Troubles with my M17x...so many i can't handle it anymore!!

Recently i got a windows ultimate cd and i said hey lets upgrade....but before this, i had so many problems with my system, i had to call tech in my house to fix them. But im past that now...here's what happened.

I went and installed a new fresh copy of the windows ultimate(i needed a format cuz i had a lot of and i was getting bsod every day or so) everything fine until now. I start installing drivers and stuff like that.... my biggest mistake i think it was that i installed BIOS A07. When it came up to video driver....my wireless was not working anymore...i finally figure that out...then when i want to instal alienware center...i get an error with .NET framework and the lights stop working....Then i got upset and i said i will restore to factory settings and then i will upgrade to ultimate 7...but since i did a new install i didn't have F10 anymore in the boot screen...i install acronis and try to boot from the hidden partition...it restarts and starts the respawn 2.0 and there i get a weird error that the partition is corrupted.... Now i cant install a now windows i cant respawn to factory settings and i get this error when i try to boot("Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix this problem....blablabla File: \boot\BCD Status:0xc0000098" The windows boot configuration data file does not contain a valid OS entry)....i have no idea what is going on now and i cant install anything to get it going... i tried like 3 original windows cds...none are working PLEASE HELP!!

 

OooooKaaayyy! I hear that you're ready to throw the lappy out the window! Don't do it! Now you got a LOT going on here so I'll try to keep it simple to start. Rather than try to figure out what happened with your failed installation..let's try to get you up an running again. Do you have the Alienware Respawn DVDs? I hope so since you will need them to restore to factory settings since it appears your recovery partition is damaged/corrupt. If you have the DVD(s) insert the first one, follow onscreen directions and let it restore your hard drive(s).

If that doesn't work or you don't have the DVDs use your window Ultimate installation disc (what version is it?) to do a CLEAN INSTALL of windows. It sounds like you did this before when you put your "new fresh copy" on the lappy. You will have to build up drivers afterwards but at least it gets you started.

When doing a clean windows install on these machines its VERY important to install CHIPSET drivers FIRST, reboot, then install VIDEO drivers SECOND, reboot, confirm that all is well so far. You will still be getting messages from windows complaining about missing drivers but those will disappear as the installation continues. If all seems well i.e. video is clear and displaying in you native resolution (could be 1440x900 or 1920x120 depending on display) I would make a backup image of your c drive at this point with acronis just in case later driver installation kills the installation.

Now start installing your other drivers. There are several threads that discuss order of driver installation for these machines. Check 'em out. Good thumb rule: install Dell/Alienware drivers (from the Dell website FIRST), and if all is well (good sound, good vid, no complaining error messages) back up c drive. Then start installing third party (non Dell) drivers. PS...don't connect ANY external deivces to the lappy until you have got all Dell drivers installed and a backup made.

Good Luck! Call us back if you need us.....

 

Ok ..the message u wrote is quite in detail and I really appreciate it. First of all i don't have recovery DVD.s, they never sent one...Second of all i try to do a fresh install and on the way is asking me for the drivers or something right before getting to the partition screen, so i can't start anything. I have a dvd with window 7 home premium the one that came with the computer, and i also have a dvd that is a blue edition a dvd that has all the window 7 versions x86 and x64. they are both original. On the win 7 home premium the one that they sent it stops in the middle of the bar right after it asks to press any key to boot form cd/dvd(the black screen where it says Windows is loading files... and a white bar is growing from left to right) the bar stops in the middle somewhere...and afterwords i get the message "Windows has encountered a problem comunicating with a device connected to your computer. This error can be caused by unplugginga a removable,,,,blablabla....">>>and with the other DVD...the blue edition one...i get stuck after i click install now in the windows 7 screen...and then it says something some drivers and i cannot go forward...i would like to get to the steps you told me...but i never seem to get there....cant format it anymore...and YES I AMREADY TO THROW THIS THING OUT THE WINDOW...its killing me.....i had so many problems with it~!!!!

 

And an other thing....these cds were working before....!! now they dont...so something bad happened..>!!!!!!

I also have a tib file...that i made while ago of my recovery partition...is there any way to put that on a cd...or to boot from external hard?

 

I've got two theories on how to fix this and I'm almost certain ONE will work. Which one depends on where in the process you upgraded to BIOS A07. I suspect (though you have not told me) that when you went to A07 the machine then stopped booting. That's because when you load a new BIOS image ALL BIOS settings go to default!

Solution: Enter BIOS setup by pressing F2 @ the Alienhead screen and when in Setup navigate to ADVANCED TAB then SATA OPERATION. You should see 3 choices available: AHCI (the default option which apparently doesn't work), ATA, RAID. Try each each pf the second two sequentially to see if it will allow the system to boot. If none work....one more thing to try. At this point you need to know if your system uses two hard drives as a RAID array. If so navigate down one line to NV RAID CONFIGURATION, select it and enable all three options! Save changes and exit see if it boots.


Also the following thread has great info on configuring a RAID array:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/422486-how-configure-raid-1-0-m17x-didnt-come.html

IF NONE OF THE ABOVE WORK:

Download the MCP79 CHIPSET driver from the Dell website. Open the downloaded file and let it extract the packaged files. NOTE THE LOCATION of the expanded files. When the installation screen appears hit CANCEL and FINISH to terminate the installation. DO NOT INSTALL the driver!

