M17xR2 Troubleshooting - No Post

Problems contained herein are considered solved. Need some help here with a vBIOS blind flash though...

 

If Caps/Num/Scroll lock indication lights are not flashing then you are probably have faulty motherboard. Not 100% sure though, when troubleshooting this type of case you will not be sure until you will test each component separately..

 

1. did you do a power drain?

2. did you try to start wihout the ram installed?

 

Uncertain - how do you mean?

No

Continuation of above - I can't help but think that your second point was a graceful and polite way of saying "hey idiot, check the memory." Well I did, and guess what - there wasn't any memory installed to begin with. I never took the metal shroud off, and it seems the seller did not include the memory as mentioned.

Now that I have put some memory in, I can short the power button to get the lights to come on as well as the GPU/CPU fans. They stay on indefinitely (so far), but the "Alienware" script writing at bottom of screen bezel flashes about 10 times in rapid succession, then stays lit for a few more seconds, then repeats the flashing pattern again.

 

(The power drain is removing the PSU and battery, then pressing down the power button for 30s. After 30s attach the PSU and press the power button once more )

Hehehe it happens

Ok, moving on, try reseating the LCD and AlienFX cables for the screen (flickering is usually due to connectors not being attached properly, shorting in the cables or dying inverter)

 

The screen is totally black - it is the Alienware script beneath the screen that is flickering, if that makes a difference.

If it were a screen related issues, hardware or cable, I would have presumed the system to work fine connected to an external. It hasn't worked via digital connection, but trying VGA tonight so will update with any news.

 

Updated original post; linked here.

 

Hmm since you have M15x i think the control panel should be compatibile (atleast enough to get a led code)
I don't recommend using it in M17x due to the obvious reason

 

Didn't function at all when hooked up . Was rather surprised.

 

lol, that's weird, all the buttons are the same afaik maybe the cable is different :/

whats broken on your TP, cable or TP itself?

 

Both. The plastic retention clip that holds the cable to the panel is broken, and the cable is starting to look a bit mangled too. For all I know, I am jump starting the laptop by the broken cable, and not actually the power button. If I get some time, I may opt to pull the cable from the M15x and check.

 

there is a hidden power button on the motherboard, did you know? xD,

Try swapping the cables yeah

 

Have not yet tried swapping cables. Have heard that the touchpad uses the same cable pinout as the media board and as a result are interchangeable.

Unfortunately also read that the system will not boot without the media board plugged in and recognized in entirety, all 9 traces on the ribbon included. This is all but impossible due to the broken retention clip. Planning a few more attempts - just show me a BIOS screen and I will set about repairing the system - but I do not want to dump $30 here and $30 there for a system with a bad motherboard.

 

media board? no, i've booted several times wihout a TP panel afaik, i'll test again later and let you know for sure....

I know what you mean.

 

Update 3/28/2014
I tend to be the cynical one reading a thread like this with multiple updates, thinking "who cares that you tried <scenario 235> and it still didn't work." That said, I apparently introduced some fallacious information in my last comment, and would like to correct it.

The touchpad cable [on my m17x r2] is approximately 80% less wide than the power cable. I did not count the number of traces, but it does not function as a "in a pinch" replacement for the standard power cable. I pulled the cable from my M15x R2, as well as the control panel hinge cover, and did not get anywhere. The system would not boot with either the m15x cable and m15x hinge cover, nor with the m15x cable and the m17x "broken" hinge cover.

A new cable and new hinge cover has been ordered - will update when it arrives and has been tested. If the motherboard is bad, I will gladly have paid the $45 for the consolation that I am throwing a trashed motherboard away, as opposed to the current ambiguity as to the state of the system.

 

did you try using the motherboard button with the ribbon cable removed, and with ribbon cable attached?

Here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/att...t-boot-even-stir-possible-causes-img5357k.jpg

 

Didn't seem to do anything - no fans, lights, etc.

 

that's weird, what did you change from the time it last started up?

 

Suppose I may have stored the second 5870 inside the system without a slave cable attached. Will possibly double check this afternoon.

 

for the diagnosis sake, use only primary gpu, and remove the secondary completly, even if both have been tested working in m15x.

next step is to strip down components until you get some sign of power

 

Update 3/29/2014

Using the motherboard power button, I am unable to get any signal with either 5870M installed in the primary slot. The ong-short-short beep sequence seems to imply the previous owner did a poor job of flashing the vBIOS; joy oh joy.

However, installing the 260M out of my M15x, and I get the Alienware logo screen pop up on the screen before quickly fading away. The previous owner said the screen was dim, so I suppose this is what was meant.

Guessing the motherboard is fine, but cannot get the bios or boot screen to show up on an external monitor HDMI to display port converter, or VGA to VGA. Anyone have advice there?

 

Could you please record it and upload a video?
tha would help us understand exactly what happens.

 

Boot video
[video]https://www.dropbox.com/s/xhtzv940j13ffqz/IMG_0170.MOV[/video]

 

Is the screen pink or is it just me?
That's definitely the inverter dying, (pretty much dead already)

 

Is the M17x R2 incapable of showing the BIOS on an external? Would like to use the system in clamshell mode for the time being if possible.

 

No, it should show, press Fn + F6 once or twice if you dont get signal out...