M17x R2, screen issue an odd one!

Question

Hi everyone,

This is my first post in the community. I have a pc repair shop and get lots of different dell laptops with different issues but this one is very confusing!

Alienware M17X R2. It starts and boots to the splash screen fine, goes to bios fine BUT when you try to install any OS on it, it won't let you pass the first step. It stucks right after (press any key to boot...) and vertical lines appear on screen.

Here's what I've done:

1. I put a hard drive with a working windows 10 and also one with windows 7 and got error code 0xc0000098

2. I installed a working graphics card on it, same thing.

3. Here's where it gets confusing, I held D key to test the screen and power the laptop BUT it shows black screen and after a few secs it restarts and process as when screen test finishes.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

As I said I'm a pc expert please kindly do not suggest stuff like: clear the CMOS battery etc...

Thanks in advance

PJ0098 · Accepted Answer

Hi and sorry for the delay. I've been working hard for the last few days.

just wanted to say thanks @everyone who replied.

I found the solution which is so weird.

The problem was a bad CPU. yes the CPU!!! I swapped it at the end and the laptop is up and running now.

PJ

crimsom · Answer

Hi @PJ0098 welcome to this user to user discussion forum. This is not Dell Support.

(1) Alternative hard drive, error code 0xc0000098 = Modules, Windows (Kernel-Mode), The volume for a file has been externally altered such that the opened file is no longer valid.

(2) installing a working graphics card with alternative hard drive installed will still give hard drive, error code 0xc0000098.

(3) The D key LCD built-in self-test (BIST) diagnostics fail, but the screen sort of works. At splash screen, please run the F12 ePSA Diagnostics.

Please click on Kudos to say thank you for response from user that is not employed by Dell. Please share an update on progress, so that other users derive benefit from your experience. Thank you.

mattyb3 · Answer

If you've swapped the GPU out then it's more than likely the display, or the display cable. You could try opening up the display assembly and reseating the connector.

The R2 can take dual MXM GPU's, does the one you have have two installed or just one?

I have a spare display you could test with but you probably aren't in Australia which makes it difficult.

That error code seems to relate to a Windows or driver error rather than hardware though so I'd also try using a fresh new SSD and Installing Windows 7 or 10 from scratch. It's possible that the display error is a separate one from the BSOD error though.

You could also try asking the guys over at the Alienware forum at NotebookReview. Not many of them still run the old R2 but you may have more luck there.

Alienware

M17x R2, screen issue an odd one!

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