NZeroThreeOne Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Hi, I'm a new owner of a M18X that was recently sold to me and I am running into a set back a huge one at that. I am unable to boot the computer when the graphics card is installed, I can only post when running on integrated graphics. This is very frustrating because I would like to enjoy some games on this awesome laptop I just obtained. When it turns on with the card installed, it beeps once which according to the Beep pattern chart means Cmos or rom corruption. Has anyone else ran into this problem and know a quick fix or any fix at all? Any help is very much appreciated being that I am new and all. Thank you for your time and support. Oh yea and while installing my macro keys I broke the notch that holds the cable in place and I was wondering if its a part that can be ordered, its just the locking mechanism latch not the actual socket. From the looks of it a new locking latch can be popped into place. Photo provided below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder Michael Posted September 4, 2013 Founder Share Posted September 4, 2013 Did you buy it like this? I mean with the boot failure? Sounds like a faulty video card/vbios As for the latch - hate this crappy plastics. No way to order replacement from Dell, and yeah, they break real easy! Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder Brian Posted September 4, 2013 Founder Share Posted September 4, 2013 Unfortunately the only way to repair that broken plastic hinge is to purchase a brand new motherboard--it was one of Dell's poorest designs. As for the beeping, if it was sold to you that way, I'd ask for a refund. If however you bricked it, then we need more details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 Did you buy it like this? I mean with the boot failure? Sounds like a faulty video card/vbios As for the latch - hate this crappy plastics. No way to order replacement from Dell, and yeah, they break real easy! Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4Yes I did buy it this way but by removing the card it works perfect, I think the previous owner might have flashed the graphics card and something went wrong. But other than that set back everything else works, I'm scared to go spend money on a new card and yet face the same problem. Any help is much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 No its Not bricked at all, it boots up fine without the graphics card inside, It runs fine on the integrated graphics card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ht_addict Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Hi, I'm a new owner of a M18X that was recently sold to me and I am running into a set back a huge one at that. I am unable to boot the computer when the graphics card is installed, I can only post when running on integrated graphics.This is very frustrating because I would like to enjoy some games on this awesome laptop I just obtained. When it turns on with the card installed, it beeps once which according to the Beep pattern chart means Cmos or rom corruption. Has anyone else ran into this problem and know a quick fix or any fix at all? Any help is very much appreciated being that I am new and all. Thank you for your time and support. Oh yea and while installing my macro keys I broke the notch that holds the cable in place and I was wondering if its a part that can be ordered, its just the locking mechanism latch not the actual socket. From the looks of it a new locking latch can be popped into place. Photo provided below. Did you play around with the BIOS by chance? Try going in and loading defaults and save and exit. Does the unit hve the latest BIOS? Try booting into Windows on the integrated and re flashing the motherboard Bios? What video cards are installed? If you have Crossfire or SLI make sure the cable is installed right. Maybe try re installing the Vbios? Other than that i would ask for a refund As for the connection for the macro keys, if its just one of the legs, you can still use it. You just need to use tweezers to install. The pressure of the cable and connection will hold it in place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Hi thanks for taking the time in offering suggestion, I did flash the bios to a unlocked version I think A05 Don't quote me on that lol, I have no idea on how to flash the Vbios and I have no SLI or crossfire its a single card, I honestly do not know the model of the card. I'm tech savy but the Alienware scene is all to new to me. lol. I managed to get the Macro keys working by lodging a tiny folded piece of paper into the contact to hold the flex cable in place. Works perfectly Ghetto Fix As to installing the Vbios I would need to know which card I have and how to do it.... I've attached two photos in hope of maybe someone on here can Identify the card. These are High definition photos so you can zoom in to see more details if need be. http://s21.postimg.org/3ovmc8wvr/IMG_20130907_222030_793.jpg http://s21.postimg.org/s43udavsn/IMG_20130907_222041_785.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ht_addict Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Hi thanks for taking the time in offering suggestion, I did flash the bios to a unlocked version I think A05 Don't quote me on that lol, I have no idea on how to flash the Vbios and I have no SLI or crossfire its a single card, I honestly do not know the model of the card. I'm tech savy but the Alienware scene is all to new to me. lol. I managed to get the Macro keys working by lodging a tiny folded piece of paper into the contact to hold the flex cable in place. Works perfectly Ghetto Fix As to installing the Vbios I would need to know which card I have and how to do it.... I've attached two photos in hope of maybe someone on here can Identify the card. These are High definition photos so you can zoom in to see more details if need be. http://s21.postimg.org/3ovmc8wvr/IMG_20130907_222030_793.jpg http://s21.postimg.org/s43udavsn/IMG_20130907_222041_785.jpg The video card is an Nvidia based. You would have to pop of the heatsink to see the chip underneath to figure out the model. I think it is a GTX560M but don't quote me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 The video card is an Nvidia based. You would have to pop of the heat-sink to see the chip underneath to figure out the model. I think it is a GTX560M but don't quote meI have a hunch that it might be a GTX 460M.Ive been looking around on the forums and read a few post about flashing the Vbios can possibly fix issues like the one I am facing. But I need the card to be installed to do the flashing right? so I'm kind of stuck any suggestions or insight?I provided images as requested, Thank You all so much for all the help and quick responses. http://s8.postimg.org/p1ubu2f9h/IMG_20130908_200352_216.jpghttp://s8.postimg.org/cbq3gz7b9/IMG_20130908_200459_041.