Dell released update on Hinge issue for M11x - 3/5/2011

Well, I had a Studio XPS 1640 when it originally came out which continually kept overheating - it got slower and slower while gaming until it eventually froze. That had 3 motherboards until Dell conceeded it was bad design and returned it for a full refund - was a shame, as it had that glorious 1080p RGBLED screen.

The Alienware issue seems to be annoying me more as that hinge is such a stupid design it was no wonder it failed - where the hinges bolt into the case, is so close to the pivot point (I take it many of us have seen the flat, horizontal hinge design) that there is massive stress on the casing when you open and close it, breaking was inevitable.

 

I hate DELL why?

i called to Dell Mexico and the person assiting me is a n00b, no idea of this replacement program I doubt it applies in my country.

this is true? or what ?

my M11x dont have the problem (15 days old ) but.... you know

Im ready to sell this machine to buy another brand

thanks to Dell for this expensive and bad quality laptop. ( 1100 US dollars in my country - core 2 duo model )


sorry for my poor English

 

Then why worry about it? Seriously, relax and enjoy the system. If you are that concerned about it and feel that somehow your system wont be repaired if you run into a problem, none of us here are going to convince you otherwise as you have already made up your mind.

 

having some play in hinges now and still the occasional pop sound... but still very usable. Hoping to make it until parts are avail (for sure) in Malaysia.

 

Hi y'all,
I was extremely fortunate as to get a barely used (3 months to be precise) R1 off ebay and she's (can't help but call "it" that, lol) been my pride and joy ever since. Recently I became aware of a "cracking" sound emanating from my right hinge; upon close inspection, I couldn't see any evident proof of misalignment or of any beginning signs of cracks but I called alienware just the same and I should be getting a screen replacement any day now. My question is (if you'll pardon my above ramblings...) my warranty has only 41 days left on it and I'm pretty sure, despite the assurances of the techs at alienware, the screen I'll be receiving any day will not be the "re-designed/fool-proof" screen. So, do you fellas recommend I extend my warranty just in case this phantom "fixed" screen never materializes or should I wait on the hope that dell will stand by their word?
Thanks.

 

Didn't Chris from Dell say that the hinge fix was indefinite? Meaning they'll fix it regardless if the warranty runs out or not.

 

They said that and it sounds good but it most likely will not be that easy

 

I would say more, "Between this date and that date, all broken hinges receive a free upgrade". And I really think, just the broken hinges, not all hinges, but one can dream.

 

So my M11x R1 I purchased during the first run. And it has had hinge problems after awhile which have slowly gotten worse over time. I have been patiently waiting for word of a fix for this issue.

Now reading what Chris says, should I report my hinge problem now to Dell or just let the warranty run out and just wait patiently for this supposed redesigned hinge without reporting my hinge problem? I don't want a temporary fix of a new lcd assembly replacement which I'm worried if I tell Dell about my problem now is what I will end up getting.

 

report before warranty IMO.

 

they'll fix it even if it is outside warranty!

 

OMG, that news just made my day happy

Now I defenitly love my m11x even if the right hinge is breaking slowly... I just hope it won't fully break before the release of these re-designed hinges.

Anyway, thanks for reporting this! I already feel the Sword of Damocles is no longer above the screen I'm watching right now

 

IMO, get it in writing or it's not happening. You can take you chances, but I'd say keep your warranties up to date, and if you must let it go out of warranty then report and get repaired anything that needs it-- if nothing else for the record that it's been reported and fixed (even if fixed isn't the ultimate fix.)

That way, when this thing goes sideways at least you'll know you got it while you could.

 

Really wish we'd get an official word on this....

 

lol guys - you already did. I dont know how much more official than Chris-M posting on the dell community forum it needs to get... his post was pretty clear.

if you want documentation, print out that page and save it (I did...)
(Re: m11x hinge issues? - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community)

 

Sorry - some of us are still new to the ways of Dell.... so that IS considered an official discussion - cool

 

yep - just print it out in case it changes somehow. I doubt it but its a good reference. I wouldn't worry about it though.

