Weekly freezes on M11x R3

I've had my M11x R3 since the model's release and couldn't be happier with it, aside from one thing: it freezes incredibly frequently. This didn't happen much when I got it (or at least that's what it seemed like), but recently my computer's been freezing as often as once or twice a week. And it's not a simple freeze of one program, rather the entire computer freezes and I need to completely reboot it. This isn't an issue with my usage of the computer, as I've never had a computer freeze like this (my last laptop, a Toshiba, never froze in the two years I had it). So what's wrong? I've done virus scans, but A) they find nothing, and B) this has happened since day one, so it's not a virus problem. Conveniently, the freezing did not get very frequent until my warranty ran out about a month ago, so Alienware support can't help me either. Has anyone else had this problem? And what could be wrong?
Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

What are you doing when it freezes? Gaming, something CPU or GPU intensive? Try cleaning out the fan with a can of air? Is the fan on high, like it is overheating? Does it do it on battery or wall power? I know you did a virus scan, but have you tired a scan with Malwarebytes?

 

well most of the time from personal experience this means that either i need a fresh windows reinstall, or a new HDD.

That is if it just freezes fairly randomly, no matter what you're doing at random times(could be when you do a particular thing, if high on ram usage, ram could be going.). the screen doesn't go off, it just freezes as is, without responding to anything but a force shut down.

i also noticed that i am getting those, though fairly rarely after updating my SSD firmware, though it was far more frequent after the update, i assume it is just getting used to the new firmware, as i haven't had it freeze for quite a while.

if it isn't either HDD/OS/RAM, it is most likely motherboard failing on one end or another.

 

Yeah, I forgot to mention in the OP that it's completely random freezing. There's no consistency to when it freezes; sometimes I'm gaming, sometimes I'm typing a word doc, sometimes I'm on battery power, sometimes I'm plugged in, sometimes the fan is on, and sometimes the screen is just on and I'm away from the computer. The only consistent factor is that the computer is on, and obviously, it has to be on to freeze, so there are essentially no consistent factors.
@un4ural That's pretty much what's happening. The screen freezes and nothing works but a force shutdown.
I suppose it could be my hard drive (500 GB 1st gen Seagate hybrid), but I've been using it since about a month after I got my computer. That's probably the most likely problem, because I can't think of anything else...has anyone else had freezing problems either with their M11x or with said Seagate hard drive?

 

since it is hybrid, i assume you could try updating firmware to latest. also scan it for errors, though i am unsure on what is best to use for hybrid drivers... just the usual bad sectors and other errors.

 

This is close to what I had happening after installing intel 6200 NIC.

 

@un4ural Thanks, I'll try that.
@GNandGS What's Intel 6200 NIC?

 

The intel wireless card model#

 

Ah. Thanks.

 

I would agree with Un4tural if it is not driver related you either have a dodgy drive or the firmware needs flashing if this is a known problem.

Run Crystaldiskinfo to check for any errors and see if you have any inconsistency or bad sectors/reallocated sectors that could be causing problems if it continues or shows up any errors could be a mechanical fault or something like bad NAND and need to get a replacement drive.

Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers installed and upto date also.