Now reboot your compy.....F2 to enter BIOS....select wither ATA or RAID as appropriate to whether you are using a RAID array or not (use ATA if this is the case). EXIT SAVING CHANGES...reboot using your windows install disc. Proceed to install Windows but when it asks for the driver for you hard disc select BROWSE then point it to the folder where the chipset driver was decompressed (default is c:\dell\drivers\273039\ IDE When you get to this point select the folder corresponding to your OS (Vista or Win7) and then ATA config: sata_ide for ATA or sataraid for RAID. Setup should show you compatible driver(s). Select one. Click OK as many times as required and it should load the driver and FINALLY show you the partition screen for your drives!!

Hope this helps. Lemme know if more is required.

 

OK great!!! i did everything you told me to!! only the last option worked...! i had to put the driver but not install it then go and upload it in the setup!! That worked for me!!! now everything is fine except one last thing!!! OBVIOUSLY!!
The lights are not working... and when i say that i mean nothing...num lock caps lock alien head nothing..!!! there is an unknown device in the device manager but i cant seem to shake it!!! i tried to take the battery out and the AC and keep the button pressed, i tried to uninstall all the bus controllers and restart.. i tried to change from dedicated to integrated in binary GFX...still didnt work...!!!! this is the last thing...if this works im accomplished....!!!!! anyways very good job man!! we came a long way! very good advice Thank you!

 

For the lights (AlienFX)

Make sure AlienFX is enabled in AlienFX Controller , also AlienFX Controller should be active in the bottom right icons. Try FN+F11 for any results.

Uninstall current Command Center
Install latest Command Center (A07) for the R1 from Dell Support (This will reflash your AlienFX card and should flush away any software-related problems)
Go to Command Center , Theme and select Close Theme. (This will get rid of the default theme from the old CC)

If this doesn't work , try loading up AlienwareAlienFXTester.exe found in C:\Program Files\Alienware\Command Center

Click the buttons and see if it responds. If not , it may be a hardware issue.

 

I agree with Alek...did you try the latest AlienFX driver from the Dell website? I would hope that installing that would make this problem go away. I'm a little concerned that you have an unknown device in D/M. It sounds like you did a completely fresh windows install...did you install the chipset driver AFTER installing windows? Can you tell me what D/M says the unknown device is? It'll usually give you something like "base system device" or similar. If you didn't install the chipset driver that MIGHT be what is messing with ALIENFX.

 

I apologize for not reading your post more carefully earlier . I am very sorry to inform you that the whole AlienFX of your M17x R1 just had died COMPLETELY ( which means the Controller Chip on the Mainboard is dead ) . If you noticed you would have known that the M15x has a similar problem, right ? But it was with the Command Center . The M17x R1 's FX can die just like that too , but the reason is because of the act of Flashing Bios, especially using WINPHLASH. Very dangerous . I had a few friends, 3 exactly , faced the same problem , including me as well . The only solution is to replace the mainboard. I researched for quite a bit and found out that it is because of the Command Center too, indirectly . Because the whole newer CC is a compliation of both Firmware and Driver, not separately like the older version. When you flashed the bios in windows, the new bios had its own memory of the FX ( Normally Blue ) . But the CC is in charge of that at the moment ( with the pulsing , morphing ,..). The conflict between the two most likely the reason that fried your whole AlienFX . From then I realized that the only safe way of Flashing bios is to Remove the CC before hand , which to stop it from interfering with the process . Which is safe for me until now , WINPHLASH , USB flash , no problem

 

Dannyboy's got some interesting info there I've not heard. It does make a certain amount of sense and MAY be your problem BUT:

Before you throw it out the window or buy a new mobo....try what Alek said.

 

if u are gonna trow it out of your window trow it hard enough so it lands on my bed or so ;p

 

The thing is...even before the fresh install the lights did not work!...It happened exactly how Danny said...they lights went down after BIOS flash. I tried all the things you guys said for the lights and its not working...I just installed the latest alien center!
this is my device manager
this is the unknown device i get:
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

and this is what is it saying after every restart or every shutdown:
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

And the last one...when i start alien center:
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

hey dark....for 1000$ ill drop it on your bed for sure!!! =))

Other than that everything seems to be working fine....and yes i did install the drivers propery this time im sure of it....i install the chipset drivers..restart..video...restart...and rest of them...i installed alienware center last....and i still had the no light thing before having alien center on...soo this is it right now!!

 

a keyboard is ~25$ as long as the lappy works, and btw they are tough just need some attention(just like other systems), everything is ok, right?

 

Sorry. Didn't see you already installed the Chipset driver. Well as long as the laptop works i guess the lights don't matter that much anymore. I wish you all the best.

 

I do think they matter!! hahaha! thats actually the best part!!! the thing is i still have it under warranty so i could call in a tech and change the motherboard...but i want to make sure is because of that before i do that...and right now im out of options...i have no idea what to do!
BTW alek..si eu sunt din romania!!!

 

Shouldn't the lights go on after a complete fresh install of a windows? Or the error can persist (if let's still assume that the problem is software and not hardware).

I searched the forum and i have seen similar problems and in addition to those problems, solutions...but none of the solutions worked for me, and i tried them by the book! Is there no other solution but to call Dell and dispatch a tech?

Its not that a big deal that the lights are not working. Still i payed a lot of money for this system and it can't even work properly. You guys know its annoying. For a system that is this good, I at least expect for everything to work properly.