Steam VR not working on Alienware recent laptop

[Harlow]

Steam VR does not work with my laptop.
If i use Direct Mode, i get a compositor not found error
if idont use direct mode but the option share display in windows display parameters I get an headset not connected properly error
And if I use spread display, the vr menu (the planet stuff) is in the headset but the game is only on my computer screen
As anyone got the same problem?

[Akillezmight]

i have the same issue with my new alienware 17 laptop. Runs the GTX980M. Everything shows green and connected. Just keep getting the composite error and it won't start.

[Harlow]

I suspect the HDMI port is not connected directly on the graphic card or some same kind of ♥♥♥♥...

Didnt try with the display port though...

[Fox Mcloud]

Same here. I only see the main background, but no games... And Direct Mode doesn't work either.

[Akillezmight]

could be. I have also seen past threads where people say its a issue with the usb ports conflicting with the hardware. I tried my vive on my main pc and it works with no issue. I did get a email back from steam developer saying they are aware of some people getting error and are currently working on a fix. No eta on fix update yet. They just said they are working on it.

[Akillezmight]

dont mess with direct mode. That can screw up your headset. My friend bricked his by messing with that.

[Harlow]

I tried to remove Direct Mode and to put the headset as main screen, that was a real mess :D Had to find the menu to revert this ♥♥♥♥ inside the headset screen.

[greenberet_]

im running a laptop too(msi gt70 with gtx 880m), after a few days of trying i got something that works for me:
-make sure everything is running as administrator
-Start steam vr, get the compositor not running error.
-open the dropdown menu in stream vr, deselect direct mode.
-click ok an wait for steamvr to restart.
-steamvr opens and the compositor screen shows me a red background only. steamvr complains that compositor is not fullscreen, click on "make compositor fullscreen" doesnt help.
-use the function key on the laptop to use an external monitor (for me its fn + f2). vive screens turn on, showing a blurry version of what i see on my lcd. steamvr still complains about compositor not beeing fullscreen. mouse pointer is not visible when moved out of steam vr window.
- click into the red compositor window, vive displays now shows my defined playground in vr

if the steam dashboard doesnt show in vr, you can still open vr programms manually by alt tabbing out of the compositor window an starting what you want in the normal steam client.
to show the vr content on vive again click into the red compositor again.

after closing steamvr and starting it again is says vive display not found, this seems to be caused by the non direct mode. unfortunetly enabling it again in steamvr dropdown menu doesnt work.
enable it manually in the settings file **\Steam\config\steamvr.vrsettings using a text editor (notepad etc) by changing "directMode" : false, to "directMode" : true,

sometimes the compositor is not working after switching to non direct mode, in most cases it works if i start it manually (run as admin!)
its found in **\Steam\SteamApps\common\SteamVR\bin\win64

[teses]

im running an alienware r3 it seems to work fine using the mini graphics port. I had one compositor issue but it gave me the option co click for auto setup and has worked fine since.