The Official Area-51 m15x Owners Lounge II

Alright first off i'd like to thank everyone here, all the information and troubleshooting is a great help. I got my m15x thursday after ordering it last friday (very suprised on the speed) and all is well, 3 to 4 hours of crysis with no problems. That being said i noticed that if stealth mode is left on the next time it boots it underclocks after about 15 min of crysis and around 80 C but if i remember to turn off stealth mode before shut down i can play all day no problem. If you guys want to give it a try let me know what you find out.

 

I have found a small problem with my m15x. I opened it today to find some scratches around the camera. I think they need to put two more bump stops in between the camera and the mic holes. They have bump stops on each corner, plus the middle of the sides, but none in the center. I keep my laptop in a very secure laptop case, and it holds it snug, which causes the area where the camera is to be pushed down against the palm rest area.

 

I'd like to say that I think I've isolated the keyboard issues. I have yet to find the fix, but I'm going to post my theory here so that everyone can look.

I've confirmed that the keyboard is registered in the system as a PS/2 device... just FYI (in case it helps)

I've booted a live disk of Linux (ubuntu 7.10) and it's immune to the typing issue. therefore, this is a driver/vista issue. (does anyone else have another vista laptop thats affected?)

the problem seems to only effect multiple identical letters when typed at velocity. typing slowly results in 100% character pickup on the board.

I've also noticed that there's sometimes a slight delay in keyboard response time. It's not obvious, but being that I sometimes do video/audio syncronization, i'm pretty sensitive to minor delays/offsets.

the slower typers are probably not affected by this. around 25-30 wpm will be fine, but anyone typing around my level or higher (50-60+) will notice that the double-character presses are disappearing.

 

This is making me feel crazy. You ordered yours one business day before I did. (Friday. I ordered mine this past Monday.) And you have it. Mine is in phase 2 according to the website, and phase 3 according to the man who answered the phone. Do they hate me? what's going on?

 

Well, Fedex messed up and my m15x arrived 2 days early. I got it today but haven't had much time to mess around with it considering I had to work (this sure wasn't cheap). I'll get some pictures up soon and maybe a little review. So far though. The touch pad is the only thing that is bothering me.

 

The ordering/shipping speed is HEAVILY dependant on your configuration, there may be ONE component that's not in stock for your build, that others may not have selected. I assure you, AW does NOT hate you.

they shipped me mine over a week and a half before their estimated shipping date (i think it was closer to two weeks). Doesn't mean they like me, I just ordered the 8700M GT rather than the 8800. there was a backorder on the 8800's at the time, partly due to the BIOS update being in the works... but since I didn't have the 8800, mine went into production before a lot of people who'd been waiting longer.

I don't feel bad, because there's no way those other laptops could've been shipped out at all, it's simply the parts. if they're not ready to go out the door, they don't. simple as that.

 

After 2 weeks with my m15x my GPU started downclocking when playing COD4
It seems that my laptop is starting to lose control of the heat even with the latest BIOS "x30"

 

I got this all the time. Its a hit and miss. Maybe today is fine and tommorrow may Downclock and then ok for next few days. In this kind of scenario, AW does not believe me. I have to sent those DC log to them afew times b4 they acknowledge. Their solution is "u got a bad system - pls sent it back for repair. AW still believe their bios is good.

If u experience this do a restart. It helps sometimes. BUT THIS IS JUST TEMP SOLUTION.

Many people dun notice this cause they run ATI tools on "one of those good nights" and never test again thinking downclock is gone. IT IS NOT GONE. U may ignore it but I guarantee DC issue is still around. its just dun happen everyday.

To people who has no DC issue;
If u experience some jerky motion when playing game. Most of the time its downclocking and u won't think its downclocking cause u remember doing a test b4 and is fine the other day. U thought maybe this scene is intensive and the GPU might have problems handling. U are wrong.The 8800GTX can blow most games out of the water. If it cant handle it usually downclocking. Use a riva tuner to log for every game u play and see the results.

I am sending my system for repair and hope they fix it. I am not putting high hopes. If it doesnt work - I am buying dell 1730. Wish me luck.

Edit: I was so pissed the other night I ran out to patio and expose m15x to the cold chilling wind (7 ºC / 44.6 ºF). It finally stop downclocking.

 

sighhhhhh i was just about to order my m15x... why did chaz say its fixed.. its clearly not

 

This downclocking is not easy to detect. Its like an advanced virus now. I have been running fine for a while b4 I notice there was some jerky motion in Ghost Recon advanced war fighter 2. I initially thought GPU cant handle. But then I ask myself how can 8800GTX not handle this game C'mon... I played the same scene again tomorrow and it went smoothly. The sad truth sank in - It downclock the other night. I run the test and took another week to finally catch it.

