M17xR3 Discrete Graphics Issue

Hi guys!

I have an Alienware M17xR3 with apparent video card issues. The unit came new with a GTX580M(N12E-GTX2-A1). It was replaced (by Dell warranty) with another GTX580M. That GTX580M fails the Dell online PC diagnostics test during the discrete graphics section (BSOD with error 116). It went to blank screen during the Dell online stress test of the discrete graphics card. The temperature of the card showed a max of 72C. Leaving the back elevated has really dropped the GPU temp. The system passed the ‘thorough’ mode of the Dell built in diagnostics. FWIW, this was all done after a clean install (partition deleted) of windows 7 64bit and all drivers install. The GTX580M (and the MB) flashed with the latest BIOS on the Dell support website. This leads me to believe that the 580 is highly suspect. The GTX580M was removed. A GTX560M (N12E-GS-A1) with most recent vBIOS from Dell site was installed.

A complete system ‘rebuild’ was performed as before. There is a yellow exclamation point by the GTX560M in the device driver and of course the system won’t use it. The hardware error in the device manager for the GTX560M is 43. Nvidia experience allows me to install the latest driver without errors, green check mark at the end, telling me to reboot. After reboot, I go back into Nvidia experience it tells me a new driver is available (same driver version) downloads it and again installs without error. It would let me do this forever… The Nvidia control panel is not present after install. I have used the device manager to uninstall and scan for hardware changes several times. No change.

The first attempt to install the GTX560M was done by a computer shop (same result as above). I have personally performed the above sequence 2x. This computer has 4 months of Dell ‘tech support’ left on it. The repair warranty has expired.

Am I dealing with a ‘dead’ 560M? Any ideas?

TIA

Tim