[Alienware 17R4 / 15R3] - Disassembly + Repaste Guide + Results

Hello there and welcome. I'm currently working on the 17R4 Review and it should be up soon.

As for a machine that would last you 5 years, if there ever was one from AW (build quality wise) this new variant would definitely be it. To keep it short, it's built like a tank.

Also, since your getting the 4 year warranty, you're all set....worry free. 5 years of ownership? Easy. Piece of cake.

Thanks for the feedback! It's greatly appreciated and the pleasure is mine.

 

Yesterday I have repasted my GPU and CPU on my Alienware 17R4 with liquid metal. Well it took me some time to get the right handling but after a few hours I got my Alien up an running. Thanks to the guide.

The GPU temps seem to be fine. But two of my CPU Cores are getting over 90 - 100 °C (thermal throttling). There are #0 and #2 in HWINFO. The heatsink of the CPU is fixed with three screws. All screws are correctly mounted as far as I know. So I guess it could only be the paste. How much should I use? I have only put the paste on the small silver square in the middle of the CPU and on the cooler. Everything else is protected with tape. I really don't have a clue what could be the issue. I don't think that I have bented the heatsink or something like that. Before the repaste by temps on CPU were even. Whenn running a CPU bench the Alien will shutdown because of the high temperatures of CPU #0 and #2

Need help :/

 

Trying making your desktop refresh 60hz then higher refresh in games. The higher refresh rates make the gpu run hotter and when at the desktop it's probably making things run hotter than necessary pushing the higher refresh rates. Was a big issue on desktops when 120/144 screens came out.

 

I don't believe it'll be the paste. A lot of us are experiencing the same issues with core 0 and 2 overheating (in particular core 0). I have repasted my AW15R3 with Gelid Extreme, and even though it's not considered as good as liquid metal, it should be good enough. I am still getting CPU temps 90C+, and it can't even maintain 2.6GHz in an extreme stress test.

 

@CarbonTwelve Before the repaste my temps were okay (with DELL paste). Not above 75-80°C under high load. So the CPU should be fine.

Furthermore it is the Alienware 17 R4.

 

Got some news for you who are expecting Bios update to reduce temps from Alienware Tech support. Lol<br /><br />Engineering releases a new BIOS every time they find something that needs improvement, however since this temperatures are approved by Intel for this processor, most likely there won't be a version to reduce them.<br /><br />Lol so Alienware is lying then about having an amazing cooling system then, no?<br /><br />Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk

Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk

 

It looks like you don't need to remove the mobo for the repast :

Check this video @01:10:00

 

Could be just me, but doesn't that whole cooling system look different from what is shipping? Maybe this was an early prototype?

 

It's the Alien 15R3's cooling system, not the 17R4's. I'll confirm this when il'll get my Gryzzly Conductonaute.

 

Just watched my AW tech re-paste. We tried to separate the heat pipes from the fan assembly. It DID NOT come apart like the Chinese re-paste vid. That does look like a preproduction model, we came to that conclusion.

 

Yeah, even for the 15R3 it's definitely different. In my model the fans are attached to the heatpipes, which means you have to remove the motherboard because the fans are connected underneath. Also, that model has 2 large heatpipes whereas mine has 3 slightly smaller ones.

 

Bingo. That video shows a preproduction model 100%. Heatpipes and fan assembly are 1 piece. Like you said, motherboard has to come out in the AW15. Wish it was different.

 

If thicker paste make the results better..., Probably warped/uneven heatsink or you haven't screwed down firmly. Open up again and see how the results is. Try with a bit more Liquid metal. And not the whole syringe If the results is still bad, request a new heatsink.

 

We've just had an Alienware rep at PAX Australia confirm that a new BIOS is on the way because apparently the BIOS is reading incorrect temperatures from the CPU:
https://www.twitch.tv/alienware/v/99048794
Watch from 1:04:00.

 

A bios update is not enough to drop 20c from full load though

 

If the BIOS is misreading the temperature then it's certainly possible.

 

↓↓↓

What about those whithout major problems with different temp between cores and have decent max temp? They use exactly the same bios. Why have not all exactly the same problem, when Bios / Ec is the same? Do not take everything at face value from any Tech or salesman.

 

The rolling eyes are completely unnecessary. Do you believe it's completely impossible for a BIOS to be the cause of the temperature readings and throttling? If so, fine. I'll wait and see. If not, fine, let's wait and see.

As for why some people are experiencing it and not all, as I said, could be different motherboard configurations or revisions. Unlikely, but possible, especially given it mostly seems the second batch (those that came at the time of the 120Hz panels) that seem to be affected even after repaste.

Who says I'm taking it at face value? I'm not 100% certain this will fix the issues. In fact, far from it. But I do believe that it's at least possible.

 

It was not meant the way you think. Sorry if you were flustered by the use of smilies. I know that OEM's are useless to write bios. Everything is possible because of useless job or they have poor knowledge, but that other machines with the same firmware don't have problem at all, should be a wake

 

Short Note: My repaste was successfull now. There ist a minor delta between the heatsink and the DIE, therfore I had to use some more liquid metal. Now the temps are very impressive. Max 70°C on 4,1 Ghz on every Core. Temp differneces between cores are also very minor now 2-4 °C.

 

Would be great to hear what you think you did wrong the first time and what you did differently the second time

 

I received my replacement unit and although it does not shut down,the max temps I got was 93 on stress test but when I undervolt using XTU, my temps were between high 70s to mid to high 80s playing Witcher 3. Seems improved but I need to undervolt my CPU. I'll wait for the New Bios update and see if it is really the temp sensor issue.

