Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

so pu601 does not work yet.
Now measure voltage on all pins of QZ19 and Q294 and QZ1.
This laptop had multiple problems at different places. What did happen to it that made these problems?

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

so pu601 does not work yet.
Now measure voltage on all pins of QZ19 and Q294 and QZ1.
This laptop had multiple problems at different places. What did happen to it that made these problems?

Looks like QZ1 is not converting to 3VSDGPU, could be the line on pin 4 or QZ1 itself, perhaps a bad bach of IC's.

Wasn't 100% sure on QZ19 pins so marked and measured from the picture.

QZ19
Pin1 - 0.0mV when not beeping, 0.1mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin2 - 1.0mV when not beeping, 1.2mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin3 - 1.1mV when not beeping, 1.3mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin4 - 0.0mV when not beeping, 0.1mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin5 - 3.282V
Pin6 - 3.282V

Q294
Pin1 - 3.319V
Pin2 - 0.9mV when not beeping, 0.7mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin3 - 0.0mV when not beeping, 0.1mV when 7 beeps sound

Qz1
Pin1 - 147.9mV when not beeping, 147.7mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin2 - 147.9mV when not beeping, 147.7mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin3 - 147.9mV when not beeping, 147.7mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin4 - 1.4mV when not beeping, 1.2mV when 7 beeps sound
Pin5 - 3.323V
Pin6 - 3.323V
Pin7 - 3.323V
Pin8 - 3.323V

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

please take a photo of Q294 too.

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

please take a photo of Q294 too.

I think this is the way I measured it.

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

Now check resistance between the following point pairs:
- pin1 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19
- pin2 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19
- pin3 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

Now check resistance between the following point pairs:
- pin1 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19
- pin2 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19
- pin3 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19

pin1 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19 - 18.11k ohms
pin2 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19 - juggles around 1.2 - 1.1 ohms
pin3 of Q294 and pin2 of QZ19 - 16.35k ohms

[piernov]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

What you labeled "pin 1" of Q294 is the gate, according to the 2N7002K datasheet. So DGPU_PWR_EN# is high when it should be low.
This signal comes from the PCH during BIOS initialization (well, I'm not even sure the dGPU turns on at startup on this board). It could be many things: display not detected, corrupt BIOS, bad PCH, something else preventing the BIOS from POSTing correctly.

Try connecting an external display, on the VGA and the HDMI port.
Also, check the voltage on PL702, and make sure BUF_CPU_RST# is present.

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

What did happen to the laptop at the beginning?

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

What did happen to the laptop at the beginning?

Do you mean why did it stop working? I bought it cheap in non-working condition on ebay to fix as the seller made it sound as if it was a simple fix but was not entirely honest, I later found it's display cable was missing after taking it apart, I had contacted DELL to look at warranty as DELL fixed my M17x R4 GPU for free, 3 years out of warranty! So I was hoping I'd get lucky again. I gave them the service tag and he said that they had record of that service tag being sold at action for parts, that's all the information I got from DELL.

I tried to sell it for parts to make my money back but didn't get much interest, but remembered about Badcaps.net and the help I've gotten from here in the past, so here we are with one problem fixed so far

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

I hope it gets fixed. but it takes time.
so far, you discovered that DGPU_PWR_EN# is not generated by PCH.
In addition to the recommendations of post #187, check resistance between the following point pairs:
- pin1 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1.
- pin2 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1.
- pin3 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1.

note: there is no need to distinguish voltage measurement under various conditions of beeping and not-beeping.

currently I am working on a laptop of my customer. it was an easy fix. but I bent the pins of SIO by mistake. Now the laptop does not turn on. so I have to spend my time on it.

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

What you labeled "pin 1" of Q294 is the gate, according to the 2N7002K datasheet. So DGPU_PWR_EN# is high when it should be low.
This signal comes from the PCH during BIOS initialization (well, I'm not even sure the dGPU turns on at startup on this board). It could be many things: display not detected, corrupt BIOS, bad PCH, something else preventing the BIOS from POSTing correctly.

