M17x R3 Random black screen

Hi JSBachisthebest,

Dell Alienware M17x R3 can be customized with following displays.

1. 17.3-inch HD+ (1600 x 900) AG, WLED 220 nit.
2. 17.3– inch FHD (1920 x 1080) AG, WLED 300 nit.
3. 17.3-inch FHD+ (2176 x 1224) TL, RGBLED 300 nit.
4. 17.3” FHD TL, WLED with NVidia 3D vision.

If your system is configured with ‘17.3-inch HD+ (1600 x 900) AG, WLED 220 nit’ display you will not be able to increase the resolution to 1920 x 1080 as the display will not support FHD.

Also, please send me a private message with the computer's service tag so that I can check what type of display is configured on your system. To send a private message, click on my name and select start conversation.

Mine is the one with 3D vision at 120hz. I've had this comp running for a year and a half and it worked fine with 1920x1080. It just started to act weirdly recently in the last couple of days. It sometimes randomly goes to a black screen. I set the desktop resolution to a lower one now, and in game I can still use 1920x1080 fine. Its just really weird.  

I will send you my service tag in a PM.

Never mind... just had a black screen again.

Hello,

I would also like to report that i have the same problem...random black screens..the problem seems to occur when the laptop is pluged in!!On battery mode i have no problem whatsoever...i've also noticed that i got an error message like this : "windows explorer stoped working and needs to restart"..and then my windows taskbar restarts automatically..(what is going on...?? )...but as i said when i'm on battery mode i have no problem...!!

i think that the problem had first occured after installing the latest nvidia geforce driver!!

Hi,

I would very much like to know what happens with this problem as I seem to be having the exact same once that JSB is having.

17.3” FHD TL, WLED with NVidia 3D vision and running native resolution (1920x1080)

314.22 drivers, been installed since 25. March

- Random black screen, everything crashes/freezes, needs hard restart.

- Started about a week ago.

- Does not seem to be temperature related, running CPUID hw monitor, max temp 65C(149F).

      - I could be wrong about the temp relation.

-Kel

Hello  Kelindil, in your place I would try to downgrade to a previous nvidia driver... but that is a tuff task..! try googling it or try to find a related YouTube guide! and see if you have the same problem!!

I've upgraded my windows 7 to windows 8 and after 4 hours of using my laptop I had no black screen at all^o^

Windows have installed the 307. 17 nvidia driver for my laptop by default and I will keep it that way to see if everything works fine! if you have a windows clean backup then use it ;-)

I've been using and playing games in my new windows 8 setup with no problems at all !!

I've been playing bioshok with max settings for an hour now and the beast runs smoothly! :-)

Now i'm pretty sure that the black screen problems were some kind of driver (nvidia) issue!!

Everyone who has the same problem, i suggest  to do a clean install of windows avoiding installing the latest nvidia driver...if everything goes ok and your system works fine make an image backup of windows ...let it play with the old nvidia driver for a week or so..and then try to update to the latest one and see what happens...that's my plan anyway.!!

;-)

After all i think that the source of the problem is the Nvidia Experience Software...well done nvidia !! great job! (i hope i'm right :-) )

Alright guys, here is an update from me.

I cleaned the CPU and GPU and applied new cooling past - Effect was lower temp while in idle and medium load, still crash ad high load.

I formated me HD and reinstalled W7 and the 314.22 Nvidia drivers, did not install Nvidia Experience Software. - Effect was notably quicker load times, still crashes during high graphics loads.

I downloaded some stress test software both for CPU(IntellBurn test/OCCT) and GPU(FurMark/OCCT)

       -CPU test passed even on maximum load.

       -GPU test.... FAIL, crashes when temp either goes over 69c or stays over 63c for a longer period of time.

Don't know 100% if it is the GPU tho, might be other hardware that lay close to the GPU and gets over heated, but it sure looks like its the GPU it self.

So now I have to figure out how to get a replacement GTX580m with all the cooler bits and pieces too see if that helps.

I've done so many tests on my laptop.. still have black screen issues! the machine will go to Dell service!!  :-(