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

Np, coursework, groan, glad that stuff is way behind me

It does sound very much like a poor connection. Just a couple of degrees in ambient temp can be enough to trigger it. I'd try the video card first as that is quite easy. Take off the lower panel, remove the GPU fan, then the card. Around 7 screws in total. Clean the edge connector and reseat it. After that it could be the connector to the screen. Unfortunately that is on the other side of the motherboard and requires removing the keyboard - search out a couple of teardown videos to familiarise yourself if you decide to try

If it goes badly and starts to fail POST (beeping) continually then at least you have dell to follow up with, best not to mention stripping it down though, they will already have the intermittent fault logged against your machine

Good luck and let me know how it goes

 

"Ermagehrd Tomb Raideeer!"
^My face right now

 

When is tomb raider out anyways? (oh I added you on steam as well)

 

Yup I accepted

Well some people are already playing it in Australia... some have to wait /: For me however, the Steam countdown finished an hour ago but the Tomb Raider website says it's released in 5 mins so I hope I can play right away

 

Still NOT working!!! ((((

 

They're saying midnight here in the UK (3 hours and counting!)

 

Game up and running flawlessly on Ultra setting amazing graphics, very smooth and very fun so far

 

So pleased for you :tongue:

 

I am sure this has been asked... but last time I was on here maybe more then a year ago.. I had asked if Ubuntu or really any Linux was available that was working 100% on the M17x R3, and there was nothing. What about now? Are there any Linux's out there that work?

 

Sorry ZOG Paradox I can't really guide you there at the moment don't really have time to search for it but I'm pretty sure you'll find a thread like that somewhere on these forums

 

Tomb Raider looking BEAUTIFUL Maxed out (even with TressFX hair) except AA off, which is bs I can never tell AA on/off apart and I think shadows on one lower than usual

 

Looks good, still need to finish far cry 3 first then might get tomb raider, getting good FPS?

 

Getting great fps... I run it two different ways.. Either all maxed out except TressFX hair, or everything maxed except AA and I think shadows but TressFX hair ON I'm using the second one right now because TressFX is awesome

It does cause some minor dips in fps in some cutscenes, but they're cutscenes after all and it's a singleplayer game so I could even play it at 30fps (if i had to) but it runs really well very smooth all the time, when drivers come out I'm sure I'll be able to max it out with TressFX enabled no problem

 

I just received my M17x today it wasn't suppose to come till the 15th! I'm so happy right now! so far this laptop is amazing! im starting to redownload my games now this is probably the worst process... This is my first laptop or pc that i have paid for by my self and actually can say im happy to own! to bad i cant try games like crysis 3 though as i broke my one arm snowboarding . is there any thing i should know like updated stuff that dose not update manually before i start downloading all my other stuff? thanks!

Iv ran across one problem actually when im in a Skype call and playing a game they can hear the game noise im using head phones and im not using the "what you hear" feature. please help lol! thank you.

 

Welcome to the club

Well first things first, windows update and latest drivers. Otherwise you are set I think.

If you can use only one arm, I'd suggest a racing game. Don't know much about those but Burnout Paradise is the best car game I have ever played, and its cheap because its a few years old, but the graphics are incredible

unfortunately I can't think of anything about your Skype issue.. but someone should reply soon enough.

 

Skype wise, you might have to change the input mic, does your headphones have a mic built in? Its probably using that which will most likely disable the noise cancelling as noise cancelling needs 2 mics from what I know.

When you plug your headphones in, might have to change the skype setting to use the microphone array vs your in built mix for headphones? Otherwise I'm outta ideas haha.

 

Thanks for the input! I did all the windows updates and so far skype seems to be working properly! fix the driver issue for skyrim in steam just downloaded the latest driver that was given earlier on in the forums (3.1.2 i think ) so all seems to be working good now :thumbsup:

 

Hey everyone. I took the plunge and bought a slightly used Alienware M17X R4. Should get it in the mail any day now. Here are the specs:

17" full HD screen
3610qm processor
8 gb ram
7970m graphics
256 gb ssd
750 gb 7200 rpm secondary drive
blu-ray combo drive
killer wireless n card
windows 7 professional

Paid $1600 shipped. Did I get a good deal? It appears I did, because when I customize the same setup on xoticpc, it comes up to over $2400. I don't know the usual price for used laptops, though.

Anyway, very excited to become an owner of this fine machine. Any tips for a new user? The previous owner did a fresh install of windows 7 pro but I don't know what I need to update, etc. Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

If it comes with the base warranty, a decent deal. If it comes with an extended warranty, an excellent deal.

