Urgent - Issue with Alienware m17xR3 and 6990M Windows 8

Hi guys
I was on my computer and it just crashed, I am running windows 8.1 using a 2630qm, 6gb ram, hdd and a 6990m. I manually shut down my pc after the crash, after it booted when reaching the windows icon the screen goes blank. I have a custom bios and disable my integrated cpu gfx so i can run the latest AMD drivers. I formatted my pc with my integrated disabled and when it reaches getting devices ready it went blank again, so i tried formating with my integrated graphics card on and it worked. The issue is now i can't use my 6990M.... on device manager it says Unable to start code 10 with a yellow exclamation mark. I tried disabling my integrated gpu, going into safe mode and trying to install drivers for the 6990m but it says detection device could not be started or something like that. I am currently stuck... I don't know what to do since when i disable my integrated and try login into windows normally the screen is blank, and i can't install drivers through safe mode.
I just need to find a way for windows to boot with my integrated disabled so i can install my 6990m drivers due to AMD drivers not being able to install in safe mode

Please help!

 

Update
Tried the Dell official drivers, installed fine but won't read the card and I still have the same error in device manager.
I forgot to state the custom bios i use is - M17x R3 BIOS A12 - unlocked & 'SATA fix' : Modified BIOS for the Alienware M17x R3 – hidden menus unlocked – ‘SATA ‘fix’ -> brings back the SAT ... [more] (Unknown Size) - Found on this link, it allows me to overclock (Never used it) and disable my IGP - Alienware - Downloads - Tech|Inferno Forums
Can provide more information about my PC if needed. Please if some one knows how to help i would be very grateful, thanks.

 

Update
I read that assigning the IRQ to VGA and the PNP may fix this issue involving Code 10 but i can't find this option in my Bios. Anyone know how to do this?

 

If it was working fine before the only thing that could have happened is the card has gone faulty - if the machine is under warranty you should be able to get it repaired otherwise your looking at getting a new card.

 

Are you sure? I can get into safe mode when i disable my integrated CPU and no i am not under warranty : / a lot of people have Code 10 issues but AMD can't install within safe mode. I don't have a second GFX card or anything else to try. Is there no way to try assign IRQ to VGA within the bios or using another way?

 

The reason it crashed in the first place is because the card had some problem - it had nothing to do with your windows 8 software.
I've seen code 10's on faulty gpu's before and yes they will work in a limited sense under safe mode but once you ask it to use the full feature set with the driver forget it.

 

I will try installing Windows 7 and see If it works with the Dell Drivers. If it fails then I guess you are right and I have a serious problem : / If anyone knows any other solutions please let me know, downloading Windows 7 atm. Will post after with results. Thanks Simon

 

Tried installing Windows 7, wouldn't let me claiming that " a required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, Cd, DVD, or USB flash drive, please insert now. Note: If the windows installation media is in the Cd/DVD drive you can sefly remove it for this step". I downloaded Windows 7 and 8 using dream spark via my university account and the official Microsoft USB windows 7 bootable usb program, When i press repaired using the windows 7 USB it showed me that bootmgr is damaged and needs repairing along with windows 8 recovery and system restore, obviously I didn't commence the repair due to me running windows 8 currently so I wouldn't repair via windows 7. I am thinking maybe my hard drive is corrupted and could be causing all these issues.

 

I purchased an SSD and tried to install windows 7 using Windows 7 via dream spark on a bootable DVD. Tested the USB on my friends PC worked fine, then i tested it on mine and i still get the same error as my previous HDD did. I press boot from any key, it loads windows 7 files then shows me this error "windows failed to start. a recent hardware or software change bla bla" results to files: \ windows\system32\boot\winload.exe then under it Status: 0xc0000001 with info stating the selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt. If i press enter to continue and then press launch windows or start windows ( don't remember what it says ) it leads to file: \boot\memtest.exe status: 0xc0000221 info stating file is possibly corrupt. its header checksum does not match the computed checksum. I am running Legacy Bios unable to format --> install windows 7, using wnidows 8 the installation works but my gfx still involves Device can't be started code 10.


When the problem first occured I had made a win 8 USB using rufus due to making it on a 32 bit computer with file system NTFS and partition scheme and target system type being "MBR partition scheme for BIOS or EUFI computers". Is there a chance that this altered my BIOS leading to all these problems? my bios states it's currently Legacy but i do not know if that was altered due to the first format, what is the default for the alienwarem17xr3 bios?

I believe there is a major software and possibly BIOS problem, i even attempted to re-flash my bios using the dell bios from the alienware website but still same error. This is seriously the biggest mess i've ever seen, no clue what to do next... My laptop is currently using windows 8 on my new SSD with my GFX still having Code 10. I just wanna try format --> install windows 7 and see if the error exists there as well. If anyone has any solutions please let me know

 

Installed Win 7 Via DVD. Installed official dell drivers after framework 4.5 install ( didn't do windows updates ). Blank screen again on windows 7. For sure it's a hardware problem i guess since the same problems persist, question is how do I know it's a motherboard or GFX problem? I can see my GFX card in device manager

 

Could someone tell me If I need another heatsink and brackets to install a 675m? I am currently using the 6990M in my M17xR3, I found someone selling the 675m relatively cheap so i might purchase it

 

You do need a different bracket for the nVidia in the R3 - you'd be far better off with the HD 7970M - it's much more powerful than the 675M.

 

I know, I'm considering selling my laptop for parts and purchasing a Mini ITX PC. Think I've had enough of laptops to be honest this issue really pissed me off since it happened out of nothing, and that the parts for laptops specifically Alienware are ridicules. Dell Charging me £250 for replacing my card + £90 for picking it up, diagnosing it and returning it.... You would have to be insane to actually do it I can easily find the card on e-bay for £200. Either way thanks for the help Simon, If anyone on these forums want's to purchase an Alienware M17Xr3 with a faulty GFX card PM me I guess, living in Manchester, UK but willing to post.

Edit: Not sure If I'm allowed to post about selling stuff, either way If I broke any rules then delete the post and my apologies.