*** Windows 10 + NVIDIA WHQL Drivers are Killing Alienware and Clevo LCD Panels ***

So two possible places - however, since with my R2 bricked using Windows 7 and a brand new LCD that leaves only the Nvidia 780M video cards really.

 

@Arestavo - I don't disagree with you... that's why I posted earlier that I believe the Windows 10 malware is lurking in the surplus space in the GPU vBIOS. If that is true, probably the only way to fix it would be to remove the chip, overwrite all of the available space with zeros using a programmer tool, and then flash the vBIOS, then solder it back on again.

 

@Mr. Fox - put a re-written EDID LCD on the R1. If it doesn't corrupt again, you'll know it is on the 780M video cards in no uncertain terms.

 

i wonder if nvflash clears everything on the eprom/eeprom (i don't know which it is using )

 

It already has one on it now. The "virgin" LCD that I got from @andrewsi2012 that was on it before I am now using for hot-swap flashing using Linux (much faster and easier than the USB programmer because I don't need to remove the LCD from the chassis).

No, I don't believe it does. But, what might work is a vBIOS mod that adds padding to fill up all of the available space.

 

a good idea for @Prema

 

There's a fair bit of this I don't understand, some of the terminology is a little beyond me but I sort of get the drift, from what I've read it looks like an unexpected event has happened during installation, whatever it was has now enabled other programs to gain entry and write to this particular chip as there is "space" available that has not been filled for whatever reason.

This might actually work if you can stop the re-corruption happening.
Fill up the "padding" and find someway to write protect it afterwards, I think this is coming to a head and a solution/offender(s) are about to be discovered.

I almost feel like we should be paying you two for this (you two know who you are!!!)

 

Sounds like we need to get @Prema in on this to see what can be done.

EDIT: I should mention that I do not know how to get a hold of him.

 

He posted on the this thread a couple weeks ago. I'm sure tagging him or Pm'ing will get his attention. Calling @Prema lol

@Arestavo - Have you bought a fourth screen and get your laptop to work yet? I'm about to get a 290x or two and drop Nvidia like a bad habit. Still pretty mad that even threatening them with a lawsuit won't get them to respond.

 

@Mr. Fox do you remember I told you about the problems with the latest version of EVGA precision and Hwinfo64 in company with Win 10? I switched over to an earlier version of EVGA software(5.3.5) and the problem was gone. Something is fishy with EVGA precision.

 

@Sspawn26 I won't be buying a 4th LCD. Those responsible for ruining my laptop will be paying to fix or replace the laptop, whether they do it by choice or against their will in court.

 

Which version of Evga?

 

I wish you luck. Hopefully those Devils pay up. It may be pennies to them but it would feel damn good to get something to come from this I'm sure. #JusticeBoner

 

I have never used EVGA and yet my screen bricked

 

The first post details affected GPU include the Nvidia 700, 800, and 900 series. I've got an Alienware M18xR1 with a Samsung SEC5448 panel and SLI Nvidia 560M. Are there any reports of this problem affecting the Nvidia 560 cards?

I previously installed Windows 10 for about an hour, and then came across reports of these errors so I factory reset rolled it back to Windows 7. It's been about 2 months now and I'd really like to upgrade but have been afraid.

 

How many of you are still covered by warranty? I've been thinking about extending my warranty due to it ending in about a month or so but shelling out 350USD is a tough call. What do you guys think?

 

I think if it's costing 350 for just one extra year, then I think it's not worth it - 2 to 3 years extra then maybe worth it. In the mean time don't install Windows 10 until you guys have worked out what is really causing the screen bricks!

 

Its a hard choice, if it was a pattern of the EDID bricking every day then no way would i dismiss warranty.. id just get so fed up of booting into linux and reflashing when at the time i could have done with using the laptop for work.

That said.. we're seeing descent progress and Mr Fox is now going well without a brick so id say its dependant on the person.. if you dont mind doing a few flashes every now and again (assuming worst case scenario) then save the money.. if you just want it "to work" so to speak Dells got you covered for any problems.

id go for second option but given mine has been upgraded its not a choice for me.

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I ordered a new Alienware 18 with the dual 980M. I haven't received it yet but it comes with 8.1 Pro. I will monitor this thread before doing any upgrade to 10. I'm glad I found this.

