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Dead M17x R4 After Upgrading to 3D screen from laptopscreen.com


thorolfo

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Broke my original screen, bought a new one from https://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Dell/ALIENWARE~M17X~R4/

but decided to go for the new 3D version instead of the original i broke. Popped the new one in, and woops the machine is dead, 7 beeps when putting in the battery, all else is black.

Put back the original screen, same 7 beeps of death. Both screens are virualy identical exept that the 3D version is 120hz, the rest is the same : 17.3-inch WideScreen WUXGA (1920x1080)...

So to you uberguru's here:

Question 1: is there a magic bullet to make it come alive again ? (hard reset etc)

Question 2: If it comes alive again, will a bios upgrade to unlocked a11 possibly make it work with the new 3D screen, or is it different mother boards on the r4's with and without 3D, or other issues ?

I've heard a lot of rumers for making it come alive again, but none of them works, like:

Alternative 1.

Remove the system battery.

Remove the Ac/adapter.

Hold the power button for 30 seconds without any power source.

Plug back the Ac/adapter only.

Hold the “FN” key and without releasing the key, Power "ON" the computer.

After step 5, you will notice the system will try to turn "ON" and after 5 seconds will restart, at this point you can release the “FN” key.

The computer will POST and starts loading Windows.

Shutdown your computer and plug back the system Battery.

Download the latest BIOS version for your Alienware System and run it.

Alternative 2 .

had to remove the cmos, and battery etc, hold power 45 secs, put all bk together except battery then power on whilst holding fn. This gave me 5 beeps... so I turned off and on again and it was all good... fun!

Alternative 3 .

I attempted a CMOS battery drain but it didnt work, holding down the right click on the touchpad while powering the machine on worked for me.

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I'm not sure if it will work see the 120hz 3D model doesn't have optimus, the iGPU doesn't even seem to be wired to the display. So I guess the motherboards are a bit different.

Try with plugging in the old broken screen and do a CMOS reset and it should boot again.

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3D screens usually have 50 pin connectors, or sometimes the normal 40 pin and an additional 10 pin. Are you sure that the 3D screen plugged in properly and that there wasn't a connector not plugged in?

Could you link the real model number of the screen? The link you provided does not have it.

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Thanks guys !

My main problem is that it is dead, so I cant get into the bios, now I have the original screen back in, and have tried following to no avail:

A: CMOS reset : taking out the cmos battery, the back battery, the power cord :

B: restarting, restarting holding fn, holding fn and right-click pad, right-click pad

C: CMOS reset : taking out the cmos battery, the back battery, the power cord : holding power button for 45 secs then B.

D: Holding powerbutton for 30 sec, with only the cmos battery, then B.

E: Holding powerbutton for 30 sec, after the 7 beeps.

Everything leaves to the same result: whenever I power on the pc with battery or cord, it beeps 7 times and stays dead, no lights no boot, no bios

Its very strange that it does not work now with the old screen back in.. perhaps I nuked it by not wearing a antistatic band..

or because its without the gorilla screen as this broke when peeling it of ;((

7 beeps seems to indicate cpu faliure... its weird.

Here are the model numbers of the screens as jpg

post-9908-14494995897107_thumb.jpg

post-9908-14494995896026_thumb.jpg

post-9908-14494995896307_thumb.jpg

post-9908-14494995896584_thumb.jpg

post-9908-14494995896851_thumb.jpg

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I'm not sure if it will work see the 120hz 3D model doesn't have optimus, the iGPU doesn't even seem to be wired to the display. So I guess the motherboards are a bit different.

Same mobo, but two different display connectors. The eDP is routed differently.

Its very strange that it does not work now with the old screen back in.. perhaps I nuked it by not wearing a antistatic band..

Did your old screen still work? A broke screen will result in an error at POST.

Also the proper way to enter crisis mode is to remove the battery, AC adapter and then do a power drain. Leave the batter and AC plug removed, press and hold the END key and then plug in the AC jack (while still holding END). Then the system should power up automatically without having to press the power button iirc.

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Thanks svl7 !

I tried removing the ac, battery, then doing a power drain (with and without removing the cmos battery), then held end and then inserted the ac, still no change, it always beeps 7 times.

I think I'l give up and send it to dell.nl for repair..

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Thanks svl7 !

I tried removing the ac, battery, then doing a power drain (with and without removing the cmos battery), then held end and then inserted the ac, still no change, it always beeps 7 times.

I think I'l give up and send it to dell.nl for repair..

What was your previous display? I'm thinking that you jammed the new one into the LVDS connector and blew out the motherboard when you turned it on.

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  • 7 months later...

i did the same thing in a clevo w880cu with the same 40 pin screen 120hz samsung screen it fryed my motherbord and the screen. tho i have never found out exactly what has cased this to happen as both screens have the same 40 pin connector. its been bugging me ever sence as to why it didnt work dous anyony have an in depth ansear as to why it didnt work? would love to know ... maby then i could find a way to make it work.

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  • 2 months later...

Would also like to ask. Is it possible to revert to a non 3d screen from a 3d one? Are the two connectors even functioning on each models? And really, any ideas on y the board fries cuz I really wanna know...it's weird .

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