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soubuckeye
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6 Posts
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7075
August 21st, 2021 05:00
m15 R4, all games crashing
I just got a new m15 R4 in the past two weeks, and have been becoming frustrated at issues I've been having with pretty much everything I try to run game-wise. All seem to be video-related issues, and I have been trying a myriad of solutions to try to find and eliminate any sort of software conflicts but have (for the most part) come up empty. I've gone so far as to disable TDR checker in my registry, change refresh rate for the whole system to a default of 60Hz, etc etc. Below are the games I've been trying to run and how they're crashing. You'll notice that nothing is a brand new screamer of a game that would really tax my system, so the RTX 3070 SHOULD be able to run them with one hand tied behind its back, and thermal issues have never popped up - even on the heels of a crash (everything CPU & GPU is < 60). But I've also tried to ensure that the system wasn't being overclocked just to be certain. I've done the System File Checker a few times as well, and probably a couple others I can't think of off the top of my head. Here are the games and crashes experienced:
Civilization VI: Won't run, either DX 12 or DX 11. When loading the game itself (start game after the menus) it crashes out. Occasionally I'll get "display device has failed." Other times its simply the Firaxis Crash Reporter that pops up.
Civilization V: Black screen of death. Often I will get the box blaming the crash on "DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED. Driver Failure."
Aim Lab: This is about the only thing that has run without issue.
Minecraft: Has improved with its stability with some of my fix attempts. But still getting Exit Code 0 crashes occasionally. Sometimes I can play for 5 minutes, sometimes 20-30. The biggest help I've had here is turning off the GeForce Experience overlays.
Splitgate Beta: Crashes after maybe 10 seconds of getting into the game (if that). Sometimes crashes out while still waiting in the queue. UE4 crash reporter is the only clue here.
When researching issues individually with these games the solutions are always update drivers, then check integrity of the install / reinstall. I'd be okay with integrity if it was just ONE game, but this is obviously something that's across the board issue. I'm still within my 30 day window, so if I got a bad system out of the box I still have some time to get it taken care of, but I'd also be happy with a fix if its not a bad hardware issue so I don't have to deal with the headache of shipping something back and waiting for a new one.
Thanks in advance for advice and solutions!
5616
1
Posted August 21st, 2021 06:00
You can have a look at this web page but you may have GPU issues. I would call Dell tech support and have them assist you to determine the problem.
I am not a Dell employee...I am forum volunteer
Serious work on an E5430 and constantly building and working on an i5-6500 Desktop
5607
1
Posted August 21st, 2021 09:00
Hi @soubuckeye welcome to this user to user discussion forum. This is not Dell Support.
All these crashes should be creating Critical Events that say Alienware m15 R4 laptop has a problem. Please run Reliability Monitor and wait for all events to load to give fault timeline. No need to go looking for these Critical Events, because you can trigger their occurrence. If its a common mode fault, there will be many events with same title descriptor. Click to open event and look for Microsoft error code which is usually obscure. Search on internet for similar fault with same error code, their solution may be your fix.
You did not mention that there are POST diagnostic lights/beeps, it does not test all hardware. Please run F12 ePSA Diagnostics which will test more hardware, but not everything.
Please run Intel Driver & Support Assistant to identify your products and get driver and software updates.
Please visit Device Manager to see if any drivers have a yellow triangle that usually means an update is required.
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.
[This user does not work for Dell and volunteers their free time. Please remember to say thank you by clicking on my thumb up icon.]5600
0
Posted August 21st, 2021 11:00
I appreciate the response. I did run the ePSA the other night (Aug 16) and found no errors (well... didn't have the power supply plugged in at first). Just finished running it again and everything was perfectly fine.
Reliability monitor gave me a pretty good rundown of crashes, and I can at least confirm its graphics card related. Seems it may be a driver issue: everything is coming up error code 117 (Copy-Paste of one of the errors):
Source
WindowsSummary
Hardware errorDate
8/21/2021 8:27 AMStatus
Report sentDescription
A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Code: 117
Parameter 1: ffffbc0f3bdf3460
Parameter 2: fffff80769617894
Parameter 3: 0
Parameter 4: 0
OS version: 10_0_19042
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1
OS Version: 10.0.19042.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID: 1033Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: LKD_0x117_Tdr:A_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys_Ampere
Server information: 0e8ed687-dc9c-4aaa-afc0-981b130f831aI also have a couple error code 141's and 142's in there as well:
Source
WindowsSummary
Hardware errorDate
8/20/2021 9:52 PMStatus
Report sentDescription
A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Code: 142
Parameter 1: ffffd206a619f460
Parameter 2: fffff8038b357894
Parameter 3: 0
Parameter 4: 2d48
OS version: 10_0_19042
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1
OS Version: 10.0.19042.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID: 1033Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: LKD_0x142_Tdr:6_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys_Ampere
Server information: edd914e5-78f8-40cf-b69a-f9e849a09f56And:
Source
WindowsSummary
Hardware errorDate
8/20/2021 4:16 PMStatus
Report sentDescription
A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Code: 141
Parameter 1: ffffaa884f386010
Parameter 2: fffff80484c47894
Parameter 3: 0
Parameter 4: e74
OS version: 10_0_19042
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1
OS Version: 10.0.19042.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID: 1033Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: LKD_0x141_Tdr:6_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys_Ampere_3D
Server information: 4f56d54c-3192-4d9d-a632-ac729cb02ff5The fact that its nvlddmkm.sys causing the headache does make it seem like a driver issue. I'll see if I can roll back the driver, since I was the dutiful person who ran full updates on everything (including BIOS) when I first took it out of the box back on Aug 12. Any other insight would be most appreciated as well and I'll update this as "solved" if we're happy after that.
