The Official Area-51 m15x Owners Lounge II

this is a common problem with consumers, they expect everything to be perfect on every copy of a product always. It bothers me. Fact is, they can't ensure that every key was placed on the keyboard properly by the machine that does it. they can only quality inspect it to see all the keys are level and attached in the right configuration.

sometimes these things are very hard, or impossible to detect. honestly, I could reattach one of those keys in about 10 seconds. pausing the game takes much less than that, and if you're playing something like CS:S well, you die for one round, oh well.

It's a game, get over it. the keyboard doesn't take long to fix, and stays "fixed" for a VERY long time.

gah!

 

for the record, i can properly reattached a key that has popped off in about 3-4 seconds. Sometimes it takes a tad longer depending on the design and which key it is - for example, spacebars generally take a little longer and different keyboards are slightly different... but most take me 3-4 seconds so it's not a problem (while gaming or working)... except when it's actually broken, it comes off again in a very short period of time. I'd rather get that replaced.

(see photo attached in earlier post)

 

Good idea. I am gonna try re-installing graphic card and bios again and see how it goes. I will report back if still DC. Thanks for sharing

 

Scrog

How so u install the nvidia drivers. I try the support CD but got an error that say Nvidia could not locate any drivers compatible with your current hardware.

 

Humm...How would reinstalling the driver and flashing the same BIOS "fix" the overheating issue? It doesn't make sense to me.

 

what framerates are people getting for Crysis with the following:

1920x1200
8800mGTX
All medium settings in game

 

I saw your photo after i posted :S

yes, you'll have to obtain a replacement, it's merely a manufacturing defect, sometimes the plastic doesn't set 100% or there's an air bubble, such things are hard to detect, this time because i doubt there's even a visual inspection before they get tossed into a machine to stamp them onto the keyboard.

but whichever. hopefully your new one is defect free. my keyboard seems fine.

for everyone's information, i'm narrowing down on solutions to some of the less potent problems, EG. keyboard issues (missing typed characters), and other small fixes to enhance your m15x life, as well as a comprehensive set of internal, external, and lighting pictures at high resolution. I plan to compile all this, and a Demonstration video together in a Review, which I will post seperately, as my first official thread-type-thing. (i had one before but if i'd done the right search, i wouldn't have.)

hopefully everyone will enjoy that, no idea though. mostly a teaser for those who are waiting to get theirs...

 

I wouldn't expect Dell or HP to catch the keyboard issue, but I would expect Alienware's 'personal service' and 200-point inspection process and long custom build time to catch a loose button. If they're taking 3 weeks to build my laptop they better catch that sort of thing - otherwise what am I waiting for?

 

I doubt that they will test the keyboard thoroughly, there are just too many lappies to check out. And, besides, everyone is complaining and want AW the computers to get out as fast as possible...

 

I order from Lenovo a lot too and they sometimes come not in the best shape... and they also take a month or more before shipping.

I would like to say think that the 200 point system is good but it doesn't seem better than any other company i've ordered from... more like a gimmick than anything.

But they are not really slow compared to some other companies... just slower than what some would want to wait if you're used to build/ship times of some companies like HP or Dell who market to the general mass.

Lenovo for business or AW for gaming, when you order from a company the specializes for a specific market, it'll just take longer. I don't know about Sager or FalconNW as i've never personally ordered from them.

 

It's definitely a gimmick. When I removed my m15x from its protective sleeve, I immediately noticed a 1/4", deep-grooved scratch just below the alien head. That's not what a customer wants to see when that customer paid nearly $4000 for the system and told Alienware multiple times not to rush his order. How does such a scratch slip past their quality department?

"Damn, Joe...look at that scratch--it's a doozy! What should we do...follow our 200-point quality assurance system?"

"Ship it! The customer won't notice."

At Alienware, the name goes on before the quality goes in.

 

Dang Mysterio that sucks let us know what they do for you. (If anything)

 

sorry about that scratch... i'd be pretty upset.

AW just contacted me re the key and they're sending me a replacement keyboard... actually they gave me the option to send the unit in or receive a replacement keyboard and send the defective part back. I opted for the latter.

Still waiting to hear what they're planning about the sleeve. They asked for a photo but i already sent them one (same one i posted here). I resent it and am just waiting.

