Advice on BIOS random messages AW 17R2 (2015)

Hi guys
Since support they changed me the motherboard I have begun to leave these messages, the strange thing is that I do not do anything. For example: I turn off the computer and automatically restarts enter the BIOS and I get the message:






Contact with support again to tell you that had the same problem and change new motherboard but the result has been the same. The irony is that the technical says I'm doing something deliberately so that this problem occurs.

In other words I have been accused without evidence say: "Two motherboards can not make the same mistake. it is impossible. So, it can only happen If you properly manipulate the computer". Furthermore, I threatened to make me pay and suspend my guarantee premium. Is incredible....

When I explained the computer operates normally and this message only happens occasionally the technical asked if I could make a remote session and did test to check that everything seemed fine. At that time, he apologized and to forget what he had said..

We update to bios, also downgrade, but occasionally leave messages. the proposed solution is to send the deposit but as it's occasional I suspect they found no problem and I will stay 10 days without a computer .

Maybe they can give me some advice @Papusan , @Mr. Fox
Any help is welcome

Greetings

 

I am on a plane and using a piece of trash (smartphone) for web access. I cannot see your images right now. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to access them from a computer. Gosh, I despise using a sucky smartphone or tablet for anything... And touch input, especially, blows, LOL.

 

No problem bro...is not comfortable writing from smartphone.

I'm surprised the technician has closed the case without asking me if the problem is solved. Yesterday I wrote email to ask some things related to the deposit and he has not answered me but closed the case. I've been very patient but it is clear that is of no use, first accuses me, then asks for me apologize, closes the case and does not answer my questions. Perhaps throughout the day answer my email.

Regarding the case maybe the messages they are related with how to update the bios I use but it's hard for me believe that this method problems as it is official DELL. I mean this system:





The only thing I've changed when they have changed my mobo It has been updating/downgrade the bios. Maybe there is an error in the flash but should be solved with reflash but that has not solved the problem. The technician make an downgrade of the bios from Windows and computer freezes but we were lucky when the battery dies restart without problems but the message keeps coming so I have doubts that it is the method of flash.
It's very rare that never happened to me

 

Wow, that is really bizarre. I have never seen anything like that before and don't know what to make of it. The thought of having automatic system firmware updates is extremely disturbing. I hope the new Dellienware systems are not finding and applying them without user intervention. That would absolutely suck and I would be looking for a way to disable that immediately.

I would suggest flushing the NVRAM and see if that goes away. Simply removing the CMOS battery may not be enough. Re-flashing should have done it, but it may depend on how the flashing program is set up. Unfortunately, I think there is a chance with some of the newest UEFI firmware to update small pieces of code in the UEFI firmware without forcing the rest of the UEFI environment to crap all over itself and flush everything stored in NVRAM. You may need to remove all of the RAM modules and power on the machine and wait for it to fail POST and shut off to clear the NVRAM completely.

If you have any Dell/Alienware software installed in Windows that automatically looks for driver updates (I think Dell SystemDetect or whatever they are calling it now) I would strongly recommend uninstalling it. If your machine is working correctly, allowing automatic updates of anything, including Windows itself, is a massive opportunity for bad things to happen without your permission. I recommend blocking any and all automatic updates of anything involving the OS, drivers or firmware.

@Prema - as you are an AMI/Aptio BIOS guru, have you seen anything similar before or do you have any suggestions? See both of the previous posts for details.

 

Agree that resetting BIOS settings would be the first step, pulling the CMOS battery the one after.

Does a BIOS flash always reprogram the entire system ROM and any bundled OROM's that have images included in the bundle? I was wondering whether you might have a partial / bad flash but re-flashing with the same version might not forcefully overwrite the corrupted part of the ROM. Are there any flash options to force write all the blocks? I guess you could try rolling back to an early BIOS and then back up to the latest BIOS in order to achieve a similar result of having as much re-written as possible.

 

That's actually terrifying. It looks to me like the system is trying to flash itself....terribly scary stuff. I wonder what could prompt something like that. If a flash process goes bad, bye bye computer. This is taking Draconian to a whole other level really.

