Aurora R12 No Post with Acer X34 connected

Question

Hi,

I got a Aurora R12 with RTX 3090 last week.

Out of box, it could not get past the Alienware logo at startup (just goes into a black screen) if I had a monitor connected. Called the tech, who reinstalled windows for me, and it could now startup, but the 2nd DP port would not work with a Acer X34 and flickers when connected to my Dell P2418HT.

Got the GPU replaced, and all seemed to work for 2 days. Then the same problem of not being about to boot up (no Post right?) into windows if I had my X34 connected (DP or HDMI).

But it can boot into Windows if I had no monitor connected or just the Dell P2418HT connected.

I have requested for a whole unit replacement, and currently am waiting for a reply. But I would like to try and resolve this issue on my own if possible.

Rabbitdude · Answer

Newer X34's are adaptive sync displays and GSYNC works over hdmi with them through ASYNC/VRR. Only GSync certified displays that use a GSYNC board instead of an adaptive sync board like freesync are locked to DP only. In that regard it is up to the display maker, I have an ACER GSync display 1440p 144hz that works just fine over HDMI and it also does freesync as well if I cared to do so

speedstep · Answer

ACER X34 is not a Dell product and not supported here.

You should use display port for QHD (3440 x 1440) NVIDIA G-Sync monitor.

GSync is not supported over HDMI or DVI.

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/predator-series/predatorx34

DISKPAY PORT.png

speedstep · Answer

I disagree. @Rabbitdude  NVIDIA says https://www.nvidia.com/en-in/geforce/products/g-sync-monitors/g-sync-hdr-requirements/ Graphics Cards Supported: G-SYNC HDR features require an NVIDIA GeForce ® GTX 1050 GPU or higher. System Requirement: Must support DisplayPort 1.4 directly driven from the GPU. I see nothing about HDMI gsync on the ACER X34 site or documentation. MSHybrid HDMI 2.1 is only Supported By GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs AFAIKT. HDMI 2.1 Variable Refresh Rate support,

speedstep · Answer

NVIDIA says nothing about HDMI 2.1 Variable Refresh Rate support on anything less than RTX 30 series.

Acer X34 site doesn't mention this at all.

The dell monitor works on the dell. The acer X34 does not.

So again I disagree.

Rabbitdude · Answer

You know why his x34 doesn't work and the Dell does? Most likely because the x34 uses DSC over DisplayPort which Dell broke on their recent vbios updates. It's been causing a lot of problems with any Display Stream Compression monitor

Rabbitdude · Answer

GSYNC VRR is supported on GTX 16+ and RTX 20+ over any HDMI 2.1 display that has an hdmi 2.1 port. So saying GSync is DP only is no longer correct. Go on a limb and assume the man has the X34 GSync only model with is DP only doesn't even have an hdmi port and you can safely assume that the sole reason it's not working for him on his Dell 3090 is because of the vbios update that messed up DSC over DP.

Rabbitdude · Answer

I don't rightly care what nvidia says, they don't own adaptive sync nor do they have anything to do with it. Nvidia allowed GSync over adaptive sync displays 2yrs ago. Hence the Alienware displays say GSync but they do both freesync and GSync over hdmi using the VRR standard instead of the proprietary GSync models. Proprietary GSync is a dying standard, everyone is going adaptive sync where GSync and freesync work Regardless

Rabbitdude · Answer

They don't have to say anything. It's an open standard. Nvidia has nothing to do with what it supports or what it allows. Plug an adaptive sync display into an amd GPU and it will be freesync enabled, plug it into an nvidia card and it will be GSync enabled. Display manufacturers get to decide on their end what their adaptive sync will work with. GSync on an adaptive sync display is NOT the same as a proprietary GSync display. Proprietary GSync display using a GSync board have greater GSync ranges as adaptive sync is just the open VRR standard. It's essentially VRR(GSync Optimized). Do you remember when nvidia started allowing GSync to work on certain freesync displays years ago? That was because they were adaptive sync displays which are now common place and they work with either freesync or gsync. When I originally said newer X34s are adaptive sync displays I figured you would have already known how recent adaptive displays work both ways

mcyf12 · Answer

Hi, the issue here is that it cannot boot when my Acer monitor is connected, whether DP or HDMI. Is that due to Gsync? How do I resolve this?

mcyf12 · Answer

I think I might have found the problem.   I have been using a Bluetooth wireless keyboard.   It seems that I need to have a USB keyboard plugged in for the boot up to complete.   I have tried booting up multiple times with, and without a USB keyboard plugged in. Every time I remove the wired keyboard, it refuses to boot. Every time with the USB keyboard plugged in, it boots.   If I boot with Dell monitor without a wired keyboard plugged in, it shows me this:

Rabbitdude · Answer

Oh yeah, you need a wired keyboard to boot on a Dell for whatever reason

mcyf12 · Answer

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R12-no-wired-keyboard-no-boot/m-p/7924036   just tried with my USB dongle, this solution works as well

mcyf12 · Answer

yes... which frankly speaking is ridiculous.

The com can boot without a wired KB when it has a Dell monitor?

The com cannot boot without a wired KB when it has a Non-Dell monitor?

No one in Tech Support seems to have known that, or as least asked if I have a wired KB plugged in?

I got to this solution thru pure trial and error. Hopefully others don't have to.

speedstep · Answer

Logitech C-U0007 Unifying Receiver for Mouse and Keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058OU8VY

The Logitech Unifying receiver is a small dedicated USB wireless receiver, based on the nRF24L-family of RF devices, that allows up to six compatible Logitech human interface devices to be linked to the same computer using 2.4 GHz band radio communication. Receivers that are bundled with a Logitech product are paired with the device at the factory.

When purchasing a replacement receiver or connecting multiple devices to one receiver, pairing requires the free-of-charge Logitech Unifying software, available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X.

Although not compatible with Bluetooth, devices pair to Unifying Receivers in a similar way.

Peripherals remain paired, and can then be used on systems not supporting the software. Logitech receivers compatible with the Unifying protocol can be identified by the orange Unifying logo, which distinguishes them from Logitech Nano receivers of similar appearance, which pair in a similar manner but only with a single device, without using the Unifying protocol.

Alienware Desktops

Aurora R12 No Post with Acer X34 connected

MSHybrid HDMI 2.1 is only Supported By GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs AFAIKT.

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