Received my M17x-R2 today but XFire not working

So, finally I received my laptop (M17x-R2) but when I started it and loaded Windows 7, the ATI catalyst did not have the option to enable/disable crossfire (grayed out). Under the Catalyst Crossfire "diagnostics" it says that:

"The CrossFireX internal bridge interconnects linking your CrossFireX graphics cards are not properly connected. Both bridge interconnects must be attached. For more information see the user's guide for your graphics card."

For a second, I thought that they shipped the laptop with 1 card only but the system detects 2 cards with the seconday card being disabled.
Is this a software issue (where I can uninstall and re-install the drivers or play with some other settings) or a hardware one (where I have to open it and check if the connections are there). Sounds like a hardware thing but mayabe other people have encountered this and know how to fix it.
Thank you.

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EDIT BY AW MOD:

For those of you encountering this, please also see this post:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=6038438#post6038438

Thanks.
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I have not seen this as of yet, download GPUz and CPU this will show what cards are installed, double check on te dell site using the service tag and check that the specification is differently with 2 cards.
Download driver from dell site uninstall and reinstall again, if not contact dell ASAP to complain

 

I used GPU-Z and it tells me that xfire is disabled. It does detect both 4870 cards. So the cards are there but the xfire is not working. I guess I have to call them. I'm not sure if I want to open a brand new laptop and check if the cables are well connected but I might anyway (its under warranty). I just don't know what to look for.

 

Personnal i would not open as you have just received, this is a build and test issue from Dell as i cannot believe that during transit it would become damage, it is either the card or as you said the xfire is faulty. Complain and they should fix ASAP

 

It's possible that the xfire cable either is not connected properly and just needs to be connected or re-seated. I know a few folks have had to do this already. Now whether you want to do this or have Dell send a tech out to do this for you is up to you and your comfort level.

 

Man, this sucks. I can't believe they didn't properly test it. After all it's a pricy system. I guess I have to call them.

 

Open it up and reseat the cable. You don't want some underpaid tech that is in a hurry to mess up your new system. It's a very simple process. Go to Dell's support website and check the service manual for the M17x-R1, the instructions there are very easy to follow.

 

think it is for the best, i my experiance its just unluckly and when they have repaired the performance is excellent as you wll read across the forum

 

So I opened the laptop and everything seemd to be well connected on the video cards, including the brige cable, but still no luck . I also reinstalled the drivers and same results. I think either the secondary card or the bridge cable is faulty. I'm calling the tech guys to get a replacement.
But I wanted to ask if anyone knows whether they will send me the replacement system after I return this one or they will send the replacement first and then I can return the faulty one. Please let me know.
Thank you.

 

If you have complete care usually you will get the replacement first then send back the defective one.

 

Just tell them to send a replacement. They send it first and then you send the defective one after you received the replacement. Simple as that.

 

Yes, I'll be calling tomorrow for a replacement.

I think I also have another issue with the system. I wanted to restore the hard dirive to factory settings using Alienrespawn but when I restart the computer and wait for the message that prompts me to press F10 it doesn't appear.

Is the Alienrespawn different on the R2? I used to have R1 and worked fine. Can someone confirm if they see the F10 propt when they restart their R2 system. I already have the A02 of the BIOS but still cannot acces Alienrespawn by pressing F10.

Thanks

 

Same thing happened to me today all of a sudden. The cards are detected but the Xfire is disappeared. I updated to 10.3 - same result.
I suspect the cable connector/s (I move a lot with the system in a backpack, so there could be some shifts) will see in a few...

 

Ok, so after opening the system I'm almost certain it's the XFire cable itself. The connectors are fine, but I've noticed the part of the cable directly above the MCP heatsink is extremely hot and looks darker than the rest of the cable.
Why did they really leave that part of the HS exposed?
Screw them, will just send it back after receiving the R2.
Too much time to waste....

 

So last night after a long tech support conversation they decided to send a technician to replace my GPUs and Xfire cable sometime next week. However this morning I decided that even if the technician fixes it, I don't want to own a brand new systam that has already been opened during its first week and has refurbished parts installed as a fix. So this mornung I placed a replacement order. Hopefully, it won't take another month. At least I'll still be able to use the current system while waiting.
I can't belive they did not test to see if the xfire is working properly. I guess I'm just unlucky.

