Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker

dot0dotdot · 10-21-2008, 07:11 PM

My family has had this laptop for some time now, it is an Area-51 m7700 running XP Media Center edition, it has the geforce go 7800 gtx and a 3.6 ghz processor. Recently the laptop, when started, begins the boot cycle and the rom drive checks for a disc like on standard startup. The screen then flickers for half a second, and then it begins checking the rom drive and flickers again. This continues until the laptop is shut off. During this time no fans are running so if left on long enough the laptop begins to heat up.

Not sure of what to do at this point, I have checked the video card for char marks, etc. I have reseated the memory sticks and the hard drives. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

**TriggerFinger** · 10-21-2008, 08:28 PM

Hi Andrew,

Try booting from CD/DVD drive using a live CD or an XP install CD. Also try booting into BIOS. Observe if in both cases it continues to cycle boot. If so, try a good/working RAM. If not then test your HDD for hardware errors (run HDD diags) then run CHKDSK /R using XP install CD (not restore/recovery CD).

dot0dotdot · 10-21-2008, 08:32 PM

It won't even boot to the point where I can see the bios screen, it just flickers as if the laptop screen turns on, then it goes back to nothing. Like that lighter shade of black when it recieves power. While its doing this, the loading LED flashes and the CD Rom acts like its searching for a disk as it does on boot up. So I cannot see anything at all to be able to boot into BIOS or run an xp live cd.

**TriggerFinger** · 10-21-2008, 08:56 PM

Try an external monitor.

dot0dotdot · 10-21-2008, 09:22 PM

I tried it once before with an external moniter, it didnt change anything. It still kept on doing the same thing as before, still on the laptop screen.

**TriggerFinger** · 10-21-2008, 09:24 PM

If that is the case it sure smells like a corrupt BIOS.

dot0dotdot · 10-21-2008, 09:26 PM

How would I go about fixing that, or is it a sign of a dead mobo?

aw-james · 10-22-2008, 02:01 PM

Hello, I'm with Alienware's Forum Support team and I came across this posting via BoardReader.

Have you tried resetting your CMOS through the following steps?

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/a...i=&p_topview=1

dot0dotdot · 10-22-2008, 02:29 PM

I tried the CMOS reset. When I put everything back together and start it, all the LEDs turn on for a sec then turn off and the Power LED goes back to the OFF/AC Power-in mode. I then press the power button again and it starts checking the ROM for a disc like usual, the screen remains black but it hesitates for a second like its going to work, it then goes back to what its doing before.

aw-james · 10-23-2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dot0dotdot

I tried the CMOS reset. When I put everything back together and start it, all the LEDs turn on for a sec then turn off and the Power LED goes back to the OFF/AC Power-in mode. I then press the power button again and it starts checking the ROM for a disc like usual, the screen remains black but it hesitates for a second like its going to work, it then goes back to what its doing before.

Is there any difference if you remove the optical drive?

**TriggerFinger** · 10-23-2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dot0dotdot

I tried the CMOS reset. When I put everything back together and start it, all the LEDs turn on for a sec then turn off and the Power LED goes back to the OFF/AC Power-in mode. I then press the power button again and it starts checking the ROM for a disc like usual, the screen remains black but it hesitates for a second like its going to work, it then goes back to what its doing before.

Have you tried replacing the RAM with a new one or at least with a good/working module?

NateTheGreat · 10-23-2008, 04:06 PM

Do you hear the POST beep when it tries to start up? My laptop was doing the same thing before... it wouldn't POST, and the screen would just flicker from a dark shade of grey to black while the cd drive spun. My motherboard was under warrenty, so I got it replaced and it fixed the problem.

dot0dotdot · 10-23-2008, 09:20 PM

Well I took the optical drive out, it still did the flickering/boot cycle, but this time there was no loading light. I tried the ram with a test stick, same specs as the ones in there, 4200 ddr2 etc in every ram slot but it made no difference. Regarding the POST beep, the laptop never made a beep on startup, it would only power up the fans then power them down so there never was a beep to listen for.