I really think most people wont notice it and is fine if u dun "probe further". It dun happen everyday.

 

you running the New bios?

 

The latest BIOS never worked well for me. I whent back to teh Beta BIOS 29. And it seems to be a little more stable. But it does eventually downclock.

Heck my system can't even play WOW for over and Hour with out downclockcing.

 

Newfiejudd, That FurMark test you posted about - does it still reliably show the downclocking for you? I ran it for two hours yesterday, no downclocking.

I'm just so worried about spending the money on this m15x and then have it develop problems down the road - I don't like mail in warranty service; this is one my biggest concerns about AW - they advertise onsite, but apparently it's on their site. I can't be without my computer for two weeks for repairs, in the event it develops downclocking.

N

 

IMO, you don't have to send it in right away because of downclocking. I would just wait until the BIOS update is released and flash the BIOS over the phone with a AW tech rep. (that's what I did for my m5550.)

Now, if it's a hardware issue, then you are pretty much stuck!

 

This is not good news. I stressed my m15x as hard as I could and could not get it to downclock with the x29b BIOS.

Make sure the notebook is sitting on a flat, even surface at all times and nothing is blocking the fans.

 

thanks for the info mate!! currently going into the accessories, and searching for other stuff so my m15x would have the best treatment it could get!!!

 

Yes my System will consistently downclock using that program. Although only with the 30 BIOS. With the 29 Beta BIOS my system will downclock but it takes around 40 minutes before it does, with the 30 BIOS it does it withing 10 minutes.

 

@Newfiejudd - I hate to say it but you will probably have to ship your laptop back to alienware for them to replace the GPU. Some options that you could try are calling AW and walking through how to reseat the video card and apply their thermal paste. That could possibly help but I'm thinking you will have to send it back.

 

You are correct. It happens on and off and doesn’t matter if it's 10 minutes or 2 hrs, it will downclock. This has been my problem since day one of owning the M15x! Fedex will be delivering mine to AW Monday and hopefully I will get it back in a few weeks working correctly.

 

Alright. Well I got to do some testing with my m15x today. I ran 3DMark06 before anything else (not sure why). Only to get a score of a mid 4000 I first figured something was wrong when i watched the test. My pc ran the graphic tests smoother (8600GT) I ran RivaTuner and ATITool and began to monitor my GPU. Well, my card was downclocked on arrival.

At that point I am pretty upset I just spent 3000+ on something that preforms at a lower level than my Pc which cost 1/4 of this notebook.

I installed the 8800 driver off the alienware site. Once started up again I ran the tools again to get the same downclocked GPU. I kept it running and after 15 minutes all the clocks jumped up to a normal status I believe.

Ran 3DMark06 once again and this time got a score of 9002. So, things seem to be better. Now, I just need to watch out for the overheating and downclocking with games.






Also, my comma key just popped off as I typed this.

 

Please tell me you're kidding about the comma key

The 297mhz speed in your screenshot is what the card is set at either on stealth mode or on battery - are you sure you were running on AC power and not in stealth mode?

N

 

No. My comma key popped off, but I could push it back in. Hm, guess I never really thought of that. My first test was without the AC power. I haven't put it on stealth mode, so I am sure it wasn't stealth, so It may have been the battery.

 

Definitely run tests on AC - I have found that on battery, its always downclocked. I can't get it to run full speed on battery no matter what I do.

N

 

It must have been the battery then. When it was on AC my test results were the 9002 3dmarks. Thanks.

 

that's gotta hurt....

 

How long have you had this m15x until the comma key popped off? Just wondering.

 

Yeah it wasn't the greatest thing

And yeah when I'm running on just my battery it downclocked again.

Edit: I got it yesterday.

 

Have you tried playing with AlienFusion? Maybe you have it set up so that your GPU limits itself when youre on battery power. I don't have mine yet, so I don't know what specific settings are in there, but maybe all you have to do is play with your GPU options.

 

if i may say, the keys are DESIGNED to pop off. they should pop right back on, they're not SECURED into the laptop in any significant way, they're simply snapped in. they do this so you DON'T break the keys, any abnormal force and the keys simply disconnect from the keyboard, rather than break.

it's fairly simple to reattach them, and i'm not sure why everyone is making such a big fuss about it.

 

The problem is that I dont think D4rkmisfit applied an abnormal force on it.
Imagine this while gaming.......

 

yup I agree with roughman4.

Altho I game with external keyboard but hey it's gaming notebook, so d keyboard is part of the notebook, which shouldn't be having those kind of defect.

Hopefully it's a unique issue.