 

Just dont upgrade its ****e, really is that simple mate a lot of people are going back to 7 unless you want to try cortana to find device manager only to be sent a link on google lmao

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Thank you guys for your response. It's actually a bit more than 350USD for just 1 year which as @Robbo99999 said, is a huge waste of money. Worst case scenario, I'll just pay for the reparations.

 

Good choice, i live in the UK so what may cost pennies over in the US is extortionate over here and availability is a huge problem

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Thanks. I'm going to turn off auto updates as well when I get it so it doesn't download and install those Win 10 ready files. This will be my third AW laptop. I currently have an M17x R2 that is several years old. It has dual 5870's in it and still runs like a champ. Never have had a single problem with it. I'm running Win 10 on it. I didn't go with the 17 this time because it seems like they are trying to push you into buying the graphics amplifier by only putting a single 4gb 980M in it. I did get the 3 year premium and accidental warranties on the new one. Hopefully this will all be sorted out soon. I admire you guys working so hard to fix an issue that they won't even acknowledge.

 

Hello again, just a theory based on the info on this thread, could it be the problem just the display itself?, maybe a possible incompatibility with the current SW and HW technologies that in conjunction leads to this problem?

Considerations:
1) Reply # 842

2) GPU dynamic voltage and P states: implemented since kepler, it's possible that this technologies in conjunction with considerations 3, 4, 5 or 6, or all, can lead to the considetation 1 scenary?

3) Windows 10, DirectX 12:
A- HIDI2C.sys: in conjunction with consideration 2, 4, 5, 6 can lead to consideration 1?
B- DirectX 12 brings lower level access to Hardware, WDDM 2.0 works only with DX12, Maybe these things contribute to the problem?

4) Nvidia drivers: activating all gpu features and bringing full GPU access to the OS, in conjunction with considerations 1, 2, 3, 5 or 6, or all, lead to consideration 1?, maybe the timming modifications to mitigate some TDR's can contribute to this?

5) OC software: maybe the way they modify the GPU and display parameters in conjunction with 2, 3, 4 or 6, or all, can cause the problem?

6) Display interface: i don't know how a MXM gpu connects to the display, however, as i can see it doesn't plug directly to it, i'm right?, if that's the case i must asume that the interface it's a kind of bridge on the MOBO that connects both, discrete and integrated and manage the way that these gpus get access to the panel, so i suppose that this bridge is BIOS controlled, correct?, so maybe it's a bios problem that in conjunction with some or all the aforementioned considerations leads to the edid corruption.

Reply # 2080

I don't know, but the fact that this problem only happen on a very few specific panel models and or specific laptops it's suspicious and leads to think that it's a HW problem, yeah, the problem don't arise with other OSes, however, each OS have his own bunch of features, i don't know, but if the problem was an OS bug by itself, then why affects only these specific laptop/display models?, it's more reasonable to think that it's some kind or HW design flaw or bios programmation problem that generate the vulnerability that leads to this problem, this is not something new.

 

Thats the way to go about it, be careful for now and it will save you a headache.. and more importantly remember there will come a time when theres a fix @Mr. Fox @t456 wink wink

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Nice so if Dell will fix this then it looks like:

• M18xR1/R2 no fix,
• M17 all models no fix
• M15x all models no fix

Fix for:

• AW 18
• AW 17

Nice!

@darkhell666

AFAIK as in M18xR1/R2 if you choose PEG in bios then display is tied directly to the gpu.

 

5.3.6 and newer.

 

Microsoft even screws itself!

Homer

 

So, day two. Ran DDU in Safe Mode. Uninstalled GeForce driver 355.98 using the option to install a new GPU (shut down). Booted Windows 8.1 with Driver Signature Enforcement disabled. Installed 344.75, rebooted... no issues. Did a dirty install of 355.97 over 344.75, rebooted... no issues. Went back into Safe Mode, ran DDU again, back into Windows with DSE disable, installed 344.75, rebooted... no issues.

Side note: without EVGA Precision X installed I still have no "Default Display" and "BAD_EDID" registry key. It has never returned. I do not know why that is, it is only an observation. Only the key for SEC5448 is present now, in spite of the plethora of driver version changes.



