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

The problem is that if for some reason you need to replace or you feel like upgrading the 500GB HDD (in which the recovery partition would've been created) Windows will stop booting as soon as you remove the drive. Even if the OS is healthy in the SSD, if it can't find the System Reserve partition it won't boot. Not sure if there's a workaround to fix this but it happened to me twice and a clean install was the only solution I found. Therefore, to save you the trouble I'd recommend to have the storage drive out until the OS is installed.

I'd tell you a clean install but the respawn option you mentioned (back up then restore on the SSD) is not bad either.

HOW TO: Clean Windows 7 Install
HOW TO: Clean Windows 8 Install

They won't be "raid-ed", you will change the SATA operation from RAID to AHCI in your BIOS before installing windows in the SSD. Then, when you plug one of the HDD's in the empty slot it will be recognized as a single HDD and will be used as storage.

If there's anything you don't understand just keep asking and we'll get there

 

Hey Luis, I'm thinking I came across this recently? I saw that my data drive (HD) was set as the primary, active in DM and not my boot SSD. I foolishly changed it over and trashed the startup with 'missing boot mgr'. Ran windows repair from the CD and it said problem found and fixed - but no. A second attempt though and I got it back.

I always wondered about the need for removing all drives except the boot one when clean installing, but now see it can matter...

 

So that's what Windows repair is for! Good to know it might be of use

 

You pretty much answers all that questions I had about the process, but I'll be back if I have any more when the SSD arrives. Again, I really appreciate it thanks. I did some of my own read up and I guess I'll be installing a respawn usb to my SSD and putting in the HD. If that fails, clean install. I don't like clean install though so I'll save that as last resort. Yeah, I recall people here saying that clean install optimizes performance. Not sure if that's true, but a 840 pro is fast enough for me I guess. Also received my laptop early today. I'm very pleased with it so far .

 

Just one gotcha with the respawn idea, do NOT make any BIOS changes, the image will be using the intel RAID disk drivers and will cause it to (probably) BSOD as soon as you try to boot.

The RAID BIOS will need to be active although you won't be actually using it. It (IRST) should figure it out and not be a problem though when you cone to put back one of the drives.

Good luck

 

Hello!
I'd like to know. If i buy an m17xr4 will it be possible for me to upgrade GPU later ( maybe from gtx680to780 or smth like dat)?
Sorry if there is a topic like dat. didn't find
Sorry for my terrible English)

 

You can upgrade it to 680m later on, not sure about the 780m yet.

 

Hi there. Dell will only sell and support cards sold with the machine, for example R3 owners with 3D have to give up the 3D to use a 680m purchased elsewhere.

There is usually someone that gets a newer GPU working, often just a driver mod is all that is needed.

Wait out the R5 and you'll get more options

Upgrading the GPU is easy enough though, and the user manual shows you how...

 

yeah i'm waitin.
But if it will cosy like 2300-2500$ then i juxt can't afford dat much ( I livein Russia so i'll have to ship it there and dat is costs like 250 more)
So i think of buyin an r4 and upgradin it later(and i didn't really liked the leaked photos of r5))
so i'm not sure if i'llbe able to upgrade or somethin like dat...

 

It's almost certain you will be able to upgrade the R4 to a later GPU but until they hit the market you won't know for sure.

Right now is the time to hit dell for a serious discount, just say 'why should I spend my money now, what's in it for me?'

 

dell don't ship to Russia.
But i think i'll for someone sellin and MAKE THEM SELL WITH A DISCOUNT ( evil laugh)
coz something tells me that CPU upgrade wouldn't be as usefull( in terms of gaming) as a gpu)

 

Yeah, any of the CPU's are way good enough for top gaming, it's all about the GPU

There are a couple of resellers that ship worldwide (but remember, if dell do not sell them in a country you won't get warranty support except by shipping it to the country of origin) but I can't remember them ATM, anyone?

 

Yep i know about it.
so gotta find those ones.
Can anyone help with dat?
(and still dreamin about matte display)

 

This is one I've seen people use in far flung places...

Gaming Laptops - XOTIC PC - Gaming Notebooks - Custom Laptops - Custom Notebooks

 

I received the new m17x today and to me the keyboard flex is unacceptable, especially for a "gaming" notebook. The weakest component of the system and relatively a simple one.

 

This. I got a M17x recently as well and after some heavy use I notice my QWER region on my R4 keyboard has moderate flex. I don't know if I should invest on a mechanical keyboard. Does anyone else have flex keys on their R4? Is it an issue with the plastic chassis if I press too hard?

 

My keyboard flexes as well, and I know the reason why.

On receiving mine new the other week, one of the keys was a bit wonky, so they sent me a replacement keyboard, and it is extremely flimsy to be honest. It has a super slim aluminium backing to it which flexes really easily. Once you see how it sits on the laptop itself, you can see why it flexes a little.

