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    m17x r1 won't start

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by halfmachine, May 31, 2011.

  1. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    Hello everyone. I have an M17x R1 with 2.4 gig dual core processor, 4 gigs of memore, 250g hard drive, 1920x1200 monitor, and a single 260m. The other day it abruptly shut off while i was playing a game and it won't start back up. The power cord lights up blue. I've removed the battery and unplugged it and held down the power button for 30 seconds, removed and reinstalled the ram and hard drive. After i do the holding the button down thing, i can put the battery in and plug it in and the head glows blue, dimming and brightening, and it glows orangeish, but as soon as i press the power button it stops lighting up at all and doesn't do anything. I've tried starting it with only the battery and only the power cord. Any ideas would be appreciated.
     
    halfmachine, May 31, 2011
    #1
  2. GallardosEggrollshop

    GallardosEggrollshop Notebook Evangelist

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    Try removing the CMOS battery and waiting 10 seconds then reinsert the battery and try powering it on. Cmos should be located somewhere underneath the bottom cover. I'm not a hundered percent certain on those models though. Maybe someone can chime in about it.
     
    GallardosEggrollshop, May 31, 2011
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  3. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    I unplugged the cmos battery, waited a few minutes, then tried to power it. It's still the same. I just noticed something else today. A few days ago, when the problem first occured, I could push the battery test button and it showed full. Yesterday it showed less than half full, which I figured was just from sitting unplugged. Today it shows full again, but it's been unplugged sitting in it's bag all night. I have no idea if this means anything, just thought I'd throw it out there. Thanks for the response.
     
    halfmachine, Jun 1, 2011
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  4. GabeZ

    GabeZ Information Technology

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    Do you get a combination of lights (caps, scroll, and num)?

    Thanks,
    Gabe
     
    GabeZ, Jun 1, 2011
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  5. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    No, just the alienhead on the lid and the power button. And then they go off as soon as i push the power button.
     
    halfmachine, Jun 1, 2011
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  6. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    Does anyone have any ideas about how to diagnose this problem? I've taken it entirely apart and put it back together, but I don't know what the possible causes are. Thanks for your help.
     
    halfmachine, Jun 3, 2011
    #6
  7. inap

    inap .........................

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    sound like it could be a bad gpu or mobo. if you can borrow another gpu to see if it can boot.
     
    inap, Jun 3, 2011
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  8. TurbodTalon

    TurbodTalon Notebook Virtuoso

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    The only time my Alien head is on while the laptop is completely powered down is when it is charging.

    When you push the power button does anything else happen besides the Alien head going off? Do the fans fire up? Can you hear a hard drive spinning up? Does the backlight on the LCD come on? Anything at all?
     
    TurbodTalon, Jun 3, 2011
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  9. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    It does absolutely nothing besides the lights on the heads going out.
     
    halfmachine, Jun 3, 2011
    #9
  10. LVNeptune

    LVNeptune Notebook Virtuoso

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    Hold the "End" key with no battery/power plugged in and while holding it plug power in, anything?
     
    LVNeptune, Jun 3, 2011
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  11. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    Nope, still the same.
     
    halfmachine, Jun 4, 2011
    #11
  12. dave-p

    dave-p Notebook Deity

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    try removing the hard drives, and wireless cards, and powering on using one memory DIMM at a time in alternating slots.

    If you an get hold of a different set of memory sticks try that as well.

    as others have mentoined your down to.

    Bad CPU
    Bad GPU
    Bad Mobo
     
    dave-p, Jun 4, 2011
    #12
  13. halfmachine

    halfmachine Newbie

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    It works with just the video card removed. I really appreciate all the help. Anyone have a spare video card? I'm in Fort Worth, TX if anyone's near.
     
    halfmachine, Jun 4, 2011
    #13
  14. LVNeptune

    LVNeptune Notebook Virtuoso

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    Call up Alienware and ask the parts department what the cost on the card is. Alternatively. I may be able to get you a 240M fairly cheap.
     
    LVNeptune, Jun 4, 2011
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  15. Bickley

    Bickley Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have a very similar problem. I too was in the middle of a game when the machine crashed with no warning. The lights stayed on and the graphics fan continued to run. Indeed I could not turn the computer off. The only way was to remove the battery and power lead. On plugging it back in I pressed the start button and it came on exactly as before. Fan and lights (in my FX configuration) but no boot or bleep or any indication that the hd was running. Again I could not turn it off without the above action. I have tried holding the start button down and removed and replaced the CMOS battery to no effect. If the graphics card has failed I assume it would do something? Also if the RAM has failed I assume I would get a bleep. Any ideas?
     
    Bickley, Jun 5, 2011
    #15
  16. dave-p

    dave-p Notebook Deity

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    what GPU drivers and BIOS version are you running
     
    dave-p, Jun 6, 2011
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  17. Bickley

    Bickley Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for this but how do I find this out if my computer will not start?
     
    Bickley, Jun 7, 2011
    #17
  18. dave-p

    dave-p Notebook Deity

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    Sorry misunderstood your post, did not say the screen was black.

    If you shine a light on the screen can u see any images ?

    Try an external monitor if you can.

    I looks like you may have a bad GPU as well, and it is possible that there may not be a post boot with a bad GPU.
     
    dave-p, Jun 8, 2011
    #18