 

Thanks for the advices. Clearly something happens without my permission but it has to do with software Dell/Alienware because I have not installed anything. The funny thing is happening with clean operating system installation (windows 10 o windows 8.1) without nothing software SupportAssist, Alien Digital Delivery, Dell SystemDetec, Windows Automatic Updates disabled.

I suspect it has something to do with motherboard refurbished and software used to flash the bios normally it comes with the bios A01. If the problem had not before and starting when they changed my motherboard it seems that a bad flash of technical checking the motherboard refurbished It could be the problem. But if a reflash not fix the problem It seems a more serious thing. Also does not always happen and that complicates their diagnosis

Maybe @Prema can give us some help. At the moment I'm going to follow their advice. When you finish comments on the results.

I will follow these steps more cleaning NVRAM that the brother Mr. Fox he suggested. My knowledge of bios are poor but it seems that the technical they have made a bad flash but reflash the bios not fix the problem my tests do not give positive results although the version is the same, higher or lower the result is always the same.It seems that not overwrite bad sectors.

I agree....Maybe it's a little paranoid on my part but it is very rare I turn off the system but restarts (without my intervention) and says the flash failed. When happens randomly It seems to try to end what started.

The funny thing is that technical support of Dell/Alienware I am accused of being responsible, in fact the case is closed without giving a solution. Things like this are what make Dell / Alienware is a company with little prestige.

 

Thats not even possible I think.

I think something went bad with a flash and it happened with a new motherboard too. Maybe a firewall that blocked something while installing? It is known that Firewalls such as Comodo meddle also with internal systems files and block those even while they are not trying to reach the internet.

Or XTU might meddle with the bios settings trough UEFI.

 

XTU will not trigger a flashing sequence. On these new computers, nothing short of a signed flasher and signed BIOS can trigger a flash sequence. Something is bugged in these latest BIOS, BIG TIME.

 

I do not know if that's possible or not but something is happening without my authorization, is not normal shutdown the computer and restarts in the bios whit there is a flash failure. An update of the bios I have not started. that is normal? I do not think so.

It is evident that is related to a bad flash but not for my, I never made an update bios in Windows It is very dangerous and run many risks there are many background processes which can cause a bad flash. It is safer to do it in MS-DOS or Bios flash update of DELL (option in F12). It's simple and secure.



The only time you update the BIOS in Windows it was with support, the technical make the update and it was a disaster. Not to close any application in the background, nor the antivirus or assistant support and the result was frozen computer. It's a bad joke I told the technician that it was necessary to close applications but he said it was not necessary and the result expected: freezing computer

On the other hand, I followed the steps suggested @Mr. Fox :
1. Reset the bios settings.
2. Downgrade the bios version (A05-->A00).
3. Pulling the CMOS battery.
4. Remove all of the RAM modules and power on the machine to clear the NVRAM completely.

At the moment everything is functioning normally just have to wait the results.

 

For the AW15R2/AW17R3 series when flashing the bios. It is written first in memory, then the laptop restarts and after start the bios flash procedure. I suspect there is some code left in that part of the memory and it triggers this boot.

 

That seems a logical explanation but in series AW15R1/AW17R2 the flash of the bios is diferent, is the usual. The flash process is done once when you start is because the flash process is over. Surely the process used by technicians in the motherboard refurbished is different released to the public, but this shows poor control in the revisions of refurbished parts. The final consumer should not seek answers highly technical problems.
Typically it would be changing motherboard it does not cause a problem that did not exist but something is not working well when two motherboards they have the same symptom: "flash failure message". That a clear signal. But from technical support it is always easier to blame the owner saying he has improperly handled or that has installed any software what causing this problem.

 

After a day and a half I have not had any message again. Seems to reset the bios settings, reflash, remove the CMOS battery bios and cleaning NVRAM has corrected the problem.

Thank you very much for your brother advice @Mr. Fox.
I'll keep watching because it was something random but spent relatively frequently.

