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Area 51 ALX Video goes black once the machine warms up
My second question is about the reason this computer was gifted to me.
When I first boot up the computer, it seems to work well, but once the video cards warm up (and they get really warm) the video signal completely cuts out. There is nothing coming to any of the DVI plugs (there are 4 of them on the back of this machine, 3 activated). It will begin to work again after a hard reboot, but the signal doesn't always go to the port that I had been attached to. In other words, I have had to chase the video signal around the ports. I've also changed the power settings to keep it from 'sleeping' for a long while but that doesn't seem to have made any difference.
I've updated the bios to A10 and run several diagnostics that all show the system works perfectly. The system doesn't seem to respond to the keyboard, but I don't know if it's actually 'locked up' because I networked the ALX hard drive and was able to access it from a computer on my network even while the screen was black. I copied things to it and from it just fine and if it was truly locked up, it wouldn't have responded at all, right?
If this sounds at all like something you have dealt with, please let me know. I have a few ideas to try over the holiday weekend, but I'm open for other suggestions. Thanks!
Tesla1856
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November 26th, 2014 00:00
I suggest you clean and check all fans (including ones on video cards) and radiator. Yes, video cards run hotter than CPU's but they shouldn't be that hot just on Windows desktop.
Re-seat video cards, ram dimms, all power supply connectors.
Test until you make it fail, then trouble-shoot
http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19530277
Cass-Ole
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November 26th, 2014 15:00
* take a vid-card out, run one @ a time. Check performance. * Do you have a spare vid-card to run for now, to rule out the mthrbrd etc * are you sure your monitor is ok ?????? And your monitor cable? *
I doubt it is the power supply in the machine, but it is best to get the vid-cards plugged in correct. Dell.com links come and go as you saw, the knowledge base article link below has a chart that tells which power supply vid-card connector combos are used for which model / type card. I used to have a screen shot of the chart but may have deleted it or it's on some other drive I can't get to right now, check this link below off & on til it 'works' eventually:
Graphics Card Power Cable Configurations on the Alienware Area-51, Area-51 ALX, Aurora and Aurora ALX Systems
http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN146987doclang=en/en
On the landing page here you have an FAQ thread & trouble-shoot thread by model @ the top, useful:
virtual agent here
vid trouble-shooting
The cavitating impeller is a noise generally only heard on a pump that is new or unused for a long time, but should go away after 5 minutes & 'never return'. I'd say you have two options: crack it open & fill w/a bit of distilled water, reassemble & check operation as in this post:
or replace it w/a new/used model (ebay etc)(if you do that, buy one w/a 5pin connector, since Aurora pumps have a 7pin & won't work in Area 51 unless you transfer your 5pin to it). Part# is usually w550r & has a copper base & 5pin connector. (Aurora typically uses an aluminum base, but not always & 7pin).
dell.com / support has the Area-51 service manual as pdf doc: get it for a guide on system disassembly.
utube: area 51 tear down vid:
Make sure your screen saver isn't kicking in, lol ... report back? I tried to post this last night but it wouldn't let me. Good luck
aksjdlf
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November 26th, 2014 21:00
OMG, this is so incredibly helpful! Thank you!
I was planning on trying to pull the video cards, but your guides made me feel much more confident that I wouldn't mess something up! LOL! I pulled the card from the #3 slot and left the one in the #1 and am running it now. So far it has not failed at all, so I am hopeful.
I found a support page - http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN146535/EN/ - that suggested I move the two cards further apart to have them not overheat. Hopefully the longer crossfire bridge I just ordered will let me put them both back in the computer.
I do have a spare video card, if worst comes to worst, I can install it, but we are going on 3 hours now and it's still working! This is promising!
You and Tesla have been so amazingly helpful, I can't thank you enough! I have been reading though the links and info you gave me and it's just a goldmine! I might have more questions later but for right now I am just marveling at all the info you've given me. It's awesome!
aksjdlf
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November 26th, 2014 05:00
Ah! Thank you, I will. And thanks for the link too! I found something similar on the AW Club forum page sticky under "READ FIRST! Alienware Troubleshooting Articles by Model" - the Area-51 page -(www.dell.com/.../EN) - had many useful looking links but many of the ones I wanted on it were dead. This link is much more useful, thanks!
