*** Windows 10 + NVIDIA WHQL Drivers are Killing Alienware and Clevo LCD Panels ***

****************** WINDOWS 10 UPGRADE WARNING TO ALL ALIENWARE OWNERS ******************
(Please see post #2 for evolving details)​

Windows 10 has blown out the display panels from my M18xR1 and M18xR2 within 24 hours of installing Windows 10. 8 beeps, no backlight, no boot. So, first time I blew it off as a one-off coincidence. Hardware fails, right. OK, but the second time, I'm ready to go ballistic now. Don't know if it is the OS or the GeForce drivers, but I don't see how it can be a one-off coincidence twice within 24 hours.

Edit 8/2/2015 @ 1:29PM
OK, sad to report, the same thing has happened on the Alienware 18. It took less than two hours. Switched from Intel HD Graphics. Downloaded the Windows 10 driver from NVIDIA... no mods. Now I get 8 beeps, no backlight and no boot.

Here is the sequence of events:

• Installed Windows 10 on M18xR2 with GTX 780M SLI... everything seemed fine for about 24 hours, maybe slightly longer
• M18xR2 suddenly started 8 beeps, no boot after being turned off - 8 beep code indicates GPU, LVDS Cable or LCD issue - tested GPUs in M18xR1 and they where perfectly fine; replaced LVDS cable and no change
• Removed display from M18xR1, intalled on M18xR2 and everything is fine with M18xR2, installed screen from M18xR2 on M18xR1 and it started 8 beeps, no boot, confirming LCD failure
• I assumed it was just an ordinary hardware failure, was glad I could steal the LCD from the M18xR1 until I could purchase a replacement part... life was good (or so I thought)
• About 24 hours later, the second display is doing the same thing with the good display taken from the M18xR1 and the 8 beeps, no boot problem also surfaced with the second display after the system had been shut off
• Alienware 18 has GTX 780M SLI and Windows 7. I was not planning to upgrade the OS but I wanted to rule out any anomaly involving my M18xR2. So, I installed Windows 10 yesterday running on Intel Graphics and all is well... about 16 hours later (today) I switched over to GTX 780M SLI, installed NVIDIA GeForce drivers and about 1 hour later, maybe slightly more, Alienware 18 makes a click sound and turns off while web surfing. Pressed power button and now it has the same problem... 8 beeps, no boot.
• On all three machines there is no LCD backlight, but if I open and close the lid the backlight turns on
• Removing NVIDIA GPUs has no effect... display malfunctions the same on Intel HD Graphics once the LCD panel is messed up and the damage is already done (M18xR1 has only Intel HD Graphics, no GPUs, and has the same behavior with a bad display attached)
• On all three machines, if I boot with mini-DP or HDMI connected to an external monitor I get the vBIOS HWDIAG splash screen and Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM but 8 beeps begins when system BIOS loads and attempts to begin output to LVDS port

Just so this doesn't get lost in another location:
Alienware 17 R1 980M - Windows 10 - 8 Beeps

I doubt they will do anything to help.

Please visit and participate in discussion here also: Windows 10 + GeForce Drivers are Killing Samsung and LG Notebook LCD Display Panels | GeForce Forum

 

***EVOLVING UPDATES WILL BE POSTED HERE***
Some people are coming here looking for help and answers. We cannot provide either one right now because we don't know why it is happening, but having to sift through unrelated discussions is not good for people looking for help. Short of reprogramming EDID information to the LCD EEPROM the display panels on the affected machines are ruined. Theoretically, it should be possible to fix them. From a practical perspective, it is beyond the skill set of most to attempt it, and buying a new display is the likely solution. Unfortunately, the problem may return and destroy the replacement display unless drastic measures are taken to eliminate the cause, which has been loosely identified as several of the latest GeForce drivers in combination with Windows 10 and/or fully updated Windows 10-ready systems.

Affected models identified:

• Clevo P377SM-A (Sager NP9377-S)
• Alienware 17 (R1 2013)
• Alienware 18 (2013)
• Alienware M17xR4
• Alienware M18xR1
• Alienware M18xR2

As of 8/17/2015 all reported LCD failures involve:

• Windows 10 Operating System
• NVIDIA GPUs (780M, 880M and 980M)
• 60Hz LVDS and 120Hz eDP Displays

It appears systems running UEFI without Legacy/CSM support may be able to boot from HDMI or mini-DP even when they experience 8-beeps and fail to POST using the native display.