 

Base warranty. And it's only under warranty until June. Yikes. Maybe not the best deal ever, huh?

 

It's noticeably less than what you would pay for a new machine. Don't worry about it. If the machine is lightly used, still a deal many prospective Alienware buyers would jump on.

 

I would have liked a longer warranty, but I'll take what I can get. I would have not been able to afford a new machine, so when I saw one in my budget I had to grab it. I'll just hope that the workmanship really is as good as they say and it lasts me a long time with no issues

 

Quick question: Why does it seem like most applications default to the Intel HD Graphics instead of the 7970M? For instance, my 3dmark11 scores report Intel HD rather than Radeon 7970m.

Intel HD Graphics 4000 Mobile video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3630QM Processor,Alienware M17xR4 score: P6467 3DMarks

 

You have Enduro enabled. This is why the OS defaults to showing your power savings GPU. However, 3DMark being a full screen 3D application, your 7970M takes over and the resultant score is that of your 7970M. You can always turn off Enduro if you want otherwise..

 

I have the original BIOS from dell.com and I see the menu to overclock my cpu (i7-3610qm). Anyone has experience with this? I dont find any releated topic with 3610qm oc description.

 

the 3610qm has a locked multiplier, it cant be overclocked except till the +400mhz turbo boost speeds

 

OK, my new M17x has arrived! As has my new Samsung 840 Pro 512GB SSD (to go with my M17x's 750 GB HD + 64 GB mSata cache drive.) Now I am requesting the help of you M17x experts as I go through the tedium of moving everything from my old Dell M1710 to this new machine (which is BIG, LOL!)

1. There's no manual in the box - is there one somewhere on the HD?
2. I really don't want to screw up installing the 840 Pro. So I am asking if someone could provide, step by step (SSD install for dummies!)) the right way to do this.

What I think I know: I will do a fresh install of Windows 7 from the Windows 7 disc that came with the M17x. What I am unsure of:

- Do I switch the BIOS to AHCI (or whatever that is) before or after I plug in the 840 Pro? Will it give me the option of switching that for JUST the 840 Pro? I.e. I don't want to screw up the 750 G HD + 64 G mSata cache setup - this is being added to that, not replacing it.
- I have decided to partition the SSD in a way that keeps some space free for OP (after reading the arguments for and against) - will I have that option during the Windows install or is that something I need to do after the Windows fresh install?
- When I install Windows 7 from the disc that came with my M17x will it automatically install all of the drivers, etc. for my machine to the SSD? My plan is to delete the Windows install on the 750 HD once I'm sure Windows is working on the SSD and boot from the SSD, using the 750 GB HD mainly for pure storage.

Anything else I need to know about setting up the new M17x? A little overwhelming after using the same old M1710 laptop for the last 6 years and having it all tweaked, etc, to my liking!

Thanks!

 

Hi man, you got it then! .

Can give you a few pointers. Don't change the HD mode unless you want to remove the cache drive (it will appear as a separate disk but is invisible when used as a cache) If you install in AHCI you will (probably, never tested) not be able to turn RAID back on without some work - RAID support is required for the Intel RST technology. Leaving it in place gives you a simple rollback procedure of swapping the boot order back to the original.

The windows install allows you to create/delete as many partitions as you want, the only restriction being the partition for the install meeting a minium requirement. There have been instances of the wrong disk driver (compatibility) being selected. If this happens windows will BSOD on first startup. If this happens all you need to do is when on the disk config screen in windows install, select to add a disk driver and point it at a downloaded copy on a usb stick (IRST Software has the driver in it). You canchange the HD mode it will start up but you won't have a cache option.

The AW windows install will (should) use the correct disk drivers, all others will be just whatever vanilla windows would use - except you get the AW 'look'. There should be a separate drivers disk that you will need to use for all the hardware drivers but you do that after windows install has finished. I recommend that you use the drivers supplied (or downloaded from dell) with the machine before looking to update them - mainly the video which will be out-of-date. Going straight to a manufacturer's latest (AMD/NV) driver from a fresh install can cause issues

I had a manual with mine but it is available from dell drivers. You need to check out 'My Dell Downloads' at dell. This requires you to create an account using your service tag and it gives you access to download any preinstalled licensed software such as webcam. Note: I could only get their system detect software to run under IE not Firefox.

Thats my 5 Cents. I'm here most days so hit me up with a PM if you get into problems. It should go quite easily as you have done the research so fingers crossed for you

Edit: Forgot to mention, when you install AlienRespawn if there is no factory partition (as in the case of a new boot drive), it detects this and takes you through creating one and making a factory backup

 

MickeyD1234, great stuff, thanks! The only thing that surprised me was the comment on not switching to AHCI - everyone in the SSD group and all the guides I see say "make sure you switch to AHCI mode!" Sounds like I may have to decide on a trade-off on that one.