Cass-Ole
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November 26th, 2014 15:00
you could try to update your vid-card drivers - you could try intel.com for the latest chipset perhaps, using the auto-detect tool.
here, Tesla & I pitched in to help w/a windows reinstall dvd, plus 'how to re-install windows':
If you have a spare sata hard drive, perhaps install windows fresh, merely to check performance & install latest vid-card drivers for instance. Read the post above for how-to + driver install order. Note, Area 51 no longer 'uses' the intel mngmnt engine (skip that step).
The 'good thing' about Area 51 is it can accept an older pata / ide hard drive, installed in an unused dvd slot. Secure it w/two screws, plug in w/the included peripheral connector and attach the ide 'ribbon cable' between it & mthrbrd' (go to bios, to boot from 'pata drive'. I say this in the event you have an old hdd like this type you could use for test purposes right now (but do not have a spare sata drive).
aksjdlf
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November 26th, 2014 22:00
OMG, this is so incredibly helpful! Thank you!
I was planning on trying to pull the video cards, but your guides made me feel much more confident that I wouldn't mess something up! LOL! I pulled the card from the #3 slot and left the one in the #1 and am running it now. So far it has not failed at all, so I am hopeful.
I found a support page - http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN146535/EN/ - that suggested I move the two cards further apart to have them not overheat. Hopefully the longer crossfire bridge I just ordered will let me put them both back in the computer.
I do have a spare video card, if worst comes to worst, I can install it, but we are going on 3 hours now and it's still working! This is promising!
You and Tesla have been so amazingly helpful, I can't thank you enough! I have been reading though the links and info you gave me and it's just a goldmine! I might have more questions later but for right now I am just marveling at all the info you've given me. It's awesome!
(Note: I've replied to this twice now - the first one never showed up in the thread so I am trying again. I hope the first one doesn't suddenly show up and make me look foolish!)
Cass-Ole
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November 27th, 2014 00:00
ok, well, nVidia makes SLI while Radeon does X-fire. I only have one nVidia card & have never done SLI. If yours are Radeon cards, after you install Catalyst Control Center drivers etc, you'd probably be prompted to 'enable cross-fire' under the amd over drive / performance tab etc. Once x-fire & overdrive are enabled, you can manually increase gpu-fan speed before it goes under stress, like gaming - watching video etc. nVidia may have a similar deal for sli.
Edit: this is my way of saying: make sure x-fire is 'enabled' in your Catalyst Cntrl Cntr. Catalyst can also help you keep an eye on gpu temp(s).
Moving the cards per that article is the normal cure for dual-cards as you did there. Also, in Command Center, you can set a temperature 'curve' or manually set the fan speed of the pci-express fan (the one behind the vid-cards) to help combat heat before you enter the duress of gaming or simple video play-back etc. Normally we'd install a 92millimeter rear case fan, & you can put in a pair of top 120 millimeter fans in your roof area next to the radiator, to combat heat. I subscribe to this thread of yours: Alienware left us a lot of room for improvements, so message back here if you need help pimpin' out the world's finest looking desktop.
aksjdlf
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November 27th, 2014 14:00
Awesome! I will!
I left it running last night with one card and it was still working this morning. I think we may have found the problem. :)
Hopefully the separation of the video cards will be enough to keep things cool, but since I now have all these other excellent suggstions too, I feel sure we'll keep things working even it it's still heating up with both in. I'll also be sure to check that feature to enable the crossfire wire - I am sure I wouldn't have known to do that.
You've been an awesome help. This computer was given to my son by a friend who bought it for his retirement. He was never able to get it to work properly and spent a lot of time and tech support efforts trying. I know he replaced the motherboard once at least, but when this video issue came up, he just put it aside in frustration and let it gather dust. If this is all it takes to get it running again, I will be sorry for him (a little bit at least), but very glad this machine came to us. ;)
Thanks again for your awesome help!