Odd power brick behavior...

Well I was playing Dragon Age Inquisition when suddenly I got a low battery alert (note that the power brick was plugged in) then I noticed that the green light was off. So I just unplugged it and plugged it back, after around 30 secs, everything went back to normal for around 5 mins, then again and again and again.........

Tried 3 different outlets......... same behavior, I can only get it to work while not playing. My best bet is that something is wrong with my GPU (maybe driver??) since it only happens when playing. Anyone had this kind of issue?

Right now I'm going to try with 7-8 different games and then with the integrated GPU. I just really hope that its not the GPU

EDIT: I'm running Mr. Fox desktop driver. 780m

Watch Dogs, Far Cry 4, and Assassin Creed Unity doing the same thing.................

Tried to activate the integrated GPU (FN+F7) and it's not activating either. After 3-4 tries still running with the 780m, so maybe something happened with any of my drivers.

30 mins searching for my last working Nvidia driver (344.65) and the battery is still charging. So this driver is my last hope before doing a clean OS install.

Any idea before having to re-install all my programs???

 

I have had this problem several times over the past few years. I have had 3 AC adapters replaced under warranty between the R1 and R2.

You probably have a weak (dying) AC adapter. The seem to last me 12 to 16 months of continuous use (tons of overclocking, of course). If you are using them in a warm environment, it may also be getting too hot. Try putting the AC adapter on a hard surface (not cloth or carpet) so it can breathe well and dissipate heat better, and stand it on its narrow side rather than laying flat on its rubber feet to see if that helps. If that does not work, you're probably going to need a new AC adapter. I did have a new one at one point that had this problem without being worn out. It was defective.

 

Well I reflashed the A11 bios, OSD, and installed 344.65 driver and now everything is back to normal. Then flashed again unlocked A10 and its still working. I'm going to keep gaming to see if it's still working. Then will try your desktop driver again. Funny thing is that I still can't enable the integrated GPU and the bios don't detect the integrated GPU.

 

I think that is because you have one GPU installed. Set the BIOS to SG mode, press F10 to save and exit. Then you should see both Intel and NVIDIA display adapters in the BIOS and in Windows Device Manager.

Run DDU in Safe Mode to remove Intel and NVIDIA drivers and then clean install the video drivers (install Intel first, reboot, then NVIDIA) and it should have Optimus functionality with the associated changes in the NVIDIA Control Panel. The operating default in the BIOS is PEG mode (discrete GPU) and the manual graphics switching feature usually only works with both PCI-e slots populated.

 

Going to try that out when my Windows 10 finishes downloading.

 

You will probably find you gave it a "rest" while re-installing. When it gets too hot again it will start doing it again most likely.

 

Thought about that, but yesterday I was playing in my room with the air conditioner on (for maybe 15 mins) and the power brick wasn't hot. Today I have been playing for around 2 hours in a hotter room and didn't have any issue.

 

I still think you have a weak AC adapter that is going to crap out on you.

 

This did the trick, now I can see both gpu in device manager.

I I only hope that it las until the end of the month so that I can buy a new one. I really hate to see how expensive they are :\

 

Check eBay and Amazon. I have purchased them both places below $39 brand new. The good deals come and go, just keep checking. A couple of times I was impatient and paid around $59 each. I have 5 of them and just leave them plugged in around the house where I use my machines.

 

What? Really? So cheap? *hunts for 330W clevo adapter and power converter box*

 

Yup, some screaming deals do surface if you watch for them. When I built my first dual AC adapter mod I snagged two of them on Amazon for $30 each, and now the same vendor sells them for over $100. I think seller ignorance probably explains the good deals. They are almost always temporary and you have to act swiftly when you find them.

I purchased a Clevo converter box for like $65 last year. I may actually end up having a use for it soon. I bought it with hopes of modding it for an Alienware dual brick setup, but after disassembling it and examining how it is made, it would require more effort than it is worth to make it work, especially considering that my own mod works fine.

 

Ah, that makes sense. I need a compatible 330W brick and a converter box myself. Seeing as how I have temps pretty much under control, I'd rather let the voltages and clock speeds fly.

I have so many upgrades I want to get, I have no idea where to start, and this is assuming I even get the cash for it XD.

 

It's a nice elegant little thing that box, I have looked at the power at different levels and it keeps it very even.

 

I just found something very interesting. I thought that it was the nvidia driver, but if my battery is under 75% and I try to play any game it starts with the issue. But if its above 75% I can play without any issue.

I'm already searching for a low price ac adapter, but just wanted to share this in case that someone have any issue like this.

 

It could be the system expects enough power to trickle the battery some charge but the brick can't quite take it.

 

That's weird. You're not using that crazy "Desktop Mode" charging thing or whatever Dell calls it, are you? If you right click on the battery icon in the system tray, if that garbage is installed you will see it at the top of the context menu. I use an older version of AW Command Center and do not have it on the M18xR2. The Alienware 18 has is (not optional since the oldest available version of AWCC for the 18 has it) and if I enable that it causes strange behavior.

Doing a "power drain" can sometimes correct weird behavior caused by the charging system. Might try doing that again to see if it correct the problem. Remove the battery, disconnect AC, hold the power button down at least 30 seconds, connect AC, power on and after POST completes and Windows begins to load, insert the battery again.

 

Well I just did this. Will be doing some more testings.

EDIT: Also, I have never heard of that Desktop mode, and I can't see it on my M18x, so I don't think that I have it