Enduro help & other stuff plz

1) I have a new m17x R4 with 7970 & I don't know if I turned Enduro off.
I pressed FN+F7 at the same time & rebooted. Then drivers started updating after reboot. After reboot my icons were huge & I had to go into control panel & adjust the display settings. How do I tell if I did it right ?

2) The Alienware command center wants me to update to new version..is it safe to do so ?

3) Which Free software is helpful with running checks on my computer to make sure it is ok to keep & no issues ?

Is there like an "idiots" guide somewhere that will help me ? I have been reading post on here & other forums for the past 2 days. I haven't even tried to play a game yet.

I'm so confused..I don't want to mess my computer up..or is it too late??
Thanks again for the help

 

Since you are running off the Dell drivers, switch back to the Enduro and download the latest AMD drivers (catalyst 12.8) You can check if you are running off the HD4000 and the 7970m by going into control panel and then system and security and look for device manager, once in there look for display adapters and select the drop down arrow to see what adapters are running.

 

1. Go to Control Panel and then open the Device Manager. If you do it right, only the 7970M will show up on your Display Adapter ( click on the plus icon ). Remember to update your 7970M drivers. You should be able to find the Catalyst control drivers on AMD website.

2. It's totally up to you. As long as it does its job, I don't see a reason to update, since I personally don't use their drivers accept for the Alienware Command Center and the Autospy.

3. This is a hard question. You can use HWinfo to monitor your temp and stuff. Use CCleaner to free up your registry, Microsoft Security Essentials to scan virus etc...

4. 7970M is a beast. Enjoy it !

 

Hot Dog!!! It worked..:thumbsup: Thanks again for the help.

 

I had issues installing the latest 12.8 drivers to my new M17xR4.
If I installed them over the most recent Dell drivers, it seemed to go OK, but I could not run 3DMark.
If I removed all the drivers and installed them from scratch, CCC would not work and the system was buggy.

Same results using the Modded drivers as well. I would suggest sticking with the last drivers from Dell until you are sure your system is working at 100%, since you mentioned that as a concern.

You can use 3Dmark11 to test your graphics for free..

 

And for all those who have issues like this poster, I can't stress system restore points enough "always run a restore point prior to new driver installation." sometimes drivers will not install correctly, it happens.

 

Make sure you use Driver sweeper to remove the drivers before installing any non-Dell drivers. It's really important to avoid the conflicts from left over files.

 

Actually it is recommended to install newer drivers over the existing Dell drivers in order to preserve the Enduro functions and not cause other issues. AMD drivers have been very good about in place upgrades as well as nVidia.

For #2 if you do update the command center make sure you don't try to install an older version later on. The new version updates the firmware for alienfx and there is a possibility that an older version being installed can brick it and corrupt the firmware.

On #3 there is HWMonitor but I actually use this guide to keep an eye on it in game too.

 

nVidia is incredibly good about drivers. That is all I have ever owned since they started and I never had an issue. None of this driver cleaning crap I always see when looking at issues with AMD cards. My first AMD card and instant heartbreak. For everyone's information, I tried it BOTH ways with two sets of 12.8 drivers. This is on a FRESH install of Windows 7 x64 on my SSD. Only apps installed are Guild Wars 2 and 3DMark11.

When installing the 12.8 drivers over the dell ones:
1. GW2 runs fine
2. CCC runs fine, but HDMI audio device is gone
4. 3DMark11 crashes with an "Unspecified Error"

When installing the drivers clean:
1. GW2 runs like crap
2. CCC crashes with an error
3. 3DMark11, no chance.

As a computer science major, I say: It does not need to be this difficult.
As an engineering graduate, I say: It does not need to be this disjointed.
As an IT professional, I say: I hate AMD and their BS driver issues.
As a cheapskate, I say: I own and AMD powered laptop.

The Dell drivers are running great for me and benching well. Enduro off for gaming is a must. Get an SSD, they are cheap and reboots and system restores are fast. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I am sure that when AMD gets a driver set out that fixed Enduro, Alienware will follow suit with proper factory drivers.

 

have you tried the Modded 12.7 or 12.8 Catalyst drivers? I have used the 12.7 and 12.8 Modded drivers and have had no issues, give it a try.

As a passionate gamer i say, thanks for continuing to release drivers in an effort to make things right for the customer. As i can understand how complicated it can be to create a driver that fits all ranges of software, no pun intended, but the latest drivers are well optimized and that much closer to being just right.

 

Hey Mike,

I tried both the modded and factory 12.8's. Exact same results in both instances.
Like I said, the stock drivers are benching and playing well for me so I can wait. I just think that someone with a new system should consider running stock for a while to make sure their systems are stable before trying the upgrade and offer my recent experiences as an example.

 

CheezWizz,
For sure, I'm curious to know if this is just an isolated issue or common one with users.