Try connecting an external display, on the VGA and the HDMI port.
Also, check the voltage on PL702, and make sure BUF_CPU_RST# is present.

No difference with VGA nor HDMI.

PL702 - 0.9mV
PL706 - 0.9mV

I hope it gets fixed. but it takes time.
so far, you discovered that DGPU_PWR_EN# is not generated by PCH.
In addition to the recommendations of post #187, check resistance between the following point pairs:
- pin1 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1.
- pin2 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1.
- pin3 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1.

Pl703 - 1.118v
pl704 - 1.118v
pl705 - 1.118v

pin1 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1 - 8.17k ohm
pin2 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1 - 9.94k ohm
pin3 of Q294 and pin5 of QZ1 - 1.711k ohm

[piernov]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

Ok so you don't even have the integrated GPU VCore, which means the BIOS doesn't run or fails at an early stage. Same possible causes: corrupt BIOS, bad PCH, something else preventing the BIOS from POSTing correctly (missing S0 power rail, any other bad IC…).

Check resistance to ground on PL702 to make sure it's not shorted but I guess it's not.

Check voltage on BUF_CPU_RST# to at least know if the CPU is told to work.
You could try catching what happens at the BIOS (U48) CS# pin with your multimeter. It should get a bit lower than 3.3V right after pressing power button. You may not see it with your multimeter but if you see it it means that at least the BIOS is being executed.

You can try flashing your BIOS in any case.

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

Ok so you don't even have the integrated GPU VCore, which means the BIOS doesn't run or fails at an early stage. Same possible causes: corrupt BIOS, bad PCH, something else preventing the BIOS from POSTing correctly (missing S0 power rail, any other bad IC…).

Check resistance to ground on PL702 to make sure it's not shorted but I guess it's not.

Check voltage on BUF_CPU_RST# to at least know if the CPU is told to work.
You could try catching what happens at the BIOS (U48) CS# pin with your multimeter. It should get a bit lower than 3.3V right after pressing power button. You may not see it with your multimeter but if you see it it means that at least the BIOS is being executed.

You can try flashing your BIOS in any case.

U48 pin1 quickly shows 2.6V when power button is pressed then goes to 3.323V

I'm am new to board work like this, what points do I measure to test voltage on BUF_CPU_RST# ?

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

BUF_CPU_RST# is on pin2 of RC33.
if you do not find RC33, post a picture of UC2 to help you find it.

Is this RC33? Pin2 - 1.059V

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

I think RC33 is the next black one beside the resistor which you measured.
to make sure, measure resistance between the two pins of each resistor.
then measure voltage on each side of them.

[piernov]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

Hum, if you see 2.6V on the BIOS CS# pin, then most likely BUF_CPU_RST# is present and the CPU starts to execute the BIOS.

At this point, I would try flashing the BIOS.
In order to troubleshoot why the BIOS doesn't POST correctly, you would need a diagnostic POST card, and even then it often doesn't help…

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

I think RC33 is the next black one beside the resistor which you measured.
to make sure, measure resistance between the two pins of each resistor.
then measure voltage on each side of them.

You where correct, edited the picture.

RC32 - 74.1 ohms
Pin1 - 127.9mV and slowly rises
Pin2 - 1.059V

RC33 - 43.1 ohms
Pin1 - same as RC32 pin1
Pin2 - same as RC32 pin1

[piernov]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

So no BUF_CPU_RST#? That's weird.
What's the voltage on PLT_RST# (UC2 pin 2, bottom center)? And on PCH_PLTRST (UH5 pin 1 and 2, left and center one on 3 pins side)?

[caspian]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

In addition, try another CPU or test your cpu on another board.

[Johndill]

Re: Alienware M14x R2 with 7 beeps error

So no BUF_CPU_RST#? That's weird.
What's the voltage on PLT_RST# (UC2 pin 2, bottom center)? And on PCH_PLTRST (UH5 pin 1 and 2, left and center one on 3 pins side)?

READ NEXT POST!!!!!

UC2
Pin2 - 0.2mV

UH5
Pin1 - 0.3mV
Pin2 - 0.3mV