Serious m15x problem

Hi all

I found this forum true google, because I have a problem with my alienware...
I couldn't find a problem that was 100% the same like me on the net.

So I hope you guys know what is wrong and help me out

In the summer of 2008 I orderd my alienware m15x on there website.
Now we are a year and 2 months ferther and so far everything worked perfect.

Until yesterday !
I took my laptop to school, like I always do on monday's and everything was fine there.
I came home... booted my Alienware and still fine, I downloaded stuff all the evening, chatted on msn, checked my mail, etc. (downloads where 200% virus free).
This morning, I went to my alienware, pressed the power on button and walked away for a coffee, when I got back, my notebook showed only this black screen, nothing else.

I couldn't do anything, so I reseted it true the power button (6 second hold). I powered it back on after 1 minute and no diffrence...
All the keyboard, name, head, etc. lights turn on but the screen stay's black.
I got the battery out, pulled out the power cord and hold the power button for 1 minute, let it do and sticked the powercable back in without the battery and booted again...
No change.

I pulled my RAM out, the battery and the power and went to school.
The laptop was cut of memory and power for a whole day, I came back home, booted without memory and battery, no effect.

Putted the ram back in and powerd, no effect, sticked the battery in it... also no effect!

I opened the laptop to see if everything was working, all the fans start running, except for 1 ... the CPU fan :cry:

I removed the CPU chip and putted it back, put everything back in place but no difference ! It still stays black.

Also I checked the screen with a torch, nothing to see there.

Is my CPU broken ?
Or is there something I can try/do to make it bette ?

I just think it's weird that the laptop works perfect at the evening and the next morning while nothing was changed or happend it breaks down ?

Any one who can help me out please ?

 

^^ Welcome to the club!
It seems your CPU is dead.
But maybe its not the case if the CPU fan died when you manually removed your stuff.
It doesnt matter if yesterday it was alive and today it suddenly die out of nowhere. It just happen, for machine and for human.
Maybe some technical guys here can give you some advices.

 

if your cpu is dead it isnt that bad since newegg sells mobile processors. ebay can also sell u a fan if anyone has one. Or if newegg is too expensive you can just keep trying to search for ur processor in ebay or something.

Another reason ur m15x could be doing that is if the GPU died. My m15's GPU died and it had the exact same problem you are having. To check the GPU you can just remove your video card. That way since you dont have a video card, it will boot with the intel x3100 so that is a quick way to check if ur gpu is dead.

if ur computer is still under warranty it would be better tho.

 

Thanks for the reactions !
Is there a guide where is told how to remove the GPU ?

Would be nice to test this first

If the GPU works... then I will bring the notebook in with some professionals en let them check it out.
Really hope it's the GPU... will easyer and cheaper to change then the CPU I guesse...

Is there a possibilty that the whole board is dead ? Or only the chip ?
I have a 2.4ghz dual core right now, is it possible (if the cpu is dead) to add a heavyer processor, or must it really be the 2.4 again ?

 

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/...iZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PW0xNXg*&p_li=&p_topview=1

thanks how to take out gpu

 

Most likely it's the defected Nvidia graphics card. You can try to put it in the oven and bring it back to life. It worked for me. But, this is only a temporary solution...here's the link. Click

 

Thanks again for the reactions.

I will try to remove the graphics card later on today and boot the system.
I will post my findings.

If that is the problem, I will try your oven method dhoang417.
So I can make a back-up of my mails and stuff and then I will order a new GPU
First that I wrote about your solution, I was thinking like you in the beginning
But I'm also studying for the ingeneer degree on ICT level and reading your *WHY* section made me believe this is really possible. Using the aluminum foil to restore any cracks... really nice thinking!

 

You should be able to use the laptop even without the dedicated GPU ( 8800M GTX / 9800M GT ) by switching to integrated graphics.

To do this without starting up the laptop first, press and hold the right click button in the touch pad area. This should start the laptop with the x3100 integrated graphics card.

If even with this, you still get a blank screen, we can diagnose that the problem may not be the GPU

 

Try turning on the laptop by holding the right click button (starts in intel graphics mode) to see if anything changes.

 

Actually, it'd be far easier for you to get a new CPU for it than a GPU. The 8700M, 8800M and 9800M are all hard to get hold of.

I presume that you're out of warranty?

 

Actually, a CPU rarely ever burns out or whatever.
I think the cause of the problem is in this order:
GPU > RAM > Mobo > CPU
Or something like that.

 

Sorry but I have to say this but this is yet ANOTHER reason to buy the "Exended Warranty". I made the same mistake years ago and will never buy a new lappy with nothing less of a 2 year warranty.

