Screen now flashing red...green... blue...white... black

Hi,

I've had my M17x for about 18 months now and it suddenly developed a problem last night.

I was using it to transfer files between two external harddrives (about 80Gb) and left it alone to complete this whilst I got on with some other stuff. However, when I came back to it, the screen was flashing red...green... blue...white... black... roughly in that order.

I rebooted, but got the same, then left it for an hour or so, tried again and got the same... the computer did appear to be booting up properly into Windows though; I could just about see this when the screen flickered a certain way.

I then tried a bit later (having had the computer charging) and it had improved... then it gradually improved again... with the flickering becoming less until over the course of about an hour, it was completely back to normal. Weird.

Anyway, I left it overnight, turned it on this morning and it the screen was 'broken' again, flashing red...green... blue...white... black...

The computer is unfortunately out of warranty. I've been reading forums and I've read a couple of instances about this but what's odd is that it seemed to sort itself out, then go back to being broken again (does this mean the GPU isn't totally bu**ered?!).

Some help would be very much appreciated please...

Dave

 

It would be best if you could list your system specs so we can try to diagnose which hardware (or maybe software) is at fault. I know it's very frustrating and to have it happen after your warranty must be awful. We're here to help the best we can.

I do suspect that your GPU is shot or starting to...

 

Thanks for the really quick reply. This is the best info I can offer, as I can't get the other information from the compute without seeing the screen!!

Alienware M17x : Base Space Black
Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo T9800(2.93GHz,1066MHz,6MB L2 Cache)
Display : 17in Wide XGA+ (1440X900) - Beyond HD (900p)
Memory : 4096MB (2x2048) 1333MHz DDR3 Dual Channel
Hard Drive : 320GB (2x160GB) Free Fall Sensor Raid 0 "Stripe"(7200RPM) Dual HDD
Optical Drive : Blu-Ray ROM Combo (Blu-ray read only, DVD, CD read and write)
Graphics : SLI Dual 1GB GDDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 280M

Is there any other info that would be useful?

Thanks again,

Dave.

 

couple of thoughts:

-the fact that it's intermittent makes me think it might be a driver issue...during boot before windows start press F8 BEFORE initial windows screen to get startup choices and enter SAFE mode. If graphics are ok then uninstall your video driver (JUST THE VIDEO DRIVER) from control panel-programs, use ccleaner or driversweeper to get rid of leftovers, then restart into regular windows and reinstall the video driver. If it's still bad or safe mode has bad video:

-try rebooting and pressing F2 to enter BIOS ADVANCED TAB and disable HYBRID GRAPHICS & enable INTEGRATED GRAPHIC...that will put you on your 9400 chip...see if that is the same. If it's good your prob is in the discrete 280M's (or their ever so problematic drivers)...if video is bad even on 9400 or (wince) you have bad video even when trying to enter BIOS:

-could be a hardware failure in one (or more) of the three video chips (but driver probs are more likely)

-let us know how these tests work out!
__________________

 

Hi,

I'll give this a shot, though the screen problems start literally immediately after the computer is turned on so I can't see a thing (apart from the flashing...)!!

When it started working last night, the flickering/flashing gradually disappeared (somehow!) but it was right back to its worst this morning.

Is this more helpful towards a diagnosis?

Thanks again and the speedy replies really are appreciated.

Dave.

 

Install 197.84 P06 drivers from Dell. Any 2xx.xx verde drivers will cause the issue you are having.

 

Ok...need more input...

-could you access BIOS setup...could you even SEE the screen?

-if you did get into BIOS did you make the changes I suggested?

-were you able to enter safe mode?

 

@orionz: I'm pretty sure I can access any of BIOS setup/safe mode, but I can't see the screen at all because of the flashing, etc...! The computer does boot into Windows (I can hear it!), but I can't see any detail on the screen at all.

@tyranus7: I've downloaded the drivers and thanks for the suggestion (could they have been updated automatically which caused the problems in the first place?!). The problem now, is how to uninstall the current ones and install these instead when I can't see the screen...

 

So your screen flashes before entering Windows? if so it's not driver related.
If not press F8 multiple times when turning your system on and choose Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
uninstall current drivers from Control Panel,run CCleaner(download it that's why i said "with networking") and clean any leftovers of the driver.
reboot and install the "new" ones.

