M14x R1 BSODs and Crashes.

Hey guys it been a while. I recently reformatted my laptop and after reinstall of the OS and drivers it randomly started to BSOD and crash. When it crashes first firefox will go all white then if I try to crl+alt+del nothing will happen. I click the start button but then it won't close forcing a hard reset. Was also getting a message after restart that read:

For Atheros PCIE Ethernet Controller v2.0.2.6(09/28/10)

Check Cable connection!
PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel PXE ROM.
No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key.

Pressing any key would just result in the same message and required a full shutdown for proper boot. So I installed Intel RST which seemed to help the BSODs and above message but not crashes. However I read that it can limit SATA 3 speeds?
BIOS is updated to A08 and I have an aftermarket SSD but it was running fine for a long time before format.

Anybody have any clue whats going on?

 

Sound like your SSD is going to fail or something, this happen to me as well and exactly the same thing happen - random BSOD, crashes and same error message, except for mine is a standard HDD.

Try run Whocrashed and have it analyse the crash dump.

 

Hi,

Follow the steps in this video to get more information on that BSOD:

My Alienware Computer Crashes into a Blue Screen

And also, run an ePSA to check the hardware.

Let me know how it goes.

 

The BSODs have stopped however my laptop does not remain on for more then an hour before crashing requiring a hard reset. Sometimes if I wait long enough it will attempt to restart only to run into the same error I mentioned above.

I did run ePSA and it returned no errors. Whocrashed could not find a crash dump.

This is a picture I took of the error if it helps:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o1h8bqsggvqoxmt/IMAG0182.jpg

 

I had this message when i tried to use my SSD on my old motherboard... Turned out the motherboard was faulty but worked with normal HDD but not SSD. Dont know if that helps or not but i really do think its either your motherboard or SSD.

 

ok apparently is trying to boot from LAN so, try changing the boot sequence in the BIOS:

Access the BIOS by pressing F2 several times during post, go to "Boot" and make sure "Network" is not the first device, if it is, move it down with the "-" and set either the HDD or CD/DVD first.

Also, there's a cable that connects the HDD bay to the motherboard, and it's easily disconnected if pulled, so that cable might have been disconnected or loosen without you noticing, so basically you have to remove the palm rest assembly and check that connection, here's an article that will guide you on how to do that:

How to remove the keyboard on the Alienware M14x R2?

This article is missing one step, and that's how to remove the keyboard trim, that you need to remove before removing the keyboard, so I'll attach a couple of pictures to help you out with that:

First, remove the 3 screws securing the keyboard trim to the system.



Second, pry up the keyboard trim, starting from the bottom edge, and then work your way along the sides and then the top.



Now, when you are done removing the palm rest assembly, the system will look like this:



Check the connection that is marked in the picture with the yellow circle, make sure it's properly connected.

Good luck

 

The article you linked to does not explain how to remove the palm rest. Only the keyboard. My laptop looks like the last picture in the article not the last picture you posted. I am hesitant to pry the palm rest up for fear of hidden screws.

Also my laptop is a R1 model if it matters.

 

My bad, here's the article on how to remove the palm rest assembly:

How to remove the palm rest on the M14x r2?

I know this articles are for the M14x r2 and you have an M14x r1, but those two systems are basically the same, so even if they are not exactly the same, at least this will give you a pretty good idea of what you are going to find there...

 

Took it apart and checked the cable. Seemed fine so I unplugged it and plugged it back in to be on the safe side. Put it back back together and no change. Behaves the same as before. The boot sequence already had the Hard drive as the first thing so I didn't change it.

 

ok, try solution step 3 from this article:

Fixing Windows 7 Blue Screen Stop Error Code 0x000000ED

Instead of using the recovery disk, access the command prompt in windows, just type "cmd" in the search box on the start menu and when it comes up in the programs, right click on it and select "run as administrator" and open it, and then type the commands specified in the article.

The "chkdsk" will run after the system is restarted and it takes 2 or 3 hours to complete.

If that doesn't work, it would be a good idea to replace the aftermarket SSD with the stock HDD and test it.

 

When the laptop restarts to do the chkdsk on drive c: is it normal for it to just display a blank black screen and then boot to the login screen without telling me any information about how the check is going or how it went?
Also you should probably let someone know that the fixboot x: command (step 3 in solution 3) has not been around since vista.

edit: Didn't work. Is there a working page for downloading the correct drivers after reinstalling? All the links on this page are broken.

 

I had issues pretty much exactly as you have described (although on the stock HDD) and my hard drive had failed. It couldn't boot from the HDD because it had failed - hence trying to boot from network (that "no bootable device" warning you mentioned). Running a system test in the bios gave me an error code which directly pointed at a failed hard drive. Replaced the hard drive and it works perfectly now.

 

You can download the drivers here:

Drivers and Downloads | Dell [United States]

 

I reinstalled windows and while installing drivers the same crash happened again. I immediately turned it off and reinstalled the stock 500 gig Hard Drive I have kept in perfect storage in exactly the way it was when I took it out. Now it won't even boot up. Just displays the same message as in the picture I provided.

I have a 3 year warranty on this laptop for this reason. It looks like its time to take advantage of it. Natalia can you help with this? What do I need to do to have a working laptop again?

 

Yes, I'm sorry I didn't see this before, send us an e-mail to [email protected] with your service tag and a brief explanation of the issues that you are experiencing and we will get back to you as soon as possible, please also include the link to this thread.