Display issues Alienware 18

[razor0601]

Good day all. I have a problem with my AW18 and it’s dual GTX 880m. If the HD 4600 is on there is no problem. If I turn on both 880m the screen is flickering weird. But on HDMI there is no issue. Maybe it’s the Display cable? 

[sliderfra]

hi, could be the lvds cable. If it's not, try to remove SLAVE mxm card and test it. If problem remains, try the SLAVE mxm in MASTER slot. You should then be able to pinpoint the failure on one card.

[Jerryzago]

Looks like the secondary GPU is on it's way out. If it were the cable, the problem would be there regardless the iGPU or the 880m. Disable SLI for starters to see if the problem is still there.

[razor0601]

Thanks, I will try.

[razor0601]

So, I tried both 880m in the primary slot. Same issue, I tried also a spare Alienware 765m in the primary slot. Also same issue. 
Again, with only HD 4600 there is no issue on the internal or external screen.

what the hell is that?

[sliderfra]

did you try with only one mxm card and in SG mode (optimus with intel HD)?

Could be the converter chip sending signal from mxm to LVDS in PEG mode. If it works in SG mode, it's most probably this and AW will still be usable in SG mode with MXM card.

[razor0601]

Ok I will try. But first I have to flash the unlocked Bios.

[razor0601]

Bad news. Also in SG Mode tested with both 880m in Slot 1 it gave me a blank black screen. 
With Intel HD only it starts normal. 

[sliderfra]

well that's weird... Gotta be some LVDS  converter of some sort. Did you try another LVDS ribbon? Chances are low but could be that also...

[razor0601]

Unfortunately I have no spare cable. Have to order one. What could it be also?

[razor0601]

Do you know where is the LVDS Converter is located?

[Maks0098]

On 3/4/2025 at 7:45 PM, razor0601 said:

Unfortunately I have no spare cable. Have to order one. What could it be also?

Have you tried wiping the contacts with an eraser before installing the card?

Just in case.

[Maks0098]

And you can try to set the following settings in the BIOS: Special Features Enabled in Advanced-Video Configuration and in Pci Express Graphic set it like this PowerXpress setting.

This needs to be in SG Mode.

And if anything, this is from my M18x R2, but your 18 should also have such parameters.

[razor0601]

For what is that PowerXpress setting exactly?

[Maks0098]

4 hours ago, razor0601 said:

For what is that PowerXpress setting exactly?

In general, it controls which video card will be responsible for video outputs, integrated or discrete, but this is a Fixed scheme, and Dynamic seems to work like a MUX and, let's say, outside the game you have an image from the integrated one, and during the game the discrete one turns on and the image starts to go directly from it, like in PEG mode

This is my understanding, let someone correct me if I misunderstood about Dynamic Scheme.

[razor0601]

Hello again, unfortunately it is not the LVDS Ribbon cable. So it’s the LVDS Converter?

[razor0601]

Anyone has a schematic for me?

[sliderfra]

Alienware 18 Viking schematics_Compal LA-9332P VAS10 rX02 201119.pdf

 

Does it work in SG mode with the Nvidia card? I mean using the nvidia card for 3D purpose (not just 2D using intel iGPu)

There are many signal converter on the board (for IGPu, DGPu, HDMI, DP,...) so most probably the one dealing with DGPu signal is defective (the chip itself or some kind of cms associated). Could be hard to track down.

[razor0601]

No, it doesn’t work in SG Mode. The problem is with dGPU on internal screen. Everything else is working 

[sliderfra]

On 11/7/2025 at 7:44 AM, razor0601 said:

No, it doesn’t work in SG Mode. The problem is with dGPU on internal screen. Everything else is working 

Well there's something wrong in between the MXM & the LVDS MUX then. Problem is finding the issue itself...