M17xr4 bricked by instructions given by dell support

I am beginning to hate the fact that I bought Alienware...... I want to have my 7970m work and shut the HD4000 graphics off. So I called Dell's tech support and they instructed me to press the function and F7 keys on the keyboard because there is no option in the A09 bios to disable the HD4000 grpahics..... Windows instructed me that I had to reboot for the change to take affect and I said ok.

Now I get 8 beeps at the pre boot and they want me to ship the brand new laptop back to them for repair.

Is there any work around so I don't have to ship it back to them. ( this is the stock A09 bios) no hacks or anything.

 

According to the table that is "LCD Failure"

Ask them to send an onsite tech to replace the LCD. Worse case you can send it back for a full refund and reorder a new machine.

Alienware Beep Codes Table | Dell

Beep Code Description
1 System Board, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error
2 (*)No Memory / RAM detected
3 System Board Chipset Failure
4 Memory failure
5 CMOS battery failure (Click here to fix it)
6 Video card / chip failure
7 CPU failure
8 LCD failure

 

I bought the 3year advanced coverage with the laptop so everything should be covered. I will call them back and see if they can send a tech out to replace the screen.

Well, one of of the nicest reps I have talked to at Dell helped me fix the problem...... He had me take the cmos battery out and reboot and go into the diagnostics which took for ever and found no issues., then we rebooted and it came back up fine. really strange though.

 

Sometimes the GPU isn't recognized by the system and will give you 8 beeps. It's rare and only happens to me when I swap GPUs and the system needs a BIOS reboot to reorganize its thoughts lol. It's only fixed by pulling the CMOS. Glad everything is good!

 

Thanks COTitan,

Now that I have it back up and running, If I were to hit Function + F7 again, I assume it should change graphics cards and go to the ATI/AMD 7970m. If I get the 8 beeps again, I assume I need to go through the whole process again removing the cmos battery, etc.

Will it infact be running off the 7970m or will re continue to beep out on me (I won't have time to mess with it till tomorrow)

 

Take a look into the device manager, under display adapters you will see what you are using right now. The 8 beeps says LCD failure but it is also related to the Video Card, if it is unresponsive then it will beep 8 times. If under the device manager you see the Intel Card only and when you press the Fn+F7 the computer beeps again 8 times then you will need to re-seat the video card. If it still does the same then a video card replacement might be needed. If you get that issue you can still remove the CMOS battery again and try to log into Windows and check what's in the device manager. If the 7970m is there then just leave it like that. If it is the intel only then just send us an e-mail to [email protected] and we'll make sure you get some help on this

 

H Luis,

Thank you for your help. I am at home now and I pressed Function F7 and the laptop reboots again and I get the 8 beeps. I tried this twice now. When I remove the CMOS battery, wait 45 seconds, power it back on with the batter installed it boots again and in device manager I have the Intel HD4000 graphics again.

I don't have the AMD 7970m listed in device manager.

I then followed your instructions about re-seating the video again and the same thing happened. I am writing this on the M17xR4 under the Intel HD4000 card :-(.

I will email the address you provided, what all information do they need from me?

I went ahead and did a restore on the laptop also just to make sure its not a software issue and I also get the 8 beeps.

 

Sounds like your 7970m is fried? Just a thought if It's not showing up in the device manager or the bios. I really hope that isn't the case though.

 

Thanks for trying all that! It basically means that the video card is not working correctly. The info we need is:
Your PC service tag number
A brief description of the issue and what you've done to resolve it.
Your phone number and the best time to reach you.

Will be looking forward for your e-mail.

 

Dell sent out a service tech to replace my 7970m and he finished and was great and his manager should know he provided excellent service.. Unfortunately the new 7970m did the same thing.......

8 beeps.

So he put the old one back in and I am waiting for a call from Dell/Alienware on next steps....

He then took the CMOS battery out, waited, put it back in, put the cover back on, etc....

rebooted the laptop, pressed F12 and it came to the boot options menu, exited the menu and rebooted again and it went into windows again on the Intel HD4000......... so the AMD-7970m is still dead....

Oh well.


Are Sager and Clevo's have this much trouble with the 7970m? I still have a few days left to return the Alienware for a full refund and I get get something else.

 

New hardware(gpu) can be DOA as well.
Can be also motherboard.ESD on motherboard (place where you connecting gpu thry mobo).

