Ok everyone. I just wanted to bounce some ideas off you guys. I need some help making sure I'm getting the right parts here. Ok I just recently acquired and I am trying to diagnose the problem. Right now I'm leaning towards it having a bad cpu but not sure if its the CPU or the mobo. So here are the symptoms and if you could pass some input my way it would appreciated.
Specs as far as I know:
Alienware Aurora M9700
AMD turion 64 ml34
i think 2GB Ram not sure though no stickers
80GB HDD
17in screen if it matters
Dual video cards




Ok symptoms:

Won't power up.
The power light comes on. Now the light has 2 colors blue and red. If I have the battery in the light blinks red like its a dead battery. Ok that's fine. So I remove the battery and just use the power cord straight to the laptop. The power light is a solid blue. But the thing that has me confused is that as soon as i connect the power cable the machine tries to boot even though it can't boot for some reason?? Any ideas on that?

The other thing is that while diagnosing it I removed all the peripherials and powered up the machine. The power light seemed to function properly. But then all of a sudden it stopped after i replaced the cmos battery. SO any other ideas on where to go with this?? I have a new CPU on the way. To see if that will make and difference. I doubt it but its a start.

Thanks guys for any input.

 

I highly doubt you have an issue with a CPU. Those are very rare (but do happen). IMO, its most likely motherboard or RAM memory. However, keep in mind, without the unit in front of me, this is like trying to diagnose the issue over the phone, its extremely difficult.

Try "reseating" the RAM. Take the chip(s) out, and put them back in. See if that helps. Sometimes a little bit of dust or something gets in and makes it so one of the pins doesn't quite make good enough contact where its supposed to, and stops the whole chip from working properly. That makes some laptops behave weirdly.

If that fails, and you have two RAM chips in there, pull out one and leave the other in. If that doesn't help, pull out the remaining chip, and put back in the first. If that doesn't help...

Just because the power light lights up on the laptop doesn't mean the laptop is getting the correct amount of power from the A/C adapter. Take a voltmeter, test the end of the A/C adapter that goes into the laptop. If you need more detailed instructions on how to do that, show me a picture of the end that goes into the laptop and I can help with that. Whatever voltage is listed as "OUTPUT" on the label thats on the A/C adapter "brick", the big black rectangular block, should be close to what your voltmeter is reading. For example, if it says 19V, and you're reading 19.3V, thats fine.

If that tests fine, then its probably not a power issue.

Its also possible that both RAM chips are bad, but thats rare as well (although not as rare as a CPU going bad). One chip failing isn't uncommon, but both at the same time is. Let me know if those tests do anything for you, and we'll go from there.

 

Thanks for the reply Jason. Ok I did check all of you're suggestions. And I still get the same result all the way around. I'm going to have to agree almost fully now that it is the Mobo. I did reseat all the components and still the same thing. As far as for the voltage on the Power Supply I don't have a multi meter to check it so i'm kinda sol on that one. But still with all the symptoms and having double checked all my normal steps I'm pretty sure that it is the mobo. Thanks again Jason. I know how hard it is to diagnose a problem without seeing it. If ya didn't know I'm a pc tech as well but I just wanted to double check to make sure I hadn't missed any steps. So looks like I'm going to have to find a new mobo. Man that is gonna be expensive. Oh well I have an upgraded cpu on the way and a new board is in order.

 

Possible that there is a loose connection. Check all your connections like power to the board and all that. Also on some computers there is a black switch on the back of the power supply I flip that by accident sometimes.

 

bigtman07,

I work and build desktop system and the review on this system is wonderful....
http://www.alienware.com/review_page...logic_0607.asp

Since it won't boot into your operating system can you get into the bios? If that is possible, will it continue running?

This system has two video card, and should power up with one of them working so do not believe this could be the out of specification NVidia units that overheat and occasionally can be repaired.

Have you ever cleaned the you cleaned the vents and fan yet? I would believe it is a memory/motherboard/power supply/overheating/video problem long before I would think about a CPU failure. But trying to diagnose the system problems from afar is difficult at best...

Not many complaints doing a Google search about failures of this expensive system....

JR

 

Namida12

That is on Awesome rig there. I can't get it to boot at all. No bios, no nuttin. I did clean everything and replaced the cpu. So I think that its all down to the bad board. And I agree diagnosing problems from afar is a total PITA. Oh well. Just have to wait to get money so i can fix the system. Thanks though for the help. I know what I need.