Black Screen on M17X R3

What are GPU temps when running games? Have you removed the GPU and cleaned and reapplied the thermal paste?

when the screen goes black can you still hear sound in the back ground? next time it goes black shine a bright light into the screen and see if the picture is still there and the backlight is just not on

The R3 uses the Nvidia Optimus software to flip back and forth between the integrated Intel video and the discrete GTX580m. I want you to go into the software and set it to globally only use the Intel HD graphics. then retest the system.

* Be sure to connect the AC adapter to the system
* Open the NVIDIA Control Panel
* Select Manage 3D Settings
* Under the Global Settings tab, select Integrated graphics
* Click Apply- OK
* Close the NVIDIA Control Panel

Understand gaming will not be possible in this scenario but if the system never blacks out, that leads us to believe that the discrete GTX580m is faulty. If is does black out, your looking at replacing the motherboard which holds the Integrated graphics.

I can't find the option in the general settings to select the integrated graphics.

And BIOS doesn't detect any integrated graphics at all, and its been like that since I bought the system.

What I did though was to disable the graphics card and let the system up for hours, used it and the "black screen" didn't occur. (been using the system for days now with the graphics card disabled just to test things out and there's really no "black screening" so far)

Ok guys, detected the file responsible for the crash via my Dump files. It is the "nvlddmkm.sys" driver from nVidia. I searched the internet and found out that this file ocasionaly gets messed up so lets go and replace it with an original one.

Go to the NVIDIA folder "C:\NVIDIA"

Search for file named "nvlddmkm.sy_", it may be in one of the subfolders. Search for it.

Copy this file to the root of "C:\"

Go to your system drivers folder, "C:\Windows\System32\Drivers"

Locate the fila named "nvlddmkm.sys" and rename it to "nvlddmkm.sys.old"

Open command prompt by pressing the WIndows key + R and type "cmd" and press "Enter"

Once command prompt is open navigate to your "C:\" drive with the command "cd .." and pressing "Enter"

Once you are in your "C:\" drive type this commands "expand.exe nvlddmkm.sy_ nvlddmkm.sys" and press Enter

(This unzips the file "nvlddmkm.sys" on your "C:\" drive)

Now just copy the file "nvlddmkm.sys" from your "C:\" drive to your "C:\Windows\System32\Drivers" folder and restart your computer.

Now just wait too see if this fixes your problem.

Good luck.

Hello, I've got the same problem and the driver fix isn't working for me.

Is there another fix or should I consider replacing my graphic card?

Last week I installed the latest nVidia drivers, downloaded from www.geforce.com (also tested www.nvidia.com)

My FarCry 3 just went crazy, FPS below 10. Computer hanging/restarting every 5 mins. Hmmm...

Now, I'v done the next simple steps:

1.Download 301.42 WHQL drivers from www.nvidia.com

2.Uninstall actual driver from Control Panel (uninstall all nVidia related)

3.Restart

4.Make a clean installation of the 301.42 WHQL drivers (it asks you through the installation wizzard - keep an eye ;D)

5.Restart

DONE. Thats it.

(on regular you may wish to apply the driver fix if the system is acting wrong)

(

check this post of mines about the BLACK SCREEN on the M17X R3

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19456404.aspx

)

The screen still goes black at some points, mostly when I'm doing a lot of stuff on my computer, but its not like before, and I can use my Alien.

I hope this helps you.

GOOD LUCK and have fun

Thank you for your reply.

I've tried the fixes you explain in both of your posts, but there is still no improvements.

After disassembling my laptop, I've noticed a small burn pattern on the graphic card. This make me think the problem is not on the software but on the hardware...

M17xR3 with black screening issue :  DID ANYONE EVER FIND THE CULPRIT ?  read many posts of many different M17 users that had the SAME PROBLEM ... certainly by now there should be a more common culprit found ; PLEASE INFORM ME as to what was the problem for most people ! THANKS !