Aurora R4, 2011 (ordered 2014) freezing

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@PeterP478mKexGwrote:

I have an Aurora R4 desktop.   It has been pretty stable.   I upgraded the video card to Rx 480 and Samsung 900 SSD (sp?).   But in the last few months, I have noticed for few instabilities:

• Office 365/2016 apps are slow to load.
• Computer will freeze randomly.

 

Anyone else still have an Aurora R4?

I use Chrome and keep everything up to do, Norton, Chrome, AMD, bios and hard drive bios, Windows Updates, Office, etc.   The problem may coincide with Spectre/Meltdown issues.   Other than windows, I don't think Dell provided an updated for this old machine.

Truthfully, is there anyway to configure the OS to not mitigate Spectre/Meltdown so I can isolate whether the problem is related to the mitigation or just a computer problem.    

I have noticed a similar problem with my Dell XPS 27 (Nov 2017) which seems to suggest Spectre/Meltdown.    I only use Chrome on the XPS 27, no office.

Thanks for any feedback.

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Yes, many people still use Aurora-R4 Desktop.

Troubleshooting Tips are here.

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/Alienware-Desktop-General-Hardware-Troubleshooting/m-p/5555517#M57436

- What version of Windows?
- Does it pass ePSA Diagnostics?
- Is something Over-Heating?
- What is HDD/SSD SMART?
- Do you use good UPS like APC?
- What is "red flag" error in Windows Reliability Report?
 
I doubt it's a Spectre problem unless your machine is not behind a properly configured router (with SPI Firewall) or you are careless. If you are saying you bought it used (2011/2014), did you not Nuke-and-Pave (wipe it) before use?

XPS-27 issues should be in it's own thread.

Moderator: This post should be moved to Alienware Desktop area.

- What version of Windows?
Windows 10 (Fall creators update with all windows updates)
- Does it pass ePSA Diagnostics?
I have run that before and it didn't report anything.   I will run it again.  I did run Intel's Processor Diagnostic utility and it didn't report any issues.
- Is something Over-Heating?
No indication that is.   The freeze usually happens shortly after startup, while Office and Chrome are starting up.
- What is HDD/SSD SMART?
Samsung SSD 950 Pro
- Do you use good UPS like APC?
I like to thinks so, it is a belkin.
- What is "red flag" error in Windows Reliability Report?
Just indication from yesterday that the "The previous system shutdown ... was unexpected".   But nothing about what happened before.

Sorry, Dell calls it a -- Alienware Aurora R4 (Late 2011)-- which I purchased new in 7/14.

Thanks!

Update

ePSA (thorough also) and web based dell support assistant testing performed without any issues (all tests passed)

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@PeterP478mKexGwrote:

Update

ePSA (thorough also) and web based dell support assistant testing performed without any issues (all tests passed)

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Good.

So, did the computer ever work properly after these upgrades? If so, for how long?

I particularly wonder about the AMD video card.

If it's been previously stable, did you update drivers or something recently ... right before it went bad?

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@PeterP478mKexGwrote:

1. I have run that before and it didn't report anything.   I will run it again.  I did run Intel's Processor Diagnostic utility and it didn't report any issues.

2. No indication that is.   The freeze usually happens shortly after startup, while Office and Chrome are starting up.

3. Samsung SSD 950 Pro

4. Just indication from yesterday that the "The previous system shutdown ... was unexpected".   But nothing about what happened before.

Good post.

Anything not quoted above is acknowledged.

1. Yeah, run it now.

2. As that linked page says ... use CPUID HW-Monitor

3. Read it's SMART parameters to determine it's health. Obviously, first you run a Windows Error-Check.

4. Explain these "Freezes". Can you still get to Task-Manager ?

Windows Error-Check = chkdsk, right?    Yeah done that, and I know what that is.  :)  Also have done SFC, and the like.

Or is it something else?

Not sure you actually answered my questions.

Sounds like you have been having problems since the upgrade (install of AMD RX-480).

Complete hard-lock (no BSOD, Event entry, and/or access to Task-Manager) usually points to a hardware-problem.

However, I have recently seen a bad set of released video-drivers cause it as well. While previously unheard of, this might be common now-days.

OCCT is a good stress-test. See if it can run the Power-Supply Test (while running a full drive virus-scan).

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@PeterP478mKexGwrote:

Windows Error-Check = chkdsk, right? 

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Yes

Dell has not updated R4 firmware. I just did them a favor and patched their lastest A11 BIOS.

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/624040-alienware-aurora-r4-z97-samsung-950-pro-w-lycom-dt-120-m2-to-pcie/?tab=comments#comment-12565307

Features include

• Patched CPU microcode (fixes spectre and future similar vulnerabilities)
• Intel ME bug fixes
• Intel RST allowing TRIM on RAID
• Latest Intel NIC firmware
• NVMe via PCIe (adaptor) native booting

Please refer to attached in my last 2 posts in that thread

hiya  i have  an r4 also from 2013 new i7 4820k 16 gb ram and a 780gtx now upgraded to rtx 2070 , with no problems ..my question is ive bought 3 dells and ive  had no discont vouchers for  being a loyale  customer .for  a  start  ... but  why  do  all dell alienware pc's desktops  idle  at 3 to 4 gb on  idle and  when  you start digging  you get  dirty  theres a load of  throthing  diliberatey sry  if my spells suc all to  do  with  alienware software itself , my research  has led me  to  belive that  alienware are specificlly set there timeing to medium so they  can tweek it as they  feel . knocking  off alienware aps and changing to  overclocking  apperantly puts  the  pcs  into  the perfect runing state linustec tells the tale  much  bettr . so  i ask  why  stay with alienware when  i see builds  with  the optional settings and no  third party periferals  convinence.... good look  with  your  R4... i wish  more ppl  would  post on  here ,reddit  ok  is  cool  but  these need to  be bugged  !!