 

Hmm so they could fix the issue, but you just reordered the whole thing? I am confused?

 

Well, after repair it's effectively an refurb done in 'the wild', not factory new - he bought a NEW laptop, so he should get a new laptop.

I would do this too, since whatever caused the cable to burn out may still exist on that machine.

 

It happens all the time, so your luck is irrelevant here.
Let's hope the new systems arrive without issues.

 

Add the fact that usually replacements are done by unisys techs and 90% of the time they break the system in the process. So it is a VERY wise decision to get a replacement IMO.

 

Yes, even though they said they can probably fix it I changed my mind and decided to get a brand new replacement. I've had Dell techs fix my old laptop in the past and sometimes they do a sloppy job, leaving marks, scratches not connecting components correctly and using refurbished parts that break few months after. So I decided that if spent so much money on a laptop I'd rather get it in perfect working condition from day 1. I don't want to have and expensive laptop that has already been opened and parts replaced during the first week.

 

Dude, after he turns it on its a used machine anyway???

If you bought a car and the seat warmers weren't working, would you ask them to replace the whole car?

I have had enough pc's to know that just because one part has an issue, the whole thing isn't ruined.

 

If it's an expensive car (like Ferrari for example - the M17x-R2 is the Ferrari of laptops ) and it has 21 day satisfaction return policy I would. That's why they call it "satisfaction" if I'm not satisfied and a replacment process is avaialble and easy enoguh to do, why not.

 

I guess thats true. It all depends on how comfortable you are with things I imagine. I like messing around with my tech, taking it apart and modifying it etc. If mine shows up not working I will try everything I can to get it to work. If that doesn't work hopefully tech support can help

To each their own.

 

Well, yeah, he didn't buy a kit, he bought an alienware, it is supposedly tweaked and ready for gaming out of the box, and best in class. He should never have to even think of opening it or calling support, that is why they can charge more.

 

Interesting about the cable...I wonder if this is going to become a more common problem.

 

You're not alone, my Crossfire was not working out of the box. I can cause it to fail, and using ATi tray tools I can see the Crossfire not enabled or even be able to be enabled (it un-checks itself in the ATT gui).

The situation that surely seems to do it is to disconnect the power then close the lid, forcing either a shutdown, sleep or hibernate. Any of these conditions where the power was plugged in, then removed results in the Crossfire no longer working even though both cards show good in the Device Manager. I have read this can be a conflict with the ATi Catalyst Control Center (CCC), where it *can* leave the Crossfire disabled; I don't think that's the problem (I unloaded it) but it could complicate matters. I am unsure if it is a matter of the AW software or what, but when it happens I also lost my touch strip controls as well. Cold booting fixes the strip problem, but the only for sure fix so far for the Crossfire is to reload drivers. I plan on doing some more testing this weekend with a good driver cleaner and making sure it's all up to date.

We Are Not Alone

@Aikimox: Based on your sig, what IS the THEN condition?

 

Is everyone one who has had this issues based in the same country?

 

No THEN, m8, although....maybe Clevo

Out of the box I had a pair of 280s and the SLI cable was wrapped in thermo resistant cladding (at least the part of it that was positioned above the exposed heat sink pipe. The ATIs don't have it so the blue ribbon was practically glued to the HS. And it's partially my fault, since I did the replacement and did worry about it too much. I should have told the tech to bring another CF cable or some additional cladding to protect the ribbon...

 

I'm having similar problems with my M17x-R2 ordered from Dell Australia. I can see both graphics cards (with CCC and GPU-Z) just no Crossfire. I've had a quick look inside and the cable is present and connected to the left graphics card, but the heatpipe/sink on the right graphics card obscure the view.

I've been on the phone for a while now with Dell going around in circles as my Service Tag doesn't seam to exist (Yay).

 

Unfortunatelly your only solution is a tech guy to replace your secondary card and xfire calbe or ask for a system replacement.
What I did is I unscrewed the heatsink and unplugged the xfire cable from the secondary card. I noticed that some of the tiny metal pins were broken and bent (both on the xfire cable and the card). I tried to fix it but it never worked so I called tech support. They came and replaced the cable and sec. card and now it works fine.

 

Make sure you have ATi Tray Tool loaded, CCC I don't trust here.