For my next trick, I will reinstall Windows 7 from my saved image, change the BIOS back to Legacy Mode. Remove EVGA Precision X and see if the machine continues to work without EDID corruption issues.

 

So far, so good then huh? I'm pretty surprised that it's not bricking. Such a simple fix is awesome. I'm daydreaming about firing up my M18x now haha.

 

But.. although this is a clear indication of improvement it just nags at me with the people who said "ive never had evga precission installed" that means its not necessarily sussed out.

Maybe its half the story though, @t456 mentioned maybe Windows 10 flicked the switch enabling write to EDID.. maybe theres more than one software that unintentionally corrupts the EDID.. I mean look at everything as a whole, why does Mr. Fox brick after each install whereas me and others go day/weeks or even months.. i wrote a while back if we had a log of peoples setup and what not and i mentioned although we have Windows X and Nvidia we never knew much else.. now might be the time to think of what exactly we had installed.. we are all different and install things ar different times and that could correlate with the time differences with when the EDID occurs. We're close theres no doubt

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At the time of my second brick, I didn't have much installed besides Steam, HWiNFO, Precision X, and Xpadder. I had all my drivers up to date except my Nvidia driver (Mr. Fox's 145.2) and it bricked right after installing the Windows 10 ready updates for Windows 7.
I guess I should note that Precision X wasn't installed through Steam, it was standalone. That might be worth checking too. Maybe through Steam is fine? I'm also not sure if Precision X was installed just before the brick, or the restart before.

 

So id say in your case given what Mr. Fox established is that precission x worked fine, but after 10 drivers had installed it bricked? im interested in the ones who havent installed precission x.. we now know 10 whether it be installed (or prepped) with precission x bricks but those who didnt have precission x installed.. what do they have?

If those 10 prepped drivers where never in the equation that may have been an interesting thing to throw into the equation.

I tell you.. i never followed this thread from day one but coming from "nvidia and microsoft is burning our LCD" to this particular bit in the EDID gets changed from this to this and this method restores it amazes me... i feel with the knowledge of what we have of 10 with the combination of precission x it cant be long until we discover something else that triggered it and may be able to really know what thise two or three softwares have in common and know what causes it.. of course this will come from Fox or t456 i assume.. legends they are haha

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It would also be nice to have @Prema to weigh in and see if it infected the Bios and vBios. We need all the heavy guns boys!
I wish I had the means to fix my display and test some instead of having a paperweight. Trying to help out any way I can though


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Is Prema SVL7? I thought he was the only one with the unlocked vBios? But one thing which you may have accidently wrote but BIOS is confirmed to not be a culprit simply because Mr Fox changed to a new motherboard and it did it again. But yeah @Prema do your magic! New vBios with all that extra space filled with 0's =) gosh you dont have this kuch support with dell do you? Its like a royalty support.. we have T456 and Mr Fox who are like supernerds and we even have our own vBios creaters lmao

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Ya my bad, I forgot SVL7 did the vBios work even though it's in my specs. Lots of names to keep up with here! Haha


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There is indeed, it seems Prema does a lot of the Clevo vBios.. SVL7 i think both? So @svl7 we need you as well <3

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Prema has done vBIOS for awhile. I'm more familiar with SVL7's msi work. Prema does Clevo and vBIOS. He does have additional info if you use his vBIOS on Dell Alienware on his site, premamod.com. You can look up the differences of his vBIOS and SVL7 on different forums.

 

EVGA Precision X did not create the problem of the LCD EDID corruption. I had used it for a very long time without any issues. Had I never installed Windows 10 and continued to refuse to install Windows Updates I suspect I would still be using EVGA Precision X without any issues whatsoever. The LCD EDID corruption problem was triggered for the very first time by installing Windows 10 and apparently Windows 10-ready updates for at least one or two users that never installed Windows 10.

Something changed with the Windows 10 installation that we have yet to identify and fix. EVGA Precision X was merely causing me frequent and daily recurring EDID corruption because of those yet unidentified changes, whereas it always worked flawlessly before my system was screwed up by Windows 10. Those that had their LCD messed by Windows 10 that never had EVGA Precision X are living proof that the problem was not caused by EVGA Precision X.

