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    AW 17 R4 Black Screen after BIOS Flash

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by SkylineLvr, Aug 23, 2017.

  1. SkylineLvr

    SkylineLvr Notebook Deity

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    Anyone know how to do a blind flash for the BIOS? I updated to the latest BIOS and noticed high CPU temps. Upon downgrading the BIOS I am now stuck on a black screen. Pretty frustrated as I had some free time to game tonight.
     
    SkylineLvr, Aug 23, 2017
    #1
  2. bloodhawk

    bloodhawk Derailer of threads.

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    Did you try shorting the clear RTC pins under the lower memory slot ?
     
    bloodhawk, Aug 23, 2017
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    Vasudev likes this.
  3. SkylineLvr

    SkylineLvr Notebook Deity

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    I have not. Looking under the RAM stick now, not sure where they are.
     
    SkylineLvr, Aug 23, 2017
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  4. SkylineLvr

    SkylineLvr Notebook Deity

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    That didn't help at all. I'm trying the below method from Lord Zog, but not sure if I'm doing something wrong as it hasn't done anything after I have connected the PSU. I'm assuming that this method doesn't work for the R4.

     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2017
    SkylineLvr, Aug 23, 2017
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  5. SkylineLvr

    SkylineLvr Notebook Deity

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    Update:

    I got it working now. Hooked up my laptop to my TV and got it to display there. Strange, but I guess I the BIOS I downgraded to wasn't compatible to the GPU? I wanted to downgrade to 1.0.9 as that was on my system before I flashed to the newest BIOS. I ended up reverting to 1.0.1 by mistake.

    Is there a preferred BIOS for a 7820HK + GTX 1080?
     
    SkylineLvr, Aug 24, 2017
    #5
  6. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Was it version 1.1.9 or 1.0.8?
    You use Dell flash update utility which can be accessed by pressing F12 upon startup and the file in EXE must be in root of usb drive.
     
    Vasudev, Aug 24, 2017
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  7. SkylineLvr

    SkylineLvr Notebook Deity

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    I found the update utility, but it wasn't showing any files. I then realized that I changed the .exe file following the directions from above. Good thing to know now.

    I was downgrading from 1.1.9 to what I thought was 1.0.9, but was actually 1.0.1.
     
    SkylineLvr, Aug 24, 2017
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  8. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    That seems like a very old BIOS 1.0.1
     
    Vasudev, Aug 24, 2017
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  9. SkylineLvr

    SkylineLvr Notebook Deity

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    I believe it was. Glad I'm back and running now. Anyone have any recommendations on a specific BIOS that seems the most stable?
     
    SkylineLvr, Aug 26, 2017
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  10. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    IIRC, most stable I heard in these threads was 1.0.8
     
    Vasudev, Aug 26, 2017
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  11. AdamJP

    AdamJP Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello SkylineLvr,

    I'm trying to do the same thing and I've got a Alienware 17 R4 like you but when I plug the PSU nothing happens. Did you name the two files after the guide?

    Thanks and happy new year!
     
    AdamJP, Jan 1, 2018
    #11
  12. sazistas

    sazistas Notebook Consultant

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    guys I also have a similar problem with black screen, I was in 1.0.9 bios (without g-sync for some reason) and I upgraded to 1.2.3. Now I can only work with the laptop on external screen through HDMI or DP. The internal screen is not working under windows if nvidia driver is installed. Its working outside windows in legacy or uefi and inside windows only if I leave the gpu as microsoft display adapter. Any expert here to help me? I cannot downgrade from this bios. I tried everything
     
    sazistas, Jan 20, 2018
    #12
  13. sazistas

    sazistas Notebook Consultant

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    finally the cause of this problem is the screen, its a slightly different version of the QHD without the scanlines. Can anyone share his edid file from the 1.4 screen version that works with gsync and latest nvidia drivers? I'll try to flash mine
     
    sazistas, Jan 20, 2018
    #13