Unsual system problems remain after Dell repair...

Gents,

Dell 'repaired' my M18xR2 this month. It was an unusual issue, whereby the system would work fine, with no issues on Integrated Graphics, however, on dedicated graphics, the system would not always boot up.

In fact, if you remove the PSU, there is a 90% chance it will / would boot up.

Dell came to the home and could not repair it on site (a rare moment for the tech), despite changing the primary GPU and motherboard, then they took it away, and returned it a couple of weeks ago. I got my hands on it this week. It had a note to say a new motherboard was fitted, Windows was reinstalled & updated, and that my PSU was faulty, and would need replacing soon.

I didn't really believe the PSU story, but I immediately ordered a new PSU, which arrived Wed.

On Wednesday I then proceeded to restore my backup, and of course, there was no change in behavior at all.

I then connected another disk via eSATA & installed a fresh copy of Windows there to avoid / rule out my install. It booted and blue-screened. I took a brand new copy of Windows (yes I went out and actually bought one), and installed that. At first I thought I cracked it, as it passed WEI test, and then it locked solid again.

When it does decide to work for short periods, it will definitely NOT work in CrossFire mode. That is guaranteed Blue Screen in 2 mins after Desktop, or earlier.

Remember, there are no system issues when running Integrated Graphics.

I tried flashing the newer stock bios from the primary GPU to the secondary GPU, but no change.

I am of course typing via Integrated Graphics.

If I run on one GPU, or integrated, the system diagnostics will PASS. If it decides to boot up, it will play fine until you launch a game. Mostly you got a locked-solid screen, necessitating a cold shutdown. If you start the game on battery, you can plug in the PSU after it has started, and then continue to game. But at some point you will lock up, and / or blue screen.

Battery is fine.

Blue screen messages are typically graphics related, few page-fault errors (memory is just fine, tested many times, running Custom settings at CAS9@1866MHz, as I've done for a long time), and some other random messages too.

Machine is out of warranty, and whilst I can afford to send it back to Dell, I dare not do so, just to find that they won't bother to fix it again.

PS: I contacted the Dell technician about this Wednesday, and heard nothing back at all.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

If it's not been out of warranty for long, you might have luck getting the warranty extended.. At least that's what I would try

 

Not a bad idea that...

 

still can't explain why it works sometimes...

 

Lordy I just don't know why you bought a windows 7 disc if you had one T_T .. You can download from microsoft directly the windows iso for free then use the key you had :\ didn't have to buy one to test that :\

 

When the tech swapped GPU's... Did he change both or only the primary?

 

they changed primary gpu as op said.

... man i feel you. if you where in Montreal i would say come and try 2 770m that i have.... because now this feels like the secondary GPU is dead.

i guess its play time for you. if you can swap the 2 video card .. if system blue screen you know secondary was faulty ... if it still crash only in crossfire... then its either cable of something power related on the socket. or somehow the secondary GPU cooler is not mounted properly short something or overheat....




good luck man.......

 

That's why I was worried and asked, I saw they only swapped one when we normally swap both to make sure everything is fine.

 

dito, he got the new guy

 

I also needed an English license for another laptop, that was purchased in China. So killed two birds with one stone...

 

He changed just one.