Hel20eS

@Kaili sorry to say that 240w power supply doesn't help as I had it with 6970m and still shuts down while playing BF3.

Is it really overheating issue though? ran furmark for more than 15 minutes and the temp stays at 75 (1920x1080 fullscreen) but bf3 shuts down in less than 15 minutes with 69C shown on GPU-Z before shutdown. I just cleaned out my laptop too, both CPU and GPU with pads and paste.

ouch, sorry for your loss. hopefully you get your new card sorted out.

ah, so that's what it means by tight fit and all. so should that possibly by the problem that cause the shutdown?

If you have a 260m backplate you got a problem anyway, it doesn't work with the 7970m, you're likely to damage your card while using this backplate.

sorry to confuse or anything, but I have the 6970m, not the 7970m.

have you adjusted the holes of your backplate as in svl7's guide described?

"The backplate problem part 2" @ http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m15x/390-%5Bguide%5D-m15x-amd-6970m-6990m-everything-you-need-know.html

i have a 260m backplate. so i don't think i need to do any grinding since it's already low. however i'm confused about the first part of the backplate problem. does it mean that the backplate suppose to have a larger square ? if i have the 260m backplate, what do i have to modify? thanks for the help in advance

I also had this issue but I use 6970m instead. Compiling all the answers from other forum said that it's about heat issue. However like yours, my temp does not even reach 90 and it just shuts down and restart. Lowering voltage, lowering clocks, changing paste and pads, trying new hardwares (ram, cpu, 9 cell, 240w adapter), updating Bios, drivers, just doesn't help. I get shutdowns in BF3, Dota 2, Skyrim, all of these just makes me want to give up and sell it off...

It depends on your purpose of using the system. If you don't do much graphics work and only focus on gaming then you don't even need a 940xm; a 920xm would do. As for the 2720 or 2820 I'll leave it to the others since I only own a 920xm. M15x max cpu upgrade is 940xm by the way...