Hi @RPT943 Alienware m17 R4 Diagnostic-light LED codes (Red, Blue) 2,1 = Processor failure or 3,1 = Coin-cell battery failure. However, it seems more likely that the RAM card's electrical engagement wants cleaning and reseating.
The m17 R4 self diagnostic was probably Dell's ePSA Diagnostics that looks for hardware problems and did not find any. Hopefully the m17 R4 occasionally works, and then run Reliability Monitor to create event timeline. How to use Windows Reliability Monitor to identify software issues | Dell US Open the day and time that has problem, look for event that keeps reoccurring at other days and times. Open this event and look for root cause entry.
Please share update, thanks.
[This user does not work for Dell and volunteers their free time. Please remember to say thank you by clicking on Kudos as this user's only reward.]
It's currently unresponsive. I know for a fact the battery is between 50-60% yet hitting the power button does absolutely nothing, even with the power brick plugged in.
A Dell certified technician just replaced this motherboard last week, though it is a refurbished motherboard. As far as reliability goes, today was the first time this motherboard showed any serious issues.
Also the ram is soldered onto the motherboard, and there is not a motherboard based CMOS battery on these laptops. I noticed that when the guy was replacing the motherboard
@crimsom i dont know if youve already seen my second reply but i think it is a CMOS failure after all. after resetting the BIOS clock and updating the time, it booted normally with no issues so far, but i haven't monitored it long enough to be sure.
@crimsom i Think its a coin-cell battery failure. even though the motherboard does not feature a cmos battery, i held the power button for 34 seconds to reset the BIOS clock and other stuff, as per a dell article i found, and after that it did boot up and say that the CMOS checksum failed (or something to this effect). but, after setting the clock in the BIOS, it booted normal. BUT, i do not consider this a solution yet, I haven't been using it long enough. I need to monitor it closely for longer, ill update you.
I think the cmos failing in the battery itself is unusual to say the least because the battery health of the battery is excellent. when its at 100% it has the same Wh output numbers as a factory new battery, which is why i limit its charging to 60%, to try to help preserve it.
All main board repairs are undertaken using refurbished parts. Dell assigns a contractor to install parts and to check that system is up and running. The work of the assigned contractor is 100% under Dell warranty.
If the system is booted three times, the recovery window should appear, so that the operating system can be repaired.
Please connect HDMI to external monitor or TV, to check if screen backlight has failed. When looking obliquely (at an angle) at the screen, is there a very faint image, to confirm backlight has failed.
@crimsom I managed to trigger the pre-boot diagnostic check, because it failed to boot 3 times. After saying normal there, I made it go into os recovery and do a hardware diagnostic there. Well everything passed until it got to the memory section, there it was on it a few minutes until the laptop shut off and started blinking 4 red 1 blue continuously until the ac adapter was unplugged.
After that it booted normally, but I dont know how long it will last this time
@crimsom unfortunately the problem is back. Only this time the power button is flashing. Alternating blue and red continuously. At first it was fine for about an hour until I decided to test it by loading a more aggressive fan profile and launching the superposition benchmark. It preformed normally with cool Temps until about halfway through the benchmark, thats when the laptop shut itself down, flashing the power button 3 times red and once blue
After that it started flashing, alternating between blue and red nonstop
These error codes are not all included in the Alienware m17 R4 Diagnostic-light LED codes to give a single part error. It seems that the refurbished main board has not been fully repaired and should have failed Dell Quality Assurance checks.
Hi @RPT943 thank you for sharing POST diagnostic-light LED code, 4 red 1 blue.
A similar 4,1 code appeared on Solved: m17 R3, four red lights, one blue - Dell Community and that m17 R3 series laptop appeared to have fixed itself. However, despite speculation, the explanation for appearance of 4,1 code was never determined.
Hi @DELL-Chris M can you shed some light on this problem. I have searched the online public Dell Support Knowledge Base and cannot find POST diagnostic led code, 4 red 1 blue. Is there an explanation within the internal to Dell database?
@DELL-Chris M yesterday after the laptop initially shut off on its own and was unresponsive, it took me about 3 hours of sitting with a paperweight before trying the bios clock reset method where you hold the powerbutton for 34 seconds. after that, it booted to a screen saying the CMOS checksum failed or something like that, but it only appeared the one time. after that its been completely random shutdowns flashing various codes, i dont remember the others but i remember seeing one blue then 2 red (did that once) and 4red then 1 blue most of the time now.
