M17X Battery not charging - R2 owners, *test BIOS* available

Spoke to Alienware Support and the instructions I was given were slightly different than what is posted on the support web page. After following this variant of the instructions, I have not experienced any issues with charging. Here is what I was instructed to do:

(1) Disconnect AC adapter and remove battery
(2) Hold down power button a minimum of 2 minutes (not 30 or 60 seconds)
(3) Boot into Windows with AC adapter only
(4) While Windows is running, install battery
(5) While Windows is running, remove battery for a few seconds
(6) While Windows is running, re-install battery

 

Dell is more interested in protecting their proprietary power business model than just fixing the problem. I know they can just jump this whole detection thing out with a BIOS software update, but they refuse to do that even though it is having a negative consequence on their consumers. Every other notebook I have owned does not have this "third conductor" in the the power supply, just a simple two conductor, supply DC and charge the freaking battery. No, Dell has to add another conductor in the logic of the power supply so you have to buy theirs and when their little mechanism fails, they give us this cumbersome workaround.

 

Yes, it sucks. You're right on all points. It's stupid they did it and it's wrong. But, at least we have the workaround. It would be a lot worse if we didn't.

 

With the notebook powered on, reach under and release the battery and then pop it back in. This seems to have worked a few times now and easier then all the other suggestions I've seen.

 

x2 Thanks this worked perfect for me and is ALOT easier then all that other crap.

 

This issue reflects the Dell's support for their products (including ultra expensive products such as the M17xR*)

people laugh at me when they see me at the library reaching under the laptop almost daily, sometimes asking to call dell's in-existent customer support (with a smile)

 

spiderman-17 can you help me for increase the performance of my machine? with overclock. i have m17x r2, with i7 940XM, 8ram 1333mhz, ati X hd5870, raid 0.

 

It sometimes works for me, too. Doing all the other crap seems to make this issue occur far less frequently for me. What was once a daily ritual of popping the battery in and out has only happened about once every couple of weeks now.

I think all of us agree that it should not be necessary to do it... ever.

 

All M17x-R2 customers, read this.
Test Bios to fix the M17x-R2 AC adapter issue - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community

Make sure you post the results of the Bios.

 

Thats great news ChrisM. Thanks for taking the time to post.

All - be sure to post your results here. Hopefully this Test BIOS does the job and resolves the batt not charging problem.

Thread is now a temp sticky so its easy for Chris and his team to review results.

 

I had the charging issue on my M17. I installed this test bios tonight and it seems to be working!

Just follow the directions and make sure Stealth Mode is OFF for the battery to begin charging once you plug the AC adapter back in.

I'll charge it up and repeat to verify but so far so good.

 

Thanks for the update, is there any way to know if the battery issue is the only change or were there more changes to that bios ?

 

excellent point fractal. hopefully Chris will see this and can respond. given the A07 ---> A08 fiasco, its something which I imagine many R2 owners are asking.

Chris, can you confirm a 'change list' for us? Just the battery issue?

Thanks!

 

Chris, can you confirm a 'change list' for us?
* I never got a list.

 

Test BIOS without a list of changes? Man, the guys flashing their laptops with this must have their "manhood" screwed on tight for that one. Lol!

 

Well, if its any consolation, if you run into issues just reflash A09. Agreed though, a list of changes should be provided given the history of the last 17xR2 BIOS update (A07 to A08).

For those who run into any problems, A09 is HERE

If you do flash the test BIOS, please do post your thoughts. It looks like Goldenboy was ok with it (first post, top of this page). Hopefully he will post back and confirm for the rest of you.

 

Maybe this is a stupid question (or maybe I'm just blind) but could this also fix the AC adapter turning off issue that some of us have seen? There is a brand new thread on it on the first page. Everyone here is talking about thier battery not charging. I could care less about my battery charging or not but when the AC adapter turns off THAT is a problem for me!

The title of the thread that Chris M linked too was "Test Bios to fix the M17x-R2 AC adapter issue" which sounds like it could be the issue that I'm refering too.

 

This is in the release notes contained in the ZIP:

:============================================================
: File name : W851X33.ROM
: File size : 4,509,942 bytes
: Version: X33
: CheckSum:2CB7 989D
: Release Date:11/25/2010
:============================================================
1.Based on X32,change the revision to X33.
(Only update EC)



:============================================================
: File name : W851X32.ROM
: File size : 4,509,942 bytes
: Version: X32
: CheckSum:2CB7 6048
: Release Date:09/13/2010
:============================================================
1.Revert to BIOS X30(A07).
(Keep the overclocking of "turbo ratio limit" for Clarksfield XE CPU)

.....

