needs to buy a new board *again*.

There is something to try though. If OP purchased an r3 board, it's likely he put an ivy bridge CPU in from his r4. Only the r4 uses ivy bridge cpus. The r3 only accepts sandy bridge CPU's and that might be why it's beeping 7 times.

 

exactly, but not always, if you read my posts up you will find i did mention that it might be casued by MB failure. but it sure indicates MB failure with CPU! for whatver reason MB or CPU.

cpu could have been fried by the previous MB, not a big chance but quite possible.

and as i have said mixing r3 mobo with Ivy bridge CPU will also cause system to beep 7 times.