 

I'm sorry about the inconveniences, it seems like the port could be the one causing the issue. Please send me an e-mail and I can arrange another visit to try to fix it and/or offer all options that I have available for you at this point.

 

Hi Luis,

The tech was on the phone with someone from Dell when he was here and the person on the phone wanted to talk to me and I talked to him, he told me I would be getting another call from Alienware in 48 hours to discuss the next steps. I assume this would all be logged under the same service ticket.

Let me know if it hasn't been updated. I thought these computers went through 2 days of testing before they were shipped out, I would assume the testing would have caught this unless they only test the intel graphics and not the upgraded graphics before shipping.

 

I hear you, and I understand the frustration but this kind of things happen from time to time. I will still need that PM to check on the service tag because due to security concerns we keep no customer data. I completely remember the case but I won't be able to pull up the records without your tag number.

 

I once built a MSI MicroAtx build for my home, and I got two doa motherboards in a row. The third one they shipped to me in this huge oversized box with way too much padding, but it worked.

hopefully you get my point.

 

Hi Dave, I know what you mean, I build my own desktops, maybe I have been lucky.... I have only ever had to ship 1 motherboard back.

 

I hate to jump in on the thread but im having the same issue with my M18xR2. I hit the Fn/F7 key system rebooted and nothing. No vidro, no beeps. Nothing. It just turns on, keyboard flashes, fans spin, then it shuts down and tries again. I tried the battery pull to clear the CMOS and it doesn't do anything. Any suggestions. Ive strip my unit down to just the cpu and nothing. How much for a new M18xR2 motherboard.

 

Yep sounds like you have bricked your bios will hunt down a guide give me a few mins

EDIT FOUND IT M18xR2 GUIDE: http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m18x/1981-how-recover-bad-flash-alienware-m18x-r2.html

 

Well, The problems continue.

The Tech has come out a second time...... mind you I ordered this laptop in October this year, It arrived November 30 +/- of this year and It is 12/17/2012.

The first service call was to replace the 7970m and when the tech did that, he also got the 8 beeps with the new video card.

Today the tech came out a second time and replaced the motherboard and the video card and now the piece of ---- will not even boot. Press the power button, the screen starts going though the test cycles and then starts the 8 beep pattern again.

I am fed up with Alienware and want a refund. The number I was given was 1-800-877-2244 and that is not working.

I think I am going to go with Falcon at this point.

My background, I build my own desktops and have been for years. This is my first laptop outside of the ones I have used for work that they(Work) provided.

At this point, I can't even boot the thing to get my files off of it.

If I wanted a 3k paperweight I would have bought a few ounces of gold or platinum.

 

So this is getting better. I purchased this laptop through the EPP program and not the home program so they have been transferring me back and forth for the last hour and 30 minutes telling they that the other group has to help me process a return on this laptop.

Then they have the nerve to tell me that I am at 24 days since the purchase and they only issue cash/credit refunds up to 21 days when I had reported these issues well before that.

And they want to place a 3rd service call to replace the LCD.

 

They gave me an RMA number and are refunding my money for this laptop.

Do I give Alienware a second chance and order another M17xR4 from them or do I try someone else?

 

Look, this is Alienware forum; Everybody here is going to tell you to try again.
If you want somebody to tell you to avoid Alienware, try reddit.
If you want somebody to tell you to buy from a boutique retailer, try youtube.
If you want somebody to tell you the truth, here it is..

Shoganai- しょうがない " It cannot be helped"

 

in my personal opinion i am probably going to get a lot of hate from this BUILD A DESKTOP only if you don't have use for a laptop just my opinion don't get me wrong alienware laptops are good but the price to performance ratio is VERY LOW. A M17X R3 user here.

 

Sound like you just had some bad luck, but instead of being all negatived and pissed off look at things from a different view.
Even without your extended warranty Dell is providing first class support, they came to your house TWICE and it didn't take weeks for them to do so.
To me it sounds like you bought something but didn't fully know what to expect or did proper research, the laptops are assembled from scratch? in China.
So the delivery process itself takes a while, sh... happens and unfortunately it happen to you.
Ask yourself how bad do you want or need THIS laptop (as a R4 owner I'm quite happy with what I bought, price/performance ratio was great).
I flashed my bios about a month ago, that bricked my mainboard they came the day after and replaced it......problem solved.
Take some time and think what you really want then make a decision, because right now you seem all over the place.

