Alienware m9750 GPU Failure

Today, the Geforce 7950 GTX in my m9750 crapped out. Artifacts all over the screen, and then a crash.

I managed to get it into safemode and disable the GPU, so now the computer is running "on emulation", as the AW tech put it when I called afterwards. They are replacing the card and it is being shipped to me. (It had to break before a holiday weekend. Just could not wait 3 more days........)

Has anyone else experienced this? Or am I just lucky once again?

(For those that do not know- I have already had dual hard drive failures)

 

Bad PSU may be?

 

For any that don't know what i mean.. And yes, the problem is now occuring even with the GPU disabled in device manager.

Edit: nevermind, a screenshot does not capture the issues as the videocard is not in the loop for taking one.

 

I doubt it, this is a notebook.

I think i''m going to give up and just wait for the part to arrive, i can't read most of the screen now.

 

how old is the notebook.... I feel it might be overheating damage if its been over 3 months of age without cleaning out the vents.

If you do not know this post yet... here it is.

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If you are overheating... usually any temp over 90C degrees is bad.

when was the last time that you cleaned out the fans and vents thoroughly...?

if never, then thats why.

1) remove battery
2) remove/unscrew the panels on the bottom of the notebook to get to fans and vents
3) use flashlight to look through vents for the dust (if you cant see the light on the other end, then the vents are clogged up)
4) go outside, get some compressed air (cans or compressor @ 50 PSI) and give the vents a good airing out all directions (concentrating on the vents)
.... you might want to brace the fan blade(s) when airing it out (with anything to prevent it from spinning out too much)
5) go get some Q-tips and swab the fan blades and the area around it
6) then go do a second airing with compressed air (all directions again focusing on the fans and vents) to push out the dust that was dislodged from the Q-tips

7*) Now go use the flashlight again and look through the vents (shine the flashlight from the fan, you look through the other end) for anymore dust clogs.

8) Then start up the notebook... and let the fans cycle up (use the Fan Toggle at max speed if your system has it) to push out any other dust that might have been stuck.

If all goes well you should be able to close up the notebook and...

you're done.

*repeat this step until its cleaned out.

Thats pretty much it.

Just make sure to do this every two-three months... it should take about 15-20min per cleaning if you want to be thorough.

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Gaming notebooks are a new thing, you must realize that you have to take some extra care of them over typical use notebooks:

1) Battery: to maintain the longevity of any rechargeable battery
- you must NEVER overcharge it [especially for long durations of time] by keeping it plugged into AC
- when it reaches 100% you should unplug it and let it discharge to 5-15%, then plug it back to power
- OR you can just charge it to 50%+ and remove the battery and store in cool place.. not the fridge [remember to use it occasionally 3-4 time a year to charge and discharge it].

2.) Heat: to prevent a healthy notebook from overheating
- ALWAYS use the notebook on a clean, hard & flat surface
- RECOMMENDED to be used on a notebook cooler... namely the Zalman ZM-NC1000 or ZM-NC2000
- check your fans underneath occasionally (at least once a month or two) for any dust clogs [clean them out with Q-tips and air cans/compressors]
- ALWAYS monitor the temps (CPU, GPU, HDD, etc..) to watch for fluctuations, which would indicate overheating by dust usually
(for Clevo notebooks) use the Fan Toggle to switch all fans to Max Speed when gaming and such.

By doing these simple things, your entire system will easily last for more than 3 years.

 

I got it last June. The fans have been cleaned out twice over the life of the system.
I don't think it is overheating, as the problems occur the same way just after turning the machine on and hours later.
Also, the parts did not show any sign of damage when i inspected them yesterday.

The AW tech seems convinced it is a defective GPU and is shipping me a new one. Hopefully that will resolve the issue.

Also, i know many here disagree with me, but in my opinon a notebook cooler should not be neccesary. I payed $3000 for a mobile computer, and it needs to sit on a fan to work right?
That's just my opinion, thank you for the suggestion.

 

Its tricky to look for dust... its usually not visible around the fans.

You need to use a flashlight to look through vents for the dust. Point the light at the fan, then look through the exhaust.
- If you can see light clearly, then its not dust.
- If you can barely see light (or no light at all), you better get some compressed air and push the crap out (both ways)

If its all clear, then you might need to check if the heatsink is secured on the video modules... and looseness or gaps will cause heating issues since the heat is not transferring toward the heatsink efficiently.

 

For anyone interested:

I still have not received the replacement part after 24 days.

I have been in contact with supervisors at alienware who have not given me any real answers. The supervisor handling my case has (on my insistance) now put me in contact with one of his superiors. I hope this issue is resolved soon, as I have now completely had it with alienware. My laptop is now almost at 20% downtime.

If any of alienware's representatives on this forum can do anything to expedite this process, please contact me via a reply or private message.

I am completely disgusted with alienware, and ask any readers to disregard any recommendations I have made about their products in the past.

 

That sucks mjl about the problems that you are having. I guess that you were all pro AW until you actually had an issue with them and now you finally see how crappy they actually are

C'mon seriously 24 days to ship out a 7950GTX!? That is crazy.

 

Had mine for almost a year and no problems

 

mjl2142,

Please check your PM inbox. I have messaged you regarding your order.

Thanks!

 

@Frozen - Yea my M9750 is great except for the random SLi issue here and there which gets annoying but is tolerable. I really wish that the M15x reflected the M9750 more. Good luck getting your 7950GTX mlj. Hope James can help you get that card quickly.

 

This is not y first issue with the m9750, actually. I have had dual hard drtive failures and numerous other problems already. The computer has already gone back for repair, and numerous parts have been replaced.

I am just short of 20% downtime on this unit. It has not worked for rougly 60-70 days in my first 50 weeks of ownership.