Alienware X51 freeze/crash behavior

Hello, 

We appreciate your feedback. The crash could be software related, but try running an ePSA/Diagnostics test from the Boot Menu, just to make sure everything checks out. To access the Boot Menu, tap the F12 key during boot, then select the ePSA/Diagnostics option from the list. If you receive any errors during the test, let us know the error code and message.  

Few things that might be of help:

- Ran Alienware diagnostics a few times (memory, video card) and got no errors.

- Browsing hardware profiles, I got an error with the "Intel HD Driver" since forever. The periphery is marked as not working properly.

rocketh wrote:

 

1. - Ran Alienware diagnostics a few times (memory, video card) and got no errors.

2. - Browsing hardware profiles, I got an error with the "Intel HD Driver" since forever. The periphery is marked as not working properly.

1. Good. One hurdle down.

What "Release" of x51 do you have?

What video card to you have?

What wattage AC-Adapter is connected?

What version of Windows?

What video drivers?

2. Yeah, gotta fix that, definitely.

So, just done running a full ePSA diagnostic and got no errors.

As for your questions:

- R2

- Nvidia GTX 660

- says : "Output 16 V, Input 120-200 V". It's the default charger I got with my X51

- Windows 7

- 368.81

As for other devices, I remembered it wrong. The issues I see are:

- High Definition Audio device, which I disabled long ago (couldn't get it to work)

- There's a "Video Controller" device which is not recognized, and is currently disabled

rocketh wrote:

1. So, just done running a full ePSA diagnostic and got no errors.

 

2.  says : "Output 16 V, Input 120-200 V". It's the default charger I got with my X51

3. As for other devices, I remembered it wrong. The issues I see are:

- High Definition Audio device, which I disabled long ago (couldn't get it to work)

- There's a "Video Controller" device which is not recognized, and is currently disabled

1. Good

2. What output WATTAGE. Just trying to verify you have the 330watt unit

3. Should not be this way. Remove all USB devices (only KB, mouse, and monitor attached) and then...
   Try a clean install of Nvidia and Intel HD-video drivers.

After about 5-10 mins, the video crashes. It can either freeze on the spot, or disconnect entirely (monitor saying "no signal"). 

What does Reliability Monitor says happened right about then?

Install CPUID HW-Monitor and check temps (all but especially CPU cores and GPU) at Idle and while doing a little gaming.

2. I'll check the wattage as soon as I get home.

3. Just to be sure, what would you consider a "clean install"?
Something like this?

- Boot in safe mode

- Disinstall NVidia drivers

- Reboot in safe mode

- Install NVidia drivers and Intel HD

In the past, the moment W7 restarts (and it's connected to the internet) it would automatically install a video driver before I'd be able to install the Nvidia ones. So I guess I should avoid being connected to the internet?

I'm not sure order of Intel and Nvidia matters, as long as they both get freshly and properly installed.

I think I would uninstall Intel and Nvidia.

Get Intel installed. I guess you would use Dells latest version if they don't come from Windows Update.

Current Nvidia drivers have their own Custom/Clean-install options these days.

Some users use DDU, but I don't think that is really required for this combo. Seems more like an AMD thing.

Ok, to sum things up:

- My power charger model is : DA330PM111 , sorry but I couldn't find any wattage information on it.

- Temps are fine

- Updated the R2 BIOS to ver.12 (I had ver.10 installed). I still had a freeze after that.

- I then made a clean install of NVidia driver. I also installed the Intel HD Graphic driver (which was not installed at all) so now I see 2 video cards in my hardware list. That was yesterday, so I haven't been able to check for frezees yet.

- One weird thing in my hardware list is that I have 3 audio devices detected.

1. Realteck audio

2. Intel HD Audio (appeared after installing the Intel HD graphic)

3. Some "generic" Microsoft audio device, which is currently disabled. Note that I did NOT installed the Nvidia HD Audio driver, so maybe I should?

rocketh wrote:

Ok, to sum things up:

 

4. - My power charger model is : DA330PM111 , sorry but I couldn't find any wattage information on it.

5. - Temps are fine

 

6. - Updated the R2 BIOS to ver.12 (I had ver.10 installed).

 

7. - I then made a clean install of NVidia driver. I also installed the Intel HD Graphic driver (which was not installed at all) so now I see 2 video cards in my hardware list. That was yesterday, so I haven't been able to check for frezees yet.

 

- One weird thing in my hardware list is that I have 3 audio devices detected.

1. Realteck audio

2. Intel HD Audio (appeared after installing the Intel HD graphic)

3. Some "generic" Microsoft audio device, which is currently disabled. Note that I did NOT installed the Nvidia HD Audio driver, so maybe I should?

4. It's on there somewhere and should be verified

5. Good

6. Good

7. Good

1. Analog Audio ports

2. HDMI Audio for on-board Intel GPU

3. Likely HDMI Audio for Nvidia card. Yes, you should have installed it.

I install them so I have no errors in Device Manager. Then, just don't use them if you don't need them.

Also, check Reliability Monitor report like I requested.

Reliability monitor history reports all crashes as:

Incorrect Windows Arrest

(I'm translating that on the spot. In italian it's "Arresto non corretto di Windows")

There are no further details beside that.

rocketh wrote:

Reliability monitor history reports all crashes as:

 

Incorrect Windows Arrest

(I'm translating that on the spot. In italian it's "Arresto non corretto di Windows")

 

There are no further details beside that.

I'm guessing that is the standard "Incorrect Windows Shut-Down".

1. So, nothing else about Hardware Failure or other errors? Did you check all the days with Red Marks?

2. Did you get both video drivers completely installed so there is no errors in Device Manager? Like I said, go ahead and install Nvidia HD-Audio component (it's likely for the HDMI-Audio).

1. Nothing weird.

2. All drivers installed, and no errors in Device Manager concerning video/audio. I still have an unknown "bus controller device", though.

- Concerning the wattage, the information I read on the label are: 100-220 V , 4.4 A

- Most importantly, yesterday I tried something different  and found  out my pc doesn't actually crash.

This is what I tested:

1. Turn the pc on, booted to windows.

2. After the usual 5 minutes or so, the video froze. The image on my monitor did not change, and once the monitor went to sleep mode, it noticed me there was "no signal".

3. I kept the PC on instead of shutting it down.

4. About 5 mins later, the PC went normally into sleep mode.

5. I could restart it from sleep mode, as normally, but I still didn't get any video signal.

So I guess that means the pc doesn't actually freeze or crash. Those incorrect shut-downs on the monitor are probably me turning the pc off using the power button?

Also, almost everytime I get this freezes, something odd happens with the power later on. Usually, the pc starts turning off and on over and over until I disconnect the power plug and keep the power button held down for about 30 secs.

rocketh wrote:

2.  I still have an unknown "bus controller device", though.

 

3. Most importantly, yesterday I tried something different  and found  out my pc doesn't actually crash.

This is what I tested:

 

2. That must be fixed.

3. That is strange. You should get a nice UPS-Battery like APC. At least then your AC-Adapter and internal Power-Board have the best chance to work.

At this point, I suggest you clean-install Windows. If that whole new set if software doesn't fix, you 99% likely have a hardware problem, and some major component will need to be replaced.

https://community.dell.com/thread/24064-alienware-15-r2-fps-super-low-somedays-and-computer-runs-slow-somedays-help

Have you done a clean re-installation of windows?