m16 R2, screen froze, 1 red light, 8 blue lights

Check if it is 2-8. Generally, if the laptop flashes 7 or 8, it means the problem is with the screen or the screen cable.

I got the same problem recently just today. 1 red light and 8 blue lights blinking.

I am also having this issue. Any updates? 

Same thing on an x16 R2. Has happened a few times in the first week.

Video at 1/2 speed.

Hi all, OP here. Fyi when I talked to Dell they said that the the 1 red/8 blue didn't have a specific error attached to it. They suggested it was possibly a static electricity issue.

There was a setting they had me change in Windows, sorry I don't remember it exactly. It had to do with how the CPU and GPU communicated. It was creating errors on more powerful machines like the m16 R2, since it was created for machines with less processing power. If you have this problem def make a ticket. I haven't had the problem since.   

I got in touch with one support person who said the 1 red, 8 blue lights indicate it is a BIOS issue. He took control of my computer, ensured I had the latest BIOS by running the installer. I still had the issue UNTIL I reset the BIOS to "BIOS Default".  So far, the system has been running solid.  If I chose the "Factory Default", I quickly got the lockup with the aforementioned light pattern. I will post more once I find out the difference between the two defaults.

After talking with Tech Support again this evening, I have been told these are the differences between the "BIOS Defaults" and "Factory Defaults":

• BIOS Defaults:  These have machine specific defaults and are targeted for the particular machine configuration (RECOMMENDED OPTION)
• Factory Defaults:  This is more generic settings for the motherboard, and may not be aligned to the configuration of the particular machine (Not recommended to use)

@MichaelInNC​ Thanks, this seems promising!

Where did you find that bios/factory default setting? Support assist? The bios screen from hitting F12 when booting?

@adfkjhasdfkla​   You will find the ability to get to the BIOS settings using either F12 as you suggested, or using the F2 key to enter the BIOS settings directly.  Once in the BIOS settings, you will see the option to "Load Defaults" at the bottom of the window; click on that button, and you will be presented with three options, one of which is "BIOS Defaults", which is what you want.  

I hope this helps.

PS:  I suspect the x16 BIOS is similar to the m16 one; I have the m16 R2.

Well unfortunately, the bios setting didn't do the trick.

Called support. First they very slowly walked me through reinstalling my graphics drivers. Then immediately wanted to do a complete wipe of the system and reinstall. As if I could tell immediately whether we had fixed a problem that happens at random. Of course that didn't fix it, but it got me off the phone.

@In8l00m​ 

Hi

Did you ever get to remember what they made you change?

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks in advance.

Dell released a new BIOS, version 1.9.0, for the Alienware m16 R2.  I have loaded it and am now testing it.  I will let you know if/when it fails after running HWMonitor for an extended period of time.  I did tell Tech Support that R&D needed to stress test the BIOS on their end with this piece of software, but I do not know if that was done or not.

@adfkjhasdfkla, Did you notice if Dell released a new BIOS for your machine yet?

@MichaelInNC​ 

Update:  Within 15 minutes of starting up HWMonitor, the machine locked up with the 1 red, 8 blue lights.  UGH.  So much for the BIOS update fixing this issue.

@MichaelInNC​ Have you found anything else out? My wife is having this 1 red 8 blue issue on a brand new laptop, we havnt even had it for 2 weeks yet and the issue has happened multiple times a day. We are getting discouraged. I just updated the bios, but I don't have high hopes seeing as its the same version as the one you mentioned having and still having the issue.