one problem fixed, now integrated graphics problem and no graphics performance

I finally got the tinny speaker replaced (sent it to depot, came back "fine", had to have an in home tech replace them), and the motherboard (power connector was self ejecting, after 6 motherboards and 2 computers, that problem is finally fixed), now the integrated graphics is not detected in the bios or windows unless the nvidia card is removed. dell has tried an additional motherboard (no sound, put "old" one back in), a GPU (not sure how the Nvidia card would effect integrated graphics, but whatever), and the integrated graphics now are not detected, and I don't even get enough graphical performance to play minecraft. it studders big time. I get 5-10 seconds before it freezes, in minecraft, oblivion, whatever. I keep trying to get dell to send me a CPU, seeing as though the integrated GPU is on the CPU die (though try convincing them of that). they just want to keep throwing motherboards and GPUs at it, and even if I send it to the depot, I fear they'll find it operates "normally" because, as I've had dell tell me, the integrated graphics isn't supposed to show up if the nvidia card is plugged in (though I know better), and there is no option in windows to choose the GPU your program is launched with (once again,l I know better). how do I get dell to fix a computer when I know more about the technology than they seem to?

 

Deja-vu!

I received my M17xR3 as a refurb from the outlet. Everything was perfect except the left speaker which sounded blown at anything past half volume.

I managed to get support to come do an in-home service to replace it (4 calls - long story, quite the debacle involving my 'service contract') and as soon as it was replaced, the on-board video didn't show up in the BIOS. The on-site tech stayed another hour at my home on the phone with Dell, and did his best to explain to them what happened, but ultimately it took 2 more calls to get them to agree to replace the motherboard and video card. Once they were both replaced, the Intel Sandy Bridge video adapter showed up in the BIOS again, but you could not switch to it in windows. I did a clean reinstall twice with different driver versions to verify.

Today I spent 2.5 hours on the phone with them again, and let them connect remotely to try and fix the problem. They removed all the drivers, OSD program etc, ran driver sweeper and reinstalled. Still wouldn't work for them. Then the rep said "I just looked and the graphics switching doesn't work with ATI cards." I laughed and talked to a supervisor who verified that only the 120hz screens wont switch. They had a few other people look at it - presumably - as I saw the same things being checked 2-3 times on my screen - and then finally they offered to replace my video card with a 460m, to which I balked and told them in no uncertain terms - NO WAY as the 6970 was significantly faster than the 460. I said if they wanted to send me nvidia 580m instead though, that would be fine. They immediately agreed and are sending on-site out tomorrow to do the install.

Will it fix the problem? Who knows. Hopefully it will end up fixing the switching issue though, but if not I may just let the issue be, and accept the 580m for all my troubles.

 

Interesting. Nothing in the BIOS handles this type of thing?

 

I would imagine so, I tried A04 and A08 both, neither would work. Dell essentially gave up and said it was an ATI specific issue, though when I originally recieved the machine and before it was dissembled for the speaker replacement, the fn+f7 switching worked fine.

This thread pretty much sums up all the things both myself and Dell support tried without any success - http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/577473-m17xr3-graphics-card-driver-issues.html

Hopefully at some point someone will be able to pinpoint the source of the issue.