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    M17x troubleshooting help

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Andy3008, Mar 8, 2014.

  1. Andy3008

    Andy3008 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi everyone, i recently came into possession of a non working M17x R1. The previous owner said that it worked but the laptop would not accept a charger. Meaning that plugging the AC adapter did not charge the battery and if you removed the battery and just run the latop on AC power, the laptop would not even power up.

    Unfortunately when i got the laptop the battery was basically drained so i could not even check whether the laptop would power up.

    Pulling it apart i noticed that the connector for the ribbon cable going to the power switch had a broken clamp so cable was just sitting in mid air.

    To cut a long story short, i purchased another motherboard and hinge cover but i still get no signs of life.

    My question is...what's the minimum amount of hardware i need installed in the laptop to try and troubleshoot why there is no power. For example, can i get away with just the cpu and gpu's installed to see if there is the thing tries to power up ? Do i need the ram and hard drive installed also ?

    I have another hinge cover on the way but this has the ribbon cable also just to try an eliminate the cable which goes from the motherboard to the power switch.

    My AC adapter is new so that's definately not the problem.

    Any help appreciated before i spend more money or just trash it as a bad joke.

    Laptop specs as follow:-

    Q9100 ES
    5870m xfire
    8g 1066 ram
    500g HDD
     
    Andy3008, Mar 8, 2014
    #1
  2. maxslo

    maxslo undefined

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    Motherboard
    CPU-fan
    Keyboard
    AC Adapter

    Hit the power button on the motherboard and if mobo is ok the fan should spin... then slowly add components...
     
    maxslo, Mar 9, 2014
    #2
    Andy3008 and Trome71 like this.
  3. Andy3008

    Andy3008 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for that, needed a starting point.
     
    Andy3008, Mar 9, 2014
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  4. maxslo

    maxslo undefined

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    Ok, then if it spins, add:
    1. CPU
    2. RAM
    3. GPU and GPU fan(Only 1 in the left slot, wihout the CF cable or anything, just the fan, card and heatsink)
    (Oh, i see now that you have R1... if the GPU is dead you can just use the onboard)
    4. Screen (now you will see if it POSTS)
    5. Audio board
    6. Speakers
    7. Touch Panel with power button (and try to power it on with power button)
    8. Secondary (right) GPU and secondary GPU fan ( At this point you can connect the cards with the CF cable too)

    After that, you can start putting tested and working stuff back in the laptop :)
     
    maxslo, Mar 10, 2014
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  5. Andy3008

    Andy3008 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Excellent, thank you kindly.
     
    Andy3008, Mar 10, 2014
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