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    M17x Service Manual please.

    Discussion in 'Alienware Area-51/Aurora and Legacy Systems' started by Dezire, Apr 15, 2011.

  1. Dezire

    Dezire Notebook Guru

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    Hello everyone,

    I desperately need parts information for an Area-51 M17x Ripley Edition aka the pre Dell M17xR1 unit. Picture here.
    I have googled and searched hard but not found it anywhere.

    Dez
     
  2. Nospheratu

    Nospheratu Notebook Deity

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    Not sure about the part numbers but the below link should help with regards to the a manual for disassembly.

    M17 Disassembly Guide
     
  3. Dezire

    Dezire Notebook Guru

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    Thanks for the link but that's not the same model and I need more indepth part number reference so I don't have to bother the nice guys n' gals here with questions.
     
  4. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    Ask away desire. Ive had mine apart and back together numerous times over the past mounth. And a little plug for me. The soon to be bare bone chassis will be for sale.
     
  5. Dezire

    Dezire Notebook Guru

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    Thanks USMC. I'm at the early stages of a barebones build and in the middle of preparing a shopping list of parts before the unit arrives. At the moment, I need part numbers for the battery and the optical drive bay, I should be ok for the rest.
    I've seen an M15x optical drive bay kit on Ebay and was wondering if that will do? I'm not bothered with it being silver.
     
  6. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    Go to ztronics web site, they have everything you need. And here is a little guilty pleasure plug for myslef. Im selling two 9800m GT's from my M17x, let me know if you are interested. Heck make an offer if youd like.
     
  7. jwt2

    jwt2 Notebook Enthusiast

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    usmc, are you giving up on your Area 51 m17x? Bummer. I'm still researching for answers on GPU fan control (I think it's in the Bios, not in ACPI) and why SLI won't enable, but I'm not having much luck. Are you going to get a different model chassis where the GTX 280M are known to work?
     
  8. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    HECK NO!!!!!!!! I just have an extra Area 51 M17x chassis that Im getting rid of. I love my Area 51 M17x!!!
     
  9. jwt2

    jwt2 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Glad to hear it! I'm working on overclocking on mine. I Learned my CPU can't handle 3.4 GHz. It runs OK at 3.2 GHz, but it overheats. So, it's time to clean out the dust and redo the thermal paste.
     
  10. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    What CPU are you running, the X900? Ive got the 2.5 one, I forget the name of it. What program are you using to overclock it?
     
  11. jwt2

    jwt2 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have the Core 2 Extreme X9000 2.8 GHz. The Extreme processors are apparently easy to overclock since the clock multiplier is not "locked" by Intel. So, I'm using ThrottleStop to change the multiplier in 200 Mhz increments. It is easy except that it's dangerous. Throttlestop was also changing the default clock speed during reboots to the maximum value you "unlocked" even if you weren't using that high a speed. That's not a good thing if the CPU is unreliable at that max speed and your system is flaky during the boot process. Right now my CPU temps are too high in game benchmarks even at 2.8 GHz, so I have to improve the cooling to get any benefit from an overclock.

    The graphics temps seem to be fine even in game benchmarks. I have 2 8800M GTX's - supposedly identical to 9800M GT's. My notebook was built in July 2008. Alienware outgoing test showed "12,886.00 3DMarks" in 3DMark 2006. I can still get the same CPU score they got - 2570, but my FPS are lower. I'm still using an old copy of 3DMark 2006, but the video drivers are updated. Best I get now without overclocking is around 12,300.
     
  12. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    I never achieved the test 3D mark scores mine tested eihter (9800m GT SLI), 13000. I should blow that away now though :)
     
  13. jwt2

    jwt2 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I saw magazine articles that claimed that the 9800M GT was a re-brand of the 8800M GTX just to move the product names to the 9 series. Obviously the VBIOS is a least different in that it has a different product name. Newer cards are also going to have the improved packaging to prevent the ball delamination failures. I wonder if there are other VBIOS or electrical changes in the 9800M GT that make it perform any differently from the 8800M GTX?
     
  14. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    No I doubt it, I dont think anyone ever achieved better performance from a 9800 over the 8800. I can give you my 9800m gt BIOS if u want to try. Your chip set is a G92 right?
     
  15. jwt2

    jwt2 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yes, my 8800M GTX has the G92, revision A2. I would like that vbios, thanks! After being inspired by your GTX 280M success, I am thinking of attempting the same thing, but using the much cheaper to get 3700M cards. I'm still worried about the fans not working. Since the 3700M has the same chip (G92 rev A) as the stock 8800M GTX and 9800M GT, I would hope that the fans might work if you use the 9800M GT vbios.
     
  16. usmc1488

    usmc1488 Notebook Evangelist

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    Well someone else installed one GTX280m and he got his fans to work from the get go. Ive pulled out the yellow and blue wires from the fan harness. I have 100% fans all the time. Both of the GTX280ms havent reached a temp over 40c yet, and thats after an hour of gaming. The 9800's use to see 90c after an hour with the software controlling the fans. I like 100% all the time, they aren't that loud either. Email me @ [email protected], Ill email you the BIOS, put BIOS in the subject so that I can spot it in the junk mail.
     
  17. plaps

    plaps Newbie

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    I HAVE THE SAME LAPTOP WITH DEZ.SO, IF DEZ FIND THE M17x Service Manual DO U MIND SEND ME ANOTHER COPY?MY EMAIL :p[email protected]
    THANK YOU
     
  18. whkrems

    whkrems Newbie

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    Back to service manual, Can't find one for laptop i'm working on for a friend.
    AREA-51 M17X. Power jack is broke loose, no telling what other damage.
    No help from Dell or Alienware support. One post I read says service manual is only had by Authorized Dell Service people. Downloaded m17x manual from Dell and Alienware, not even close.
    Called Alienware tech support twice registered for Alienware forums, no help yet.
    Have bad power jack and want to disassemble laptop. Got it down to one place that refuses to release. Can't see what is holding it. $5000 dollar laptop in 2008.
    Called Alienware tech support twice registered for Alienware forums, no help yet.
     
  19. jl25304

    jl25304 Newbie

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    do you have a copy of this service manual, just bought a barebones unit and cant find a heatsink or the part number, but i have a picture..lol...if so please forward it to [email protected] .....tyvm