Alienware Laptop - what should I do right there?

[HgxPVP]

Hi guys.
I'm pretty new to this whole section of GPU and stuff(you can gladly call me a noob).
Anyways I have an Alienware m17x R4 and I think my GPU (nvidia gefore gtx 675m) just died because I'm getting the blackscreen and the 8 beeps when I try to startup windows. (I think I confirmed it is not an LCD failure because I connected the alienware into the Tv screen and nothing happend).

long story short.. I need to provide my alienware with a new graphic card ( I really hope that's the issue, cuz if not it will be throwing money in the sea) and I'm currently looking for that in http/www.nvidia.co.uk/object/geforce-laptop-graphics-uk.html but whenever I try to purchase it by clicking ''compare prices'' I get into a section that tells me to buy a whole new laptop?

Let us take gtx 770m for an example..there's like no way to buy any of these graphic cards. I'd like some help please. like provide me with a link to buy the graphic cards..

oh.. and can someone please confirm that is is actually a graphic card problem ? cuz I don't wanna waste over 300$ for nothing ;'/

thanks in advance ! <3

 

[RageGamingZone]

If you have an AMI BIOS then 8 beeps would mean a display memory Read/Write test failure. This is usually caused by a problem with the video card, or the memory on the video card. It can also be a motherboard issue. If it happens to be the GPU that you need to replace, then I can most likely help you.

 

[StarChief]

I'm not familiar with Alienware laptops, mostly because I don't like throwing away money, but in most laptops the GPU cannot be replaced. Have you tried contacting their support? They may be able to help you out or offer a refund/echange.

Good luck.

 

[WyomingKnott]

Unfortunately, laptops don't have graphics cards as such. They have mobile graphics chips soldered to a custom motherboard. Can't be replaced in the field. That's why you're seeing links to buy a whole new laptop.

The first question is - is it still in warranty? If so, make Dell fix it!

 

[HgxPVP]

I'm not familiar with Alienware laptops, mostly because I don't like throwing away money, but in most laptops the GPU cannot be replaced. Have you tried contacting their support? They may be able to help you out or offer a refund/echange.

Good luck.

Well that's the thing, you CAN infact change the graphic card on MSI, ASUS & Alienware laptops.. I'm having a big trouble right here.. Is there any way to confirm that it is a graphic card problem? ;'/

 

[HgxPVP]

Unfortunately, laptops don't have graphics cards as such. They have mobile graphics chips soldered to a custom motherboard. Can't be replaced in the field. That's why you're seeing links to buy a whole new laptop.

The first question is - is it still in warranty? If so, make Dell fix it!

How sure are you about that ! I know for fact that laptops in general cannot replace their components just as you said but I've seen many people changing their graphic card on the Alienware laptops and it is even supported by Dell (read it somewhere on the forums). Is it though really a graphic card problem?

 

[StarChief]

Try this for me:

Wrap the laptop exhausts in a towel or something, the goal here is to make it hot. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and reboot without the towel.

Connections in laptops sometimes get bad as the thing heats and cools and heats and cools over time, wearing down and cracking the connections. When you overheat it, the metal expands and sometimes bridges those connections and makes them work again, at least for a while. This is why the old Xbox 360 red ring of death overheat trick works.

If this works, it means that the motherboard has probably gone bad :c

 

[HgxPVP]

If you have an AMI BIOS then 8 beeps would mean a display memory Read/Write test failure. This is usually caused by a problem with the video card, or the memory on the video card. It can also be a motherboard issue. If it happens to be the GPU that you need to replace, then I can most likely help you.

unfortunately I do not know if I have AMI BIOS or not ( is there any way to know that). Anyways.. could it really be a video card failure? even thought that I connected my Laptop with an HDMI to the TV screen and still got the 8 beeps. Because Alienware support said that if it wouldve worked it would be an LCD problem.. and I guess an LCD problem have something with the video card right? And that's why I'm assuming that it might be the GPU that is the issue.

oh yeah? that sounds nice

 

[HgxPVP]

Try this for me:

Wrap the laptop exhausts in a towel or something, the goal here is to make it hot. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and reboot without the towel.

Connections in laptops sometimes get bad as the thing heats and cools and heats and cools over time, wearing down and cracking the connections. When you overheat it, the metal expands and sometimes bridges those connections and makes them work again, at least for a while. This is why the old Xbox 360 red ring of death overheat trick works.

If this works, it means that the motherboard has probably gone bad :c

Alright I'll test that out in a sec.. but when doing that should the Alienware be on and beep for 20 minutes? or should it get wraped with towels while it is OFF? and THEN take away the towels and start the pc again.
sorry for noob question

 

[RageGamingZone]

Unfortunately, laptops don't have graphics cards as such. They have mobile graphics chips soldered to a custom motherboard. Can't be replaced in the field. That's why you're seeing links to buy a whole new laptop.

The first question is - is it still in warranty? If so, make Dell fix it!

Just so you know, I happen to sell laptop graphic cards and there are high end laptop models that can be upgraded to better graphic cards. Most companies do build laptops with soldered so that you have to change the whole thing when they break.

 

[StarChief]

Try this for me:

Wrap the laptop exhausts in a towel or something, the goal here is to make it hot. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and reboot without the towel.

Connections in laptops sometimes get bad as the thing heats and cools and heats and cools over time, wearing down and cracking the connections. When you overheat it, the metal expands and sometimes bridges those connections and makes them work again, at least for a while. This is why the old Xbox 360 red ring of death overheat trick works.

If this works, it means that the motherboard has probably gone bad :c

Alright I'll test that out in a sec.. but when doing that should the Alienware be on and beep for 20 minutes? or should it get wraped with towels while it is OFF? and THEN take away the towels and start the pc again.
sorry for noob question

The point is to get it hot, so you want the exhausts blocked off while it's on, make that 10 minutes actually. If it beeps the whole time that might get annoying.

 

[USAFRet]

Wrapping it in a towel and letting it run does two things:
1. Does not let it get nearly hot enough to reflow any solder connections
2. Let's it get just hot enough for the CPU to throttle down due to reaching it's heat threshold. Thereby cooling back down a bit.