Sager NP7358 instability oddity

Hello, I've got a bit of trouble with my Sager NP7358, and have been at an absolute loss as to what is going wrong. I'm a student in a Comp Sci program, so I had discounted copies of Windows already available to me, and didn't think I would need to get the pre-installed copy. I'm beginning to think that was a mistake.
Basic Configuration Info: CLEVO W355SSQ
CPU: Core i7 4810M
GPU: GTX 860M 2GB (Haswell w/ Optimus)
RAM: 8GB DDR3
HDD: 120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD, 1TB HGST 7.2k HDD (also a 80GB Intel mSATA for Linux)

Ever since I got it, the computer had many DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE bluescreens under Windows 8.1 Pro, using the drivers off the provided CD. I was relatively happy with how the machine performed, though. Other weird occurrences included the sound completely not working after the display cut off, or the system went into sleep mode. Also, the display not turning back on after coming out of sleep (like, shut the lid, open it back up) if it stayed in sleep for more than like 10 minutes. Much of this was fixed by driver updates about 2 months after I got it. However, Windows somehow choked on an update and completely killed my install, deleting some of my data/programs and not allowing itself to repair, so I dropped back to Windows 7 on the reinstall. Most of the bluescreens came back, but started to go away. A new issue started to occur, ever since I first started running 7, and that is freezing during intense games, only after the machine has been woken up (so, if I turn the machine on and don't let it sleep, I can game for hours. If the machine so much as goes into a low power state, the next game I play will randomly freeze within an hour of starting).

I have installed the Prima BIOS (because I wanted to install 7 under EFI...it didn't work), but haven't really messed with it much. I guess the overall question is what settings and/or drivers do I need to be using to get this computer back to stability? I haven't overclocked anything or put it in super intense conditions, the only modification was adding the two SSDs about a month after I originally installed 8.1 to the factory HDD. I didn't do a migration, I did a fresh install each time, with the CD drivers to start with, and then a fresh set downloaded from the Sager website for the most recent Windows 7 install.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated, and I currently have a week or so before I really need to use this machine for serious work/play, so anything from simple stuff all the way up to full nuke/resets are within reason.

Thanks...

 

Hum.

Not sure. Did you install all the required drivers? the hotkey drivers? Other?

If so, what power management are you currently using? If not, try putting it in performance mode or balanced mode.

Due to the warning, it almost sounds like you're having interrupted power to some of your devices, so not sure what's up.

Can you make sure the power strip/outlet/other you have the laptop hooked into is providing enough amps to the power brick for your computer?

You may not be getting enough juice.

That's the only thing I can think of off the top of my head, haven't never had that error happen to me before.

Others who have ran across this issue can likely give you better advice. Good luck.

 

I followed the installation guide off the CD for the order, and installed everything I needed. I've got no missing drivers or broken devices. The Hotkey driver set has a huge bearing on some of this. The audio issue was fixed by an updated Control Center, but at the same time, it broke the sleep (I could sleep perfectly fine before, but sound would get killed). Also, there was a problem with the graphics drivers. The driver supplied seemed to be very unstable, but for a few weeks after I got it, the 860m didn't actually have drivers available from nVidia's site.

I always run power management on high performance because the power saver feature makes it chug on everything, and balanced doesn't seem much different. I'm cool with a bit less battery life for a better experience. I'm normally plugged in anyways, while gaming and whatnot. I use the default powerbrick I got from Sager (19.5v, 6.15a, 120W). I'm using the same outlets that I had a 750W desktop tower on, which had no power issues.

I'd rather be on 8.1 (and soon, 10), but 8.1 seemed very prone to the bluescreens. 7 has less bluescreens, but more random lockups and all. I ordered this from PowerNotebooks, but I'd hate to send off my only good machine right now just to discover that nothing is physically wrong with the machine. And being that I'm the only real tech kinda guy in my area, I've got no one to run a true second opinion on it.

Has anyone else with this model had these weird driver issues?

 

You should try getting the full update of the drivers straight from Sager's website. If you can, don't use the CD if later updates exist. Otherwise, it sounds like you have a bad SYSTEM rather than a bad OS install, especially if multiple OS installations do this. If you have a key, you may be able to get them to install windows 8.1 for you and let them input your key and send you the machine during a RMA if you need to.

I wish you luck, but I don't get any of those issues on either Win 7 or Win 8 or Win 8.1 on my machine, and I'm fairly sure that your machine is not meant to be doing all of that.

 

Hey man,

sorry pick up an old thread, but im hoping you found a fix. I have owned a similar sager np7358:

Basic Configuration Info: CLEVO W355SSQ
CPU: Core i7 4810MQ
GPU: GTX 860M 2GB (Haswell w/ Optimus)
RAM: 8GB DDR3
HDD:, 1TB HGST 7.2k HDD
I also am a student and am running a, university paid for windows 7 ultimate.

I have also been getting a couple blue screens. Some are DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILUREs but for me I also seem to notice something to do with my usb driver,BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER. But here's the similar thing; all of my problems stem from shutting the laptop lid. Usually I keep it in balanced mode so when i close it, it is supposed to sleep. and the light on the front of the computer should blink. I havent found exact cases in which it goes to sleep or not, but half the time, the computer successfully falls asleep when i close the lid. The other half of the time, the light on the front stays on, the screen goes black and the fans start to spin and whatever is under my speakers begins to get hot. really hot. Sometimes ill open it and get a blue screen, but more often then not, the screen doesn't turn on and only sometimes reports a crash dump file.

Sometimes my computer will also freeze if i pull out my usb external audio interface which is connected to my studio speakers.

I have tried redoing the usb driver a couple times, but it didn't help; same with the intel graphics driver. I would rather not have to reinstall windows, it seems that didn't work for you anyway.

Otherwise I don't get the ingame freezing you speak of. Also I am really content with the power on this pc but the bugs are making me a little crazy.

 

Have you tried contacting Sager about the issue?

And also, have you tried reinstalling the updated drivers (in the correct order) from Sager's website?

 

Those driver power state failure's is not good,.. Seem's like a GPU problem.. Call up Sager ASAP and get this fixed!

 

Thanks a bunch for the replies guys, Ill definitely get in try the drivers (again) and then contact sager.