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M17x R2, ePSA error 2000-0122
Hello everybody,
I need your help. My Alienware mx17-r2 had problems with its batter. I changed the battery but then it started randomly restarting while playing more intense game or trying to run some tests, later on it started giving BSoDs with Memory error on it.At all it is behaving really slow, the fans are always running on the minimum.
I tried running sfc /scannow , but it could not finish giving me "Windows Resource Protection could not perfrom the requested operation" .
I tried scheduling chkdsk /f /r for the next boot of the computer, then restarted it and chkdsk started but it froze on 10%, so it did not complete this as well. I ran ePSA Alienware pre-boot system assesment where all components but the memory passed. I have 16 GB of RAM ( 2x8gb). I checked the logs to see what exactly went wrong with the memory test and find out the following error ( see the pictures). One of the picture shows also the HDD not completing the test but later on I started it again ( just the HDD test) and it passed it without problems.( But i still have suspicions that HDD may be broken as well..)
So now i think of openning it and removing one of the RAMs, and running it on just one of them to identify which one is the faulty one and possibly change it with new one.
My question is whether what i am doing is right and can i be sure that changing the faulty RAM will fix my issue or there is other possible explanation for all the issues with it?
Many thanks in advance !!
ColdBrandedPirate
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November 8th, 2019 09:00
I have an M17x R2 and had the same problem. It's overheating. That particular computer (actually most Alienware laptops) have a bad fan table. It's a shame that Dell/Alienware refuses to address this problem with a simple BIOS update, though they have been aware of the problem for over a decade. The fans don't start until the CPUs get within 5 degrees of their Tj.Max, and in that 5 seconds the temperature can hit the Tj.Max in which case the computer's hardware safeguards cut power to the entire machine, causing you loos of data or progress in your games.
Here's a solution that worked well for me.
First there is a program called CoreTemp ( https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ ). It monitors the temp of all processor cores and it has a built in tool that that will put the computer to sleep when it gets within a specified temperature below it's Tj.Max thus saving you the power outage. Just go make a cup of tea or something and by the time you're back the computer has cooled down enough, so just wake it up and pick up right from where you left off.
Secondly there is one external laptop fan rig that actually works, and it works well. Lowered the temperature over 30 degrees on mine. It's the only one I've ever seen work. It's the Coolermaster Notepal U3 plus. It has three fans that can be placed anywhere you want under it's platform, therefore you can place it's fans directly under your laptop fans guaranteeing more airflow through your case.
Thirdly, if you want your fans running all the time at top speed just cut the blue wire. Just be aware that this will put more wear and tear on your fans and thus significantly lower it's lifespan, so make sure you already have replacement fans around.
Another note... You may want to do a re-paste. I've noticed that almost every time I take the heat sink off a factory shipped computer processor, the thermal paste is gooped around everywhere and dripped all over the place, even on Alienwares and Cyberpowers. Thermal paste is only supposed to make contact with the actual die of the processor and the heat sink, not dripping all over the place making contact with the circuit board or anything else - that defeats the purpose as if it is doing that it is transferring the heat back into the computer instead of into the heat sink where it would be carried away by the fan. A re-paste is the most effective way to get your computer to to run cooler.
I used all 4 of these solutions on my M17x R2 and it never overheats. I would recommend clipping the blue wire only as a last resort as it might not be possible to find replacement fans for such an old rig if they were to wear out. I hope this helps.