You could fix it as best you can (which is what I did) by trying to make sure it is slightly concave when you seat it on the laptop. That way it kind of pushes itself as flat as possible when all screwed in. In other words, I slightly skewed mine so that the middle of the keyboard sat against the laptop first and the corners were slightly raised, then when it was screwed down, and the surround replaced, it leveled itself out. This is a bit of a pain, as it screws run along the top edge, and it has small tabs (that were bent out of shape out of the box on mine) that run along the bottom edge.

It isn't perfect, but when you see how easily it all flexes - and that they aren't even;y flat out of the box, it is as best as you can hope for purely because of the design.

 

Thanks for the keyboard install tip. My keyboard has an "n" key that occasionally comes part way loose/stuck, so I'm thinking of asking them to send me a replacement keyboard. Would you say the replacement was basically identical in construction as the old one, or is it somehow worse?

 

I hate to come back in the middle of a thread.... My internet's been quirky lately so I don't know if this message itself will go through, but has anyone had any luck/updates with the new Nvidia drivers and that blank screen going away?

Many thanks!

 

Nope! http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...drivers-issue-blank-screen-7.html#post9221244

 

Replacement was exactly the same quality as the one that came out. If you get it swapped, just be patient and try and get it as flat as you can first, then just manipulate into a suitable shape it as I tried to describe before clipping it into place.. It will make more sense once you see it apart though and how it fits together.

 

Tech support flat out refused to help me on the keyboard issue. I asked for a replacement and they wouldn't send one. Sending the the PC back. I know the keyboard is an issue because I briefly had an M17x R4 last year and the keyboard was fine. Hated to send it back but had to since tech support was no help. I'll definitely look into MSI gaming notebooks. I still think the Alienware chassis is the best looking as well as the light effects.

 

Are you saying some R4's don't experience this flex? Can you describe your keyboard flex problem in more detail? I think I have the same problem but my keyboard bends down very slightly. It bothers me, and I'm considering getting an external keyboard, but I do agree that it isn't acceptable.

Does anyone know if there is a long term issue with applying pressure to a R4 keyboard with light flex? I don't really want to deal with having my laptop keyboard break after wear and tear only to find that it isn't cover on warranty.

 

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The keyboard flexes on nearly every key. The keyboard is also lower in the right section. (not in the number pad area)
I can tell by running my hand over the keyboard from left to right. It feels like it is sagging on the right but I can't tell by looking at it, only by feel. You could put something under the keyboard to stiffen it. I did that with my M6400 keyboard but have forgotten exactly what I used. It was over 3 years ago.

 

I see, I experience the same thing then. From what I understand the chassis is plastic so shouldn't that feel less firm than say M18x's aluminum chassis? I don't think this restricts my typing too much. However, I'm more concerned with inflicting long term damage if I press the keys too hard. The laptop feels hollow underneath.

 

I actually meant the right side is sagging, not the left. When I run my hand over the keyboard from left to right, the right side feels like its lower.
Yes, the hollow sensation is right on. I'm sure a small rubber grommets or gaskets placed under the the keyboard should work. They come in several sizes so start with smaller ones to see which size will work best. Small pieces of electrical tape would probably work best for holding the grommets/gaskets.

 

Not sure grommets would work to be honest. The main problem is that the keyboard is really flexible, and underneath it doesn't mount on to a solid flat surface. Sure, there are areas that are solid that it screws to, or has tabs that clip in.

But there are areas where there is nothing to support it and so it can never sit completely flat and solid sadly. I personally don't find it much of an issue, as I find the flex quite comfortable on my fingers. But I can imagine how frustrating it would be for some people.

 

my r3 has a plate over the ram slots on the top to keep the keyboard from flexing all that much and also protects the RAM itself from liquid spills and such. Did they remove that in the r4??

 

Alienware has stopped double boxing their notebooks for shipping. They now come in a nearly square box with a carrying handle. What's next in their cost cutting?

 

Ok, a friend has just given me his Alienware M17RX3 laptop and I want to upgrade the RAM. Currently the laptop has 4gb of RAM and I would like to max it out. From what I have read on the forums it looks like this particular model can only go up to
8gb? Currently running Windows 7 64-bit OS.

 

I probably made it sound worse than it is. I haven't seen inside an R3 so can't compare. But in my R4 it basically just rests against whatever is underneath and it isn't a solid flat surface.

What they just need to do really, is stop making the base of the keyboard that flimsy thin metal plate that bends so easily, and use maybe solid plastic (the more brittle kind that lies flat) it would help immensely.

I'm tempted to think that because they market it as a games machine, that people don't really use the ful potential of a keyboard and so don't really care. Heck even with taking care with mine when installing it, it has started to kind of bow up slightly in the centre and flexes a fair bit. But as I say, I find it comfortable for what I use. I'm no touch typist so it doesn't hold me back.

 

Hey guys, i have a question. I have an M17xr4 with 7970m graphics. I only seem to notice this problem when I am switched into "discrete graphics mode" where the Intel HD 4000 is disabled but i have not extensively tested it in switchable graphics mode. This has become more of a common issue lately it seems.

