Alienware x17 r3 bad drivers

If your AMD video card is not visible in the BIOS, then you obviously won't be able to install the drivers in Windows. If the BIOS does not detect the video card, then I am more inclined to think you have a hardware problem. I seriously doubt that what you are experiencing has anything to do with drivers.

Have you attempted to re-seat the GPU in the PCIe slot?

Have you tried flashing an unlocked BIOS from Tech|inferno to manually set the display adapter to PEG (discrete) mode to see if the GPU is detectable in the BIOS that way?

If all of those things have been tried and none of them work, then I suspect your video card is defective and needs to be replaced. If your video card was in the process of dying, this may also be what was causing your sleep issues. Resuming from sleep sometimes causes driver and operating system instability issues even when hardware is functioning correctly. Whenever hardware is malfunctioning, then all kinds of problems are magnified.

BJFOX,

Thanks for your reply,  unlocked bios from Tech inferno? don't know what you mean by that.  I updated my Bios to A12 a long time ago and I went a head and reflashed to V 8 then back to A12 just to be sure yesterday.  I also did change the display option from seg  to PEG (cant remember the options)however my computer would not start up and gave me the 8 beeps of doom.  I went a head and cleared cmos and it started up put same issue.  I also reseat the gbu a few times to try that. The sleep issue was from the first day a brought this piece of cr ap.  I just learned how to live with it and after losing info from school a few times I finally gave in.  The card worked fine so why would reinstalling windows jack  it up?  thanks again and I didn't put this on my first post because I was frustrated and the more I remembered the more I became pi ss ed off.

I understand that this is a very frustrating ordeal for you. It is natural that you would be unhappy with the situation as it is right now. You have a very nice machine and there are many happy Alienware owners with the same machine you have. I hope you can get this resolved so you can be numbered among them.

It could be a coincidence that the GPU has given up the ghost at a time that coincides with your Windows reinstall. I have seen many unexplained coincidences with computers and I suspect you have as well. We may never understand why, but it is a slim chance that reinstalling the OS has a direct causal relationship to the GPU not being detected in the BIOS.

If you have the option to change from SG to PEG mode in your BIOS, then you will not need an unlocked BIOS. I thought that menu was hidden in the factory BIOS and that is the only reason I asked. (An "unlocked BIOS" is one that is exactly the same as the factory BIOS is every respect except that hidden menus have been exposed to allow enhanced performance tuning.)

Everything you describe suggests that the video card has gone bad. Setting the BIOS to PEG should disable switchable graphics and force the use of discrete graphics. If doing that causes 8 beeps, this is a strong indication that your GPU needs to be replaced. It is also possible that the motherboard has a problem with the PCI-e slot, but it is more likely to be the video card itself.

Do you have a 6990M? Is the system still under warranty? The more critical issue at this point seems to be the need for a GPU replacement.

The M18xR1 (same generation as your M17xR3) had issues resuming from sleep, but almost every Dell, HP, Acer, IBM and Lenovo laptop and every custom built desktop I have owned has had glitches when resuming from sleep or hibernation of varying degrees and I tend to view it as being a Microsoft Windows problem more than a hardware specific issue. However, problems resuming from sleep can be exacerbated by hardware and driver problems. I had a laptop a couple of years ago that had serious issues resuming from sleep (hard lockups) that I traced back to Microsoft Security Essentials. Removing MSE fixed that problem. At that time I had 6 other machines running MSE that did not have the same issue. As I am sure you already know, troubleshooting issues with sleep and hibernation can be extremely frustrating, time consuming and end up never being resolved. I finally gave up on using that feature with Windows machines and simply turn my machines off when I am not using them.

I mention this because you might continue having issues resuming from sleep after the problem with the video card has been resolved. But, there is a chance that the video card replacement will improve or remedy that problem. Are you continuing to experience the same sleep problems now when using integrated graphics? If so, then try removing the discrete graphics card completely and see if the sleep problem continues. If it does, then we can expect replacing the GPU will not improve that situation for you.