 

The screen flashes *long* before entering windows. I turn the computer on and literally a couple of seconds later (before any text has appeared) the screen is black with some flickering white lines on it. It looks like an old black and white TV that's not in tune.

A few seconds after then, it goes through its red...green... blue...white... black... rotation, with roughly a second between each colour...

Driving me insane..

 

Try an external monitor and see if problem pursues.

 

Ok, I plugged in my external monitor and booted into Windows (I only know this happened because of the noise!) and now can't get anything up on the external monitor.

I thought it was Fn-F6 (I've tried Fn with F7 and F10 too) but the external monitor stays blank..

 

if you used a HDMi cable be sure to select that on your monitor same goes for VGA etc.

EDIT:

i was just making sure to eliminate other obstacles.

 

Wasn't HDMI... a standard (old) monitor cable plugged into the side of the laptop. My monitor is too old to have an HDMI cable input..

 

Mr. Boggitt, it is unfortunate that you're out of warranty. If this is truly happening from the moment the machine is turned on, before the operating system has attempted to load from the MBR, then it sounds like a critical problem with the video module to me... perhaps corruption of the vBIOS, if not a hardware failure. Drivers do not come into play when only the system BIOS has loaded, as the CMOS does not depend on system drivers.

Try Google searching for "blind flash nvidia". I did and there are some hits with the 280 GPU that you have, but I did not research further.

 

@all: thanks for taking the time to reply to me. The blind flash nvidia sounds scary... though there's nothing on the laptop that couldn't be easily replaced if it went wrong.

This is definitely happening from the minute the machine is turned on. The weird thing is that last night it seemed to gradually 'cure itself', but ever since this morning, it has not worked at all.

The Flash method looks possible... I'd have to create a Vista bootable USB and ...?! Scary, very scary...

 

I'm afraid this sounds like a hardware failure. Since it occurrs from the time the machine is turned on....it MAY be the mainboard. That's where the 9400 chip lives....I think it provides the video to enter the BIOS. I'm not sure what to do next. If you had access to another video card...NOT one of the ones currently in the system you could plug it in and see if that would work. From where I sit it sounds like the mobo. Sorry.

 

So if it is a hardware failure, what would I need to replace?

 

I would try to boot the machine "bare bones" and adding parts to see which one is faulty:
remove both of the GTX 280m and boot with your integrated see what happens.
if everything's ok add one GTX 280m,nothing wrong? add the second one.
Also try disabling the integrated in BIOS when testing the other two always plugged in.

 

Katalin is right. If you can get into bios somehow, turn on integrated graphics. Otherwise you will have to start swapping cards and checking cables. It could be as simple as the LCD wire to the motherboard being loose, or it could be as bad as a bad motherboard chip. Check first for loose wires, then move on to the video cards. Soulds scary but if you are patient, slow, and have printed instructions (or second pc) you will be fine

 

I've been playing with vBios and once it went wrong. But I can confirm that the primary "default" video card for the M17x R1 is the 9400M G, the GTX 260M/280M are automatically turned on one second before the windows login screen. Maybe if is there a way to go to the bios and disable the IGP, but I don't think it is gonna be possible. The only way I see to solve this issue is a motherboard replacement.

 

I'd echo tyranus7. I went through this identical set of symptoms on an R1 I had & it ultimately turned out to be the MOBO (Dell 1st tried replacing the GTX's and even the screen on site before finally getting it right). This went on for a couple of weeks were initially the "color show" would correct inself after the system was up for 10 mins or so. Eventually it was "permanent"

I was fortunate in that I was routinely setup for an external HDMI monitor, so after Windows started - The external monitor worked & I could use the system. I just could not ever get to see the bios. Finally the phone support person was "sure" a bios update would work. That finally killed it (and hence the MOBO replacement) because we could still not get into the bios to enable the Raid settings. That's when they set a tech with the mobo.

 

Dear all,

I've been away for a week, but just to say thanks again for all your help. I'm going to drop the laptop in with a friend who is good with hardware to see if we can sort the problem out.

I'll hopefully find out and tell you here in due course!

Best wishes,

Dave.

 

I have the same problem. But its not notebook its pc. And I exactly know that its because of monitor...

 

Ok, thanks... but it's not as though I can just change the monitor on the laptop.... I wonder what that implies..?!