 

I have to say this restores my faith in my decision to buy Dellienware, was beginning to get worried there a bit

 

This totally reaffirms my faith in Alienware as a stand-up company. A+++ Customer service. Will buy from again.

 

this is great news. I just got my lid replaced and was about to epoxy the hinge screws before i read this lol

 

i I had called up a dell rep here in India concerning my purchase of the m11xr2 and i asked him about the hinge problem and whether it would be taken care of if i ever had to face it. He replied by saying that the hinge problem will not affect systems in india as they were manufactured from a different plant and that mostly only the US laps faced the issue.

any truth in his words?

 

You said two words: "Dell rep"

 

3 years on and Alienware STILL don't know how to make a hinge on a laptop:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-area-51-aurora-legacy-systems/437987-alienware-australia-lack-support-re-old-legacy-m15x-laptop-under-warranty-hinge-repair.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-area-51-aurora-legacy-systems/515823-hinge-broken-m15x-screen-again.html#post6674496

 

@madrabbit Late last summer when it became apparent that there was in fact something very much amiss with the hinges on M11x some of the research I was doing led me to your threads here where you chronicled your struggles with obtaining warranty service for your m15x. What an absolute nightmare. I applaud not only the way you handled it but also the fact that you chronicled it to the extent that you did.

I'm not sure how much you know about the M11x hinge issue, but it's precisely the same design flaw that the m15x suffered from and that you experienced. I know that Flextronics designed the M11x, but someone at AW signed off on it. Shame, shame, shame.

 

Actually the M11x is a Compal design. Only the M17, M17x R1 and R2, M15x were Flextronics. The M17x R3 and both M11x designs are Compal. Open the device manager and look under system devices, a couple of the devices are called Compal something something even.

The Area-51 m15x was Quanta fwiw

 

I read your epic... wow!

I hear you.

I'm in New Zealand and there is no Dell customer contact in New Zealand and the Dell postal address I was given on my Alienware M11x order was in Dubai.
The M11x was shipped from Australia.

So one knows that's just going to end in tears when I put my hand out for support.

I've not had any problems with my Alienware M11x, touch plastic.
I've been spared death by hinge thus far.

We'll have to see what the details of the new M11x hinge replacement arrangement are and how it will be implemented.

I fear the worst, but hope for the best.

Either way I wont renew my warranty, I just couldn't go through what you went through.

 

So why was it that Flextronics was responsible for the M11x LCD Assembly re-design? See Chris's comment on that here.

Re: m11x hinge issues? - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community

Later in that thread he goes on to say that the reason this took so long for this to be taken care of is that both parties had to hash out who was going to be responsible for the cost incurred by the re-design. In any event, AW engineers signed off on both designs.

 

Interesting. Guess it could be either one then. Maybe Flextronics is using a Compal part? (they are the biggest laptop manufacturer in the world after all)

 

Jen Moreno:

Chris,

Are you going to be replacing the faulty parts on MX11's that haven't yet broken? I have to be honest with you, buying this computer has been the worst purchase decision I have ever made and the only time I have ever regretted buying a computer. I love it, but this hinge issue looming has really zapped the joy out of it for me. I don't take it anywhere because I am afraid to break it, I don't even use it on the couch or in bed for the same reason. I know if it breaks it will be repaired, but that was really no comfort since some people were on their 3rd fix. So there it sits on my desk always open and not often used. I ended up buying a little net book to take around with me and use on the couch. No, it doesn't play games, but I can take it with me and actually USE IT without an impending hinge issue hanging over my head. And it only cost $300, not the over $900 that I paid for my MX11 back in August. I am never hard on computers and tend to treat them very carefully, but I can't even enjoy using it. This whole thing has been such a bummer. Maybe if they replaced the faulty parts I could relax and actually enjoy it.

Thanks, Jen




Here's a direct quote from Chris at Dell replying to Jen:
"Jen Moreno,

When the re-engineered parts are available, contact Support. Provide the service tag, address, etc. and explain that your M11x needs service to get the hinges replaced with the re-engineered ones."



You can bet I'll be doing this!

 

don't get you..

