Motherboard M18X R1

Hi everyone,

I've got an M18X R1 that's giving me the 8 beeps. Checked my ram, it's ok. The 780m graphic card seems ok too (it's recent and solo, enough for the use of this machine). However, the integrated video card isn't recognized by the bios, nor under windows 8.1. I re-installed windows just incase, but to no avail. I reflashed bios to prior version but still can't see the integrated video, only the 780. Worse yet, now that I've reverted to an older bios, I can't install the drivers for the 780m (yes I modified the .inf files as explained but to no avail), and although I've searched, can't find the latest bios to download...

The 8 beeps syndrome has started about 6 months ago, I blamed the ram, and changed it... also did a furmark test on the 780 at that time... everything was A-OK but I'm back to square one, aparently the motherboard is getting close to retirement...

But before chucking the board, maybe someone has already seen this and has an idea of something to check out that I didn't think of.

I've read that there's a "special" bios (lots more features) for download, but that you have to pay for it. Is it worth while?

Is it a known issue that the integrated video card (not the 780m) isn't visible in bios nor windows (ie. is this a known "disease" for M18X R1) ?

If this is a faltering motherboad, I'm willing to change it, but if I do, I'd like to go for a R2 version (does the R2 mobo fit in R1 without too much hassle?), or, if the price is right find a good barebone & swap from one machine to the other.

Of course I'd rather resurect this mobo if possible, if not, as you've probably guessed by now, I'll be looking for parts and know that there are people here on the forum that have spare parts, so I'm up for sugestions and offers.

Thanks in advance...
Enzo

 

1. Unlikely the motherboard is dead, M18x boards are very robust. remove GPU, turn on computer only with the CPU in, you should have integrated graphics. More likely the 780M is dead/dying or you have non-turbo flex support enabled in the BIOS.

2. You do not have to pay anybody for an unlocked BIOS

3. To convert to R2, you need a new bottom case to access the msata port (or you can reuse old base if you don't care). You also need the motherboard (pricey), daughterboard (hard to find, but I have), SATA cable (very hard to find, pricey), and the HDD Caddy (cheap and plentiful)

 

This.

Also, wasn't 8 beeps a dying GPU or loose monitor error?

 

LCDs rarely go bad. Usually 8 beeps is dead GPU or non-turbo flex support enabled, unless somebody managed to corrupt their EDID

 

Thank you for your replies.. I appreciate the help.

Can anyone give me an URL to the latest Bios for M18X R1 ? I didn't find it.... guess I'm not a good searcher :/

For an R1 to R2 upgrade (w/o changing the casing, don't need msata) what price range am I looking at ? Would a barebone be a better deal ?

The 780m is only 3 years old.... and furtested perfectly last time around... I'm surprised that it's already dying.... and mostly perplex not seeing the onboard graphics in the bios... also, I didn't see a setting for non-turbo flex support in the bios.... probably because it's an older bios that I downloaded from Dell... v1.4 I think.... I'll have to start the beast up this evening to be sure of version, but I do believe there is a v 1.5 of Bios... allowing for 780m... or am I all wrong ? Just gotta get a link to download latest Bios...

Thanks for the replies !

 

The latest seems to be A05 version.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/alienware-m18x/drivers

Select BIOS on the Category and its named DELL,SW,BIOS,ANW,M18X,A05,A05 click there and download.

There are also unlocked A05 BIOS on various places, at least its up for download at tech-inferno as far as I know.

780m GPU's ran hot, and they did indeed died a lot due to the thermal cycling, running furmark wont help at all and you should avoid doing so.

 

Lord have mercy ok....there is no v1.5 or v1.4 or vx.x of anything .

Unlocked BIOS A05 is the latest you can get. Find it here: https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/855-unlocked-m18x-r1-bios-versions/

To download without paying make 10 quality posts on that site.

Furmark shouldn't be used on any GPU as it stresses the power components that feed the core, you have prematurely worn them down by doing that, and your 780M is likely dead now. Onboard graphics will not show status in the stock BIOS, but will show up in the unlocked BIOS. You cannot change settings without removing the dead GPU first. Did you even try what I told you to do before? Remove the dead 780M, don't put anything into the MXM slots, and turn the computer on with the CPU only. Chances are it will come back alive.

 

I implore you to listen to this suggestion first. Back in the day when I still had 6970M GPUs, the first thing I did was to take them out. Eventually, swapping them worked. And then removing one. And then replacing them with my 780Ms.