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    Did I get a factory defect?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011.

  1. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    Hey guys, you've all been supremely helpful in recent weeks. Thank you.

    I've been running more benchmarks on my computer, and I am beginning to suspect that my CPU might be defective. I am on high performance, and all of my drivers are current and up to date. Everything else runs fine, my GPU is well above par.

    As an example, when I run 3DMark Vantage, I recieve a CPU specific score of P8445. This isn't just a one time issue, it returns like this every time. According to 3DMark it should be somewhere around P17700.

    Did Dell give me a lemon? And if I'm still under the warranty, will they replace it if it is? And will I have to prove to them that it is defective before they do?
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  2. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    What are the scores of both CPU and GPU?
     
    DR650SE, Aug 18, 2011
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  3. TostitoBandito

    TostitoBandito Notebook Evangelist

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    What are your BIOS settings for your CPU?

    What do the clock rates look like while you are benchmarking? It may be that it isn't properly adjusting its mutliplier via speedstep to achieve the 2.2 GHz clock rate, for whatever reason. CPU-Z should show you, if you can log from it while running a bench. The peak mutliplier should be 22, for a 2.2 GHz clock speed.
     
    TostitoBandito, Aug 18, 2011
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  4. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    GPU score is P11853, and the target is P10900.

    CPU score is P8445, and the target is P17700.

    Overall score is P10767, and the target score is P12100
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  5. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    I have CPU-Z, but vantage runs fullscreen. How do I check it while running vantage?
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  6. aarpcard

    aarpcard Notebook Deity

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    Yeah that's way too low. My cpu is pulling ~16000 and your cpu should be about 25-30% quicker. . . Also your gpu scores do seem a tad low. . . but don't quote me on that.

    Run cpu-z during the benchmark to make sure you're cpu is clocking up fully. Also, you are running these benchmarks on AC power right?
     
    aarpcard, Aug 18, 2011
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  7. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  8. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    Checking my BIOS now...
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  9. TostitoBandito

    TostitoBandito Notebook Evangelist

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    I think you can have it log to a file.

    Alternatively, run a game in a window and watch CPU-Z. Most any game should be enough to get the CPU to full speed.
     
    TostitoBandito, Aug 18, 2011
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  10. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    I have BIOS pulled up, what am I looking for?
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  11. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    I think it's on the Advanced screen. It will have an entry titled Intel Speedstep (more or less) which can be toggled between Enabled and Disabled. It must be Enabled for best performance.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  12. TostitoBandito

    TostitoBandito Notebook Evangelist

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    Mainly wondering if you changed anything. Otherwise, I assume Speedstep is enabled and that your CPU bus is at its default frequency of 9980.
     
    TostitoBandito, Aug 18, 2011
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  13. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    I haven't changed anything to my knowledge.

    BIOS access is achieved by pressing F2 during boot correct? I've been using mac for the past 3 years, I'm a little rusty.
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  14. Harryboiyeye

    Harryboiyeye Notebook Deity

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    Had the same issue before with my R2 of where my GPU score was a lower than others. Dell are feisty on this without a proper "In the face" error but if you can't fix it then call them up and ask for a replacement/fix.

    Peace
     
    Harryboiyeye, Aug 18, 2011
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  15. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Yes, F2 during bootup (large Alienhead). Then go to Advanced section. There it is.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  16. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    Speedstep is enabled
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  17. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    Intel diagnostics reports no issues, so far as I can tell
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  18. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Then it's just a setting somewhere that is limiting the CPU. Did you check PowerPlay?
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  19. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    Yes, enabled.
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  20. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Hmmm. Those are the usual suspects. Going to take a little thought. Maybe someone else has a clue.

    Has it exhibited this behavior from the beginning or did it suddenly reduce performance?

    Lanner7, try switching to High Performance power plan and see whether that has any effect.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  21. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    It could be either. I never actually thought to check. Unfortunately all of the games that might have tipped me off to this problem are currently in oregon (my brother is borrowing them for his trip up there).
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  22. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    During the crash and burn physics in vantage, the framerate gets extremely choppy, like 1 frame every 3 seconds or so. Is this usual?
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  23. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Yes, that's normal for portions of the test; it's a CPU torture test. It's probably exaggerated in your case if the CPU is throttled back.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  24. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    High performance is enabled.
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  25. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    I am fresh out of theories for the moment. Sorry.

    Call Dell. Maybe they have some diagnostics that can help pinpoint the issue. It's up to them to make it work as designed. But Intel CPU's very rarely fail. There's got to some setting or parameter someplace that is limiting performance.

    You have not by any chance mucked around in msconfig.exe have you? Or Throttlestop?
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  26. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    So, I am officially confused. After all of this, checking BIOS, CCC, Intel Diagnostics, and changing absolutely nothing, I get (default GPU settings):

    [​IMG]
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  27. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    The gods of computer hardware are screwing with me.
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  28. TostitoBandito

    TostitoBandito Notebook Evangelist

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    It sounds like speedstep wasn't working right, or your computer thought it was on battery (or really was). Probably wouldn't hurt to reflash your system BIOS, or flash to 08 if you aren't using it already.
     
    TostitoBandito, Aug 18, 2011
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  29. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    But they finally smiled. :D :D

    Ours not to reason why . . . .

    Your 6990M is a little overclocked.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  30. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    That's what I suspect. I checked to make sure it was plugged in. Wires were not loose. The alien head indicator light is the appropriate color for being plugged in.

    Regardless of the problem, it appears to have been magically solved.

    Thanks so much for you're help guys! Even though it does appear that I wasted your time.
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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  31. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Glad it's working now, however it got there.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 18, 2011
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  32. Lanner7

    Lanner7 Notebook Geek

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    (+Rep btw)
     
    Lanner7, Aug 18, 2011
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