I do not remember reading what kind of sleep problems you have experienced. Have your issues resuming from sleep been a black screen, lockup or BSOD issue? 

No, I think your problem right now is a hardware failure... bad 6990M card. I do not believe an updated BIOS is going to do anything for you.

BJFOX,

Again thanks for taking the time with your answers.  The sleep problem is fixed.  Yes I have a 6990M and I have to check the warranty. Yes I have the option SG and PEG.  So this is more of a software issue than a hardware?  Is dell going to fixed this problem with new bios? I gave them about $3000 bucks when this computer first came out.  I would hope they can fix this problem.

No, I think your problem right now is a hardware failure... bad 6990M card. I do not believe an updated BIOS is going to do anything for you.

Ok I dont really understand what you mean but Ill take your word

Hey triplej26 

I've had same problem with my x17R3 although they started with some repetitive blue screens at first. Then the European CEO run various flashes to bios all was well all components working but card still not recognised however every time I was starting a higher resolution game, blue screens where back! Clean reinstall of the os did not solve it either! They told me I need a new graphics card! 

Out of the 1 year Warranty 1 month I I invested another £200 in an amd 6970 since my trust in nvidia was gone.

With New card seated in I run all New os clean install again and card does not appear anywhere at all.dxdiag only shows the Intel 3000 card so does the device manager. Tried various drivers read all the forums, I just started to loose hope and I think more and more as many other people are, that Alienware is a big  Substitute character removed as per TOU> flashy looking con of a machine that is shouting undeserved self praise. Their products are full of faults and the company has by now a great record of faulty engineering with absolutely no interest in impriving. And that is probably because thay are too brainwashed by their greedy managers with their made up rising graphs and bigger piecharts showing and amazing well written lies about how their technology has amazing gaming power.

Update. The card is running normal; however the problem of waking the computer up from sleep mode is back.  If your read my first post I reinstalled windows because a dell support member told me that it would fix the issue.  (the issue is that the lcd light does not activate when the computer is turned back on from sleep mode.  I have to restart the computer every time and the problem has happen since day one of ownership). Ok after the reinstall the problem went away but so did my gaming card.  now that I fixed the gaming card the problem is back.  Soooooooooo dell again root of the problem  is the bios and drivers not the hardware!

Update. The card is running normal; however the problem of waking the computer up from sleep mode is back.  If your read my first post I reinstalled windows because a dell support member told me that it would fix the issue.  (the issue is that the lcd light does not activate when the computer is turned back on from sleep mode.  I have to restart the computer every time and the problem has happen since day one of ownership). Ok after the reinstall the problem went away but so did my gaming card.  now that I fixed the gaming card the problem is back.  Soooooooooo dell again root of the problem  is the bios and drivers not the hardware!

What BIOS version are you running? It is interesting that connecting HDMI "awakened" the GPU. There must be something that is causing an interruption in power delivery to the PCI-e slot. Have you tried flashing an older BIOS? Maybe they tried to fix something or add features and broke something in the process. Or, it is possible that corruption of some sort has occurred. Reflashing might help. Also try an older version Alienware OSD and Command Center.

When it comes to firmware, drivers, operating systems and software, sometimes the latest ain't the greatest. Windows 8 is one example of that, LOL. 

Yes I did try flashing old bios but all the same results.  I am currently running on A12 if I remember right.   From the beginning I suspected that the card was not receiving power but I could not find the reason.  The most obvious and easy answer was hardware failure but I knew that was not the case.  I do not run this computer hard nor did it ever show signs of failure.  also I have tried everything you listed an none worked.  After I google the problem it is as clear as day that it is an software issue because so many people have it.  This is just my way of thinking but what is the odds that a cr ap load of people have bad cards on the same model and it happens to both ATI and Nvidia.  I can promise that the number would be high.  BJFox do you have enough pull to let dell know about this issue?  There is endless forums on other sites about my same issue and none was able to fix the problem.

V/r John

i am having the exact same problem..and i do not undestand how you solved it with hdmi..please tell me what to do step by step..sorry for my english