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16 Posts
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107426
Alienware M18x R2 with ATI 7970m Crossfire, Black screen with perfect timing..
Hi boys.
Im very not happy with my experience with DELL.
I try to ask some to DELL support with email but I dont have any reply because my warranty is expired one months ago.
I buy my M18x R2 one years ago, first day i have problem with video card, after exchange email with the support the new PC need to exchange all two Video card.
After I have others problem, like the sound card not working some time, and I need to restart, and the Killer network have frequently disconnect problem.
But i just forget this two problem because is annoying but the PC go.
But..
After just ONE months after the warranty expired the video card died!
This is impossible, I thing this is programmed, Is impossible the destiny have a so good timing..
But just I hope maybe I can resolve with the help of US.
This is what happen to me.
Game, and black screen, the keyboard light is on, but the display is off, and the look of the PC is frozen, I need to hold the power button for restart.
The PC restart with no issue, but after some second windows is on, again, black screen the PC still frozen.
OK, i try with speed to switch with integrated graphic, I can after some time I try, with Intel integrated graphic no problem at all.
I try to clean the ATI driver and switch the GPU with wifi OFF, so windows cant update the driver, NO PROBLEM, NO BLACK SCREEN.
I open the wifi for leave windows to install the automatic driver... Black screen.
Ok, I try to swich again, clean ATI driver, open the pc with the ATI but without any driver install and is OK, no black screen and the wifi is off so windows cant install drivers.
After i try to install the DELL drivers, same, when begin to install drivers BLACK SCREEN.
I try the same with the last driver of ATI website, same.
I try clean windows 8.1 install, same with a lot of drivers...
Ok, this is whot I thing, one of two card died, probably the second because maybe if the first card is broken the PC have black screen with or without driver, maybe the second is active only if i try to install the drivers..
What do you thing???????????
Im very not happy, this is a very expensive PC i have a lot of problem with warranty and now just because my warranty is expired for one months I dont have any support...
One of the card is gone?
Any idea? is possible the card work but is only a sw problem?
some questions..
probably i need to try to leave one of this card for understand what is the broken card, and after I live with only one 7970m... if I have only one ATi installed, ENDURO work????
And if I leaveall 2 discrete card, can the PC work only with the integrated intel card without discrete card?
if yes what happened if I use the Fn+F7 function???
Please help me!!
TacoBot
7 Posts
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October 25th, 2014 22:00
Alright, after much troubleshooting, including flashing the bios again and installing the Dell video card drivers, I still wasn't getting anywhere.
So I took my heatsink and all of the pads off of that card, put it on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and stuck it in an oven pre-heated to 385 for 8 minutes, turned off the oven and opened the door to allow it to partially cool before disturbing it, then took it out, cooled for a while longer, slapped it back in and it's working again with two cards. :D
I'm not recommending that anyone else bakes their card, (do so at your own risk, when all other options have failed you) but the re-flow of the solder fixed mine in this case!
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
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April 15th, 2014 08:00
okay I see you tried removing and reinstalling the drivers, BUT have you tried booting up into safemode using a driver cleaner to remove the entire driver uninstalling dosent completely remove the installed software.
are you trying with both Xfire enabled and disabled(dual cards disabled so runs primary card only this will help determine is primary is failed/failing).
if it boots fine with no drivers for the video card it uses a generic driver to operate the 7970 so its possible conflict with an exsisting driver hanging in there, refer to first answer.
I to have a M18X R2 with dual 7970's and ive come to learn I cant use both cards with my Killer wireless card properly installed otherwise issues arise... ive got a few posts on this and I rarely use wireless anyway (not sure what wireless card you have) .
Enduro dosent exsist on this system, Enduro is like NVidia optimus and will switch automatically from onboard to discrete cards , which the M18X is manually controlled, I find this a better option IMHO .
the machine will work with just the onboard by removing both amd discrete cards .
Sorry I have to ask, but why would you spend this amount of money on a system and not get the warranty to back it up specially with the way parts are mass produced nowadays.
If you remove both cards and hit Fn+F7 it will either do nothing or give Error saying discrete not found.
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 09:00
Hi my friend, thanks for the fast reply.
Yes, unistall with ATI tool i try with CClean, and yes in safemode, and for the last I do a clean install of windows 8.1, not the DELL recovery but clean Install, and same problem.
Is impossible to me undestand this, because if I try to install ANY drivers the screen become black and the PC frozen, now I wrtite with the intel card, the only way to boot with ATI GPU is with generic drivers and with wifi OFF, because if the wifi is On windows update the drivers and the screen become black.
the screen become black if I try to install the drivers, if I leave the generic drivers, so I thing probably is the second card the problem, yes i need to leave one card for try, just before open the M18x (hard job) i wont to do sure is not a stupid sw problem, if is only sw problem Im so happy, the second 7970m double the performance... I cry when I understand this card is broken after one years.
Yes, I have the Killer, I have disconnect problem when i use torrent or download big large file, so i dont know if the problem of the Killer is the crossfire becouse if I use torrent I dont play any game normally so I thing the crossfire is in idle mode, but the problem still.. but maybe you are right, I need to try but for now the beatifoul crossfireX is just lost dream.
