*OFFICIAL* Alienware M17x R3/R4 Owner's Lounge Thread

I am by no means an expert but will try and start something off to get some people to throw stones at it and flush out the details. I currently have an issue where I want to force the 7970 to be enabled because of the enduro issues but when I do that I loose the option to use my yamaha 5.1 receiver as a playback device. Even worse that that is when I keep both the on-board and 7970 enabled the receiver comes and goes through the windows playback devices. The tv is still listed along with the M17x R4 speakers and the Recon3Di but I really want to use the receiver for better quality audio.

Maybe my issue is a combination of GPU and audio drivers.

This article gives a good summary of the AMD Enduro issues.
AnandTech - AMD

Note the below drivers are for Win7 64 bit

2011 - PowerXpress 4.0
2012 (early) - PowerXpress 5.0
18/04/2012 - AMD Driver Version 8.970.0.0
09/05/2012 - Dell 8.934.2, A00 Resolves PowerXpress switching issues
11/06/2012 - AMD Driver Version 8.980.0.0
13/07/2012 - Dell 8.973, A01
27/07/2012 - AMD Driver Version 8.982.0.0000

and then the list for the AMD Radeon Catalyst Software Suite (Vista/Windows 7 64-bit)

07/03/2012 v12.2
29/03/2012 v12.3
26/04/2012 v12.4
29/06/2012 v12.6
17/08/2012 v12.8
02/10/2012 v12.9 (beta)

v12.9 Description
AMD Catalyst Mobility now includes support for AMD Enduro Technology.
AMD Enduro Technology for Notebooks delivers:
Long lasting battery life
GPU accelerated performance for gaming, video, and compute apps
A Seamless and automatic experience

I guess an obvious question would be - Would it be better to run the Catalyst Software Suite v12.9 or the latest AMD driver 8.982.0.0000?

I have read through some other forums that AMD is aware of the switching issues with Enduro and will hopefully release a photfix in Oct 2012. I am kinda regretting my decision to go with the cheaper AMD GPU option over the Nvidia.

Any help/comments appreciated.

 

Just unboxed my new m17x r4 and I am so dang impressed.

I kind of just want to run around naked clutching this beastly machine.

 

what a coincedence, I did that same thing first day i got it

 

Congratz on the new machine!!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 running Resurrection Remix

 

Dayum! It's been ages since I've been on! How y'all been? Are your R3's runnin strong?

 

Hey, I'm getting my R4 soon and i would like to know which samsung 830 I should buy so that I can install in the laptop.

Amazon.com: SAMSUNG 830 Series 2.5-Inch 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7PC256B/WW: Computers & Accessories --> normal 830

Amazon.com: Samsung 830 - Series MZ-7PC256N/AM 256 GB 2.5 Inch SATA III MLC Internal SSD Laptop Kit with Norton Ghost 15: Electronics --> 830 with laptop kit and norton ghost

The price difference between the 2 is huge. So I would like to know if the normal 830 alone will work with the alienware R4?

Appreciate all the help!

 

Get the normal Samsung 830. Whichever is cheaper will be the better buy. The performance difference would be negligible between the two.

 

Hi, not done it myself but I've seen a lot of people go for and recommend that drive. The price diff seems to be just the adition of Norton Ghost 15 ($40.00 retail) and that one is supplied by Amazon and the other is an Amazon reseller. If you are looking to not reinstall windows and your apps, ghost will let you create an image of your existing system and restore it to a different drive of a different size (assuming you have not already used more space than is available on the new drive) . HTH!

 

thanks for the help! I just ordered the 830 standalone from amazon :thumbsup:

 

Tnx for the answer and help with this! Can we open new topic with this??? XD

 

still clickin along, yours is running solid as well I take it?

 

sure, no problem.

 

As someone who just ordered an M17x R4, I'd like a little input.

Will I need a cooler to put under my system? What would be a good mouse to get?

 

I use my history book and some rubber feet as a cooler. It works well.

There is really no definitive answer for a good mouse. It all comes down to how you hold your mouse and what kind of games you play. Look up on youtube or go to computer shop and try different mouse. Just to name a few you can get: Razer Naga/ DeathAdder/ Mamba, Cyborg RAT 5/7/9, SS Sensei/ Xai...

 

Updated bios just now, my first update and the fans roared. Guess the two fans at the back weren't for show....

UEFI option appeared for me too after the update, they weren't in A4. Might try it out tomorrow with my new ssd.

 

I use the Targus HD3 Chill Mat only because I had over $300 to spend in Dell gift cards. It works plenty fine, but I miss the slant of a cooler like the CoolerMaster Notepal U3, which is much more affordable and performs very well. People love their U3's.

If you're interested in a good mouse, you can buy my Razer Naga Epic from me. I hate the thing. It's just too big for my taste and usage style and I cannot get used to holding it. I don't sit at a desk/table proper w/ my AW, so I'm sure that it's part of the problem. I think I'm going to go back to using my tiny Razer Orochi. Anyway, I got the Naga Epic using gift cards, too. So, I'd give you a fantastic deal. It's really not that big. Most people would think it's a small mouse. To me, it's enormous.