 

Yup, I read that and disagree. It does make the install easier by using AHCI mode, AND there will be some slight overhead in RAID mode, but as it is in hardware this will only be noticeable in benchmarks, not real life usage. If you want your 750 accelerated this is much more of a plus that the milliseconds saved by AHCI (IMO)

Anyone benchmarking their disk will see better results in AHCI.

 

Well, more interested in real world than benchmarks. I may ask over in the SSD group for pros and cons (not that I don't trust you!) just to weigh the two options. And be entertained as people argue. Also, I think someone mentioned potential issues with the 840 Pro in RAID mode. Thanks - I did NOT realize I'd lose the cache if I switched something to AHCI.

 

Sure ask away, if you hear any downside (apart from a disk specific issue) I'd be very interested to hear.

I've never bothered to tell anyone to use RAID if they are not chasing benchmark numbers (since I didn't want to get involved in any arguments). My advice is purely based on my own experience with my R3 and R4 and what your setup can achieve

!. Open up laptop and install the new SSD in the spare bay

2. Start windows normally and make sure you see the new drive - use disk manager.

3. Shutdown, go into BIOS and swap over the boot order.

4. Insert Windows CD and press F12 when the alienhead screen comes up and select boot from CD/DVD

4. Install windows....

Any problem just change the boot order back and you have your original installation again

Another edit: Further reading for you (this is generic, the bios steps are not needed as it already has the correct bios settings): Chipset Software — Intel® Smart Response Technology User Guide

 

I assume you meant you never told anyone to switch to AHCI, right?

So adding the new SSD just leaving it in RAID mode - that will keep the SSD operating as a 1st drive (if I am booting from it) and independent of the HDD/mSATA cache drive, right? e.g. the cache drive won't try to cache data from the SSD, only the HDD?

 

Yeah, my wording was a little vague/confusing re AHCI

And yes the caching will remain on the HD as long as you do not swap over the drive bays. If you did you'd need to use the IRST software to set it up again. It only works with an SSD/HD combination so no chance of an SSD ending up being cached by another one.

I'd download the IRST softwarte first and put it on a USB. At the first screen in the install it should say the driver it is using. If it does not say something like 'Intel SATA RAID' then select to add a disk driver and point it at the USB - just to be safe

 

Very helpful, thanks. I assume there's an empty bay, my hope is to simply plug the new SSD into the empty bay and not switch any bays.

 

You're welcome!

Yup, you can't miss it (big HDD1 label). No need to swap over bays unless you did not want to change the boot order (can't think of any reason other than that - both the bays are SATAIII). It should have a case (interposer) and screws already there but some have reported the screws on empty bays have been missing recently. Dell will send them FOC if you need them - Reps here have arranged it for a couple of people.

Good luck

 

what is the best and most reliable driver out right now for the AMD 7970m for my alienware? i came home from after school and my mic or webcam wasnt working there where working fine last night its almost like there disabled... kinda need them for skype lol

 

Latest beta probably, i find the beta pretty stable tbh.

And press FN+ F9 or F9 see if that helps. (thats the toggle for webcam and mic)

 

Turning off Enduro is pushing fn + f7, right? I've done that before thinking I was using the 7970M, but when I run applications like 3dmark, it says I'm using the 7970M but is clearly using the Intel card. it's weird.

And by clearly, I mean the performance is terrible.

 

*Face palm!!* i pressed f9 thinking it would be a screen shot button.. i feel like such a noob right now! i guess thats what i get for pressing random buttons to find out what they do

Can you link me to the latest one which you might be using? oh that you say is reliable? Once again thanks!! + rep power

 

No worries I was stuck with tthe webcam issue for a bit as well. And just use the ones at ATi's website, I have an nvidia card but the ATI drivers sound like they are pretty stable these days.

AMD Catalyst

 

OK, I was asking for some advice and Mickey gave me the clearest advice I've received, but when I asked for some second opinions in the SSD group I had one reply that confused me and made my ignorance obvious.

What I want - the "what" - is to have the 750 GB HDD in place with the 64 GB mSata cache drive connected to it to speed it up. And the new 512 GB 840 Pro SSD separate as my main working drive.

The "how" is what I am struggling with. One reply suggests that if I leave the system in RAID mode, my 512 GB SSD will be dragged down in performance by the 64 GB mSata cache drive. Is that how it works? Will RAID mean that the 840 Pro and the mSata 64 GB cache drive are connected and thus the 840 Pro's performance will be bottlenecked by the 64 GB cache drive?

