Another Alienware problem, yellow screen

Man, i hate to say this, but I totally disappointed with Alienware. I kept bashing Alienware everywhere earlier because the first time I got the laptop, I weren't able to play games at all because in every 5-10 mins, I always got blue screen crash. I tried to do everything but it didn't work so I returned the laptop to America. They repaired it for me and sent it back within 2 months time (including the shipping time). I got my laptop back in early March.

But although I only have been using it for one month and a week, I got another issue. No, the blue screen crash never appeared anymore but this time it's regarding my laptop screen. Well, last week whenever I tried to move my laptop screen forward or backward (to change angle), the laptop screen will suddenly turn to yellow. Not fully yellow but just light yellow. But once I stopped moving it, it would be back to normal.

But today I encountered another issue. This time is a lot worse. Whenever I put my hands on the laptop (except on the keyboard), the laptop would turn yellow again. For example, I visited google.com. For you the background looks white, for me it looks yellow. So if I want to type on keyboard, I have to lift my hands so only my fingers would touch the laptop....otherwise, it would make my screen display broken again.

But it doesn't happen everytime. I mean sometimes if I move the laptop, then I try to put my hands on the laptop again, it'll look just normal. But i'm 100% sure it'll just getting worse as time goes by.

I don't know how to say it and I'm already give up to keep bashing alienware. I mean, i like you guys, really. I was one of your biggest fans. Otherwise, i wouldn't buy it directly from the US (because there's nobody who sell Alienware here in my country).

I paid for the imported tax fee and also the international shipping fee, even the custom fee, and they costed me a lot like $500 or something. Then I returned the laptop, remember? When I got it back, I need to pay another hundreds of dollars for the same fees (import tax, custom fee, etc.). But what do I get? This kind of machine? Cmon man...I just don't want to keep returning the laptop, what should I do? I paid a lot of money for this Alienware, I should get something good in return but I didn't

 

sounds like the display cable connector is faulty or loose. try reseating it.

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/...SZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PW0xNXg*&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

I wish it is but i haven't had time to do it, probably tomorrow morning. Still waiting for the replies from alienware reps though.

 

im pretty sure its the cable ... other wise i would be yellow all the time. Just reseat the cable

 

I just checked my cable as written on that guide (posted by whizzo). But it didn't help man. i checked the cable and it was not loose. But I still tried to do what's written on the guide, I reseat it but sometimes I still got the yellow screen. Mostly when I moved the LCD forward and backward. (although I never experienced the yellow screen when I put my hands on the laptop anymore so far)

 

ah. so we're on the right track. there are, basically, three options from here on - 1) try to reseat the connector again. you might've messed up. 2) the connector (LCD-side) is broken. you'll need to get a new one from ebay, or send it in to AW. 3) your connector (motherboard-side) is broken. you'll have to send it in to AW for repairs i'm afraid.

 

I also suggest any Alienware fans here is that they are lazy and easy to forget what they are doing, so either call Roswell line or call them everyday to make sure your laptop is being process and remind them what it is then you would increase the chance they would repair your laptop faster and more accurate I think.

 

Hey sorry for not replying lately. I've rarely used my alienware anymore because I bought an iMac 2-3 weeks ago and I was afraid I will face another problem if I use my alienware again. And what I afraid of is true. Just use my alienware again today and yeah, the yellow screen issue now back again. The problem still exists until now. The guide didn't fix the issue.

@pencilcheck: YOu cannot call me lazy. I live in southeast Asia. Calling Roswell every day would cost me lots of money since it's $1 per minute, the voice is never clear as well so internet is still my best option. ANd if i keep sending back the laptop, I would need to pay another $700. Remember, ALIENWARE DOES NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNATIONAL FEES.

I ever sent back my laptop last January and I paid for the custom fee again, the import tax again, and the shipping fee when I shipped back the laptop. Can you imagine that? I paid the custom fee and the import tax twice (first when I bought it then second when I shipped back last Jan for repairing). Now i need to pay them for the third time? I have lost $3600 for this machine, yet I had to pay another $500-600 for the custom fee and import tax. Then I paid again the custom fee and import tax. I have lost more than $4800, now I have to lose another $500-700 for this? If you were me, you would never blame yourself. Of course this is not my fault. Ask roswell, if they speak the truth, what was causing the problem to my VGA card? Because I played GTA IV? Huh?