 

If it's a good deal I would buy it in a heart beat because I'm looking to replace my 2010 Mamba and I need a new mouse to go with my Typenow Solid .

 

I actually use a Logitech M305, it was $10, cheeep, and it works well . Is there really a difference in tiers when it comes to mice?

Nice! BTW, are you installing Win 8 also? I'm curious as to how the final release is compared to the testing versions.

 

Since most of people here are hardcore gamers, I would say so, and gaming mouse have higher precision, faster response, and important buttons for different purposes, and maybe an aim mode. I picked a $50 one because I really can't stand a mouse that doesn't fit the whole palm.

I have a 90 day trial on HDD, but I got my SSD just now and planning to install 8 professional. Apparently my Uni hands out win8 through dreamspark if you study compsci. Will have to check that up when I have the time.

I'm a little hesitant with the UEFI boot option, as no Alienware user have used it yet, as it seems(can't find any on forum anyways).

 

This is really funny to me. I'm the exact opposite and cannot stand mice that fit the palm. I just spent a month with the Razer Naga Epic and it's driving me crazy. Way too big for the angle that I use the mouse. Just switched back to my teeny Razer Orochi today.

 

One here! http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-m17x-r4-a09-bios-released-2.html#post8898945

 

Now I'm wondering about your thoughts against the deathadder.

And you sound like a claw grip guy.

 

I'm a fingertip grip kinda guy. Claw grip takes a normal size mouse, but the fingers are curled up while the palm still rests on top. Since my lappy is on a coffee table, I tend to rest my wrist on the table while mousing. Were I at a desk, I think I could adjust.

I haven't actually gotten my hands on the deathadder. What you do you think of it?

 

Oh, thanks. I searched a few weeks back before that person posted.

 

That is exactly how DeathAdder is used. The mouse is ergonomic so you can rest your palm on the mouse and the fingers are curled up a little bit.

 

Ahhh..... I see I see, my friend use to study at UCF, as an engineer and had access to like.... 8+ Win 7 codes, still archived somewhere around his house. We did the Win 7 installs a the same time with each other on our laptops..... There was nothing like free CD keys hehehehe.... Win 8 I may have to pay for as he now works for lockheed martin.

My fingers are curled up too in my tiny mouse, but my palm is usually on the mousepad (i think this is actually bad), but when i play games, the upper part of my hand is rested on the mouse so I can play freely

 

Did you see the win 8 upgrade offer ( https://www.windowsupgradeoffer.com/). £15.00 if you purchased after june 2 .

 

Heh heh heh...came and went....actually 4 times, got every thing reimbursed, now trying out the reliability of the r4

 

I don't know if it's me but you should definitely avoid the deathadder if you think the Naga is tooo BIG for you. Also, lee you sure the fingers are curled up a bit? o.o

 

That's the claw grip, where the palm makes contact with the mouse and the fingers are curled a bit. My proximal knuckles rest on the apex of the mouse back and my index and middle fingers almost rest along the length of the mouse buttons. I make little to no arm movement while mousing.

Looks like we mouse the same way. The base of my palm, too, is on the pad. Razer says that this is the most exhaustive way to hold/work a mouse, but I have very strong forearms and hands since I'm an advanced bodyworker (super skilled massage therapist).

Avoid it, I will, thanks! I just love my Orochi. I don't have to move anything but my fingers to mouse efficiently. The Naga requires full arm movement. No bueno.

 

I've looked, unfortunately I didn't purchase my r4, it was a replacement laptop for my XPS So I dont think I get that great offer.

You've had problems with your Alienware? I've had this laptop not too long now, maybe two months? Maybe more? Absolutely quiet, no heating issues, gaming is a breeze.... I have LITERALLY 0 problems with this laptop now after the sound was fixed. Only complaint so far, is the trackpad location and maybe the color wheel of the Alien FX, but these are either something minor or shouldn't be complained about..

LOL! I have weak forearms and hands.... my thumb/palm area there is very weak and after 1-2 minutes of massaging my fiance, I get cramps..... Any tips to counteract this? (Sorry that this is soo off topic!)

 

Just a bit. It's really hard to differentiate two grips.

Just so you know, there are other options besides Razer mouses. I've seen people go for Sensei or Xai because these mouses just better with fingertip/ claw rather than the ergonomics Razer mouse.

 

It's not necessarily that your forearms are weak, it's that the fascia encasing your muscles and muscle groups is too bound/restricted/adhered. All of the muscles, and very long tendons, of the arm need to be able to not only glide against each other, but also against the plane on the other side that moves in the opposite direction (flexors vs. extensors). If there isn't proper glide between these compartments of motion, then your muscles must work extra hard to just fuction for "normal" use. Also, the fascial wrappings around the muscles can shrink up and restrict motion, causing the opposing muscles to work all the harder to compensate and give the appearance of balance. Do an online search for "forearm stretches". Also, come visit me whenever you're in Seattle. I'm a genius at what I do and your arms would feel amazing.