 

If you have a VGA screen. Open the laptop, unplugg the internal screen LCD, and connect the VGA screen to the VGA port. Then turn on your laptop. VGA is a Plug and Play device, hence the VGA screen will become automatically in your primary screen. So if the problem is actually the laptop's screen, you will able to get video in the VGA screen.

 

I'm not sure that I understand your comment. How can you have exactly the same problem if your system is a PC (assuming you mean a desktop) rather than a notebook? Is it the symptoms you are experiencing that are exactly the same?

Can you please explain more clearly so we can all benefit from the information you would like to share with us? Have you found a solution, or are you looking for assistance?

 

did you resolve this? I have the same issue on an M17xR1

 

The internal GPU needs a reflow most likely. Should fix it up.

 

reflow? What does that mean? swap it for a new card? re-seat it? hit it with a BFH and hope for the best?

 

this might be a far fetch but is it possible that the GPU is loosed? it might help if you reseat it again properly.

I've had a sorta similar issue, when i did my repaste, i saw blue lines on the screen. so i reseated the GPU again and fixed it.

 

its possible. I just had everything apart a few weeks ago to check the power socket and to clean all the dust out. I'd really hate to take it apart again, re-seat it, reassemble and then have it still not work.

 

Reflow is heating up the GPU itself (not the whole card specifically) to the point in which the lead free solder melts, 217c, using specialized equipment. Some local repair shops can do it and usually charge $60 (I do anyway)

 

a replacement card on eBay is $150ish. Hmmm....

 

Does the 460M or 580M not fit into the R1?

 

I think it has a diff MXM port so, no.

 

No, it's both MXM 3.0 Type B, but whether it works or not can only be said after testing.
I don't know about anyone who tried such a card in an r1, but I recently seen a post of someone who claimed to have a 5870m running in an r1... So there's a slight chance that a newer card might work.

 

should I just play it safe and get a replacement 260M? I'd love to upgrade in the process to a 280 or 290 but they seem to still be running $500+

 

Why not sell your R1 and get an M18x?

 

that's an option, of course, but I'd still need to replace the video card....no?

 

There's no 290, only 280m and 285m.

Check out these:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/com...81-fs-nvidia-gtx-285m-1gb-mxm-3-0-type-b.html - $260

http://forum.notebookreview.com/computer-components/602593-ft-nvidia-gtx-280m-mxm-3-0-b.html - only for trade...

 

both of those will work in my R1? if so, that might be a good solution

 

I'm not quite sure about the 285m, but the 280m should work fine.

 

thanks.

interestingly, I left the laptop off and unplugged from power last night. I thought "what the hell" and started it up just a bit ago....came up fine. I took the opportunity to change the bios to enable the onboard video.

We'll see if the flashing screen comes back and if so, if its still there with the onboard graphics running instead of the 260M

 

I'm having the same problem here. When I pulled the cmos battery to reset the bios it ran with integrated but when i restarted and disabled integrated and it was just running off of the single 260 I got the color show. Does that narrow it down to the 260m or could the 9400 still be whats causing it?

 

your cycling of colors is a deceased GPU, my m1730 did exactly that with the 8800 gtx modules.
The G92 chips (which the mobile 2x0 series was based) was seriously flawed with thermal failures and a class action was successfully launced and settled vs nvidia and laptop manufacturers. (google for "Nvidia G92 class action" and you will find some info)

You MIGHT be able to get a goodwill fix from Dell mentioning this (they did on my m1730 when my 8800gtx sli failed 1 week out of warrenty, they sent me back a 9800gtx sli). By mentioning this class action and you beleive this card is among that affected, and you were hoping they might do the right thing and help you out. Unfortunatly, the settlement period is long over, and Dell isnt obligated to do anything now but its worth a shot. Otherwise, yes, try to find a replacement gpu, or its time to upgrade.

 

Thanks for the info I'll see if dell will work with me on this otherwise I'd been planning on picking up a 5870 from an r2.

 

This happened to my M1730, they replaced the video card and it was fine. I do remember the dell guy talking me through some key presses and it did clear the flashing colours and it was fine for about a week but then just started playing up again, that's when they replaced the vid card.

 

Same thing happen to me this morning... same random colors...

just when I turn off laptop, and on again.... everything worked fine for now....

m17x R4 7970m....

 

I have just had the exact same issues. Booted straight into Red, Green, Blue, white black then off!!!!!!!!

Rebooted, all is fine.

M17Xr3 7970m,i7 2820, all specs in sig.

Help!!