M18x R2 Drive Configuration & Troubleshooting - Ask your questions here

I've waited up to 25-30 minutes at one point. I'm just saying, just let windows install and go do something else for a bit. Come back to it later and see if it's still stuck at a certain %.

 

Do you mean wait for a half an hour for that little part to complete? Do you actually say that you've waited that long and it did work for you??

 

Yeah that last step for me can take a bit. No worries, it should go right through to desktop after a few reboots.

 

disregard my previous coment against AW being problematic, it is not, it was just my OCZ vertex4 SSD 2 months old that has suddenly KILLED ITSELF today... well yea , thats OCZ ye, dont tell me yous havent heard horror stories with those, I thought vertex4 was exception, was wrong, RMAing that tomorrow, for now will be all good to go in achi mode solo SSD, windows setup done in under 6 minutes with single SSD setup, other paired SSD began giving "ERROR OCCURED(0)" in IRST BIOS screen, so not even that it will not be detected or read on USB enclosures or in desktop PCs so I got it now, thanks for your input!

BTW, what is best known brand runing RAID0 especially in M18X R2? Heard nothing bad about kingston drives and some intel drives seem to be bullet proof just cant think of which series

 

UltraGSM - Your avatar is a rotor from a rotary engine. right?

 

Intel 520 / Crucial M4 / Samsung 830 - Stay away from OCZ - Just look at their support forums. What a nightmare.

 

Hi, yes indeed it is. Loving my own FD3S

 

Its something to do with the one of the SSDs itself
I find it after a night brake it works in another laptop as BIOS detects it, and just because it ancient laptop ACHI controller doesnt see the damn thing, however it still doesnt work via USB3.0 or 2.0 enclosures .... I hope highly HOOPE its OCZ drive fail... I so want to return this piece of kaka

 

Anyone know if the Corsair Performance Pro SSD will fit in the Alienware m18x R2? Will 3 fit? I cannot find any size specs on it yet.

 

Is it possible to put 1 SSD on top (7mm) and 2 HDD on the middle and on the bottom (9.5mm) ?

I want to add one SSD for System, but it's useless if the SSD is in the middle (Sata II port)...

 

Please does anybody know where I can get a 2.5 sata 2 7mm non-ssd for my M18x r2.
I wanna buy 2x1tb 7mm normal sata drives and 1x 256gb 7mm ssd for it...

 

I don't think there are mechanical 1TB 7mm drives out there (yet). Best what you can get would prolly be seagate thin 500gb/7mm.

 

bummer...
thanks bud..

 

I asked this quesiton before in wrong area...here we go again!!

Ok I have the m18r2 and I currently have 2 HDD in it...The original WD 500gb that came with it and a spare 340 gb i had from a previous laptop. I have obtained a new intel 520 240gb SSD and I am unsure how to make these work best for performance. and one other note is I don't really HAVE to have the 340gb...I was just using it for extra...I know theres room for 3 but I want optimal performance.

I know I need to have windows 8 on the ssd but my question more is focused toward the RAID capabilities as I have not used it before...I understand there are two setups...one for performance and one is a little more stable. I backup externally regular so I can live with myself if there is a failure.

Thanks for any help!!

 

Well, basicaly - RAID 0 means you go for performance (stripped set of full combined capacity of both drives) and RAID 1 for safety (mirror set of capacity of single drive). If you plan to go for performance as u have written - you should go for 7mm model of SSD - the one u have is 9.5mm as far as i know, therefore you can not use 3 hard drives at this moment (only if you'd buy 2 more SSDs and got rid of both mechanical hard drives)

If you want to go for Raid0, then you should put one 7mm SSD on top of bracket, in middle use the 9.5mm model and on bottom another 7mm model. Those are SATA3 ports, then you will get most of the drives.

 

Okay great...So I can just use 2 then...i don't need the 3rd... And set it up in RAID 0...I can't wait to see if the difference between what I have now and after the upgrade!!!