Dell/Alienware never stops surprising me, my motherboard are refurbished and slowly I'm finding curious things. This time in the gpu, a picture is worth a thousand words:

GPU voltage stock is 1,006 v. Before the change


GPU voltege stock is 1.075v. After the chage:



The VBIOS version is 84.04.29.00.14 (Stock no MOD)


The MOD VBIOS Prema is:


And voltage is:


I have a GPU overvoltage stock....

 

After three weeks the problem has not reoccurred. But I have not been lucky with changing motherboard too much voltage on CPU and GPU It equals more heat and the new thermal grease, not low temperature.

In this scenario, choose to call support to request a new motherboard change but the technician who takes my case said: the record of problems of my system it indicates that a new motherboard change does not solve the problem. The BIOS messages they must be studied in depth, so we must send his team to the deposit. There are no more options . This conversation was on May 12 and we agree collecting my computer for May 18.

But surprise, the May 18 nobody comes ...the next day I write a email for technical asking if there are any problems and tells me that day or the next they will pick it up. But another surprise, nobody comes . The friday 19 May, I write to ask what happens y answer me I'll check it happens and later write. Monday May 23 I'm still waiting and nothing . A note to consider, my case was opened on April 26.

To find out what happens I checked the records of the incidence and now I have another surprise. First, the technician asks the collection again but no service reference. After, scale case and there is the following message " The Dell escalation team is reviewing this request for assistance".

I do not know what it means...I have no information maybe the brother @Mr. Fox have any ideas. I would appreciate any feedback.

 

Hi @jack34 - it all means that nobody is being accountable for your case and you haven't found someone that cares yet. Waiting around for them to do something at this point is like peeing into a strong headwind. If they have an organization in Spain that is the equivalent of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the United States, file a complaint with them. Maybe they will care about that.

 

Your GPU voltage isnt overvolted. It is variable. I have 1.031v for example. Not all chips are created equal. You just had a bette chip with your previous motherboard.

 

As a general rule, voltage goes down as ASIC goes up. Unfortunately, higher ASIC is not synonymous with good overclocking. Some of my best GPUs have had the worst ASIC scores. About half of those that I have had with better ASIC scores were crappy overclockers with an abbreviated life span. It's also unfortunate that NVIDIA is designing firmware that allows the voltage to be variable. That was a stupid move on their part. Stock specs should be static on all GPUs of the same model. On multi-GPU systems (laptop and desktop) this voltage variability can often introduce glitches and hinder performance and stability when using a stock vBIOS.

 

Thanks for your advice. In Spain we have a consumer advocacy office but it is the last resort. Today I wrote again to the technical but this time I expressed my opinion in a respectful way about the experience I am living in my case and the little information I have about the steps taken. The technician called me to tell me there was a problem in internal records describing my computer (amazing my serviceTag is matched with a printer) but the problem is solved so today or tomorrow come to pick up the computer.

But I suspect that the BIOS messages they will not reproduce I've been almost three weeks without them, so I'll be ten days without computer and certainly not change my motherboard .

Frankly, I'm tired of problems with laptops Alienware because of problems that have not been able to solve, support has replaced me three times the computer. Best of all was my old Alienware M17xR4 but failed before two years (problems with repeated death ATI/AMD 7970M and creative sound card). They replaced by Aw17r1 but they failed to solve the problem of overheating GTX880M, after a few minutes of use hit 93°C and they replaced with my current AW17R2, but I have serious problems throttling of CPU that supports refuses to recognize. From my experience with Dell Alienware I could not enjoy a computer with all the performance you can expect. It's sad but true.

I agree, it is not overvoltage. But this high voltage causes two problems: 1º. The temperature has risen from 63ºC to 71-73ºC without overclock. 2º. Causes increased the throttling of CPU. The problem is differently binned, that is one of the many problems BGA. And with the experience I am living with support I doubt that want to change the motherboard if they refuse to recognize the throttling. Game7a1 explains better what I mean:

 

Well, yesterday has come UPS to carry the deposit. Now we will discover if there is any problem. The boys have called of deposit and have asked what problems my AW, I said the BIOS messages and the throttling. Let's see what happens next.

 

i am going to make a pos. I found that installling some drivers, the throttling issues are reduced. but i am doing things for tomorrow. So stay tune