I understand that the service manual does not feature a code for 4/1, but I have video proof of the laptop randomly shutting itself down and flashing 4/1 continuously until the charger is unplugged and reinserted on two separate occasions today.
@crimsom i checked out that forum post with the m17 r3, however, my battery isn't disabled, it will boot and work without the ac adapter plugged in, but. i noticed that when i had the charging method set to turn off at 60 and turn on at 50 (also even when i set it to stop at 70 and turn on at 65) the laptop would preform prefect until it hit the "start charging" percentage and if it was under load that's when it would shut off.
Hi @RPT943 I had same problem with my m17 R4. Looks like that is a general issue for that spec. Fortunately, this issue is something that can be fixed permanently. Maybe your technician didn't do it right.
@deii unfortunately the m17 r4 does not feature removable RAM. its soldered onto the motherboard. did you mean the m17x r4? thats a different machine. I've gotten to the point where the laptop will boot and run perfect up until the point where it shuts down on its own. The shutdowns are completely random. sometimes it'll be in the middle of startup after login and just shut off. sometimes it will be idling or in the web browser and just shut off. I've managed to capture 2 videos of it shutting down during benchmarks. in one video it shutdown halfway through a unigine benchmark, but this was after completing 4 separate unigine benchmarks successfully. in the other video it was off of a fresh boot, and failed halfway through a single unigine benchmark.
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
1
March 11th, 2022 15:00
Hi @RPT943 Alienware m17 R4 Diagnostic-light LED codes (Red, Blue) 2,1 = Processor failure or 3,1 = Coin-cell battery failure. However, it seems more likely that the RAM card's electrical engagement wants cleaning and reseating.
The m17 R4 self diagnostic was probably Dell's ePSA Diagnostics that looks for hardware problems and did not find any. Hopefully the m17 R4 occasionally works, and then run Reliability Monitor to create event timeline. How to use Windows Reliability Monitor to identify software issues | Dell US Open the day and time that has problem, look for event that keeps reoccurring at other days and times. Open this event and look for root cause entry.
Please share update, thanks.
[This user does not work for Dell and volunteers their free time. Please remember to say thank you by clicking on Kudos as this user's only reward.]
RPT943
1 Rookie
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46 Posts
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March 11th, 2022 15:00
It's currently unresponsive. I know for a fact the battery is between 50-60% yet hitting the power button does absolutely nothing, even with the power brick plugged in.
A Dell certified technician just replaced this motherboard last week, though it is a refurbished motherboard. As far as reliability goes, today was the first time this motherboard showed any serious issues.
Also the ram is soldered onto the motherboard, and there is not a motherboard based CMOS battery on these laptops. I noticed that when the guy was replacing the motherboard
RPT943
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•
46 Posts
0
March 11th, 2022 16:00
@crimsom i dont know if youve already seen my second reply but i think it is a CMOS failure after all. after resetting the BIOS clock and updating the time, it booted normally with no issues so far, but i haven't monitored it long enough to be sure.
RPT943
1 Rookie
•
46 Posts
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March 11th, 2022 16:00
@crimsom i Think its a coin-cell battery failure. even though the motherboard does not feature a cmos battery, i held the power button for 34 seconds to reset the BIOS clock and other stuff, as per a dell article i found, and after that it did boot up and say that the CMOS checksum failed (or something to this effect). but, after setting the clock in the BIOS, it booted normal. BUT, i do not consider this a solution yet, I haven't been using it long enough. I need to monitor it closely for longer, ill update you.
I think the cmos failing in the battery itself is unusual to say the least because the battery health of the battery is excellent. when its at 100% it has the same Wh output numbers as a factory new battery, which is why i limit its charging to 60%, to try to help preserve it.
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
0
March 11th, 2022 16:00
Hi @RPT943 the CMOS circuit is part of the main board. I am currently using my ASUS laptop without main battery or coin cell battery.
Hope your fix is permanent. Kind regards.
crimsom
7 Technologist
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6.1K Posts
0
March 11th, 2022 16:00
Hi @RPT943 thank you for sharing update.
All main board repairs are undertaken using refurbished parts. Dell assigns a contractor to install parts and to check that system is up and running. The work of the assigned contractor is 100% under Dell warranty.
If the system is booted three times, the recovery window should appear, so that the operating system can be repaired.
Please run BIST. How to Run the LCD Built-in Self-Test on a Dell Laptop | Dell US
Please connect HDMI to external monitor or TV, to check if screen backlight has failed. When looking obliquely (at an angle) at the screen, is there a very faint image, to confirm backlight has failed.