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 I now know I have a GTX 460M but I believe I need to install the proper vbios. I would like to attempt a blind flash with a USB keyboard, Would this work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ht_addict Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I have a hunch that it might be a GTX 460M.Ive been looking around on the forums and read a few post about flashing the Vbios can possibly fix issues like the one I am facing. But I need the card to be installed to do the flashing right? so I'm kind of stuck any suggestions or insight?I provided images as requested, Thank You all so much for all the help and quick responses. http://s8.postimg.org/p1ubu2f9h/IMG_20130908_200352_216.jpghttp://s8.postimg.org/cbq3gz7b9/IMG_20130908_200459_041.jpgI believe the flashing has to be done in DOS. So you would have to make a Dos bootable usb with the proper flash files on it. With your laptop apart and GPU removed insert USB, and boot the C: prompt. Carefully insert the GPU into the slot with computer running and see if you can flash it. Check with others on this forum and see if this may work before you try.Or try reflashing the MB Bios, just incase it is corruptOr if you know anyone with a M18x with 460's in Sli, replace the secondary GPU in theirs with yours and try a Vbios flash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 I believe the flashing has to be done in DOS. So you would have to make a Dos bootable usb with the proper flash files on it. With your laptop apart and GPU removed insert USB, and boot the C: prompt. Carefully insert the GPU into the slot with computer running and see if you can flash it. Check with others on this forum and see if this may work before you try.Or try reflashing the MB Bios, just incase it is corrupt Or if you know anyone with a M18x with 460's in Sli, replace the secondary GPU in theirs with yours and try a Vbios flash Thanks for the reply. I configured my bios to run only on IGFX and it boots while the card is seated in the slot but Nvflash says no Nvida display adapters detected. And I don't know anyone else who has a GTX 460M. I've been trying different methods that I come across via google but all of them so far have failed, I'm desperate to get this thing up and running. While the card is seated in its slot my bios won't even detect it. I was wondering if I could put it on the other slot I have and see if it detects it but I don't have a right side heatsink for the 460m, I wouldn't know which one to purchase that's compatible with this card so I could give that a try but I am expecting the same results.... IDK I'm sad about this. If I purchase a new card it wouldn't work either right? because the ROM currently in-place is either wrong or corrupt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ht_addict Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Thanks for the reply. I configured my bios to run only on IGFX and it boots while the card is seated in the slot but Nvflash says no Nvida display adapters detected. And I don't know anyone else who has a GTX 460M. I've been trying different methods that I come across via google but all of them so far have failed, I'm desperate to get this thing up and running. While the card is seated in its slot my bios won't even detect it. I was wondering if I could put it on the other slot I have and see if it detects it but I don't have a right side heatsink for the 460m, I wouldn't know which one to purchase that's compatible with this card so I could give that a try but I am expecting the same results.... IDK I'm sad about this. If I purchase a new card it wouldn't work either right? because the ROM currently in-place is either wrong or corrupt? A new card will work just fine. It will have a proper non corrupt BIOS. If you think that the BIOS on the motherboard is corrupt, then do a reflash of the motherboard BIOS to correct. The Vbios is located on the video card not the motherboard. Have you tried booting into Windows and hitting FN-F7 to see what happens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 A new card will work just fine. It will have a proper non corrupt BIOS. If you think that the BIOS on the motherboard is corrupt, then do a reflash of the motherboard BIOS to correct. The Vbios is located on the video card not the motherboard. Have you tried booting into Windows and hitting FN-F7 to see what happens?Thanks for the reply. When I press FN-F7 While the card is installed upon reboot the system beeps once and I get a black screen that I can't escape unless I remove the graphics card. I currently left the card installed but its not being recognized by the system because I set up my bios to only run on IGFX and removed it off of AUTO, With AUTO it did detect the card which causes me to get trapped with the single beep at start up and the Black Screen of Death. I've come to the conclusion that the vbios on the card are corrupt or were the wrong ones, by chance do any of you here know anyone on here that can provide the services to un-brick or recover the card for a reasonable fee?Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZeroThreeOne Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Good news!! My device still has warranty I was able to transfer it to my name, Nd they will be sending a technician to swap out the card for me plus provide me with a whole new keyboard, Because when I originally purchased it the keyboard was missing the U key and a few buttons weren't working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder Brian Posted September 18, 2013 Founder Share Posted September 18, 2013 Awesome! Glad Dell took care of ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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