I say stick with it, because of the great support, value/performance for money and it's a solid piece of hardware where u can play pretty much all current games on high/ultra.

 

I was also looking at building a new desktop.... LGA 2011/64gb DDR3, Hex core processor, but unfortunately, I can't take a full tower with me every where I go . You can get those parts with the middle tier I7 hex core for about $1300 and gut my old tower ATX tower out.

But I need that type of power on the road for Photoshop, 1080p Video editing and SQL Server.

Thank you, as I said, I have had a number of laptops through work. This is the first one I was purchasing for myself. I went into this knowing the hardware I wanted, and which brands offered that level of hardware.

I did not know that the Alienware laptops were made in china. Knowing that raises some concerns. I would expect a premium piece like that to be build in the USA. That also explains why it takes a month from the time the order is placed till it arrives.

The weird thing about it is, on the box it says assembled in china, and shipped from Tennessee. Tennessee is not in China.

And you are correct, they did send a tech out twice in 1 week to replace parts twice. I guess I expected more from a "premium" brand than what happened to me. All that should have been tested before it was shipped.

I guess we have to come to expect less the way the world is now. I will update this if i reorder.

You have some minor points, but this is a forum site of people whom own Alienware laptops. This is the best place to see if other "owners" have had the same or similar problems and what they chose to do about it in their cases.

I am happy that you have not had any issues with your laptop. You are not everyone and it is apparent, I am not the only person that has had issues with their Alienware laptops.

 

that's what i am saying if you have use for a laptop go for another try Trust me i have had a board replacement and a GPU replacement you will get problems but dells warranty support is top notch. its up to U what you do or you could just buy both right LOL

 

Ofcourse I've had problems. I'm on notebookreview because this is where you find answers. I've made some pretty huge mistakes, but most of the time i've fixed them by reading threads on this forum. Tech support in my opinion is just somebody who can authorize a replacement part. I too travel far too much to have a desktop and up until last year I had two gaming desktop rigs, 5 monitors, and a headless encoding rig/file server. Now, all I have is my m17x r3 + 7970m and a server slot I pay for. You'd be surprised how ok I am with that.

 

Well, I have my refund and I just ordered a new M17xr4 with the same specs as the first one. The order was placed last night and the estimated delivery date is 1/4/12.

For being "Assembled in China" it really makes me wonder. Especially when Dell claims they test them for 2 days once they are built prior to shipping.

We will see what happens when it arrives.

 

Why would it matter if it was assembled in China? Are implying the Chinese can't turn a screw? Even if it was assembled in US, all parts are manufactured in China. How do you it wasn't the shipping? You think they fly these over? No, its in a huge shipping container on a boat. Whatever, personally think US manufacturing is worse than China, and the rest of the world.

Sorry to hear you had a did. It happens. But then to start implying just because your system is a did, Alienware is terrible and the Chinese can't turn a screw like the amazing, faultless American, who is known for being fiscally irresponsible, consume the most drugs, the highest rate of mental illness, being alcoholics, consuming the most child , scoring the lowest in academic testing of any modern state nation....

 

Sorry, for the rant rest of you, it just amazes how much hubris us Americans have when it's our brainless, greed that caused the global recession, because we are so much better than the Chinese.

 

I have many Chinese friends and have nothing against Chinese. I personally think if workers were paid fair wages like other countries in the world do, then conditions in China would improve, but then they would lose allot of manufacturing because it would be cheaper to manufacture products in the countries they are ordered from and the economy in China would collapse.

And since you bring up off topic, things like how there is such a mental illness, being alcoholics, consuming the most child , scoring the lowest in academic testing of any modern state nation. Those are not specifically "American" problems.

They are problems of a world with technology. It has been proven that in areas outside America, where the people have lazy office jobs, and have allot of technology, they have the same issues Americans do and as those countries and areas get move developed, the issue is greater there.

So I guess if everyone leaves their office jobs, purchases land and starts farming and gets rid of all there fancy technology, all the worlds problems will go away.

And by the way, while it should not matter, my family is from many different parts of the world and I have citizenship in multiple countries, so technically it is not only an "American" issue. I have seen many other places in the world.