 

Hello moderator, if there is already a thread related to this question please move this there as I could not find it.


I am currently planning on using 3 hard drives in the M18x that is due to arrive on the 10th and am confused as to what type of drive to put in the middle slot (the stata 2.0)
I will be using a 256gb ssd drive and a 512gb ssd drive for games and the operating system and both are 7mm. I bought a 2TB hard drive but when received it, noticed it was 15mm and is not going to work so I sent it back. I will be using this drive for storage only (old movies, pictures and music) and need help locating a good drive with higher capacity than my current 512GB storage drive which is almost full.

What are some drives that you guys are using in a similar setup that I can look at?

Thanks

 

Hey ImHokoo. I have 750GB hard drive in between my SSD disks as i was bigest 7200rpm drive i could find. When i was considering space, i was checking the 5400 rpm models as well and was thinking about this one:

Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 1TB HDD 2.5'', SATA/300, 5400RPM, 8MB cache / model no.: ST1000LM024

It is 9,5mm model so you wont have any problem there. If its for movies and other "slow" data, then you should be satysfied with it.

 

Hummmm I didn't see that model number...

I was looking at this one though Seagate Momentus 1TB SATA 3.0 (3 Gb/s) 5400 RPM 2.5" Laptop Internal Hard Drive Model: STBD1000100

There is a Western Digital 1TB but a lot of reviews say it is really noisy which is why I was looking at the Seagate

 

From looking at the models they both come up as same I think so I went ahead and ordered one from Seagate Momentus ST1000LM024 1 Terabyte (1TB) SATA/300 Seagate HN-M101MBB ST1000LM024

They have pretty good deal right now so I got one on the way...

Thanks again lujam

 

No problem... FYI - had to go back a page or two because the last post was a few weeks ago, but I merged it for you. The answers to your questions are posted in this thread.

Be sure to browse for more thread titles than what you find on the first page, because there are bazillions of hidden treasures that were posted a few days, weeks, or months ago.

 

Were you able to get the answer you need or have done this already? Am interested as I've ordered a similar laptop. Thanks xD

 

Please use Search. This question gets asked every other day.

How to remove the hard drives on the Alienware M18x R2 | Dell

has all the info you need.

The system will only come with enough screws for the drives you ordered it with. They are standard screws and you should be able to get your hands on some easily enough.

 

If you asking if screws are included..
Then yes they are. You should find them attached to the underside of the caddy.

 

Hi everyone,

I'm having a lot of trouble with my laptop, had a good week and the rest have been crap.

Anyway, I installed two Samsung 830's when I got my laptop and everything worked fine. For some reason I felt it necessary to buy the 840 pro series and so I purchased two of these to replace my 830's. The SSD's said failure when raiding them, so I filed for a return and replacement, thought I had a faulty SSD. Now my replacements arrive and the issue worsens. I cannot RAID these SSD's under any circumstances, I'm starting to think my M18x broke or something is incompatible with these SSD's. I am able to properly install windows on only one SSD at once. When I RAID them, one says failed and the other says non-RAID disk. When I got to a menu in the membership control panel (ctrl+I) and then go back, they say "normal" & "member discs" in RAID, as if everything is okay when it's not. I'm not sure what's going on. My HDD works on all three bay slots. I don't see how four SSD's could be faulty, so my assumption is that my computer is screwed up. Both drives are detected in the BIOS and in Intel RST. I have tried using Intel RST to RAID them, it does not work - it fails to boot and once again shows the "failure" in the CTRL + I boot menu. Do you have any ideas? Could this be a firmware issue? Please help if you can.

Edit #1: I've installed Samsung's Magician Software and have updated the firmware to the latest available. I'm currently attempting to RAID them using Intel RST. I will update this thread when finished.

Edit #2: So, it did not work as I was hoping it would. You can see what I am experiencing by visiting this post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/702650-raid-failure.html#post9019581.

 

Either you may have a faulty cable / adapter or it could be the issue of what everyone is talking about (some conflict between the NVidia 680m and Samsung ssd's). Please correct me if I'm wrong?!