 

Release notes embedded in the zip reference only the apdater issue in this update, no other fixes/improvements.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> KBC ITE 8512E(JX) History for W851DI MLK project <<<
>>> 15.XX is formal release, "99XX" is test version of KBC <<<
----------------------------------------------------------------------
**********************************************************
* Revision: 15.33 include at BIOS: X33
**********************************************************
Build Date: 11/24/2010

<<<For DOS mode flash Bin file>>>
FileName: 851-1533.BIN
FileSize: 130,817 Bytes
Checksum: 0104 F5A9

<<<For Winflash Bin file>>>
FileName: 851_1533.BIN
FileSize: 262,144 Bytes
Checksum: 00FF 0A9A


Description:
1. Modify EC code to get PSID sequence for fixed "AC adaptor not recognized" issue.

 

meh it's just a computer. This thing can't me off anymore than it already has.

 

Is there any way to know if the battery issue is the only change or were there more changes to that bios?
Release notes embedded in the zip reference only the apdater issue in this update, no other fixes/improvements.
* Correct. The AC adapter fix is the ONLY fix in X33.

 

More notes....
The issue fixed in the X33 bios was with AC adapter PSID detection. This corrected the following -
* error message at POST stating invalid adapter detected
* error message please plug in supported AC adapter
* battery not charging
* power supply turning off

 

Great, thanks ChrisM!

 

I ran this BIOS update with no problems.

 

ChrisM,

BIOS X33 applied without issue and seems to have resolved my adapter and battery charge issues.

Can I say a very big "Thank You!" to Dell for their continuing support of this wonderful machine.

Please keep it up!

Update 1: Apologies if this occurred on previous revisions (I hadn't noticed), however, the Alien head (both of them), do no light up when booting from battery, until AlienFX has loaded.)

 

I still get the obnoxious BIOS beep and prompt to press an F-key during POST to connect a supported AC adapter for best performance when booting from battery. I did not see anything in release notes to suggest this was one of the intended fixes, but certainly wish it would have been. It is downright stupid to get a warning message and a system halt whenever you are doing something as intentional and natural as booting a laptop without a connection to AC power. So, I went back into setup and re-disabled the option for AC adapter warnings to stop that idiotic and unnecessary event from happening.

As I noted last night, the BIOS flashing operation was successful. It's way too early to declare that the intended fixes were truly successful, as I was not having issues with the plugged in not charging problem on a dialy basis. It was an intermittent problem. I'll wait to count it as a success if the problem does not resurface again over the next few weeks.

 

This fix did not work, folks.

This morning I powered up and logged in to Win7 and got the pop-up about the AC adapter not being supported, followed by the "plugged in, not charging" message.

Is there anyone else out there that applied this BIOS update who is having this issue resurface?

 

i have had that happen to me and when it has happened ejecting the battery and placing the battery back in always fixes it
though i don't have the new bios

 

Um, no offense, but exactly what did you think that "beep" option in the BIOS was for? One way you get the beep to let you know the AC adapter is not plugged in, and the other way you don't get the beep. I absolutely LOVE this option and have it setup to beep. That way if it came unplugged or was not plugged in all the way, or maybe I just forgot when unpacking the laptop, I know right away and I can plug it back in. They better not get rid of theis really cool feature!

 

Not good - anyone else who applied the updated BIOS able to confirm?

Consider applying the BIOS update then - posting that you have the issue without applying the update doesn't really matter since its impacting everyone (17xR1 included).

 

well what i was thinking is if a simple reseating of the battery fixes the battery not charging and unrecognized adapter maybe software may not be the problem or only partially the problem

after posting the first time i did the update but the problem is that the problem is random

 

So have you encountered the not charging message since updating? I know its random - I see the same issue with my 17xR1. Hoping whatever they located to be the issue is actually the issue. Like everyone else, I want to see this resolved.

 

BatBoy,

Is there any trick to replicating this issue? I am certain I have not seen it on my computer. Ever. But then again you said that everyone is experiencing it, R1 or R2.

Any sure way to know? I don't mind testing some stuff out if it helps.

 

i haven't encountered the issue yet

 

Great news! thanks for that - hopefully AW will get this out to the rest of us (17xR1 and 15x) owners soon.

@WaR -
Not really bud. Like many other reports across the various systems (with the exception of M11x), this is just an intermittent issue. On R1, it seems to happen on a regular basis for me with the current BIOS - why I reverted back to A03. If you have never received this message, consider yourself lucky

So far, it only looks as if one person who applied the update still encounters the message.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...wners-test-bios-available-13.html#post6934345

Not sure what that means since there are no additional reports saying its still broken.

 

Happy to report I've gone through a few charge/discharge cycles since installing the update and it's been working just great on my R2.

And wow do the batteries go fast on these suckers. : )

 

X34.zip is available.

If the issue is timing related, this could fix the issue. This must be performed under DOS. Note, when removing the charger from the wall jack and allowing the adapter to completely discharge, when reconnecting, the delay in charging state message is eliminated.