Your thenar pads (thumb/palm) get store because you're typing too much, the tiny little flexor pollicis brevis gets overworked and no proper stretch out when done. It's the prime mover in curling your thumb to type messages. The secondary mover is a skinny little muscle that runs up into your elbow. Anway, you can stretch this out by doing this... Extend your right arm in front of you, palm up > move yoru left hand, palm facing right, underneath your right hand and grasp the right thumb (this grip would be like milking a cow) > gently pull the thumb away from the hand and then start to bend it back under as if to remove your left hand > you should feel quite the stretch between the base of your thumb and the middle of the base of your palm. Play around with the stretch to figure out what is optimal for you. Move slowly and don't yank/jerk.

I know there are other mouse options. It's that I bought the Orochi over a year ago and then had all of that money to spend on the Dell website. So, I got another Razer mouse. The only reason I quoted Razer about the ergonomics is cause they have a page that indicates and describes the different mousing types.

Guide to Gaming Mouse | Razer Gaming Mouse Advisor | Razer™ | For Gamers. By Gamers.™

 

Did they end up replacing one of your speakers?

 

So was mine - it depends on when you activated a new copy windows 7. For the final step (later) you have to use the machine that is eligible so they can check. As far as MS is concerned that is when you purchased win 7 . No receipt required.

 

I'll definitely take you up on that

Just finish trying these stretches out as I just woke up anyways. Will most definitely integrate these into my workouts before I start up again! Been meaning to work myself back up to 265 and beyond on the bench for a while now

I was sent two laptops, fortunately the laptop with the broken speaker was teh M17x r4 w/ GTX675m, I kept the same r4 w/ the gtx680+3d Vision (everything is perfect on this laptop).

You're the man MickyD! I will check it out. I didn't even give this machine a full run before Windows 7 wasre installed. I literally undid the RAID 0 array, took out my HDDs, installed SSD and went to town lol.... I'll give it a try though!

 

I forgot to add... since it's your thenar pads that are getting to you, you can do some great things with a simple ice dip. Take a big bowl, dump a tray of ice cubes in and then put your hands in, past the wrist, for 15-20sec. You can simplify even more by holding an ice cube into the sore part of the pad for 15sec. Either approach is more effective than using an ice pack, and a fraction of the time.

 

Hey guys

If anybody here could answer a couple questions regarding overclocking I'd really appreciate a PM I understand the basics but let's just say I wanna be expert by the time my M17x arrives xD

 

Will do! Thanks for the tips! I will pass this along to my fiance as she does pedicures and manicures (which involves massaging of the feet and hands). She comes home everyday with really sore palm/thumb muscles. I can't wait to try it out!

Why PM? It'd be awesome if you shared it in here! As some people are probably curious (including myself).

 

Although, Lockheed Martin has some serious toys. Cough, F-22. Cough

 

Hello guys

I have an M17x R3 3D with 560M, and looking to buy an M17x R4 with 675M, but no 3D screen, from a friend. My question is will I be able to build an M17x R4 3D from these laptops. I did my research, everything fits, the only problem is with the integrated graphics on the R4. I've read somewhere that you can disable the integrated graphics if you have modded bios. I also read, that the modded bios cannot be changed easily and there are some problems.
Can't I just flash it with an R4 3D bios and save a lot of hassle? What are my options?

 

they definitely do!

I don't think Bios is any different between 3d and non 3d from Dell.... I may be wrong about that

 

The 3D model doesn't have integrated graphics. I think that's disabled in bios. At least that's how the R3 was.

 

intergrated graphics should be disabled automatically if you plug the display into the 3d port, not the standard port and everything should work fine.

 

Thank you, this is what I wanted to hear

 

Just wonder what is the temp during the normal load for you guys who have 7970M? Mine is ranging from 53-57 with a few browsers and a 720p movie. Trying to bring it down to high 40s but it seems impossible without increasing PWM .

 

Hi, no bios flash or mod needed. Just the 120hz display and a pair of NV glasses. It plugs into a different port on the MB that automatically disables the on-board. The emitter for the 3D is also built into the display so you should be good to go

You won't get lightboost with an R3 120hz display (it's not 3d vision 2) but either type of glasses work fine.

HTH

Edit: Forgot to add, default the bios before swapping the display. If it is set to internal you will brick it - but putting back the original should allow it to start up.

 

Thank you very much.

 

Don't get the 675m,,,

 

Well true that but would just be easier to locate a reply than have to come search for it here

The main thing I want to know about overclocking is... That it doesn't matter if I boost the clock by 1Mhz, 27Mhz, or 100Mhz right? There doesn't have to be some kind of interval it would be recommended to set on right?

And also, no matter what you clock... as long as your temps are fine, then everything is pretty much fine right? Might reduce the GPU's life span a tiny bit... but let's say I apply a mild overclock to be on all the time, that's okay right?

I appreciate any input