 

I don't see how a graphics card could have any affect on an SSD and RAID. Motherboard issues? I have no clue, but I want it fixed ASAP.

Edit: Updated the main post.

So, I attempted to RAID them again after updating the firmware, it failed. Here is what I am experiencing in image form...

First thing I see once the RAID finishes upon restart is this:



And then after I hit "ctrl + alt + del" as it prompts me to, I see this when the computer first shows the RAID menu (boot up):



And then after that menu goes away, I see this screen (basically, all data was erased):



Finally, I enter the RAID utility after hitting CTRL + I upon boot up and see this:



Note: It's always the bottom SSD (bay 1) that screws up, never bay 0. Even if I switch the SSD's around, it's still the bottom SSD (bay 1).

---

Could my SATA connection be loose or malfunctioning? It worked fine with my 830's, did I do this by mistake? They seem to be recognized in the BIOS, I just can't boot them.

 

If you put the other Samsung PM8030 SSDs back in does everything work correctly, or is it still messed up?


I think it is either the SATA interposer cable, or potentially need to disable UEFI and Secure Boot. Try resetting BIOS defaults before disabling UEFI and Secure Boot.



Reset BIOS defaults and make sure there is no trace of UEFI or Safe Boot turned on, and be sure to Enable Legacy Boot option.

 

I don't have the 830's anymore. I sold them assuming the 840 Pro's would work. But before I sold them, I had RAID set up and it worked perfectly - not a single issue. As you know, I've had these 840's replaced once already (both of them). So, I highly doubt it's the SSD itself unless it's incompatible with another piece of hardware.

The part where the cable plugs in (the tab part you life up to remove the ribbon), that seems to be loose to a certain extent. I've removed it more than a dozen times because of these SSD issues, going back and forth. Could I have damaged this without realizing it? The HDD works in every port, the SSD's have no errors until I RAID them - I can even install Windows and boot on a single SSD, just not in RAID.

I don't have two HDD's to test that!

 

Install Windows on a single SSD after getting your BIOS settings proper. When you are totally finished installing Windows, drivers and Intel RST, use RST to create the RAID membership within Windows.

Did you have any issues before "upgrading" to A09?

Well, I was going to take some photos of my BIOS settings for you, but that will not do any good. I forgot that I am on A03 and there are zero options for anything related to UEFI and Safe Boot... nothing at all. I remember seeing those options with A08, but I ditched that crappy BIOS before I ever booted Windows with my new M18x R2 motherboard. Blind flashing A03 was the very first thing I did after assembling my system. I booted, looked around in the BIOS for a minute or two, then did a blind flash to A03.

Maybe Julian can take some photos of his BIOS settings for you, since he is on A09 and still running SSD RAID0. As soon as he enabled UEFI he instantly had functionality issues.

 

Yes, last week when I messaged you I had the first set of 840 Pro's and the A08 BIOS that came with my system and the error persisted. I then filed for them to be replaced because I had thought the SSD's were faulty, and now I am struggling with the replacements. Pretty much the exact same issues, except this time I'm using the A09 BIOS.

The post with the images above is with a fresh install and setting them to RAID using Intel RST (latest version from Dell Drivers online website). I've been working on this since 2 PM Eastern (1/4/2013) when my SSD replacements arrived. It is becoming a pain in my a**.

Hope so. It very well may be something minor that I am overlooking. I reset the BIOS to "load optimal settings" and then enabled overclocking, etc. and it says "legacy" boot.

 

Yes, I think it is either a setting that is incorrect or the SATA interposer cable is bad.

If it works with one SSD, try it with one SSD individually on each SATA port. I would not be surprised if Port0 is working correctly, but if you install one SSD or one HDD to Port1 it starts messing up.

 

It may be the cable. I'll contact Dell tomorrow and request a new one be sent ASAP.

