Just got my M17x R3, a few questions..

Hi all

I am happy to say I received my M17x R3 and have been playing about with it for awhile.

I just have a few questions if any of the more experienced people could answer..

1) When the laptop is nearing, or is at full charge and connected to the AC charger, it emits an electrical humming noise. Its not quiet enough for me to ignore it, but its not that loud either. I can hear it when everything (including the laptop and my room) is quiet. When gaming, or when the speakers are playing anything, or when the fans are on (even a little bit) I don't hear it as its being flooded out I presume. Subconciously I am starting to ignore it, but since my previous laptops were all very quiet, and I always used them in a quiet room these electrical humming sounds seem new to me. The same sound is emitted from the actual AC adapter, too. Anyone else getting this?

2) I have installed the ATI 11.9 drivers (I have the 6990m), and I enabled overdrive through the registry. I have put the settings straight up to 740/1000MHz which is the maximum. I assume I need to flash the graphics card to be able to overvolt it and get higher clocks, or are people able to get higher than 740/1000MHz with stock volts?

3) With the 6990m, ATI 11.9 & 740/1000MHz Overdrive I am getting 3616 3DMarks (3D Mark 11). I know I shouldn't look into it too much but is this about right? 3DMark told me my score is too low but I obviously don't really believe it.

4) Regarding repasting, I have a tube of Artic Silver 5 and a bottle of TIM-Clean. They are very old. I always used to use them for desktop CPUs, everyone used to recommend them back in the day but since its been awhile is there some newer, better paste? Also is it really necessary to replace the thermal pads too? I'd prefer to just repaste the CPU/GPU unless the pads help to drop the °C a lot.

5) I found some of the media buttons a bit hard to press, is this just the design?

Thanks

 

hi Prank,

download Sapphire Trixx...i have mine currently running at 815\1100 while gaming (using stock voltage). i do not recommend overvolting it. The option is available in Trixx but i've never touched it

The highest i've gone at the stock 1.1v is 840/1175. It completed the full 3dmark11 test suite @ 840/1175, but i've lowered it a bit for everyday gaming

@815/1100 i'm about 3800-3900 3dmark11's

Regarding Pasting, i used some IC Diamond 7. I reused the stock pads for the time being but have ordered some highend thermal pads. i saw a 8-10c drop in temps underload so it as a huge difference.

 

regardin ur 1 question , that does not sound normal mate , you better give AW a ring and get you to send a new ac unit, as for the questions about the 6990 i only just got my replacement yesterday so still playing with it as well lol
enjoy you new machine
oh ya a de media buttons are a bit hard but they work well , have a look if all the chassi aligns properly with keyboard cause if it doesnt u better get it check soon, i had that on my first R3 the lcd when closed was about 2 mm to the right they replaced the lcd and it was better but not perfect, also some of my keys were reaised wich lead to keyboard replacement. so check this out and if you got any defect ask for a replacement straight away dont let them open the machine like i did it was a big mistake of mine , specially when it was only 2 days old when i noticed the defects

 

Yo Prank1, on my end my laptop is as quiet as it gets, there is ZERO sound whatsover unless the D drive wakes up (rotating disk) or put a cd in.
Of course I have an SSD though so maybe you hear the C drive?
Good luck finding out where its from.

 

Thanks for that, I've tried removing my SSD and HDD and the sound is still there. It is coming from where the power cable connects to the back of the laptop.
Anything that uses up more power makes the sound change/get a bit louder.

The charger makes the exact same noise when I put my ear next to it.

Could the problem be with just the AC ?? I really do not want to have to send the laptop back to depot.

 

i think it prob be a faulty ac mate

 

Right, just spoke to Dell, they are having problems finding my service tag/express code they are going to 'search the whole database' and call me back in 10-15 minutes. I'll let you know how it goes.

I think its a faulty AC too, the actual adapter emits the same sound as well. If I were doing a highly intensive task on the laptop without its fans turning on I bet that humming noise would get even louder.

 

I am really an amateur and don't know what the cause would be, but I hear nothing when putting my ear to the AC adaptator, or PC while at idle, or even surfing, checking a video with sound turned off, my laptop makes NO SOUND whatsoever.
So sorry, but I think you have a problem and need to change it.
I hear people on this forum can get a replacement while HOLDING ONTO there laptop. then you send the old one once you got the functioning one.
You can look into that. but either way make a move fast, cause waiting will make things worst.

 

Just got off the phone, they are going to send me a new AC adaptor. I asked what about the old one and he said 'you will keep this also'

Just like that.

Dell customer support is awesome
Really glad too, this noise is starting to annoy me a lot now.

 

huuuuu I HOPE FOR YOU that it will not make this noise anymore when you get that adaptor, then because if it still does and they took mad long to send it (which puts you after the 21days) you're gonna run into trouble. Watch out for that.

 

The Dell guy on the phone told me it should come this Tuesday. He then asked me to email him my address.

I think I should get it soon, and to be honest I don't think its a problem with the laptop, its quiet as a mouse on battery power or when its below about 90% & charging

 

All right then keep them fingers crossed

 

Incase anyone is wondering, I got my replacement AC adaptor today, it seems to have fixed the problem the laptop is very quiet even at 100%, it makes an extremely quiet noise when you put your ear right next to the laptop so that seems normal

 

" extremely quiet noise ".....LOl!!!!

 

....

Care to elaborate?

 

Well buddy it was funny because you typed an oxymoronic line. " extremely quiet noise"...

" quiet noise ". There is no noise in quiet. or quiet in noise especially extremely... LOL!

 

Oh yeah you're right! LOL
I had just woken up when I typed that. It sounds silly now haha..


In that case, a very faint sound.

 

Also got a suprise visit from UPS wanting to collect my old Adaptor today. I honestly wouldn't mind but the Dell technician on the phone told me they would leave it with me, so I had to fumble around to find a jiffy bag to put it in whilst the UPS guy was waiting Its a good thing I was home today as well.

 

exact same thing going on with me, but I think it is coming from the connector, not the laptop, will get a replacement adapter asap..