New Clevo Laptop, Crashes Running 3d Applications

Hi, I recently got a new Clevo laptop from PCSpecialist.co.uk, think it's a P170m model. i7 4700k processor, 8gb RAM, AMD HD8970m gpu. Windows 7.

Startup and regular windows tasks such as web browsing it's been running fine. However it came with nvidia drivers. So I uninstalled these. Think I was quite thorough, went through my program files and deleted any left over entries afterwards. Then installed latest AMD beta patch, 13.10. At first this worked great, played Battlefield 3 and Crysis 2 with no lag. Didn't run any monitoring software but the fps was very smooth and there was no external signs of any kind of heat being generated so I don't think it was overheating.

However just later in the day I started to experience crashes on pretty much anything using the discrete graphics card. Tried rolling back drivers to 13.8 and this fixed it for a while but then the problem came back. Have tried uninstalling and reinstalling drivers between 13.6, 13.8 and 13.10 to fix this but all games using discrete graphics still crash the laptop and hd movies stutter badly.

I have contacted technical support from the company, first sent some minidump files from a crash log but after 24 hours they hadn't replied, I phoned them and they said the minidump files only revealed a general error and asked me to send some windows logs. Unfortunately I did that on Friday morning and they didn't get back to me so now I have to wait till Monday at the very least to hear from them again.

This is very frustrating as I waited close to a month to receive the laptop and now to me it's seeming likely I'm going to have to RMA it and I'm concerned how long that process is going to take. Does anyone here have any advice on this subject? Anything on fixing the machine myself to avoid the RMA or even tips on the return process itself would be appreciated, thank you.

 

The primary causes of error would be graphics card or memory.

 

laptop built to spec that came with nvidia drivers when you have a ati card. well thats the first time ive heard of that.

how did you delete the nvidia drivers.did you use safe mode. if not there will still be shrapnel left in the registry that could conflict.
follow part of the walkthrough in my sig below using driver cleaner or driver sweeper.

if Meaker thinks it could also be memory then download memtest from sig below. you can also find temperature and benchmark software in there as well.

did you upgrade you warranty with pcs. if not the standard warranty only covers courier for 1 month so if your lappy is older than that you will have to pay courier charges for a rma which is a total joke.

 

If you could also grab the error message with a BSOD that would help.

 

ATI notebook with Nvidia drivers?! i smell a rat.

i think you should know first what you have, put the specs here.

 

Yeah it is a P170m, do you need full specs?

Thanks for the replies. PCSpecialist have just got back to me after looking at windows event logs and they say that it looks like ram is the problem, just going to run memtest to try to confirm that. I am still within the first month free RMA time, I literally just got the machine a few days ago and the problem has been straight away, with getting worse.

Right now I'm just wondering what the next step for faulty ram is? I mean can they send me another stick and I'll put it in and that will be fine or should I return the machine while the courier is free just so a professional technician can look at it and check the motherboard or something?

Yeah the nvidia drivers are quite irritating. Also they have a log on your order and apparently this machine passed quality control and testing phases in under an hour, this combined with the wrong drivers just makes me think the testing was not thorough. Disappointed with that but still hoping that things turn out for the best.

 

They will probably want the whole machine back to test it again but no hurt in asking if you can swap sticks especially if you run fine when only running one.

 

You mentioned you can play fine for a while then the computer crashes. When it does do you get a BSOD or does it just turn off. If just turning off its usuaslly a thermal issues. Have you been monitoring your temps, do you have the computer on a flat surface as to not block the air intake fans on the bottom . Never is use it on the carpet or bed where the vents can be blocked. If so get a lapdesk or something similar so it has that flat surface.

 

If you're concerned about quality control then push for having them send you the memory module if that turns out to be the issue. You will probably need to send yours in first.