 

Dell reps on the phone/chat have a habit of claiming things not true. That comment was a small dig at them.

 

Yes, like in any big company, the phone reps don't know much about their products other than what their computer monitor shows them.

 

I like that

 

I will like it too as long as Dell Hong Kong will provide the same re-engineered hinges to me.

I am wondering if Dell will ever release how the design of the hinges are going to be changed.
I would hate to receive new hinges in the future and find out that they are actually the faulty model.

 

Don't ever trust them.
Out of four phone reps, two of them told me that there is no hinge issues, one of them told me that there was a hinge issue and has been fixed and one of them told me that there actually is a hinge issue.
I called them up in November 2010.

 

It is almost definitely NOT the same hinge design. You have a lot more space to have a better design in a 17" vs an 11"

 

hmmm....my order was estimated for a feb 25 delivery and so i don't know if there's a delay because of the hinges.

 

Dell Chris clearly said in another posts that only the hinge replacement program will be in progress.
Dell will not be replacing this new hinge design to the production line.
I am sorry to tell you this miserable news.

 

Please provide a reference link to this.

I checked the thread following his post and found nothing to indicate this was the case. What he *did* say was that he 'did not have information on when it would be resolved for shipping models' - meaning new orders being shipped out.

 

The fact that new units coming off the assembly line don't have the re-designed lid doesn't mean you're guaranteed to have hinge problems. The hinge failure issue has never come anywhere close to affecting all M11x's.

 

^Above post. He is right, plus some people are alot more gentle with their laptop than others. I am sure semi-manhandling the m11x ought to increase chance of hinge failure, even if by just a mere fraction fo a percent.

 

Based on the reports we've been seeing here early last summer, how you treat your M11x really doesn't have an appreciable impact on whether or not the plastic mounts inside the lid are going to disintegrate. I think it's safe to say that's it's simply a matter of whether or not a given unit is predisposed to the defect. Some will have it, some won't. If it does then excessively gently treatment is at best only going to delay the failure.

People who are freaked out about the hinge issue to the point that they leave their M11x sitting on a table with the lid opened or otherwise aren't using it like they would any other notebook are NOT doing themselves any favors. That was true before Dell announced their plans to fix this with a re-designed part.

Anyway, Dell appears to have stepped up to the plate and are standing by their product and their customers. If this issue is in fact remedied out-of-warranty like they're claiming then they've earned my respect.

 

Same thoughts but opposite behavior. I'm taking it every where, using it even under bed and etc. I had already 4 replacements and i don't care. I paid for thing to help me working, not to take care about it...

 

I understand that Dell is saying they are going to fix the hinges on the M11X but what makes you all think that the NEW hinges won't break either?

 

Oh c'mon now... there is no reason at all to speculate to that end. I might as well say "Even once Sandy Bridge is resolved by Intel, how do we know the chipset wont have another defect after they start shipping again?"

If its repaired outside of warranty and that repair breaks, you call and have it fixed again...

 

Oh. My. God. How did this thread turn into 15 pages on a simple announcement?

People, if you're still tripping about this, you don't have a hinge issue, you have a "fear" issue.

Peace!

(Goes back to playing Darksiders and DCU Online on his M11x)

 

that's why i just went ahead and bought the R2!

 

If you haven't seen the mounts, check out the videos they are really, really inadequate IMHO for a system like this.

You will be very happy with it, and oddly, the size is an eye catcher combined with the design. I had someone I encountered in work refer to me after seeing it as "being well-armed" lol. As much as I would like to see a 13" the M11x just can't be beat for power on the go in it's price/size range. I think the keyboard is also oddly an under-appreciated feature of the system. It has a very good feel and the tactile feel like all the AWs is pleasant to use, not cheesy feeling like a lot of the other units close to it.

 

i am hoping so but i am gonna check things like the keyboard, sound, etc. works

 

Had my hinges replaced for the second time yesterday. The tech came in and replaced the whole screen. Again, the hinges are now fine without any cracking sounds. everything seems to work fine at this moment.
when i called Dell weeks ago, they did tell me that the part number is 77*****(new design to fix this issue??).
We will see what happen