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Alienware Aurora running extremely slow!
Alright so I got my Alienware close to a year ago and it came with BIOs A03. I don't know much about computer software or hardware so bare with me please. I played games on it just fine from the very beginning. It was super fast and had great graphics. Something I noticed from the beginning was that once I boot the computer up and it starts windows it stars very slowly to where I can't touch anything for a good 5 minutes before it loads up and I'm able to start using the programs. I don't have very much installed on the computer really. But for about the past two months my computer has started to run very slowly and i havnt been able to play any games. I can start a game up but the computer shuts itself off about 4 minutes in. It will be leggy the whole time but when it shuts down the noise sounds like a record player getting stuck and its horrible. But also before it shuts down the sound won't be normal on the game. Like mid sound effect it will like pixel the sound I guess you could say. So yesterday I went and bought compressed air and cleaned the computer to perfection on the inside because someone suggested it could be getting to hot from dust being built up. There was a ton of dust but I got it all out. Sadly it still didn't help anything and my computer still sounds like a her when its turned on. If I turn the computer on and just let it sit without opening anything the fans will kick up super loud and stay at that rate until it shuts itself off. So I don't think it's overheating if I'm not even doing anything and the fans are doing this. I also updated the BIOs to A11 so I figured that would help a ton because I still had never updated it from when I got it because I didn't know it needed that. I thought the computer updated all of its stuff automatically. But now after putting the A 11 on here my computer is actually slower and I can perform nothing on t besides start it up and look at the desktop icons. Please help me. I spent $1700 on this computer so I could finally have a good computer and play some games and have fun and still be able to do other things like browse the Internet. I have has MacaFee installed the entire time I've had the computer so it's been protected so I just don't know what to do.
Tesla1856
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May 22nd, 2013 15:00
Did you buy it new?
What main processor is installed? I'm trying to determine what "Release" your Aurora is.
Have you run Dell Diagnostics on machine (outside of Windows)? What were the results?
Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a qualified service technician diagnose and service the computer for you? What is your PC skill level (changing inside parts, etc.)?
Jlane94
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May 22nd, 2013 15:00
I bought the computer brand new in May of 2012. How do you know the main processer? I don't know how to run diagnostics either. I have had 0 experience with removing things besides taking cover off to clean it.
Tesla1856
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May 22nd, 2013 17:00
If you are still under warranty, I suggest you call phone support. They will hold your hand through every little step or remote-control your machine.
I'll be direct ... but this is a self help forum ... you are going to have to take some initiative. There is a PDF Owners manual and Service Manual. There are AW videos, KB Docs, and this forum. Lots of general Win-7 stuff out there (which all applies). Google is your friend.
Cold Boot, F12 on BIOS start will lead you to Dell Diags. If hardware checks out, you move forward to Win7 and software.
Win7 Control Panel / System and Device Manager will show hardware specs.
Feel free to ask specific questions. See my Wiki-Like Favorite Posts (especially the one about Clean Win-7 Install).
NataliaatAW
835 Posts
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May 23rd, 2013 15:00
Hi,
Just wanted to share this article that might help jlane94 run the system diagnostics:
Alienware™ Enhanced Systems Diagnostics (ePSA)
And, like Tesla mentioned, there's a lot of guides and articles on the internet that can help you, so I want to share with you the troubleshooting guides and common solutions from our support site for your system:
Alienware Aurora R4 Troubleshooting Articles
Jlane94
10 Posts
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May 23rd, 2013 17:00
Alright so I ran the ePSA and it came up with no errors and I also ran the extra memory check at the end of the ePSa that was recommended. No errors came up. I checked and found out that I have a NVIDIA GeFirce GTX 555. I looked through some of Tesla's posts and found the video card update links but I can't find my video card. There are others with the same name but different numbers. I can't find the driver update for a 555. I'm sorry I'm so bad with this stuff. I read up on some stuff and I've done the diagnostics, cleaned the inside, ran a full system security scan. I don't know what else I can do. The last time I called fell support I spoke with a person I could barely understand and ended up chunking the laptop into the dumpster after nobody through the phone could help me and no one around where I live are good computer people. The last time I took a computer to them they cleared my system data they removed all windows software and put some crappy software on it and they cracked my screen but said it wasn't their fault. I'm not trying to be rude or a <ADMIN NOTE: Substitute character removed per TOU policy> but I just hate that I keep spending money on these things but always they are great for about a year then they just start doing this <ADMIN NOTE: Substitute character removed per TOU policy>. Is there anything else I can do?
Jlane94
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May 23rd, 2013 18:00
I also just rebooted it after ePSA and now when the first boot screen pops up it says I'm running bios A03. I don't understand how it is back on A03 because I just installed the newest one and it was running on that. However it did a self restore after is shut down and it went back to A03 I guess. How do install the newest BIOs and make it stay?
Tesla1856
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May 23rd, 2013 21:00
Tesla1856
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May 23rd, 2013 21:00
The latest nVidia desktop drivers (that work on a 660, etc.) will work on 555. Install "release" drivers, not beta. You can get them at www.nvidia.com .
Jlane94
10 Posts
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May 24th, 2013 13:00
Went to install that Microsoft essentials security and it have me malware! I now have something's called OTShOT on my computer and I can't delete it because I have it permission to download thinking it was the Microsoft thing.
Tesla1856
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May 24th, 2013 14:00