Also i'm getting 18-20 fps in Crysis at 1920x1200 with my gtx in medium settings (no AA)... is this what everyone else is getting?

 

When I try to play Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, it crashes. What a wonderful "gaming" laptop this is thus far.

EDIT: Tried to play it a third time and it didn't crash. God bless Vista.

 

Well I was still listed as phase 2 today, so I called and made another fuss. I wouldn't even mind being listed as phase 3, considering that's what i was told i was on friday, but i found it strange that people who ordered later than i did were already moving further along into production. As of my last check, i'm in phase 4 ..not sure if its at all related to my diligent complaining, but im happy

 

i thought my problem was fixed was i wrong?

this is after 2 hours of crysis single player. which was quite playable except for the harbor level. i still got threw it , but it kinda lagged. at the end there i press the stealth mode button. but it looks like its going crazy at the begining. i dont think its a downclock but maybe a benchmarking error or somthing.

 

So it must mean that it not entirely a downclocking issue?

 

yeah im pretty sure its not. but ill test it more.

 

I was wondering if you can buy a 512MB 8700M GT for the M15X. I'm considering to downgrade my 8800m GTX for the 8700 if I still have problems when I get it back. It seems like everyone with the 8700's are not having any problems. Anyone know if this is possible and about how much the card is and where to buy it? Would I have to get a new heat sink as well? Thanks.

 

Probably be better to have AW switch it out for you if thats what you really want. Gophins how many times have you sent it back?

 

Hey T! I already had the GPU replaced at home once as well as the heat sink and both BIOS updates. This is the first time I've sent it in for service but I'm really starting to lose confidence in AW. My AW critical issues rep promised that once they repair it in TX that he will have it sent to him in Miami to make sure it's fixed or he will replace it. Man, this has been a rough ride for being my first and probably last AW product.

 

yeah that sucks I was having problems too but now everything is A ok (so far). Hopefully everything works out for you and maybe they'll compensate with some cool stuff. I hate to read about everyones problems cause I really like my machine only time will tell if AW gets all these problems fixed.

 

Welcome to the club...I'm in the same boat as you with my m5550 which is in Miami as well...

 

Did they give you that VIP repair bologna line too? Anyhow good luck to you to bud.

 

Hopefully when I get mine back I'll be in your shoes!

 

Yup..the same VIP repair. It's been over two weeks already and no word yet. Just "they are trying to replicate the problem" I heard that they are just going to swap my GPU. Don't know if this will solve the problem. Last 2 GPU swaps haven't done a thing...

 

I had to send mine in it was delivered to them on thursday and they shipped out Friday afternoon. Everything that was wrong with mine was fixed but that quick of a turn around makes me think that they don't have very good quality control.

 

I have a feeling that they just swap stuff out and send it back to you without actually testing anything...hoping that everything is fixed.

 

They sure are lacking quality control. They got mine today, but it sure better not come back before they send it to Miami unless it's perfect. When did you all get your first M15x? I got mine in early February.

 

I'm thinking just going for a AW desktop as a replacement over the m15x. Then just buy a normal lappy.

 

I got mine like around 13th of Feb. started off with a t7700

 

That would be great except that I'm in the Coast Guard and heading to a cutter this summer and wanted something that I could game with to take with me underway

 

haha, yeah, you are better off with the m15x. I'm in school, so it doesn't matter as much.

 

All right, take care guys and good luck.. gotta go do some homework.

 

Getter done! Later.

 

I think I have this problem figured. For those having difficulties with their keyboards dropping characters and being generally slow and suck; here's how i got mine going 100% (so far so good at least).

seems that it's a filterkeys setting in the control panel, though disabled, the "slow keys and repeat keys" function seems to still be active.

Go to control panel, classic view, and select the ease of access center. select to make your keyboard easier to use and "setup filter keys" at the bottom.

on the next page if repeat keys and slow keys is actually OFF it's usually unselected and the link right below it is disabled. if you can click on the link, do so, and select "ignore repeat keystrokes" or something like that... after you O.K. and close out that dialog, now "setup filterkeys and slow keys" should be greyed out.

I believe this fixes the problem, be aware that Vista, in my experience, has a tendancy to lose setings, especially if Explorer crashes. so be aware.

 

Nice find. +rep

Try typing long sentence and no lag or skip keys detected so far.