 

BIOS x33 Failed (in my case)

this is what I did

powered on laptop on battery which was 100% charged
used the laptop until first warning appeared in task bar
shutdown laptop
plugged in charger
alienhead started to change from blue to black (normally when charging it changes from blue to red)
after 2 hrs powered laptop with PSU still plugged in
battery was still at 12% saying battery not charging (tried Fn+F2) but battery did not charge

had to remove / insert for it to start charging

In My Case . . Battery Charging Problem is NOT Solved

 

ChrisM,

Applied X34 and found the following:

1. Alien heads now lit when booting from battery

2. When 'Adapter Warning' is enabled in BIOS the warning is displayed with F1 and F2 options on first boot attempt on battery, however, when I Ctl-Alt-Del to reboot I receive the warning with only the F2 option.

 

SpideRMaN,

I have been trying to force a replication of when this happens to me for months. This scenario, as you describe, is what I usually I experience, but not 100% of the time. There does seem to be a relationship with the plugged in, not charging problem and how low the battery is at least 50% of the time.

Has anyone noticed whether or not there is a correlation with how long the AC adapter has been plugged in, but not connected to the laptop? I am not 100% certain and need to study this in a controlled manner, but it seems that if the AC adapter is left plugged into the wall outlet for a good while, but not the laptop, when the battery is run down and the AC adapter is plugged in to begin the charging process could be when this resurfaces. Perhaps when the battery is too low, some signal that is supposed to "talk" to the AC adapter does not occur?

I am also beginning to wonder if the solution is not with the BIOS, but something with the design of the AC adapter that needs to be fixed. Is there some sort of switch inside the AC adapter that dropping and reinserted the battery triggers a reset in the AC adapter? ...Just a thought... since the BIOS updates seem to do little or nothing.

 

War and desu,

Do both of you normally leave the machine plugged in? I am looking for reasons a few people never experience this problem, and curious if your machines are operating in a more stable power scenario than it is for the average user.

I travel extensively and frequently switch from AC to DC power bouncing around in airports. I am wondering if users that frequently change between AC and DC power sources, whether at home or on the road, are those who run into this the most. When I spend a week at home, I don't run into the problem nearly as often and my machine is almost never below 100% charged status when I am at home because I stay tethered to a wall outlet.

 

I'd say I run the battery down on average about twice a week, not more than that. So yes, My computer is plugged in most of the time. And most of the time is disabled via Fn + F2 after it charges if it makes a difference.

I do unplug it from the outlet every night before I and my computer go to sleep though.

 

this is ridiculous we pay all this money for tech support and dell can't even figure a way for our battery to charge while it is on. I will never buy a dell product again. I am sick of calling customers service every single month and getting the same lame excuse. I will probably get kicked out the forum for this post but I am seriously fed up with this company and I have no more faith in it. Hey Michael Dell you have lost a customer and a promotion of any of your products.

 

At Dell

It is happining every time I am testing it.

EDIT:
PS. (you are lucky to use us as beta testers for such expensive equipment)

HOW CAN DELL CREATE AN EXPESIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS NOT ABLE TO CHARGE A BATTERY ???? (look at my signiture and you will realise that it's 4500 Euro) !!!

 

No you wont. Bottom line folks, remember the forum rules when posting - as long as they are not violated, your post is ok.

With that said, lets get back on topic.

Looking over the last pages, it appears that with X33 two members confirmed the issue still exists. No confirmation from them in regards to X34.

Lets get a show of hands since I am sure Chris will be checking on Monday. X34 - working or fail (be specific, post details if fail).

 

I have no means to install X34 from DOS on an x64 OS (I live in 2010)

 

Thats how you flash it - its actually the safest way to flash a BIOS/VBIOS update vs. using a windows .exe.

No problem though - thanks for confirming that your fail results are under X33 and not X34.

 

Sorry If I have insulted you in any way , but I have no means to install x34

EDIT:

I am able to replicate it again on X33 (every time) as I wrote on my previous post

 

You didn't insult me at all - I merely wanted to reassure you this is ok in terms of flashing. Many folks here prefer to use a bootable USB drive and manually flash their BIOS when dell releases an update. They simply do not want to take a chance of having issues with the flash process from within windows. In anycase, this is getting off-topic a bit.

Personally, I would have liked to see Dell re-work X34 so its an .exe like X33. This way, anyone can test it if they want to do so. Takes a little bit of knowledge and research to setup a bootable USB stick for folks who are unfamiliar with it.

 

@BatBoy

I have edited the post above to:

I am able to replicate it again on X33 (every time) as I wrote on my previous post
----------
I really wish that Chris, Yourself (or any other Dell Engineer) finds a way to help us get the best way out of this situation !!

and I thank you for your support on these forums