It appears the limited number of Alienware 17" single GPU laptops with 120Hz eDP 3D-capable display may be exempt from issues. No reports of LCD failures with this configuration as of 8/9/2015.

It appears that using drivers older than 353.62 may help avoid this problem, but there is not enough information to suggest that doing so is actually safe. Some with affected models are using older drivers, including my 345.20 desktop driver mod, under Windows 10 and have not experienced this issue... yet.

Update #1 - 08/12/2015: Installing Windows 10 is just not a safe thing to do if you own one of the above machines. Huge risk with any NVIDIA GPU installed. If you're going to do this, proceed at your own risk and expect the worst from Windows 10. Spare yourself the heartache and stay with Windows 7 or 8. Based on my own experience, you can take comfort in knowing you are not missing anything special right now, since DX12 is meaningless at this time and the OS itself is actually not a very good product overall. See post quoted below.

UPDATE #2 - 08/12/2015

***ATTENTION***ATTENTION***ATTENTION***​

Alienware has asked me to post this request for information.

If you have an Alienware that has been affected by this 8 beep/no boot problem, even if you have already called them and have a ticket number, please send the following information to them ASAP. Even if you are out of warranty, please send the information for investigative purposes.

Email:

(this is a JPG - please do not re-post it in text format)

Email Subject Line: 8-Beep/No Boot Issue

Please provide:

• Your Contact Information
• Your Service Tag
• Your GPU info (whether stock or aftermarket)
• Your OS version at the time of failure
• Your driver version at the time of failure
• System BIOS version (if you know it)
• BIOS boot configuration at the time of failure (Legacy, UEFI with Legacy, UEFI, Secure Boot, etc. if you know how it was set up)

You may not receive a personal reply. For now they are looking to document the system configurations that are affected and identify any similarities. If you are still covered by warranty and have not requested a repair, you still need to do that independent of reporting these details to Mr. Hernandez.

This is the only information I have at this time.

Update #3 - 09/14/2015
Still no word from Micro$haft or NVIDIA about what is causing the problem. However, see this post for details on a potential fix.

 

i am using the latest driver so not sure if it's ok

 

So was I... the latest and "greatest" from NVIDIA.

 

I think that is an old article, before M$ released that wonderful prevent an unwanted download tool app. In any event, its sounds very troubling, maybe it would be safer to just go back to 8.1. I think updaters have a month to revert before they have to install OS.

 

I think I am going to go ahead and install Windows 10 on the Alienware 18 and see if the LCD on it gets destroyed like in did on my M18xR1 and M18xR2 display panels. Trying to decide whether or not to roll the dice on ruining a third 18" panel. This is really bad. What are the chances of this happening twice being a coincidence? Possible, I suppose, but not very likely.

 

If you do that and it blows then your down three pcs, and isn't Dell running low on replacement parts? Or, are those parts easy to obtain? Is your Cleo OK?

 

I have not installed it on my Clevo, thank God, and I am not going to now. I'm willing to risk it on the Alienware 18 to rule out the weird coincidence of it happening twice. Three times will remove any doubt. Windows 10 will no longer have a home under my roof if the 18 display gets burned out as well. I will definitely be removing Windows 10 before installing two replacement display panels on the M18xR1 and M18xR2. Luckily, I am dual-booting Windows 7, so I will just remove the drive Windows 10 is installed to and reformat it.

I got a PM from another person that appears to have the same issue. His Alienware M18xR2 has died with 8 beeps after installing Windows 10. I have asked him to post his experience in this thread.

Not knowing whether it is the OS or NVIDIA's Windows 10 drivers also has me concerned.

 

For those that haven't upgraded there is an updated dell management file on the windows update, perhaps that might avoid the hardware malarkey

 

Found some people on youtube talking about situation, and possible fixes:





This is not a new problem. People have been reporting it since earlier versions. Mr. Fox you have me reading the internet.