BSOD all the time :( Alienware

[mac_shinobi]

If that's their attitude then demand a full refund as per your statutory rights. Don't get fobbed off!

 

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/how-to-reject-a-faulty-product-and-get-your-money-back/

 

• Distance Selling Regulations
  
• Sale of Goods Act 1979
  

 

Plus one to what @Arthur said. Get a desktop

[abillybob]

I know but I so badly want one I just want it to work. The sleep issue I could get round but since it just hung and wouldn't move from the starting windows screen that's when I had to call them. I've done a memory test, hard drive tests and CPU tests and all says they're fine I really don't understand it! I want to say it's a driver issue but it's just finding out which one is the problem!! I know I could get a refund but I love it despite these flaws I really don't believe it's a hardware issue otherwise it would have shown up in the tests surely??

[DMcCoy]

So it's as supplied... but then you mention you put an SSD in it. Have you tried it with just the original drive installed?

[mac_shinobi]

The original hard drive. Is that Sata version 1,2 or 3 in comparison to the SSD? Also I presume you have the issues on both drives?

 

Also in the bios before you install the OS what mode is SATA in ie IDE Compatable, AHCI?

 

Also either reset bios to factory defaults and are there any bios and or driver updates?

 

Maybe also make sure the intel matrix mass storage drivers are installed and updated

 

Also as Arthur mentioned if the drivers you are using don't work correctly then maybe try the Intel or relevant drivers from the manufacturers website for the component in question ie if the soundcard is by realtek / conexant / creative or who ever then get the drivers from there site not Dell / Alienware

 

I think Intel have a system scanner but won't allow you to download the drivers if the existing driver is installed as it detects them as unknown and states your manufacturer driver is already installed so may need to remove existing drivers or find the correct driver yourself / manually on the intel site

 

Also just out of curiosity not sure if Linux will have all the correct drivers but if you try a couple of Linux Distros ie Mint / Suse / Ubuntu

 

Do they have similar issues with crashing / freezing etc

 

Not related but I did have a Lenovo desktop that was in warranty and I burnt off a bootable diagnostics disc which could only test RAM and HDD and the RAM test ran fine and the hard drive one got to about 10% and the pc would reboot or freeze. They swapped the motherboard, the ram module and in the end it was the cpu that was at fault as in the processor. Once that was swapped it worked great

 

Also warranty cover on the laptop I presume has expired and the only cover you have will be a short period of time from where you purchased it from ?

[Arthur]

I'm hoping it's not my SSD that I installed

It's not an OCZ or SandForce-based SSD by any chance?

Edited November 19, 2013 by Arthur

[abillybob]

Hey guys no its a Kingston SSD and yes I did fit this myself I have ran loads of tests on it and it has always completed and passed with flying colours. Although I stumbled across something yesterday, I did a fresh install of Windows 7 from standad Microsoft Disc instead of alienware one and installed drivers from places such as nvidia etc... I read an artical about Dell modify drivers to work in specific for that computer. With the latest nvidia driver it crashed as always BSOD. So I uninstalled the latest nvidia driver and installed the nearly 9 month old one on Dell's website and re-tested it. So far I can't make it go wrong! Could this have been the problem all along? Or am I just being too optimistic?

[3s-gtech]

Could well be the cause, video drivers have always been a major source of BSODs. I'd also guess that this machine has Optimus - is it configured correctly?

[abillybob]

I do think it has optimus I remember seeing that somewhere. But what is it and how would I make sure it's configured correctly??

[abillybob]

I'd really like the latest drivers on it though especially for graphics as it will help a lot when gaming :/ bit of a bummer if you can only use Dells old drivers! Any help on getting the latest drivers working would be most appreciated!!!

[3s-gtech]

Optimus is an Nvidia technology - it disables the discrete graphics card when demands are low, then silently enables it when needed. Saves power, reduces heat and noise. It should be covered by the GPU drivers, it's possible there are machine specific optimisations included in Dell's drivers. If you look on Nvidia's website; their drivers usually say that the are not suitable for notebooks, and that you should go to your hardware vendor for updates. Most of the time you can safely ignore this, but you may have found the exception!

[abillybob]

Ah yes! That is what my laptop does only when I'm playing games will my discrete GPU kick in otherwise I just use Intels HD 4600 Integrated GPU for normal day to day tasks. Though speaking to Dell they say I should be able to use Nvidia's drivers with no problem although if the issue only happens when nvidias drivers are installed it surely can't be a hardware problem can it? Thanks for all your help mate appreciate it!

[abillybob]

Right after hours of work I'm shipping the thing back. Spoke to ecomputers (the people who I bought it off) and to be honest they have rubbish service kept saying he'd send me the RAM and Hard Drive and for me to replace it! I'm sick and tired of messing around with this device. I want a new one just hoping that 1. He'll reply as he hasn't since I said I want a replacement last night 2. That he'll agree!!! Awful service and he's so rude.... If anyone is thinking about buying from ecomputers dont.