Make sure you are not in stealth mode, but also, try this before you throw in the towel and DO NOT LET A DELL TECH TOUCH YOUR MACHINE unless you like scratches, and possibly a more screwed up system:

- Remove both cards via the Device Manager

- Shut the machine down cold

- Remove the battery, hold the power button down for like 12 seconds to fully discharge the system

- Let the machine boot up and detect the cards; mine likes to detect one and not the other, but if I rescan hardware it does, no big deal

- Use the ATi Tray Tool - hardware to see if the Crossfire is activated - it may or may not, if not then try checking it off

-Normally, it will then activate. If not try removing the drivers from the system and repeating the process and loading new drivers, preferably later ones

Good luck - I hope this gives you something to try. Seriously, based on all the feed back on here letting a Dell tech (and they are outsourced) is an act of truly last resort. You'd be better off letting them talk you through it or the folks here.

 

Just quick update, Tech came out today and replaced both cards (and was pretty careful about it) all looking good now (minus the fact that Dell still don't have any record of my Laptop....)

 

Good to hear they were careful, everyone on here says they will screw up your system in no time if you are unlucky! Hows the crossfire working for you now?

 

Everything seems to be working perfectly now /cheer

 

Very similar to this case : http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=464813

However, mine is even more complicated, and much more unlucky...

At first, I received my M17x 3 weeks ago, and immediately out-of-box, I found the crosssfireX was not working - With the very similar error message "The CrossFireX internal bridge interconnects linking your CrossFireX graphics cards are not properly connected. Both bridge interconnects must be attached. For more information see the user's guide for your graphics card."

I called up the technical support, and they have decided to come and replace both the graphic card as well as the cable. Guess what? It doesn't work either.

After a very long chat, they have decided to give me a system exchange.

Just this morning... I finally received the new system... *Speechless* It's still NOT working!

I wonder, am I so down in luck? Or what?

 

guess reseating the slave card and the cable on the new system won't hurt
Why don't you try ?

 

If you're comfortable with doing it yourself, open the system and re-seat both cards and the CF cable.
Otherwise call them again. Eventually they'll give you a working system.

 

What do you mean by the "slave card"

Yes, I have tried to open the computer myself, so it shouldn't be a big problem for me.

 

open it up, remove both cards, reseat them both, and the crossfire cable that connects them too.

 

You won't be able to re-seat the CF connector on the secondary GPU (on the right side of the keyboard) without removing its HeatSink. And though some might say there's no harm in removing it, I'd recommend against it, unless you have new thermal pads ready.

 

Or some CPU Thermal Paste lying around?

 

Yes I saw that... This is really a let down... Sigh

 

I called the Technician again, and this time I was transfered to something called specialist or whatsoever - It's a department with high authority. They gave me 3 choices:
- Replace the system for the second time... OMG
- Have a technician to come and fix it (I doubt)
- Return the system with 100% refund

Which one should I go for?

 

do you want the system ?
if so have them replace it again and throw in some free upgrades for your troubles..

 

Yes definatly ask for upgrades I just said upgrade the CPU to an 820 and I'll be happy they went beyond that and gave me a 920 and 6 gigs for free

 

I used to ask for that, but they told me that they(customer care department) don't have the power to do so. But... I don't know... sigh...

 

Then ask them to connect you to someone that does.

 

that's a lie.
Tell them that you're a part of a AW community and you saw more than one case in which they've upgraded parts for screw ups.
And say that you didn't ask for anything for the first time, but this is too much....

 

I'm not too sure what will happen soon.

But one thing, at least, they have decided to assign one specialist from Customer Care and one specialist from Technical Support, specifically just to deal with my case. Two of them will follow up my case until it's finally resolved.

The specialist from the Technical told me that he has formed a team to conduct a research into this (because there are actually many same problems occur, with mine as the most special case) and will call me back on Tuesday... see what will happen then.

I guess I am the first customer to have a special record in Dell!

This is so far the compensation that they have promised - Whatever thing I purchase from Dell in the future will be given priority service(so I don't have to wait for the long queue during the production) and free Next Business day shipping. But I will "scam" them for more, after giving me so many troubles!

 

The problem they're trying to pinpoint is very simple. They got a huge number of bad assembly (connecting the CF cable to the secondary GPU). I regret not taking a picture before replacing my GPU.