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122027
February 21st, 2016 09:00
Alienware 17 - Immediate Shutdown issues
Hi all,
Posting this as I cannot find any answer anywhere, and am nigh on running out of ways to solve it.
This week, Monday, my laptop (Alienware 17, i7, 880m), suddenly cut out during gameplay. Thinking it might have been a software issue, I rebooted the machine, and tried to diagnose the error.
Since then, the laptop has been turning itself off, predominantly when the GPU is under load/ stress. It should be noted that the max temperatures reached are 65C for the CPU, and 74C for the GPU - Thermal paste has been reapplied, all vents/ fans cleaned, and both fans working (indeed, they speed up when required).
The main times the laptop turns off is during Furmark stress testing, when playing a game (for testing since the issue), and sometimes when the laptop is rebooted following the sudden power loss. Kernel-41 issues are recorded each and every time.
Additionally, I have:
- Done a clean install of 8.1 AND a clean install of windows 10
- Clean installed/ changed/ rolled back/ updated graphics drivers and all other drivers necessary
- Flashed BIOS
- Replaced motherboard battery
- Ran tests on no battery and only power lead
- Ran tests on battery and no power lead
- Disabled devices to balance power and check for issues
- Ran multiple stress programs - errors only appear when connected to the GPU (during stress testing or following stress testing/ a shut down).
- CPU has been stressed and no issues caused
- Laptop is just over a year old (1 year and 10 days since I received it).
Any suggestions as to causes/ fixes? I've a nagging suspicion it's a PSU issue, as it only occurs under load, rather than immediately trying to engage hardware (GPU burnout would mean it would be unresponsive, undetectable and cause shut down immediately on being engaged - but this can be 15seconds - 2minutes after it's being utilised).
Bit disappointed, as I've loved the laptop since I've got it, and it's only just over a year since I've received it. [also, after an absolutely awful 20days, I wouldn't mind playing some games to rest and relax... but that's nigh on impossible now].
Further update: Ran without battery on PSU, cut out upon launching a game after 10 seconds.
Ran on battery at maximum settings for GPU in power management, managed a good 20minutes play without cut out.
However, should I trust the sensor readings from say speccy? Monitoring the temperature, it reached a maximum of 58C - however, touching the heat sink (after it spontaneously shut down), it seemed to be hotter than this - even with (completely clean/ clear) fan buzzing away (Nevertheless, I understand the process of the heat sink is to draw heat away.. and so will, in all likelihood, get hotter than the GPU).
Additionally, this seems to be my only avenue for finding SOME resolution. My calls this week have gone unanswered, or I'm simply given flat responses, and no replies to emails either. So, any help is much appreciated!
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Raschen
4 Posts
0
February 23rd, 2016 04:00
Not a bump, but an update.
Heat sink is hotter than the GPU/ CPU (should have realised the process of thermal-dynamics). Had it sat on an extreme cooling method, and still it turns off - so overheating just can't be a possibility.
GPU is performing fine when on battery - no artifacts, BSOD or anything to indicate an issue with the chip/ hardware itself to perform as a graphics card (yes everything is downclocked on battery, but issues would present themselves if they existed in that format).
CMOS also replaced, BIOS updated, and still no resolution. My laptop is running the smoothest it ever has, yet it cuts out randomly, and especially under GPU load. Currently it's a very big, heavy paperweight - and just over a year old!
Alienware-L_Por
842 Posts
0
February 23rd, 2016 06:00
Have you tried both, with and without the battery?
Raschen
4 Posts
0
February 23rd, 2016 07:00
Hi Porras, thankyou for your reply.
Yes, tried with battery (on AC), and it cuts out after say 10 seconds of being in-game (not just the title menu/ load)
Without battery (on AC), the effect is the same
With battery (no AC), it managed 3 minutes before cutting out.
However, after cutting out, it will then cut out after trying to load/ turn back on the machine. This time it did it:
- Just after entering into windows, then
- Halfway through start up; and then again...
- Twice within a few seconds of pressing the on button
(4 times in a row following the original shut down)
Edit: Included some readings from HwMonitor just in case - analysing them now myself:
Raschen
4 Posts
0
February 23rd, 2016 09:00
Sent you a PM. I was fearful you might say that! Strange it's happened randomly and without circumstances hinting at it. Rarely moved it, and hasn't been put under constant load for the last year. Due to my job I've only had chance to use it (maximum) around 40% of the time I've owned it!
Really appreciate your help
Alienware-L_Por
842 Posts
1
February 23rd, 2016 09:00
Thanks for the extra info! It seems like it may be a complex issue. Heat doesn't seem to be the problem here. It could be a short on the motherboard. Please send me a PM with your service tag, I'll send it to our depot if it's still within the original warranty.