Aurora R6, randomly crashes, reboots

Question

Sick of trying to get through to Dell Customer Service outside of my working hours. I've been having issues with my R6 for a while now. At completely random points, it shuts down, without providing an error message. By random, I mean it could be idling on the desktop, in the middle of a game, using File Explorer, etc. Nothing is written in the Reliability Monitor Log. There is a single issue in Performance Monitor, however it is an Informational telling me that 13% of Events have disappeared from the log, which I'm not bothered about. Power supply SEEMS to be okay, the BIST passes (hold down the black button for 3 seconds, and the light comes on green). However I have read mixed reports online as to what constitutes a pass. I have 'Automatic Restart on System Failure' turned off. I've tried Legacy and UEFI BIOS modes. I've tried the full built in start up hardware test, and the short and long online diagnostic tests on the Dell support page. All to no avail. System crashes as it likes, and restarts. I have no viruses, in fact, Windows was completely brand new installed the other week. My boot disk is a brand new Crucial SSD, running alongside a Seagate HDD for apps to be installed in. This is doing my head in, and I need to get some help with it. I'll take ANY suggestions!!! Currently believe it may be a power issue, but given a pass in the BIST, I'm not so sure.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@Soundell wrote:1. Nothing is written in the Reliability Monitor Log.2. There is a single issue in Performance Monitor, however it is an Informational telling me that 13% of Events have disappeared from the log,3. Power supply SEEMS to be okay, the BIST passes (hold down the black button for 3 seconds, and the light comes on green).4. I have 'Automatic Restart on System Failure' turned off.5. I've tried Legacy and UEFI BIOS modes.6. I've tried the full built in start up hardware test, and the short and long online diagnostic tests on the Dell support page. All to no avail.7. My boot disk is a brand new Crucial SSD,8. but given a pass in the BIST, I'm not so sure. 1. That usually (about 85% of the time) points to bad hardware. However, recently I've also seen particularly bad Nvidia-drivers cause it. https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General-Read-Only/Aurora-R6-Hard-Lockup-and-crash-while-gaming-SOLVED/m-p/5504128#M6104 2. If this is a clean/fresh install, I would be concerned.  3. A good test, but checks very little. You should be using a good UPS (like APC with AVR-tech). 4. Good, then crash-logs will be written if possible 5. Only UEFI-Mode should be used 6. Yes, ePSA (F12 on boot, outside of Windows) must pass successfully. That is your first hurdle. 7. If it was working before, this SSD might be the problem or you damaged something while installing it. 8. ePSA only checks to about 90% accuracy. It's not 100% conclusive, but must be passed first. Removal all extra hardware while trying to find a set that works 100% perfectly. Simplify and methodically move forward.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@Soundell wrote:Windows was completely brand new installed the other week.  If you decide to do another clean/fresh install ... I suggest:- Set to UEFI-Mode and AHCI-Mode first- If ePSA passes, try a clean Windows install- Never install Intel-RST https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R7-M-2-NVMe-bootable-options/td-p/6073037

Soundell · Answer

Update RE: Point 1) The GeForce application appears to have worsened the symptoms as I shut down the system after installing it, then when to run the extended diagnostics (for about the 10th time) and it’s rebooted multiple times. It’s just now come up with the 'windows boot error' screen with the recovery options, but then crashed again from that screen, with no user interaction

Soundell · Answer

1) Updated the drivers from the GeForce install wizard. Hoping it's not bad hardware, it was all good stuff when bought...

2) It was the freshest of installs. Disks wiped, ISO burned to USB etc.

3) Not quite sure something like that would help, as it's a desktop without a battery?

4) Event Viewer shows a "Kernel-Power" (Event ID: 41) in the System log. Is that of any use?

5) I've been running UEFI recently, still no help.

6) By ePSA I assume you mean the built in Dell Diagnostic Tool? If so, passes with flying colours

7) Not an SSD related issue, as the unit was doing this before the SSD was even bought

8) When you say remove all other hardware, what do you mean? The SSD is now my sole boot disk, the Seagate HDD is the stock that came with the unit, and is no longer bootable (usable, yes, but it's now just used for storage).

Tesla1856 · Answer

@Soundell wrote:

1) Updated the drivers from the GeForce install wizard. Hoping it's not bad hardware, it was all good stuff when bought...

2) It was the freshest of installs. Disks wiped, ISO burned to USB etc.

3) Not quite sure something like that would help, as it's a desktop without a battery?

4) Event Viewer shows a "Kernel-Power" (Event ID: 41) in the System log. Is that of any use?

5) I've been running UEFI recently, still no help.

6) By ePSA I assume you mean the built in Dell Diagnostic Tool? If so, passes with flying colours

7) Not an SSD related issue, as the unit was doing this before the SSD was even bought

8) When you say remove all other hardware, what do you mean? The SSD is now my sole boot disk, the Seagate HDD is the stock that came with the unit, and is no longer bootable (usable, yes, but it's now just used for storage).

1. I don't use GeForce (Beta-Tester) Experience. Working Nvidia drivers are here, and how to install them cleanly:

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/My-Aurora-R6-The-Adventure-Continues/m-p/6224677/highlight/true#M6990

2. Good

3. Anything electronic, computerized, and expensive should be connected to something like this:

APC UPS with AVR

4. Normal and by-design

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R7-random-reboot/m-p/7247218/highlight/true#M8657

5. Good.

6. Yes. Good, that's a start.

7. If you say so.

8. No extra cards, USB devices, etc.

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Aurora R6, randomly crashes, reboots

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