Alienware M18xr2 HD7970M CrossfireX Internal Bridge Problem

Question

Hello,

I own an Alienware M18xr2 and my laptop currently suffers from reduced performance due to forced shutdown of Crossfire in Catalyst. Catalyst gives me the following message

"The AMD CrossFireX internal bridge interconnects linking your graphics cards together are not properly attached. Both bridge interconnects must be attached. For more information, see the user's guide for your graphics card."

Well, I have never opened the case of my laptop. The only time it was opened was by an official Dell service in order to replace the broken DVD-rom. I have also installed the updated AMD Catalyst I found on Dell's list of software for my laptop, hoping that it could help me solve a possible software error, but that made my laptop unable to play any videos or games, so I uninstalled all AMD apps and replaced them by the files I downloaded by AMD. I have also updated the BIOS, based on the recommendations I found on the forums, but that did not help.

In a discussion in this forum, (http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19514624.aspx) running the diagnostics was recommended but it was unable to find any errors and the diagnostics ended clean and successfully.

Please help me learn if this is a software or a hardware error. I'll be happier if this is a software error because the only good official Dell support within 1000 kilometers of my location does not accept Alienware's international warranty and is very expensive even for simple operations.

Thanks

Alienware-Dani · Answer

Hi Ser Wellough, in this case we need to make sure it's not a problem with the software on the computer. First of all, we need to make sure you have the latest BIOS version, in your case the A11. You can check that by clicking on the Start button, then typing 'msinfo32' on the search box and hitting the Enter key. You will get a System Information window, the BIOS version is on the right side; in case you have a different version then try reinstalling the driver from here.  Also, we need to reinstall the video card driver, you can do it following this article. Let me know if it works.

Ser Wellough · Answer

Hello again, sir,

My BIOS was version A11, I have updated it no longer than a week ago. I have also followed the instructions on the clean reinstall process. However, Catalyst still displays the same message, telling me that the internal bridge is not properly connected. Is there a way to open the bottom case and see if the bridge was disconnected during the installation of the DVD-rom?

Thank you,

Ser Wellough

89fordprobee · Answer

it is possible it got disconnected, bumped or damaged.. since the removal of dvd drive is a nice job to do lol

anyway the Xfire cable will be located under the keyboard and will be a thin paper thick cable that is a light brown in colour(is on my m18x) colour may differ and goes from one card to the other ..

so you will need to remove the media strip located above the keyboard and the keyboard, its not hard u can get info off dell site or youtube on hoe to remove keyboard, just take your time, or if under warranty call dell let them deal with it, but chance of something else breaking while the outsourced mr. no nothing techs try to repair :O

Ser Wellough · Answer

Thanks, but I do not know what the cable looks like and where it is located. Is there a video available on this action? I was not available to find the right video on Youtube.

89fordprobee · Answer

https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?c=us&cs=19&docid=542801&doclang=en&l=en&s=dhs&DoNotRedirect=y

this is a picture with keyboard removed.. its actually info on removing memory but if you look were keyboard would be you see a blue cable... that's the Xfire/sli bridge cable

Ser Wellough · Answer

I have removed the keyboard and checked both ends of the blue cable. I took photos of both ends to ask if I was looking at the right cable.

Either I am looking at the wrong cable, or this issue is caused by something else. Is there anything else that could have caused this?

89fordprobee · Answer

yep that's the cable.. its possible its got pinched/damaged or inproperly connected u can unplug and plug em back in ... to verify its properly connected but other then that i'd say the cable is damaged....

also both cards do show up in control panel right?

Ser Wellough · Answer

I have already unplugged and plugged back the cable on the left, but the cable on the right was blocked by the other white cable going to the media panel and I couldn't unplug that cable (I don't know which way to pull/push it)

Both cards also show up in control panel but the diagnostics was not able to find any problems. Is this more likely a hardware problem or a software problem?

Tesla1856 · Answer

89FordProbee, Can you point this user to one of your old threads? IIRC, there was a verified chipset/KillerNic/CFx conflict ... but you had some work-around?

89fordprobee · Answer

yea the issue was pure conflict tho.. never got an error saying it couldn't enable, just when enabled had lag issues with wireless.. I thought about that

but this was a different conflict due to fact hes being told basically the cable don't exsist.. i'l give the OP props tho for diving in to check out the situation many wouldn't have ...

also when he had or still has it open he should check and reset everything/ specially the second card ...

Alienware-Dani · Answer

Ser Wellough, it looks like the problem is hardware related, please send us an email to awsocialmedia@dell.com with your service tag and we will review your case.

franz19 · Answer

same problem with my alienware M18xr2 ....is this issued has been solve already?

Alienware-Naomi · Answer

Hi franz19,

If you've completed all the troubleshooting steps posted about on the thread (BIOS, drivers, ePSA, reseat video card and cabled), then send me a private message with your Service Tag, contact information and the link to this thread so I can assist you further.

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Alienware M18xr2 HD7970M CrossfireX Internal Bridge Problem

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