I know all signs are leading to a gone motherboard, which I am hoping against because its out of warranty (the mobo has been replaced twice while it was on warranty, but for completely different reasons all together). I'm hoping maybe its just something small that can be fixed but at this point it probably isn't.

10-21-2008, 07:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
dot0dotdot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ca, USA Posts: 7 OS: XP	Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker My family has had this laptop for some time now, it is an Area-51 m7700 running XP Media Center edition, it has the geforce go 7800 gtx and a 3.6 ghz processor. Recently the laptop, when started, begins the boot cycle and the rom drive checks for a disc like on standard startup. The screen then flickers for half a second, and then it begins checking the rom drive and flickers again. This continues until the laptop is shut off. During this time no fans are running so if left on long enough the laptop begins to heat up. Not sure of what to do at this point, I have checked the video card for char marks, etc. I have reseated the memory sticks and the hard drives. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Andrew

10-21-2008, 08:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,144 OS: Windows 7 Beta, Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker Hi Andrew, Try booting from CD/DVD drive using a live CD or an XP install CD. Also try booting into BIOS. Observe if in both cases it continues to cycle boot. If so, try a good/working RAM. If not then test your HDD for hardware errors (run HDD diags) then run CHKDSK /R using XP install CD (not restore/recovery CD). __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Everest HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

10-21-2008, 08:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
dot0dotdot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ca, USA Posts: 7 OS: XP	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker It won't even boot to the point where I can see the bios screen, it just flickers as if the laptop screen turns on, then it goes back to nothing. Like that lighter shade of black when it recieves power. While its doing this, the loading LED flashes and the CD Rom acts like its searching for a disk as it does on boot up. So I cannot see anything at all to be able to boot into BIOS or run an xp live cd.

10-21-2008, 08:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,144 OS: Windows 7 Beta, Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker Try an external monitor. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Everest HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

10-21-2008, 09:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
dot0dotdot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ca, USA Posts: 7 OS: XP	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker I tried it once before with an external moniter, it didnt change anything. It still kept on doing the same thing as before, still on the laptop screen.

10-21-2008, 09:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,144 OS: Windows 7 Beta, Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker If that is the case it sure smells like a corrupt BIOS. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Everest HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

10-21-2008, 09:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
dot0dotdot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ca, USA Posts: 7 OS: XP	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker How would I go about fixing that, or is it a sign of a dead mobo?

10-22-2008, 02:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
aw-james Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3 OS: Vista x64 Ultimate	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker Hello, I'm with Alienware's Forum Support team and I came across this posting via BoardReader. Have you tried resetting your CMOS through the following steps? http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/a...i=&p_topview=1

10-22-2008, 02:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
dot0dotdot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ca, USA Posts: 7 OS: XP	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker I tried the CMOS reset. When I put everything back together and start it, all the LEDs turn on for a sec then turn off and the Power LED goes back to the OFF/AC Power-in mode. I then press the power button again and it starts checking the ROM for a disc like usual, the screen remains black but it hesitates for a second like its going to work, it then goes back to what its doing before.

10-23-2008, 04:06 PM	#12 (permalink)
NateTheGreat Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 10 OS: xp	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker Do you hear the POST beep when it tries to start up? My laptop was doing the same thing before... it wouldn't POST, and the screen would just flicker from a dark shade of grey to black while the cd drive spun. My motherboard was under warrenty, so I got it replaced and it fixed the problem.

10-23-2008, 09:20 PM	#13 (permalink)
dot0dotdot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ca, USA Posts: 7 OS: XP	Re: Alienware laptop Continuous Boot Cycle/Flicker Well I took the optical drive out, it still did the flickering/boot cycle, but this time there was no loading light. I tried the ram with a test stick, same specs as the ones in there, 4200 ddr2 etc in every ram slot but it made no difference. Regarding the POST beep, the laptop never made a beep on startup, it would only power up the fans then power them down so there never was a beep to listen for. I know all signs are leading to a gone motherboard, which I am hoping against because its out of warranty (the mobo has been replaced twice while it was on warranty, but for completely different reasons all together). I'm hoping maybe its just something small that can be fixed but at this point it probably isn't.