https://1drv.ms/u/s!AktPtbyFr_MjjW9I2pbfE5qTofjs
Had to desolder the chip as there was a resistor in the way preventing the proper seating of the clip.
This is from the non-working board. I’d have to disassemble and desolder the working computer to get a dump from that one. Let me know if you’d like that one also.
Edit: External monitor had no signal from the laptop.
Good you have clip, you mentioned desoldering so I felt bad thinking you didn’t have a clip yet.
Thanks, that CPU does have it’s own Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics too, but BIOS would need to be setup properly first to have it enabled and ready to be used if the other failed (Should be default that way, but you never know)
SG (switchable Graphics) would need to be enabled, and Integrated graphics from CPU not disabled by default.
Well you said “activate fans and USB” by pressing end key on problem system, so I wondered what happens in that case on the working system? Can’t be does nothing on either, since you said it does something on the problem system, that’s what made me ask.
Does external monitor show up when connected on the working system? Also, on this system can you see any settings like I mentioned above in the BIOS?
I see "Northbridge Config section, that has Integrated Graphics settings, but only core ratio and voltage option, all other graphics related settings like I mentioned I cannot tell if they are visible to you or not.
I see Main, advanced, OEM Dock >> OEM Dock with graphic mod is set to SG with internal gGPU, so even without dock with optimal defaults are loaded I think this would mean SG is set even if you cannot see it (I see SG enabled on optimal but only iGFX on fail safe (CPU GFX), on probably hidden from you settings)
Internal graphics is disabled on fail safe, auto on optimal, and auto would have to mean enabled since this is all setup for those other addon alienware docking options.
However, some systems with Primary set to SG wont load the CPU GFX in certain situations, so a fail safe test may be needed to see if it’s working (Fail safe primary display is not set to SG, but iGFX)
When running GPU-z, do you see at the bottom a drop out menu that shows HD 4600 (Or generic VGA if no driver) and the Nvidia also, or only one entry in that dropout?
Check this with optimal loaded, and then fail safe, then we will know if both can be used, but this is not ideal if it can only be used after making BIOS changes, since we can’t do that on the non-working system to check if video card is faulty.
All this/any testing with external monitor try all external ports if there is more than one (HDMI DVI etc), and no hot-plug testing, connect each way while powered off then power up to test and let load all the way to windows in case it takes some time to kick in.
Checking EC file now - looks VERY sparse, maybe not completely programmed correct. But sadly, the only way to know for sure is dump the working one 
With the working system, pressing the END key will not turn on the fans or read a USB stick when the device is powered off. The END key does not have the same functionality on the working system as with the faulty system.
For the external monitor, I have HDMI and DVI output and have tried the HDMI to the external monitor with the faulty system and was unable to get a signal to the monitor. I didn’t try the DVI port as I don’t have a cord. I have tried with the faulty system from no activity to enabling the fans, but again, nothing on the display.
Regarding the dock, there was a separate graphics amplifier for sale that one could place a desktop card into and utilize that card’s GPU, but I don’t have that. I don’t have a way of choosing between the integrated and discrete GPU via the BIOS settings - though both do show up on the info page of the working device’s Main tab in the BIOS.
On the working system and GPUz, I am able to select either the Intel HD 4600 or the nVidia GTX 980M.
I gotcha, so only faulty system has this/any behavior with the END key. Test monitor reaction on working system.
Yes, I know about those docks, that’s why I think BIOS is set the way it is, so they can be used easier without messing with BIOS settings (And they hide half of those from you anyway)
Thanks for GPU-z and BIOS GPU both confirmation, that means if system is working the external port should use CPU’s gfx to load onto monitor.
This way we can tell if the problem system has dead video card or not, once you copy working BIOS onto it, if external monitor loads but not LCD then you know.
It doesn’t surprise me that I won’t get anything on the external monitor. With the exception of the fans and USB activity, I get no other indication that anything else is working on the device - no status lights, no lights to logo or keyboard, no caps locks light, no HDD activity lights, and no charging lights. Hopefully you see something in the EC dump. But let me know if I should get a dump from the operating computer’s EC chip.
Yeah, maybe not, but worth comparing how it looks if the working system gives external video. I mean for you to test that with the working systems BIOS programmed onto the non-working system, as a test.
EC, I mentioned above (in an edit, maybe you missed at the end there) Yes, I would need dump from the working one to compare, sorry I know you have to desolder to get this one
Give me a few days to get the dump from the working computer EC. I appreciate your help trying to get this thing working again.
You’re welcome, and no rush from my end, whenever you have time and get around to desoldering.
Did you test programming the working BIOS to the non-working system? If yes, any changes?
So an update. I initially flashed the bios earlier in the week and the laptop still gave the bios corrupt LED. I unplugged it and left it a lone for few days, now this morning I tried booting it up again and it worked!! Thanks a lot guys! This was my first bios flash attempt and this forum made it a lot easier than I expected. Thanks so much @plutomaniac and you too @Lost_N_BIOS.