The problem is: I put my computer to sleep every night, the next day when i go to play a game, My GPU stays downclocked at 450mhz instead of its max 850mhz leading to very poor performance in games, and i verified this down-clocking with HWinfo and MSI afterburner OSD. Once i reboot, the problem goes away and the GPU goes back up to 850mhz

Other parameters: Nothing overclocked in my system, running windows 7 professional, system is left plugged in the majority of the time, i run to an external monitor at 1920x1080 which the computer is connected to during sleeping and waking, I am running catalyst 13.4 which i believe is the newest beta drivers.

Any thoughts?

 

Change the power setting to high performance mode and adjust the graphics settings.

Your notebook should support 32GB
If you have win7 home premium, it supports 16GB of memory. Win 7 pro will support 32GB.

 

I was replacing my R4's hard drive earlier and I tightened the bottom screw that connects the caddy to the board slightly too hard. Now the bottom screw will keep turning with a screwdriver; it will lock in but never be fully tight. The interposer and the top two screws are fine. Should I be worried about this because the way I see it, I either enlarged the socket or damaged the screw? Will getting a new R4 caddy fix the lower screw that never tightens completely? If this is an issue I'll probably move my SSD over to slot 1 and get rid of my storage HDD.

Checked again, the connection seems stable, but I'm a little nervous about the untightened screw. I don't think the imposer and two top screws will hold in the long run. I appreciate any insight, thanks.

 

Sounds like the thread in the frame it connects to has stripped (if the screw looks good). I'd just get some threadlock to stop it coming loose later, it's not a part that is under stress or even needed - you could just as easily use velcro !

 

Dang that sounds serious. I'd use glue as a last resort still though. Still kinda bummed out on how this could so easily happen.

 

Not really serious in this case. The screw will be HT steel and the frame tin (or some similar alloy) so it's easy to see which will give up first with too much pressure

You can get threadlock from a large motor factors or a gun shop (if you have them in your location!), used it all over my .223 when rapid fire would loosen things

 

Alright thanks. I still object to using adhesives, which is kinda stubborn, but I don't really want to deal with the mess. I'll just pray the top side will hold. And if the drive eventually loosens, I suppose there's the two pads below keeping it in place. I might seem absorbed over this, but part of me just want to get a larger SSD and migrate to HDD bay 1 then remove HDD 0 completely and not deal with this at all. I like the tape idea. I think I'll let it be unless I know for sure getting another caddy or simply replacing the screw is an option.

 

I'll give it a try!

 

Lol do'h!

People need to learn what torque limit feels like.
I dunno how many people here have ever used a torque wrench before but its a wrench used on engine blocks and parts that has a click break with set tension in it that clicks when you pull the bolt tight enough. Over torqueing bolts will screw up an engine block faster than you can say "flushing 15 grand down the toilet"
I watched my dad use one and I got to help him with his car stuff. ended up learning what its like to feel the way a screw reacts when it seizes up on the threads in resistance.
I've never stripped a screw or thread. Well maybe the tops by not putting enough pressure, but that's not all that important.

 

Howdy everyone I just ordered a m17x r4 for $2543 including the tax..
Can you help me out if I made a correct or ideal gaming set up for alienware m17x, honestly I'm not that good in Laptop set up.. Thanks in advance..
3rdGen Intel Core i7-3630QM.
17. 3 WideHD+ 1600x900 60Hz WLED
2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M
12GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
Blu Ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
750GB 7,200RPM SATA-II HDD

 

I think I would speak on behalf of everyone else in this thread by suggest you to upgrade the screen to a 1080p one. There's no comparison between a 1080p screen and a lower res one for a laptop. Upgrading that yourself is pain I suggest getting it from the start rather than doing it yourself. You can upgrade the ram and storage space yourself and save quite a bit if you get them yourself. Also that CPU is good enough for gaming if that's all you are planning on doing, not to mention that GPU is fantastic for playing current games on max effortlessly.

 

As scope92

The 1080p display is now back on the build, it seems dell had either problems with supply or they just wanted to unload the 900 display ahead of the R5 release. Talking of which, you should be able to get a very good discount with the R5 so close to release. You could just call to cancel and wait (10th) unless they give you a good discount (free upgrade to 1080?)

 

anyone know how i can disable the windows key on the m17x r3?

 

It seems like you gonna have to edit your system registry. Search around and just backup the registry before messing with them.

 

That is a more permanent solution but seems a bit fiddly. The reason i asked here was because i thought alienware had some built in app for this kind of thing since it's a gaming laptop.

In the end i found a software called map keyboard. I got it off cnet download. It actually allows me to map any key to any function i desire. I actually mapped the windows key to the ALT function since im use to have it there.

 

I have an Extensive review/overview of my M17xR4 if anyone is interested or even interested in making it part of the forum heading.

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Alienware M17x R4 AM17xR4-11053BK 17.3-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish)

It also should be on every "version" of the M17xr4 on amazon

 

Anybody watching this? (Alienware launch event on live stream)

machinimaLIVE's channel - YouTube

 

Tried but the sleep fairy zapped me! Anyone found a recording of this? I'm having a bad search day

 

I stripped one of those screws on one of my caddies a while back and haven't ever had an issue with failing hard drives or anything. I personally wouldn't worry about it.