Since the first time I got my laptop, it was already broken. Gave me BSOD everytime i played a game (no matter either it was GTA, Fallout, or other games). Then I sent back the laptop after calling them several times, but now the LCD is broken. My fault? If alienware believes in motto "customer satisfaction is our best interest" then pay my custom fees, pay my import tax, and pay my shipping fee! I can't accept this. I won't ever buy this so-called gaming laptop anymore. Too unstable. You can call me lazy, whatever, but I don't live in the same continent with their office. DO you think $500-$700 is cheap? Dont' forget they need 2-3 weeks to repair my laptop PLUS another 3 weeks for the shipping time.

One lesson for me: Don't buy Alienware anymore. At least now I will only buy something if in my country there's an official retailer of that brand. LIke apple for instance. I can easily send the iMac to the Apple store here.

One lesson for Alienware (if they are not that arrogant): Check the system next time someone buys your laptop. People can say whatever they want to support alienware, bla bla bla, but what i know is, they sent me the broken VGA card and after they fixed it, the LCD is broken as well. And I tried to talk with Roswell or other alienware support, their suggestion is only one: send back the laptop. Now who is dumb enough to pay for more than $5500 for a laptop? I was a fool paying $4800 for Alienware (remember the fees that I paid twice). I won't be fooled for the 3rd time.

PS: If a moderator here believes this is going to be a flame thread, go ahead flame me and close the thread. I don't care if there's any alienware trolls trying to debate with me. I just speak the truth because this is what I got and you won't ever understand unless you are in my position. I share all these stories so people will know that they should think 10 times before they do the same mistake like me. This is global crisis era, only a fool would buy an unstable gaming laptop. I was a fool because I bought it. I was a fool because I paid the custom fee and the import tax for the second time (I should never returned the laptop, just consider it as a negative investment). But I'm no donkey. I won't return the laptop for the 3rd time and lose another hundreds of dollars for another broken issue.

If there's someone lazy here, it's them. They didn't check the LCD before they shipped back the laptop to me. They didn't check the VGA card when I bought it. I got a "sorry" statement from Roswell in behalf of Alienware. Well, I don't care about sorry or such words, they are just words. They didn't fix the issue. I can kill your girlfriend and say sorry but these words won't bring her back. Yeah, probably these guys can fix the issue, but then what's the point if I need to pay another hundreds of dollars? What's the benefit for me if I get another issue when they ship back the laptop? What's so good about 6 weeks repairing? (1.5 weeks to ship the laptop to US, 3 weeks for the repairing, and another 1.5 weeks to ship back the laptop to my country)

 

and no, i didn't mess up the connector. I'm 100% sure it's reseated properly. Extremely sure. As for motherboard or LCD-side, if they were broken, then you have to admit that's alienware's fault. Remember since the first day I got this laptop, I had BSOD every time I played a game. Then after I got back my laptop, I always have the yellow screen problem. That's not my fault. God damn it. I have lost almost $5K for this alone! I should have bought three PCs instead! For people who are considering to buy Alienware, this is something to make you think again. Regret always comes later! better to not do it...I was an Alienware fan, if not, why would I pay for the overpriced M15X and the ridiculous fees although I already knew about them? But no man, I'm no longer a fan. Enough is enough.

 

Hello wraithofgod, where you from? Singapore?

 

Well I gotta say its a good lesson learned, always buy a laptop where a repair facility can reach it without astronomical costs.

 

the high price of exclusivity... and if you think about a lawsuit remember that they have a large team of layers. bad luck for you.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with your m15x wraithofgod. As being someone from South East Asia, I know all too well the taxes you'd be subjected to for shipping it back and forth.

I have had mine for almost a year now, never had any problems with it. Hope you can get this issue resolved asap. Best of luck to you

 

you can get a new LCD off ebay it won't void the warranty

 

Changing the LCD screen might be your best (cheapest) option.

Here is a link to my guide on how to change the screen:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=370113

Best of luck!

 

it should be semi similar with the m15x

 

Huh? How is that a lesson? That advice is besides the point and does nothing to address the more important issue of the expectation of a quality product in the first place.

 

At this point I think we're just trying to help him resolve his issue as painlessly as possible.