I did flash both to the working system and again, no changes. I’ll try to get that working EC dumped and uploaded tonight.
Quicker than expected.
Below is the EC dump from the working board.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AktPtbyFr_MjjXDmQmAie3oE6NSQ
Update. Flashed and verified the working EC dump to the non-working system EC chip. Assembled and tested and still a no-go. Same functionality when pressing the END key on the non-working system: full fans and USB functionality - but no other indicators or lights. I did notice that I can shut the fans off now by pressing and holding the power button for 4 seconds. Previously, I had to disconnect power to the device in order to shut those down.
Thanks for EC, I will compare them tonight. For your EC testing, good you went ahead and copied over while you were at it. But, did you also program in the working BIOS to the non-working system for this new test?
That should be done next if you have not already, then it should be working, unless either hardware error, or you also need to copy over the vBIOS chip rom too.
Here is BIOS ID’s, may be little different on your system, but this should help you find the vBIOS chip to copy over too
W25Q64F: Main Bios
W25Q80: EC
W25X20: VBios
If, after you copy in the vBIOS too, and no changes, retest using monitors as we discussed. Those must be connected before powering on (No hot-plug), and wait several minutes of running to be sure nothing is going to come on screen.
Then, leave system running and connect it to your router via LAN/Ethernet, can you then see it as a connected device in router management from another system? If yes, high probability your graphics card died.
Yes to the BIOS - was flashed and verified to non-working system.
I’ll dump and post the vBIOS next time it’s disassembled.
I figured that I would get system error beeps if the GPU is dead, and even then, either the nVidia or Intel would kick in if the other one was dead. But again, I get no activity when the power button is pressed.
I’ll also try your suggestion on getting the non-working computer hard wired into my network and see if I can get it to show on the DHCP client table.
No, not necessarily on the dead GPU, I have a few Dells here notorious for dying GPU’s (M1730), and I’ve never heard them beep at all when dead GPU is in there. They do have a LCD test method (Hot key combo I think, or press xx button while powering on) but I forge what it is, I’ll try to find for you later.
When that is used, with dead video card in there, only LCD Backlight comes on and you can’t see anything on screen except the backlights lit up. When card is working this invokes a color pattern test you can see.
I forget how they act with dead card in, and trying to view monitor externally, or how they act otherwise beeps etc. I’ll get one out shortly and check for you.
Working vBIOS: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AktPtbyFr_MjjXFJEHt5I3P0yn6v
Non-working vBIOS: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AktPtbyFr_MjjXIBwaQ_q6ZhhEWP
Compared the 2 through the programmer and they are the same.
Connected non-working via hard-wire to network and the device is not showing on the client table nor is it giving any LAN activity lights.
When you have computers with dead GPUs, you can at least power the device on through regular means, correct? The non-working gets zero response through pressing the power button. Again, the only response I can get is by pressing the END key. I visually inspected the board for anything that doesn’t look right, but nothing seems amiss.
Thanks, I will compare tonight too. No, sometimes dead GPU stops system from starting, but not always. It’s possible something else died right then, and made it look like BIOS killed it. Like some tiny resistor, capacitor, ect.
* edit - @mhcallies1 - I agree, same/same there, and I compared to another dump too, same. I guess the only thing left to try here is swapping all parts from non-working into the working system one at a time and see if they are OK or not (CPU, Memory, GFX Card).
Then if all still working, only thing left to confirm bad board is try the inverse, all good items into the non-working board and see if it still fails.
Unfortunately, the CPU and GPU are both integrated and soldered to the board. I do have a hot air station, but I’m a bit hesitant to pull each from a working onto the non-working, and vice versa. I do appreciate your help on this and just may end up scrapping the board and keeping the other parts as spares for the working unit.
I just thought it very peculiar that a bad BIOS flash is irrecoverable with what we’ve been flashing and leaving the board not being able to power up at all. I ended up putting a new BIOS chip that was flashed with many different versions of the BIOS you’ve provided.
I’ve also tried to blind flash as outlined in https://na.alienwarearena.com/ucf/show/2…s-update-failed via USB, but am not getting any results either. I may use this method to verify that the USB writing of the BIOS is actually programming the chip.
If anything else happens, I’ll definitely update here.
Bummer!! No go with hot air station, that’s way more involved and you need to be specialist to do that kind of hot air reflow properly (best done with hot plate + IR Station, not hot air).
Blind flashing will not help, especially since direct programming is not working. Did you test the power button from non-working on the working machine, maybe the power button is bad?
Yes, it is very peculiar about the BIOS flash unrecoverable, especially now that you have all proper files and a programmer, that is why I was thinking some other hardware part just happened to die right then and not really a bad flash, just appeared that way due to circumstances
Yes, I tried the palm rest/keyboard/power button assembly from the non-working unit on the working computer and that all works without issue.
I found a barebones computer on eBay that appears to at least boot to BIOS, but can’t get any more details about the GPU. If I can get it cheap enough, I’ll just swap the boards out and call it a day.
Will keep you posted.