Please share update, thanks.
RPT943
1 Rookie
•
46 Posts
0
March 11th, 2022 17:00
@crimsom I managed to trigger the pre-boot diagnostic check, because it failed to boot 3 times. After saying normal there, I made it go into os recovery and do a hardware diagnostic there. Well everything passed until it got to the memory section, there it was on it a few minutes until the laptop shut off and started blinking 4 red 1 blue continuously until the ac adapter was unplugged.
After that it booted normally, but I dont know how long it will last this time
RPT943
1 Rookie
•
46 Posts
0
March 11th, 2022 17:00
@crimsom unfortunately the problem is back. Only this time the power button is flashing. Alternating blue and red continuously. At first it was fine for about an hour until I decided to test it by loading a more aggressive fan profile and launching the superposition benchmark. It preformed normally with cool Temps until about halfway through the benchmark, thats when the laptop shut itself down, flashing the power button 3 times red and once blue
After that it started flashing, alternating between blue and red nonstop
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
1
March 11th, 2022 18:00
Hi @RPT943 thank you for sharing update.
These error codes are not all included in the Alienware m17 R4 Diagnostic-light LED codes to give a single part error. It seems that the refurbished main board has not been fully repaired and should have failed Dell Quality Assurance checks.
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
0
March 12th, 2022 00:00
Hi @RPT943 thank you for sharing POST diagnostic-light LED code, 4 red 1 blue.
A similar 4,1 code appeared on Solved: m17 R3, four red lights, one blue - Dell Community and that m17 R3 series laptop appeared to have fixed itself. However, despite speculation, the explanation for appearance of 4,1 code was never determined.
Hi @DELL-Chris M can you shed some light on this problem. I have searched the online public Dell Support Knowledge Base and cannot find POST diagnostic led code, 4 red 1 blue. Is there an explanation within the internal to Dell database?
RPT943
1 Rookie
•
46 Posts
0
March 12th, 2022 08:00
@DELL-Chris M yesterday after the laptop initially shut off on its own and was unresponsive, it took me about 3 hours of sitting with a paperweight before trying the bios clock reset method where you hold the powerbutton for 34 seconds. after that, it booted to a screen saying the CMOS checksum failed or something like that, but it only appeared the one time. after that its been completely random shutdowns flashing various codes, i dont remember the others but i remember seeing one blue then 2 red (did that once) and 4red then 1 blue most of the time now.
I understand that the service manual does not feature a code for 4/1, but I have video proof of the laptop randomly shutting itself down and flashing 4/1 continuously until the charger is unplugged and reinserted on two separate occasions today.
RPT943
1 Rookie
•
46 Posts
0
March 12th, 2022 08:00
@crimsom i checked out that forum post with the m17 r3, however, my battery isn't disabled, it will boot and work without the ac adapter plugged in, but. i noticed that when i had the charging method set to turn off at 60 and turn on at 50 (also even when i set it to stop at 70 and turn on at 65) the laptop would preform prefect until it hit the "start charging" percentage and if it was under load that's when it would shut off.
deii
1 Message
0
March 12th, 2022 08:00
Hi @RPT943 I had same problem with my m17 R4. Looks like that is a general issue for that spec. Fortunately, this issue is something that can be fixed permanently. Maybe your technician didn't do it right.
Here's how you can fix this issue on your m17 R4
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
•
56.9K Posts
1
March 12th, 2022 08:00
The internal document replicates what we see in the external Service Manual, no 4/1 =
But, this model does not ship with a RTC coin cell battery. See page 28 in the Service Manual =
Perhaps the BIOS is designed to "read" battery disconnected RTC reset cycle and to denote pass or fail for Coin-cell battery failure?
RPT943
1 Rookie
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46 Posts
0
March 12th, 2022 08:00
@deii unfortunately the m17 r4 does not feature removable RAM. its soldered onto the motherboard. did you mean the m17x r4? thats a different machine. I've gotten to the point where the laptop will boot and run perfect up until the point where it shuts down on its own. The shutdowns are completely random. sometimes it'll be in the middle of startup after login and just shut off. sometimes it will be idling or in the web browser and just shut off. I've managed to capture 2 videos of it shutting down during benchmarks. in one video it shutdown halfway through a unigine benchmark, but this was after completing 4 separate unigine benchmarks successfully. in the other video it was off of a fresh boot, and failed halfway through a single unigine benchmark.