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    Random Crashes / Locks following new Mobo

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by fenix2k, Mar 7, 2011.

  1. fenix2k

    fenix2k Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hey

    I recently borked a BIOs update and had a new motherboard. This brought life back in the dead system - but now i am getting random crashes. This seems to be with desktop mostly at the moment (as ive only had it do this when web browsing or jsut sat on DT), as ive played a bit of portal / WoW since and not had issues.

    The crashes seem to be that the screen goes either dead black - or ive had it go orange! It has "recovered" once or twice and blames the gfx driver (i was running 266 but am now running 267, did it in both - was running 266 prior to new mobo without any issues).

    So, my question would be what would be the bet bet to sort this? could the mobo replacement have introduced some odd default driver conflicts or did the engineer just not do a good enough job and should i attempt to re-seat the GFX card to be sure (or indeed just teardown and rebuild making doubly sure everything is in right)? i CBA to do a windows reinstall just yet so that will be a last resort.

    Thanks in advance
     
    fenix2k, Mar 7, 2011
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  2. kosti

    kosti Notebook Virtuoso

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    Try different drivers first, but yeah re-seating the card may help, and new paste of course. Does the screen flicker or do you get artifacts before it goes black? Could be the gfx card on it's way out. Is it a 260m by any chance?
     
    kosti, Mar 7, 2011
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  3. fenix2k

    fenix2k Notebook Enthusiast

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    brand new GTX 460m!

    No flicker, just goes immediately Blank.

    whats the shelf-life of paste? i have an old tube of arctic silver 3 laying about - would that be of use?
     
    fenix2k, Mar 7, 2011
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  4. kosti

    kosti Notebook Virtuoso

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    Since it's a newer card I doubt the paste has hardened. Usually that happens after a couple of years. Try re-seating the gfx card. While you're at it, remove the BIOS battery for a few seconds and re-seat the RAM as well. Since you have arctic silver you may want to apply that to the GPU anyway.

    Edit: Forgot to ask, have you been monitoring your temps? What is your GPU idling at? It could be the tech that swapped out your mainboard was too liberal when applying the paste to the GPU.
     
    kosti, Mar 7, 2011
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  5. fenix2k

    fenix2k Notebook Enthusiast

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    I thought it might be temps - but it has only happened on Windows, and not in gaming - so its doubtful (and i assume the fans are dynamic too - ie they will only come on high if the temps need it - and that too only happens in gaming).

    But yeah, i will reseat everything when i get home from work later and see how it goes.
     
    fenix2k, Mar 7, 2011
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