In other words, how is the RAID currently set up on the M17x with an HDD and the mSata cache drive (what mode, and what does that mean?) and how will the drives be connected if I leave it in RAID and add the 512 GB 840 Pro?

Thanks.

 

No that is not strictly correct. The msata cache driver DOES run at a slightly slower speed than the main drive bays (sata2 not sata3). What may happen with RAID is that all drives will operate at the slower speed but nobody has reported their SSD running at sata2 speeds and anyway, in my testing an SSD running at sata2 is not noticable. I gained around 2 seconds on load and nothing I could notice in real use after I 'fixed' it.

I do know that if you set up a raid array and include the msata port all drives will operate at the slower speed but don't know if that is true with a cache drive and NO raid configured drives. FYI the caching is just a sub-set of the raid feature and creates an invisible raid set, you do not have to set up any raid. All M17x's from dell, even if only one drive come pre-configured to use the RAID drivers.

 

Chewing on this - you articulated it well, I'm just slow this morning!

So - if the BIOS is set to RAID (as opposed to AHCI) - you still need to set up an array? I.e. I could set it up so that the 840 Pro is not in any RAID array with the other drives? Or does it not allow that, i.e. RAID by definition connects the drives in some way?

Secondly - let's say I decide, heck, 512 GB minus whatever I set aside for OP (another debatable topic, LOL!) is plenty of space for the OS and programs and data that needs fast access, and the 750 GB HDD is just going to be for storage so speed is not so important with it. So I decide to set it to AHCI mode. Then I just have the 750 HDD isolated at whatever speed it is, the 840 Pro SSD at Sata III speed, and the 64 GB mSata cache drive as another drive at mSata speeds. Do I screw up what I have on the existing drives if I switch the BIOS from RAID to AHCI? (Not saying I'm gonna go that route, just trying to understand.)

 

To simplify things, to create a cached drive (500gb HDD cache with the mSata SSD) you need the system to be RAID mode in the bios this will allow the cache to be setup in raid mode. Your other normal SSD will be installed under RAID mode but it wouldnt be using any of its features on the other 2 drivers will be.

If I had 1 SSD and installed it under RAID in the BIOS it will work fine. And if I then decided to add in a 500gb HDD and Msata SSD then they will be enabled to work with cacheing.

If I installed under AHCI all drivers will only work as independent drives and cannot be cached or connected to each other. So the cache wont work.

Well that's what I understand anyways. Btw is your sig right? I never knew about the 3670QM? Only seen 3630 and 3610.

 

I have a special CPU not available to the general public. No, actually, thanks, I just set up a signature and I just mistyped, it is the 3630.

So - do I have to add the new SSD to an array or something for the data to be striped to the other drives (which I DON'T want) or will it do that automatically since it is in RAID mode? My brief reading of RAID 0 is that the controller treats all of the drives as one big drive? Also - will the system in RAID slow the new SATA 3 SSD down to the same speed as the cache drive?

 

Np it's a very confusing technology! You dont need to set up any array, configuring a cache drive creates one for you to use as the cache. Other drives remain stand alone unless you change it.

DDDenniZZZ is correct in his statements

And yes you will screw it up if you change modes without a windows reinstall (well that is how it worked for me ).

 

Ah, OK. When I read about RAID it always shows all the drives being treated as one big drive - but that is only if I create an array with those drives, right?

So then the only issue is whether the system will slow the new Sata 3 SSD down to the speed of the cache drive - not sure why it would if they are not in the same array, but my ignorance of the details of how RAID works is obvious.

 

Correct, the boot screen for the RAID will show 'no RAID configured drives'. You decide if you want to combine drives and your assumption about it not dragging down the SSD if you do not include it in a RAID array is how I see it

 

Well, it seems then the simplest and safest route is to simply add the new 840 Pro and leave the BIOS alone (i.e. leave it in RAID.) Install Windows 7, etc. Then see how it works. If it is fine, then cool. If there are problems, then consider changing to AHCI and reinstalling.

Of course, you KNOW what will happen. I will install, spend all that time getting it partioned, OS installed, running, then I'll run some benchmark and it will show up being far slower than what most benchmarks for the 840 Pro show. I'll then take two days redoing everything in AHCI, trying to find and download all the stuff that I lose in the change, then at then end of that time re-run the benchmark. And the 840 Pro will still be slower than it should be, and I'll find it is some other simple issue I could have tweaked when it was first installed in RAID. 'Cause that's just how things happen,