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8 Posts
2
42526
March 7th, 2015 17:00
Alienware m17x R4 random shutdown
Hi, I've had my system since May of 2012 and I have had 0 problems with it since now. About two weeks ago I did some driver updates for my video card to increase performance for games. Today, I was playing games and my computer randomly shut off. I restarted and everything was fine and 15 minutes later it did it again. So, again I rebooted and decides to do some troubleshooting. I updated my BIOS and a few other drivers to their current version and prompted me to restart my computer. At that point, my computer would power on and all the Alienware gfx would light up and you can hear the sound of the system booting up but then it would just completely shut down. It keeps on doing this everytime I try to boot up my laptop. I did the power drain and did the battery only and AC only methods and it still does it. Any help?
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 9th, 2015 12:00
Were you able to check on the temperatures?
Both in idle and whilst gaming? It well may be that it's actually the CPU taking the pressure from rendering the game and not the GPU.
The programs we use in most cases are:
HWMonitor and GPU-Z (in case the HWMonitor does not display the temperatures for the GPU).
Ianweyer
8 Posts
0
March 9th, 2015 20:00
The idle temp for the 4 cores averaged around 140 degrees F
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 10th, 2015 12:00
So, 60 degrees Celsius in idle.
That seems OK.
Would be able to stress the computer as well?
Ianweyer
8 Posts
0
March 10th, 2015 12:00
Yea for about week before the shutdown, the fan was running louder than usual while playing games. But performance wasn't lacking. And then the random shutdown happened. Everything seemed okay at the time. I took the idle temp readings after the first shutdown
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 11th, 2015 16:00
Do you mind downloading BlueScreen Viewer, just to check if this is being registered by the system as a BSOD?
Ianweyer
8 Posts
0
March 12th, 2015 17:00
My computer shuts off like 2 seconds after I press the power button. The LED's light up and then everything shuts off
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 13th, 2015 12:00
Try power draining the unit then performing a PSA.
Ianweyer
8 Posts
0
March 13th, 2015 16:00
I tried doing a battery drain by removing the battery and holding the power button for 30 seconds. And it changed nothing. I can't perform a PSA because only my LED's light up, my screen stays pitch black and then the system and LED's shut off like 1.5 seconds later
AndrewSi
4 Apprentice
•
901 Posts
0
March 14th, 2015 09:00
Sometimes it takes longer than 30 seconds to do a complete power drain, try it but by the sound of things your may have a more serious problem, do you remember what BIOS version you updated to, I really hope it was not A13, if it was send me a PM and I walk you through how to fix it as A13 is faulty and should be removed if still available for download
Ianweyer
8 Posts
0
March 14th, 2015 13:00
I think it was A9
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 16th, 2015 15:00
Let us know if the BIOS Update had any success.
Ianweyer
8 Posts
0
March 18th, 2015 07:00
The BIOS was updated before my computer shut off. Can I do a bios update while my comp won't start?
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 18th, 2015 16:00
If the computer is not powering on at all.
I can go ahead and take your Service tag via Private Message.
(Just send me a Friend Request with it and I'll see what we can do about it).
Wepaman
27 Posts
0
March 18th, 2015 21:00
Dont call it in for service, they will replace it with a R1
Alienware-Joe
671 Posts
0
March 20th, 2015 16:00
Highly doubt support will replace an end of life model with an even older model.