5596
1
Posted August 21st, 2021 13:00
Hi @soubuckeye thank you for sharing update.
The nvlddmkm.sys error is usually a NVIDIA GPU driver problem. There are many articles on the internet providing guidance on ways to fix the nvlddmkm.sys error in Windows 10.
Please share an update on progress, so that other users derive benefit from your experience. Thank you.
[This user does not work for Dell and volunteers their free time. Please remember to say thank you by clicking on my thumb up icon.]5589
0
Posted August 21st, 2021 14:00
I removed the driver then re-installed to GeForce driver version 466.11 (its a couple months old as opposed to the latest).
No love. Civ VI and Splitgate (a good testbed since it uses the Unreal engine) both crashed as before. Reliability Monitor gave me a triple "Hardware Error" at the same timestamp with error codes 141, 142, and 117 when I attempted to run one of those. In regards to the link you sent me about fixing that particular error, I've tried most of those except underclocking - and if that's what fixes my issue that just drives home its a hardware issue and thus a bad GPU. And being in my 30 day window..... yeah.
Going to look to see if there's other options out there for the nvlddmkm.sys errors, or if I didn't get the old/new driver unstalled completely although I used DDU to do the job after I booted into safe mode.
5575
0
Posted August 21st, 2021 20:00
Just finished up with Dell, and they had me run the stress test on the card.
Made it through the lighting, wire frame, and rendering tests just fine. The moment the DXR test tried to start, it popped up and said "failed." No error code, no nothing. Think it even caught the tech off guard who immediately was like "yeah, that's a bad graphics card."
So since I'm in the 30 day window, I'll be getting with Dell Customer Care and getting them to swap out the system.
5578
0
Posted August 21st, 2021 20:00
Started getting some Watchdog BSOD's tonight. Gonna contact Dell Techincal Support. I'm becoming more and more convinced I have a bad lemon out of the box.
5570
1
Posted August 22nd, 2021 00:00
Hi @soubuckeye thank you for sharing update.
Having established that new m15 R4 has GPU fault, Dell Support needs to officially know that you are requesting to Reject within 30 day Approval timescale, and your remedy is either to get new replacement system or full refund. Dell Refund policy, New vs Refurbished
Please visit your online Dell account Service Requests to check if Reject request has already been created for you. If not, do not delay, please ask Dell Support to create a Service Request for you, so that Dell officially knows that the new m15 R4 has GPU fault. Include that Dell Technical Support has already determined that there is a GPU fault. Clearly state your Reject remedy, new replacement system or full refund. Request escalation of Service Request to Dell tier that has authority to authorise your Reject request and your chosen remedy.
Please share an update on progress, so that other users derive benefit from your experience. Thank you.
[This user does not work for Dell and volunteers their free time. Please remember to say thank you by clicking on my thumb up icon.]1272
0
Posted August 22nd, 2021 07:00
Hi @soubuckeye thank you for sharing update.
Dell tracking will confirm these dates and timescale of your delivery.
The Dell Reject within 30 days varies, depending if it was (1) held in local storage and then sent to you by local delivery, or (2) is imported, has to wait for customs clearance, and only then, your 30 days Approval starts when local delivery starts. There should be no difficulty with Dell's acknowledgement of when the 30 days Approval timescale actually started.
Please click on @DELL-Cares to send Private Message and request their assistance/intervention. Thanks.
[This user does not work for Dell and volunteers their free time. Please remember to say thank you by clicking on my thumb up icon.]
soubuckeye
1 Rookie
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6 Posts
5557
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Posted August 22nd, 2021 06:00
Yet another update:
I have said up front that I am within my 30 day window. That is based on the fact I received my system on August 12th. Apparently, though, Dell's 30 day return policy is based on the invoice date. My particular system was shipped from China and was held up in Customs on both ends (over a week on the US side) and thus it took THREE WEEKS for my system to arrive after it was shipped. The invoice/shipping date is July 20th, which with my return request I am several days outside the 30 day window. Personally, I feel this is unacceptable because my real return window was exactly 7 days after receiving (Aug 12 - 19). It was during that time I was spending setting up the system and trying some of the other software conflict resolution issues on top of the schedule of real life. When making the return request by phone, the Dell automated system announced that I was outside the window and that no exceptions could be made. To me, this is pure (censored).
To make matters worse, Dell's return department is closed on weekends (this thread took place on a Saturday and Sunday, August 21 & 22). I have responded to all service requests (including my tech support call) to make clear I wish to have the 30 day return policy honored by replacing my system with one that is not defective. I also initiated a new service request with that same message. I also plan on calling Dell directly on Monday as soon as I am able.
I appreciate the help crimsom and JOcean have provided, but at this point my challenge will be dealing with Customer Care to have this defective m15 R4 replaced.
August 21 = Everything is now taken care of - the old (defective) system has been shipped back for a week, and my replacement system is running just as expected.