 

My left CTRL key popped off TWICE in the past day and a half

i pushed it back on but it feels weak. when i nudge the key a little bit from the top (slightly lifting it) i can feel it wanting to come off. No, i am not applying an abnormal amount of pressure when i do this. I work on and fix laptops daily as a part of my job and hobby. I also applied pressure to the key and slightly lifted it gently... then compared it to the other keys on the m15x. My left CTRL key is weak and i expect it to pop off again in teh next couple of weeks.

 

thats weird I've had mine for well over a month and haven't had any problems with the keys

 

I just took a closer look at it... noticed that the key itself is broken. One of the tiny "hooks/claws" on the underside of the key is broken and the other one looks like it is about to break...

In the photo, the one on the right is obviously broken, the left side is frosty white at the base instead of uniformly translucent gray like it should be. Sorry about the grainy shot, this room is not lit well.

 

dang thats sucks I would call AW right away and have them fix that I'm sure all they have to do is send you the key

 

ouch. sucks man =/

edit: do you have any idea if it came like that, or if it broke off later? Maybe if you can find the piece it could be glued back on..but thats a small thing to find...and glue..

 

no reason to try to look for it and glue when AW will just send you a new one

 

I opened the laptop and took about 50 photos of it... then i closed it back up and packed it away (headed out of town). Later that night, i opened it up and started to type on it and the key popped off in less than 10 mins of use... in that 10 minutes adn the time i had it on before, it was probably the first time i touched the ctrl key. i'm inclined to say it came that way but then again it may have just come really really weak and it broke after i pressed it.

EDIT: i also emailed them to ask for a new key along with the replacement sleeve

 

Ha ha you wll probaly have to send the system in to get the key fixed LMAO.

I am laughing but I wouldn't put it past them.

 

lol asking for one single key
I wonder what would be the shipping fees

 

actually they shouldn't charge you anything. One of the little rubber bumpers that goes around the LCD came off of mine. I called them and they sent me a new one in like a week I didn't have to pay anything.

 

Na don't worry I had the same problem with the J key and they sent me a new keyboard to replace.

About down-clocking: I am still having those problems

I have a question to the people with an 8700m GT, Anyone with these problems? and what is the max temperature in reaches when stressing it?

Anyone with an 8800m GTX is not having overheating, downclocking problems? What BIOS are you using? And what is the max temperature reached when playing crysis?

Thanks to ALL!!

 

I haven't had a lot of time to test my card the longest I've played straight was 1 hour of COD4 (just don't have the time lately) but the hottest it got was 87 didn't have any problems

 

since you have a 8700 there shouldnt be that much overheating problems. i have maybe only 1 thread where someone was complaining about he 8700 overheating. i think the 8800 is the only card in the m15x that will overheat.

 

I don't think the 8700 will have any problems. The 8700m GT is very close to 8600m GT just with little faster clock speeds. The real problem is the 8800m. I hope someone has working m15x with an 8800 this will make me stick to what I have and send it to repair.

 

as far goes my experience, alienware is really cool about sending you replacements for things. If it doesn't require them fixing it, they will most likely just send you a new part. When my AW desktop was only a few days old, I found that the side panel wasn't securing properly to the rest of the chassis. I assumed that I was just doing something wrong so I called them up. They told me they couldn't recreate the problem, so it must have been a bad part. They sent me a whole new panel and it fit just fine. Sending you a key or a keyboard should probably be no biggie for them, as mentioned above.

 

Yea they will always avoid them doing the work. Every time they determined I needed a new GPU for my M5550 they just put a "hold" charge on my credit card and then took it off when they got the old card back.

 

I use to run bios x30. Downclocking like crazy. Change to x29 and is better. So far the best bios for me is x29.

 

Just A quick Summary for me to let people out there with downclocking problems that there is hope still. Ordered on Jan 28 , Laptop received On March 15, Noticed downclocking while playing DAOC and COD4, Tried both beta versions of 29 and 30 bios, but still downclocking. Sent in Laptop back to repair( they wanted to try to reinstall bios 30 plus my smartbay drives where not working. Sentlaptop in on Mar 21, Received laptop back on Mar 27, with new smartbay 200g drive and new optical drive with there install of bios 30. Played COD4 for about 2 hours and was not impressed with downclocking still happenin. Well Finally Called for my last time to getthis fixed with another tech. Reinstalled bios version and graphics again and finally my machine has not downclocked in the past 48 hours.(Believe me Im stressing it to the max) SO theres hope< Just gotta stick with it. If that last call didnt fix it or this machine machine downclocks this week for whatever reason, Im doing a full refund. After all this im finally happy with my m15x.

Scrog-

 

yeah i hope i won't have to send it in just for the keyboard.

about the pop sound from my smartbay side... it happened again so i pulled my blueray burner out and put it back in. seems to be ok now. (i hope)

a quick question about laptop backbacks... does anyone have the Booq Python XL/XM, and if so, does the m15x fit in that pack? how about the Vyper that comes with that Python System?