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Alienware M18x R2 - Weird Screen Issue
I bought my Alienware M18x in April of this year (2013). I won't go into every problem I've had with it (starting with the BIOS battery broken from motherboard when Dell shipped to me newly built, a hard drive bad and many RAID issues because Alienware couldn't diagnose--oh, just reinstall the O.S. multiple times, that will fix it--shipping a dead blue-ray drive because they wouldn't believe a hard drive was making the noise it was, etc.).
Now, I have a weird issue where when the laptop is started, either from a full cold boot, or from sleep mode, and it is a little cool (not ice cold), the bottom inch of the screen is blank except for weird white lines across the top of the blank part. Is this a connector issue or a screen issue (the laptop was taken apart many times by the Dell technician while he tried to fix it--including installing the dead "replacement" blue-ray drive, when I told him it was the hard drive not the blue-ray drive, which he then had to remove and put the original functional one back in..)?
Pictures of the problem:
I've bought multiple Dell laptops over the last few years for family and even a desktop or two and plunked down over 4k for this M18x and it seems that the quality of this Alienware is far worse than any Dell I ever purchased. I used to recommend the Dell laptops (work in IT for the Federal Government so get a lot of people asking for recommendations) but now I'm rethinking it as I've had nothing but trouble with this laptop--and tech support has been atrocious on every call. Laptop giving the beep code that there is something wrong with the BIOS, lets send a refurbished motherboard--even though it is the BIOS that keeps resetting when cold booted. Doesn't see drive 1 in the BIOS or the RAID and can't boot beyond the BIOS, but no it has to be a DVD-ROM drive issue. Oh, and even though you spent extra on the next-business day warranty and accidental damage coverage, we demand you ship it in to be fixed--and no you won't get it back for minimally 10-14 days. Very unhappy with the quality, technical support, and customer service with this Alienware.
PhoenixBennu
500 Posts
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December 7th, 2013 03:00
I can tell that you have had many issues with your current system, and I would hope that one sour system won't dissuade you from future Alienwares or Dell systems. You have definitely not had the best run of luck with this setup.
I would venture to guess that either the LCD or the inverters are bad. If the screen was not having this issue until after the technician did some taking part and reassembling, I would lean more towards the inverters not being connected properly.
However, I would first test an external monitor, to make sure the issue is happening only on the laptop screen and not any other displays.
If you feel comfortable doing so, you can check the inverter connections yourself and make sure they are secure and debris free.
I would also wonder if you have the issue during all use of your system. There are generally two inverters, one for the IGP and one for the GPU. It is possible that only one is not connected right and if the issue is happening from normal "cold" boot, it would be the IGP. If this is the case, then running games reliant on the GPU would not have this issue.
Either way this is a hardware failure, and I only hope it is not one that will require a two week wait for repairs. I know your pain. i am currently waiting for a replacement system myself. I am glad I am a Dad or my patience wouldn't be so tempered.
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
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December 7th, 2013 06:00
PhoenixBennu
500 Posts
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December 7th, 2013 14:00
Ithink I was thinking of the m17x systems that do use optimus...well, the non 3d versions do. Which is interestingly why the older moldel m17x systems have a hard time upgrading GPUs, because the 3d model m17x r3 going to a 600 series card only support the change in the bios as easily to still support 3d, although some fixes and options hae come to light.
Non switchable drive me nuts a little. Always find myself having to OC the discrete card to get good performance out of it at lower performance states, because of the performance drops when unplugged, over the IGP. However, the switching would be a good option as suggested in order to check hardware, but I still lean to the idea that something may be loose or not assembled properly when the tech was completing repairs.
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
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December 7th, 2013 15:00
yea I know what you mean... like the M17x R2 that is the only m17X that never had IGP period.. only downclocking(had dual 5870's LOL)
but again you don't buy a beast like the M18X or new M18 with dual cards for battery life , get a netbook for that :O
anyway back on track let us know of test results :O
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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December 13th, 2014 01:00
Hi.
I have the some problem with the same model. Do you understand what is the problem? And the solutiin? I inderstand this happen when the LCD is cold, if I open the PC from off state, or just if the LCD come from a state of standby or if come of a state of oc full on but the lcd is in standby. After some minutes the lcd is open the white bar become little and more little until it disappear completly. Look is like is a provlen of temperature, Idont think is a problem of gpu at 80%. Is not a big problem fir now but I worred if this is the begin of a big pribken for the lcd... any help about????