 

If you have time, try moving the drives around on different SATA ports and see if the drive that worked correctly start to misbehave on a different port. If the problem stays with the port and does not follow the drive, then you know for sure the interposer is messed up.

 

yep this would be my first step in troubleshooting the issue.

Remove all Disks, Install 1 SSD to port 0, install Windows, and then try moving it to Port 1. If it works then the disk is good.

Repeat with the second SSD, testing it on both ports.

Of course this doesn't 100% rule out a faulty cable or cable connection as you'll be moving it every time you move your disks around and could potentially introduce or eliminate your issue each time.

If you think the interposer cable is loose, I have seen people wedge a thin slice of plastic into the connector on the non conductive side just to hold it securely in place.

 

More than likely you moved the cable when you swapped the drives.
Be very careful here, but take the cable out and then replace it back in. (Again, be very careful here)
Plug back in the two 840's that should already be in raid. See if they show correctly now. That cable can be a touchy subject if moved just a little.
I find it hard to believe that it would be the board considering it worked fine "before" you swapped out the drives. This could be "user error". Best to rule that out first.

 

Does seem to me that a lot of posts regarding this cable...Bad design in my opinion and is partly the reason I sent my system back...I'm kind of glad I had issues with that tech guy or else I would be dealing with this issue still, but I so wanted this system and still do as there are no others like the M18x but this cable has been the deal breaker for me...I have been tempted to order a 17 inch from xoticpc but I haven't because I just don't want to move down in size from an 18 inch

I do hope you get your raid issue resolved

 

The chance of a bad cable that is inexpensive, can be installed in a matter of a few minutes, and can be replaced under warranty for free is a deal breaker? I think I can remember about 4 or 5 people that needed to have it replaced under warranty. So, you would consider purchasing a different system that is inferior overall because of it? That seems like a strange thing to be overly concerned about.

Tip: if you need to re-seat the motherboard end of the cable (which may be causing a problem) and you are concerned about breaking the clamp, simply slide the cable out of the socket without loosening the clamp first. Once you do that, the clamp will be loose and you can lift it up very easily, with less risk of breakage. Having the cable out of the way will also give you a better view of how it is made if you take a minute or two to examine it, which should drastically reduce or eliminate the chance of breaking it by accident in the future. Once you raise the clamp to the end of its travel, doing it gently, you will feel it stop when it gets there. Then slide the cable into the slot and gently press it straight down until it bottoms out. The cable will be snug and have a secure connection. Use your fingertip instead of a tool and you can feel what is going on.

The only reason to be worried about breaking it is being too rough, trying to lift it beyond the amount intended (breaks off the clips) or trying to move it in a direction it is not intended to move. It is fragile, but only breaks if handled incorrectly. That is easy to do by accident if you are not familiar with how it comes apart.

 

The only part I'm worried about is the part that holds the ribbon down (white piece that slides down over the cable). Since I've removed these drives a lot, I was concerned lifting that white tab up with a pry tool over and over again may have loosened it and now the connection is "iffy". But when the cable is in there, it's not moving at all, so I am probably wrong. I'm not sure what's going on, but Alienware keeps telling me they don't have any SATA Interposer Cables and it's very annoying. I may be stuck with an HDD for a month.

I'm still within the return period, but if it's just the cable and not the motherboard, there would be no point in returning it. I can replace a cable, but I'm not tech-savvy enough to replacement anything further - only the basics. I'm just worried it's something more serious than this cable and I'll be replacing parts forever, haha.

Good thing I have warranty...

 

So, until they replenish their stock you can continue using your system. That's not ideal, but it is better than having a non-functional system. The important thing is to contact Alienware Tech Support directly (not sales) and getting an open a ticket for hardware warranty support established. You will be on the short list for a warranty dispatch, which might reveal that they actually do have some tucked away exclusively for warranty service even though none are available for purchase.

I don't know how that works if you purchased through a reseller. If Alienware does not offer direct support for systems purchased through a reseller, the situation might not be as quick and easy to resolve because of the middle man.