Sound more like a GPU issue than a CPU issue to me. Have you tried booting with the Intel GPU yet?

Hope you get this sorted and my last advice would be to sell the lappy once you get it fixed because once these issues start, it's normally a sign that you should get a replacement lappy, otherwise you land up spending a ton of cash because you are out of warranty.

Good Luck!

 

In the case of the m15x, it was actually:

Case hinges > GPU > Case hinges breaking a second time > RAM > Third hinge break > Mobo > CPU > Damn, these hinges suck for the 4th time

 

Just got home from school...

I tried the thing with the right mouse click and start booting, but no change.
I'm starting to think that it is the CPU

Still... gonna try to remove the GPU and retry At this point I'm willing to try anything to get it back to work.

@EviLCorsaiR
Yeah I guesse so... only had 1 year of warranty and a few weeks ago I mailed to alienware for a question about Windows 7 and I got an e-mail saying that my warranty was voided and if I had question I had to call them on a pay-number.

But normally here in Europe you have 2 years of warranty on the pieces in a electrical device, so I just mailed with alienware with my problem and with the question if they will repair this under warranty or that I have to pay.

Also, is there a possibilty that not only the CPU is dead then, but also the whole motherboard ?

CPU is easy to change and not all to expensive, but if it's the whole motherboard... I've heard if it's the full motherboard that you just have to buy a new one, because that is cheaper.

 

Have you tried removing the entire graphics card and booting it yet? Because it has an intergrated graphics chip as well, if you remove the graphics card, it will boot on the intergrated chip instead. This will help you determine if it is a dead GPU.

Yes, there is a possibility that the whole motherboard is dead, but I doubt it. It probably is the GPU from what it sounds like. As said above try removing the graphics card then booting.

 

Since you said the CPU fan was not working when u first opened it up, i would expect the notebook to run for atleast a few seconds normally (with display) before overheating and shuting down. Maybe u should also check the for a faulty LCD (or faulty connection to LCD), by connecting the notebook to an external monitor; though the chances for that error here is less.

Good luck!

 

You guys are my hero's !!!!

I tryed booting with the right click, but that didn't worked...
I just completed the removal of the GPU, booted and got screen.
Actually right now I'm looking at my windows background!

you guys can't believe how big of a releave this is !

BUT... that is saying that my GPU is down...
Now I need to order a new one...

Are there limitations on what I can install ?
Like for example, only the 8700M, 8800M and 9800M? Now I have/had the 8700M.

Again so many thanks to all of you !

 

The following cards will work:

8600M, 8700M, 8800M GTX, 9800M GT

Make sure that:
1. The card is MXM 2.1 or it will not fit in your laptop
2. The card is a master card, and not a slave card from an SLI configuration

In the meantime, and especially if you can't find any other cards for it, there is a trick to getting it working again for a short time. I don't know the thread link, however it's something around the lines of put the card in the oven, suspended on four small aluminium foil balls in the corners, at about 285F for about 10 minutes. It works because it fixes any microfractures in the card, which is what seems to frequently be the problem.

 

Again many thanks for the quick responds!
Also thanks for the information, this will help me out selecting/finding a new one.
The link for the oven trick is linked in this thread already, on the first page.
I'll first will go take a backup of my important things and then will try the oven method to make it start running again.

 

I just checked out the 8800M GTX and the 9800M GT and there both MXM Factor III / MXM 3

But you just said it only may be 2.1, or will those MXM 3's work in my alienware m15x ?

 

both the 8800M GTX and the 9800M GT are the same card i believe. The 9800M GT is just a rebranded 8800M GTX

tho 1 point to make

If u have a 8700M currently in ur m15x and u want to upgrade to the 8800M GTX the heatsink for the cards are different. Basically u cant put a 8700M heatsink on top of a 8800M GTX heatsink since it doesnt fit.

 

There are MXM 2.1 variants. They have to be MXM 2.1, or they will not physically fit in the notebook.

As Exiled has said above, however, you will need a new heatsink as well if you go for something other than an 8700M.

 

The best thing to do would be to call up Alienware and try to buy a different heat sink for the corresponding GPU.

 

Yeah, the heatsink problem came to my attention on the website from alienware with the "how to remove/replace" section.

And EviLCorsaiR, you where pretty right that it would be hard to find a new mobile GPU.
Tryed google without any great succeses, now contacted a few retailers and a few people with there own company who maybe be able to help me out + contacted alienware with the question and a pricelist.

All by all, there's no urgent need for a new card, as long I can use my system I'm very happy !
The GPU will be changed within the month I guesse.

Another big thanks to you all

 

i have a spare heatsink if u are interested.it is for 9800mgt. iam from uk btw.