If I am digesting the content of this huge thread correctly, some had a bricked LCD, replaced it and are not having issues any more and do not now and/or previously have EVGA Precision X installed. It seems like those of us that replaced multiple displays and returned to Windows 7/8.1 and continue to experience repetitive EDID corruption are those that had Windows 10-ready updates and/or EVGA Precision X installed.

I am more pursuaded now than ever before that the EDID corruption is not directly NVIDIA's fault. Maybe they could do something different in terms of their driver design that would not facilitate it, but their drivers never did this to our machines before and with EVGA Precision X removed they are not doing it any more to my machine. I find that to be very condemning and until I see something new that changes my mind, I think the blame for this should fall squarely upon the backs of the software engineers at Micro$loth. Funny... that's where the nasty finger was pointing at the start of this mess. It has come full circle back to the Redmond Mafia.

 

So Precision X is not causing it directly but is making it brick more frequently? I was about ready to throw a party, but if it bricks 1 time a week instead of every 24 hours then that is still not good enough for me to fix it again :/


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But installing Nvidia drivers on an updated machine DOES allow the EDID corruption to trigger. You disabled windows updates, Sspawn26 and I did not and had EDID corruption right after updating to a Win10 ready state. My laptop being Win7, and Sspawn26's was Win7 as well.

It is obvious to me that the "flipped bit" resides in the Nvidia graphics cards and is triggered by Win10 ready updates/PrecisionX - both of which cannot mess up the LCD EDID without Nvidia drivers installed.

It is very much an Nvidia problem, one that they need to sort out with Microsoft - and probably Dell as well, at least for continuity and BIOS/VBIOS hardening.

Edit: updated post to correct that Sspawn26's laptop is (was? hahaha! ...sorry) running Win7 and not Win8.

 

I was using Windows 7. I hate 8.1 lol


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Is there only 1 Windows 10 ready update or is there more to watch out for? If you have the update ID's/KB's I would appreciate it.

 

There was like 4-5. Not sure which one did it honestly. I was not expecting a brick after just fixing it.


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The question is; Which version EVGA precision X16 was used when someone bricked their screens? Is it more problem with brick of screen if they used Win 7 or Win 8.1 before? I know that the combination latest EVGA and Hwinfo created problems for me along with Win 10... How many used all software along with Win 10 when the problem began ? This can also be combined with installed Win 10 updates before upgrading to Win 10. There are many combinations that could be the problem. What we do know is that someone not have the problem while others have whole cup full.

 

Hi,

I'm affected by the same problem.

I have an Alienware 17 R1 with an 780m, Windows 10, 1080p screen and downgraded from the latest Nvidia driver to the previous one. I was using my Laptop with Windows 10 since it was officially released without any issues.
Reading about EVGA however made me realize something. The reason why I downgraded was, because I felt like my gaming performance was worse when using the latest Nvidia drivers. Before changing the drivers tho, I was checking the temperature and clock speed with EVGA to make sure my system's not just dusty and throttles. I didn't have EVGA installed up to this day.

This means in conclusion, that the only 2 things I did on the day the issue occurred are installing EVGA and changing the Nvidia driver.

I totally forgot about installing EVGA (latest, available version on their website) and blamed it only on the drivers. I hope this information helps.

 

Ya it's looking more and more like Precision X. I think between not installing it again and avoiding those last 5 or so updates, I may be able to avoid a brick.


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@Mr. Fox Some questions:

1. Does the LCD brick with windows 7 with no updates, your old nvidia driver and precision X installed?
2. Does the LCD brick with windows 7 with all updates except the windows 10 ready ones, your old nvidia driver and precision X installed
3. Does the LCD brick with windows 7 with all updates, your old nvidia driver and precision X installed (Yes)

If the LCD only bricks with 3, the cause will lay in the windows ready updates. If it bricks with all 3, it's Precision X. If it bricks with 2 and 3 I'm not sure.

 

Some poeple before (about 2-3) said that they never had Precision X installed and got display destroyed.

 

This is my point, if it bricks and they genuinely never had precission x (i mean that they 100% remember it was never on their) then theres more to it. I think as everyone stated Windows 10 creates the vulnerability and certain software trigures it 1 of them being precission x.. if however someone never had it installed those people need to think of exactly what they had done (software installs) and what not.

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