Alienware/Dell Mini Dump Crash Fix!!!

from Sins Forums

If you bought an Alienware X51 then your computer most likely came with Windows 7 and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 555 or another OEM Only Video Card!  These graphics cards DO NOT come with compatible drivers for this game and will cause a mini dump every time you try to start the game!  There is no way to roll back the drivers or update them normally because these graphics cards drivers are actually managed by Dell and not Nvidia!

 

THERE IS A SIMPLE FIX THOUGH!!!

 

Simply go to Nvidia's Driver Website - http://www.geforce.com/drivers - and under Manual Driver Search Select the Following:

GeForce

GeForce 500 Series (assuming you have a GTX 555 or GT 545 or other 500 Series card)

Windows (whichever you have...probably 7)

(language)

 

Install this driver manually and when it prompts you to restart your computer it will finish installing and your game will work no problem!

 

What this does is runs your graphics card on the actual Nvidia supported drivers for the 500 Series instead of the specific Dell managed Drivers that are not compatible with this and many other games!  It will also mean that when Nvidia releases updates you will automatically get them too instead of having to hope that Dell might some day come out with one!

 

I am not 100% sure if this will in any way effect warranties or anything like that so please check with Dell first if you are concerned about this.  I will in no way be held responsible if it does effect it! :)

technical
8,177 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Would like to see this stickied.  I have seen a lot of people posting about this in a lot of different forums but was only able to figure out the solution for myself after getting an idea from what someone had said regarding a different game.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

That's actually the preferred way for anyone to update video drivers. Windows Update and OEM utilities/websites have traditionally been abysmal at actually proving current drivers, and modern reference drivers nearly always work perfectly fine on pretty much any OEM variants of the cards.

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

 Had the same problem not being able to play with black screen and mini-dump. Updated drivers as per OP and now it works fine.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

You sir, just fixed another X51. Great job, and keep up the outstanding support!

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Had the same problem on dell xps laptop from hong kong. Problem solved. Thx

 

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

I can't believe it took someone to tell you how to update driver? ;o just google stuff.. keeping drivers updated should be your top priority.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

I think the thing that is tricky about it is if you go on your Dell system and update driver, it detects and tells you that you have the most up to date driver... when in fact - you don't! Never trust a computer, especially with something called Sky Net.

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

Yeah the problem is that the OEM drivers for the card are fully updated...they just aren't compatible.