I do get 90 temp spike but it's not consistent. In fact, while I average between high 70s to mid to high 80s, I only get 90 temp spike just for one second and it gets back to the temp average then after 10 mins, it goes to 90s just for one second again then goes back to mid 80s


I really wanted someone to repaste my replacement unit. The other dell tech that tried to do on my old unit screwed up the hinges on my monitor. Any one in the Los Angeles area that can hook me up?

Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk

 

@PMF I have just used some more liquid metal for the CPU DIE because there is a minor delta between heatsink and the DIE. So I have added some more LM on the cooler part of the CPU and and on the DIE itself.

 

I tested Witcher 2. Degrees is between low 70s to mid 80s CPU. Not bad.<br /><br />It's only Witcher 3 that can spike till 93 degrees just for one second and goes back to high 70s to high 80s on average. <br /><br /><br /><br />Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk

Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk

 

Hey iunlock! New on the forums here, I am planning on buying AW17 soon when GTX1080 version comes and thought maybe repaste once I get the system. I just would like to know if you remove the electric tape after repasting and when done with everything? Sorry for the very noob question just was confused. Also I am in between if I should go with 4K display or 1080P. I dont care about 120hz display since I hate TN panels

 

I personally don't really need 4k at this time until content catches up to it and so I've personally been doing 1080 on all my devices when given the choice. That's what it'll boil down to though, your preference of futureproofing at a little more cost vs the thing that will get you by until the new tech becomes the norm and if you'll be ok with not having the latest and greatest.

 

No, not good info, don't remove the electrical tape.

 

Sorry, my bad, I thought this was a completely different thread talking about using electrical tape and must have skipped over pieces of the post that would have told me I was not where I thought I was! Disregard my post, I'll edit to prevent the bad info from being read by others.

 

Is it possible to view GPU and CPU temps in HWinfo? If not, what program is recommended, I tried using HWinfo and it said some error and I think I pressed cancel and it showed only CPU, doesn't show GPU. Didn't bother to install Afterburner or Precision X yet, since I want to get a SSD around black friday

 

HWinfo should show everything. Try elevating to run as administrator.

 

Ok maybe it wasn't working simply cuz it wasn't activated from loading a game I didn't think of that until now haha. But another question, it doesn't show "minimum temperature" is that normal?

Also a question for others - I took these screenshots with the only thing running that isn't factory default is Avira. I guess I may be spoiled with using SSDs for a while but this still doesn't look normal. It eventually goes down to 0-1% HDD usage but why would it be showing such high usage with like 3MB of load?

Edit: http://imgur.com/a/w510x

 

The image isn't showing up for me for some reason but with the system being new it may merely be updating windows/AV in the background.

As for min temperature there is a Monitoring option in the top menu that will pull up the sensors readout. That'll give you the min, max, average, and current.

 

Damn I didn't even mean to go off topic Idk why I did that, but I edited the post with a imgur link. Thanks, I plan to just install a SSD/M.2 and repaste at the same time so I don't gotta go taking it apart twice. I'm sure my temps are ridiculous since I have gamed fine, but I love a quiet system

 

So when doing a liquid metal repaste keep the electric tape right?

 

I am thinking of going 4K and maybe in future get a amplifier to make it last for another year or two if possible. I currently own a MSI GT70 with FHD and GTX780m so tired of 1080P want something new.
But I get your point on lack of content for 4K

 

Is there anyone in Chicago area willing to do liquid metal repaste for me? I did repaste with kryonaut but there's still room for improvement and I don't feel comfortable doing it by myself. I'll pay...

 

Hey guys, I will be getting my laptop soon and I have a little stupid question about the liquid metal repast.
Will the liquid metal melt after paste?

 

It turns into T1000.

jk...No the liquid metal does not break down like traditional paste. Under very rare circumstances does one need to redo a liquid metal repaste if done properly.

 

actually coolaboratory liquid metal pad requires you to melt the "pad" that you put as TIM (burn in)

 

If it does...I'll buy like 1tone of liquid metal and I'll get a army of Alienware type T1000 >Nice !

Is it 1g of CONDUCONAUT，Artic sliver arcticlean and super 33+ everything I need?

 

You should PM @Mobius 1 ...

 

How can I PM him? When I click on his profile I don't get an option to send him a message.

 

If the heatsink pressure on Die isn't good enough, Liquid metal will dry out pretty fast(people need a working heatsink from Dell - or fix the heatsink pressure problem as described before use).

 

Yes, and that's what I had meant about, "in very rare cases...." which I guess an uneven heat sink isn't so rare these day......sad...

::iunlock::

 

I'm trying to find a good 15 R2 teardown / repaste video. I have the 6820HK with a super cool core 3, I likely need a new motherboard, but I want to see what a repaste does first Anyone seen any? .

 

I unlock, could you measure the DIE sizes for me? I plan to purchase and use some 0.3mm shims to fix this thermal issue found with the new aw

 

Is anyone located in the Southern Maryland area want to repaste my R4 laptop when I receive it in the next couple of weeks? I know I could do it, but I prefer someone with a bit more skill than me to do it.

 

If you'd be willing to wait a week or two for me to get mine and try my hand at it first, absolutely. I've done repasting for plenty of hardware before (xbox 360s, PS3s, MacBook Pros, some other laptops) but I would want to make sure I could do it first and not use your machine as a guinea pig! I'm in the NoVa area, so southern MD isn't far at all.

 

That sounds good. I am not in a hurry because I haven't ordered it yet. I might be ordering it this week if everything goes to plan.

 

Where i can find the description to fix the heatsink pressure myself?