One good news..
I buy the PC with 1 years warranty, this problem start like one months after the warranty is expired......
Finally do you thing just one card is gone??
Is very dishonest I cant ask nothing to DELL just because the warranty is expired for one months after i spend a lot of money just because I dont have other money for pay the extra years warranty....
Thanks for the reply
Alienware-Naomi
1.8K Posts
0
April 15th, 2014 16:00
Hi
After all the troubleshooting you've done so far, it seems like this isn't just a software issue. To find if the problem is affecting one or both video cards, you need to test the computer with the Crossfire disabled. You don't need to open the system for this, you can disable the Crossfire from the Catalyst Control Center by following the steps on this article. Let me know how it goes!
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 17:00
..and, is possible is damage only the cable?
If I leave just the crossfire cable, the second GPU became deactivated?? So I to open just the keyboard and not all for the test...
PS: whot is the "ST Microelectronics 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer" ????
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 17:00
Hi Naomi, is no possible do this.
I do a clean installation of windows 8.1, so now the ati have generic windows drivers, if i try to install the catalyst before the installation is finish the screen became black at the time of the drivers installation, when have the message "the screen can flickering..".
At this point, I have in one years this total of problem:
Audio card not detect..
Wifi disconnection with Killer wireless..
HDMI Out: Dont Work..
And no the video card..
Do you thing is possible is the motherboard? Look is like have some electric problem and so the component installed is easy to broken, this is what I read one time to another forum, but I dont know.
Otherwise, any way to disable the crossfire without have driver and without go into windows??????
if is possible this help very a lot, or i need to loose very long time for open the M18x, I can but i dont have a lot of patience, the m18x need very long time and accuracy for change the video card...
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
0
April 15th, 2014 17:00
8.1 ouch did it come with windows 8? or windows 7? have you tried original OS not the 8.1 upgrade this can be causing issues.
HDMI out is usually caused by the cable not pluggin far enough in, I had to trim mine to work.
killer wifi is the killer drivers/dell drivers control panel whatever I run windows drivers and I just gamed right now for 4 hours on a dual band 3x3 router and it was better then the wired .. (on a single 7970 ).
audio card not detected, bios update should fix that .
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
0
April 15th, 2014 18:00
the 3 axis is the freefall sensor, basically locks the hard drive in place if it detects a drop or fall to protect hard drive from damage
if the cable was damaged it would error saying Xfire cable missing or disconnected..
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 19:00
I have a 8.1 updated from 8, I use the crossfire for some months without issue in windows 8.1, every time I have the last drivers.
But yes, now I try just for sure to install the original DELL installation with windows 8, the only problem is I upgrade the HDD750 to a SSD256 and normally DELL installation dont permitted installation to disk minor of 750gb...
But maybe i have some usb pen backup.
This is my last chance, after I begin to open for remove crossifere cable and look what happened, and after removing one of the card... and maybe after the second card... long job...
I need to try all of this, but i can just after I resolve this issue, I hope I resolve...
89fordprobee thanks a lot for your INFO, now I try with the original installation..
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
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April 15th, 2014 19:00
yea I haven't strayed away from the original operating system..
I worked out a lot of issues with conflicts on mine and learnt a lot about the system... reason I ask you to try original operating system install is to rule out 8.1 being the issue since it seems its causing a lot of issues with a few companies ..
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 20:00
Yes, but remeber, I use crossfire in gaming for two months without issue with 8.1.....
finally I cant use my DVD and usb backup, i write me a error, probably because I change my hard drive, god move DELL.... why..
So now I need to find one windows 8 pro dvd installation.
Or i f some know how I can use my hold DVD of recovery of the 750gb HDD with the 250SSD...
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 22:00
UPDATE:
I installa a clean windows 8 pro, when I try to installa the catalyst, same problem.. black screen, for precision the scren became black and the pc frozen when the catalyst install the driver, after you can hear the typical sound when you switch crossfirex on/off.
I thind is the secondary card..
Now, I try to leave one card, but I have one question, where is the primary card, and secondary??? right, left???
Alienware-Naomi
1.8K Posts
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April 16th, 2014 17:00
Check the Owner's Manual for disassemble instructions.
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
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April 16th, 2014 17:00
Sorry but Really?
open laptop looking at keyboard Primary card is left side center is CPU and right side is secondary card .
If you remove secondary card and issue persists then if I remember correctly the secondary card should work as a primary but would require you swapping the heat sinks/backing plates around to use secondary card as a primary, but only if you feel comfortable doing such.
JohnLeopes
16 Posts
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April 17th, 2014 01:00
Naomi, please...
i understand my warranty is expired, really i have another DELL in warranty status, so I remain customer you need to care, so if you wont help me, just dont kidding me, for sure you help me to understand this is my last DELL Laptop, I dont thing have this problem after one month the warranty status is expired is just a case, and Im not the only..
I write this experience to all forum, now I understand why DELL focus a lor for spot the warranty.