Alienware 5500

I got a Alienware 5500 about two years ago and after a year of use it just stopped working. When I push the power button it beeps and just keeps turning on and off without the screen powering up at all. I called alienware and they just asked me if I had any friends that were good at fixing computers. I took it to best buy and they said it could either be my video card or my motherboard. I reseated the video card and it fired up and I was able to use it for a night but then after I shut it down the next morning I couldn't get it to turn back on.
I now don't know what I should do is it worth buying a new video card and or mother board or would it be better to part it out and buy a new computer.

It has in it
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7200 2.0GHz 4MB Cache 667MHz FSB
Operating System (Office software not included): Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 - Free Upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium! - Without Media Center Remote Control or TV Tuner
Display: Alienware® m5550 15.4" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD - Saucer Silver
Motherboard: Alienware® Intel® 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 512MB
System Drive: 80GB Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 7,200 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: 8X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW / 24X CD-RW Combo w/Software
Video/Graphics Card: 256MB NVidia® GeForce™ Go 7600
Sound Card: Intel® 7.1 High-Definition Audio
Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
Communications: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem

If anyone good give me some advise and steer me in the right direction it would really help.

 

a new laptop would be the best way to go .....

can you tell us how many times it beeps?

and can you try reseating the video card and running HWmonitor? The m5550 had a notorious overheating problem

 

It beeps once right at start up

I reseated the video card but have no idea what HWmonitor is?

 

I found a website with HWmonitor on it but if I cant get a picture up on the screen can I use it?? or do I have to load it to another computer to monitor the one I have??

 

its a program that monitor the temps. in your computer

at this point if you want to play games its best to get a new computer...


you actually have to have it booted up ....

 

okay thanks for the info

 

even if it were working, and if you are gaming, you should probably get a new laptop. here are some best options:
Best 17"+:
Alienware M17x or Clevo M980NU (Sager NP9850)
Best 15":
Clevo M860ETU (Sager NP8662) or wait for the new allpowerful M15x to come out (not the current one)

 

I don't think I am going to buy another Alienware. Its just to much for such a short life. I spent almost 3 grand on this one and it lasted a year before overheating or whatever happend.

 

actually that model was a bad one....

The newer models are great the M17x in particular

 

I think he is a prime candidate for Rob's video card cook-off...

Take the GO7600 medium-rare

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=385973

 

Another check is to hook up an external monitor to it, and see if you get an image on the external monitor. If you do, then its not the video card, but the lcd instead.

 

My m5550i has almost exactly the same specs as yours and has been running perfectly since the day I got it(2 years ago) and it runs 24/7.

Why did you only get a year warranty when you planned on keeping it for longer than a year? If you were still under warranty then AW would have repaired it for free and/or even replaced it for a brand new laptop...If you get a new lappy and you plan on keeping it for longer than 1 year, make sure you get an extended warranty.

 

I was going to renew my warranty but forgot to and it died right after it ran out . It was a bad mistake and it has cost me big because I have a 3 grand paper weight now. If it was the video card wouldn't the computer still turn on but just not have a picture or is that enough to cause it to just keep turning on and off.

 

A bad video card can be enough to keep the system from booting altogether. I would try the video card baking that sneakyFspy recommended above. It seems like a number of people have been helped by it.

You could also look for another 7600 on Ebay. It's a bit risky financially since you don't know 100% that it's the GPU though. Good luck, I feel for your sense of frustration. It sucks when they break.

 

Yea he is right a bad GPU can cause a system not to boot

 

You can pickup a 8600GS card off ebay for around $150 and try that out. Make sure the card is compatable through the seller first though.

I got one and did the "Copper Mod" and it's been running great for almost a year with the GPU card upgrade. If you do decide to go this route and it does not work, you can always re-sell the card and lappy.

If your GPU card IS the problem and you do the upgrade to the 8600GS, you will also need to 2.06 Firmware. PM me if you need it.

By the way you will get a 25% boost in graphics if you choose to upgrade the GPU

Cheers.

 

okay its baking now should know in about 30 more min if it worked or not keeping fingers crossed

 

Cool, keep us posted.

 

Holly crap it work I am blown away

 

LMAo good now post HWmonitor screen shots

 

wow... sucks for k-tron, all these people have worked and he tried it on a motherboard and graphics card and it burnt them to a crisp...

 

It didn't work for me either but I'm psyched to see it worked here. Congrats and props to Rob for rescuing another GPU!

 

Nice! Glad it worked for you!