Edit: never use a pry tool on any of the cable retainers, especially those for ribbon cables like the SATA interposer, keyboard and media button panel. Doing that, especially if you are less than intimately familiar with how they work, can dramatically increases the likelihood of breaking the retainer because you cannot feel anything using a tool. Look at what I posted right above your last post. Use your fingertips, (or your fingernail,) not a tool. You do not need to loosen the clamp to remove the cable. Once the cable has been slid out of the socket, you can get a better look at it and raise it up to make it ready for the cable to be inserted without the need to use any type of force or pressure. They normally get broken when people are trying to release the clamp and use too much force, or use force only on one side instead of alternating lifting pressure on each edge. If you try lifting up the clamp on one edge only it is going to get "cocked" and that can also break it.

Also, look very carefully, with good lighting and a magnifying glass if you need to, to understand how the fasteners are designed. Some (most of the ribbon cables) slide up and down. The one for the media panel buttons is a flap latch. It does not slide up and down. It hinges and flaps over to lock the cable.

 

I was always extremely careful with moving up that tab, one side at a time, slowly. I don't think I broke anything...the cable fits in there very sturdily, you can't even pull it out when the tab is down.

Anyway, I got off the phone with tech support and the guy is arguing with me that it's not my computer, it's the SSD's. I told him I had them replaced once already and I'm having the exact same error, but he still kept saying it wasn't this cable, it was the SSD's. He tried transferring me to some software guys claiming I need to RAID them, as if I don't know how to RAID SSD's in the first place. His reasoning for it being the SSD's is because I bought them from Amazon.com, which makes absolutely no sense.

This is really pissing me off... I told him what the problem was, I basically did his job for him (thanks to you guys), and he still argues.

 

Well, sometimes full disclosure can be an impediment when you are dealing with inexperienced "phone screeners" working in Level 1 support. Had you left out information about the involvement of aftermarket SSD drives you might have an new SATA interposer cable coming your way already. It is not the aftermarket SSD drives causing the problem, but you cannot reason with a person that lacks knowledge. So, giving less detail, especially when it is not relevant to your problem, is a good thing to keep in mind going forward. There is no point in giving them information they will find confusing or distract them from the real issue that they need to resolve.

Save yourself further frustration by contacting Luis Porras or Pardo, Frank or Natalia through our forum.

 

I only mentioned I couldn't RAID my SSD's, he asked where I got them, and here we go.

I'll contact Luis as you suggested.

 

Yep, not knowing what might occur you kind of set yourself up for that to happen. All that needed to be said was something very simple like "my drive(s) is/are disappearing or no longer detected during boot and it seems to be the interposer cable, because it comes and goes, and my research suggests that replacing this inexpensive part resolves the issue. I need to have one dispatched."

Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Alienware reps here in the forum will understand what the problem is and take care of it for you.

 

Skipped the technical jibber jabber and went directly to the parts department and ordered the cable. They had one in-stock, thank goodness.

I appreciate everyone's help, I really do. I hope this solves my issues. It won't be here until the 10th, but I am looking forward to that day.

 

The other thing you can try is to remove 2 sticks of ram and see if it shows up correctly. (Don't ask me why)

So I take it it's still broke and you can't get raid working right? Does it work on all ports?

 

The HDD works on all ports. I don't have the audacity to test the SSD's because they're blank.

Sometimes though, when I open Intel RST, the computer freezes. There's some weird sh*t going on here, haha.

 

Yes, seems that you are having some issues indeed.

 

By blank I meant they have nothing on them - no OS. So, I'd have to install Windows a couple times to test them. The HDD does work on the ports though, I don't know what the deal is. If this new cable doesn't work, maybe I got faulty SSD's again - it's not impossible, but highly unlikely. Perhaps the controller inside these new 840's is faulty when trying to RAID. I can install Windows and boot it up on a single SSD (no RAID).

 

Your a better man that I. I would be doing all sort's of stuff till that new cable arrives.