Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
i am planning to have a lists of owners of m11x that have experienced damaged cover latch plastic lock for the hinges or have already make replacement from dell. This will be of great help in making our problems known to dell and give them pressure for a real solution and not just replacement.
Moreover these are the related articles:
Engadget Article about Hinge Issues
Notebook Review Hinge Issue Article\
The DIY Fix link:
Fixing the M11x weak hinge creaking/cracking problem.
Pics
crack hinge pics
crack open hinge pic
crack open hinge2
VIDEOS
Easy Hinge Fix Video
Video1 cracking hinge
Other List of Owners
DELL Community List Thread
just post your experience, details and info regarding your hinge issue and add your name and country and timetable of the replace or repair. you will be added on the list below as the list is update from time to time.
M11x Owners with Hinge Problems
1. Cpt.Zero Philippines 2months old 1st repair damaged: broken plastic hinge lock
2. jonjonk Yep, that's right. After being fed up with replacing the screen over and OVER due to it being weak, I have had enough. After the Dell rep replaced my screen, I asked him if it was OK for me to keep the old monitor so that I could find the source of the problem. Although he initially disagreed, I plead and plead until he finally gave in and gave me the broken screen (I guess it's my lucky day!).
3. azazul22 I have my M11x since 5 Months and i have 5x repaired from Dell my hinge on the fifth x my Motherboard are crashed from the Dell Technican next day he have make a new motherbard replacement ;0) very good Netbook but a very bad hinge.
4. Xalgon 5months old 2x repair Got my first m11x replaced due to my left hinge freaking and catastrophic failure with the parts being shipped. It lasted three months. The replacement just starting acting up, this time the right hinge. Two months with this one.
5. DR650SE Called Dell months ago about my hinge, and still waiting on the replacement screen to arrive. the current one is so busted, that the screen and the base sit flat on the ground. 180* open. Unusable. If the replacement doesn't arrive by the time I leave Iraq I'll get it replaced when I get home.
6. Thomas@pc 5months old 1x repair
7. RigelKent Philippines 5months old, broke in 2nd month, 1st repair, used clear epoxy, no problems so far.
8. joseph3000 USA 6 mo 1x fixed
9. Flynnaz 4 months old 1x hinge replaced, bottom rubber feet replaced
10. VikingBastich - USA - 7 months old Mobo replaced once, screen replaced once, Rubber Feet replaced.
11. Fuzzyhead m11x R1: broken hinge after roughly six month of use, display + hinges replaced after two days
12. hikarate 2 months ols 1x waiting repair
13. vorob Correct mine "profile" i got 2 broken screens, both hinges problem. Now i'm on third display. Russia.
14. drsqueggy creaking hinge.. about to replace hinge
15. unreal25 after 4 months, hinge started to break and entered self-destruct mode, all rubber feet gone, 1x hinge replaced.
16. hikarate My m11x was barely 2 months old when the hinge began cracking hard. In any case, Cpt Zero please update my status to "Repaired after 1 month of waiting for parts".
17. Mixtli Hinge Repired once, but now my keybord's screwed up. Insted of lying flt, it peks n dips like mountin rnge, nd severl keys don't work. Notice the missing letter in my sentences. My tech screwed up my touchpd also.
18. jasonyu668- USA- 2 months laptop replaced with hinge problem. 4 months later broken again- replaced screen. 8months now- the hinge is broken again.
19. townfries My hinges started to squeak yesterday so I called dell today but they said it's nothing to worry about. I guess I will have to wait until the hinges break and call them again.
20. diabiosx mine broke in 5months had 1repair.
21. KSSR1211 Recived a replacement unit after the first 20 days due to the plastic cover over the screen coming loose. 4 months Hinge replaced.
22. bus_dr1v3r 1x replaced. You can add me to the list, I'm sending mine off Monday morning to have the hinges repaired.
23. varnado 1x repaired I'm in UK, no fedex, no tech guy! lolz just glue at the moment.
24. mohaa7 I'm having problem with hinges at the moment and sticking out palm rest on the right side and Dell might have to swap it with a "brand new one".
25. LingJ This is ridiculous. That has been the second time that my hinge has broken. Going to try to get a refund but most likely won't get it. :|.
26. SoBo I have left hinge broken too but I am from Czech republic, my m11x is from USA, i have 1 year warranty, is there any possibility, to transfer warranty to czech to get it repair for free??
27. Actraiser i super glued it thx for help.
28. Mixtli I'm so effin pissed. Would've been better if they just shipped the LCD screen to me so that I could install it myself.
29. Zlog My hinge on the left side (if you are looking at the screen) is busted. It still opens and closes ok, but i really need to call dell. pathetic.
30. Bendak My hinge appears to have a little bit of play when moved forwards and backwards.
31. xAdadglgmutx Okay so I bought my m11x when bestbuy first started selling them and just recently noticed my left hinge is making that weird noise and movement like the video (I forgot who posted it sorry). Now can I have a tech from dell come out and fix this or am I going to have to send it out (which I don't really want to do).
32. jembot I have the same developing hinge problem on my m11x so i decided to do the "preventive measure" move. And since it's already out of warranty and i don't want it to break any further, i went ahead with a DIY fix. Btw, bought this thing last May.
33. LockOn arg my less then 2 week old r2s right hinge is starting to creek (but not all the time) really wish they would do a recall but thats not going to happen.
34. Duffking So if I phone support for a hinge replacement it's pretty much just going to break again and again? Sheesh.
35. THX5334 This hinge/build quality issue has hit it's limit for me. It's a common belief, and one that I share, that Dell is not going to take the appropriate steps to fix this problem.
36. Master. My broke within one month, did not send it back, it just going to happen again. Quickly took the case apart, put some liquid steel on it, put it back together, back of the case does not fit down 100%, better than having play in the screen or cracking noises.
37. fnord0 hah, just seeing this polll for the first time! I bought my m11x R1 in march 2010, the hinges bork'd themselves (BOTH) in sept 2010
38. Blazertrek50 Last week my hinge started making a slight cracking noise when I closed or opened it. Since then it has gotten more pronounced
39. MarcusFenix Literally just days after that replacement (less than 10) I just heard my hinge make a weird noise. I felt the hinge and its weak and looks to be splitting apart, vs the one on the right which appears fine.
40. Alienware-Joel I've had my M11x R2 for just under a month I believe. After around 20 days the hinge was raising quite significantly - caught it in the beginning stages. Dell's fetching the part and hopefully replacing my screen next week.
41. Chuck Dugan My lunar hinges were fine, then I got the screen replaced because the screen was coming out of the housing. Now the hinge pops when opened and the opposite corner of the screen is coming out now! They shall be getting another call from me. Joy.
42. ACHlLLES First replaced due to poor build. LCD lid was not aligned with the bottom housing when closed, so basically, it had the lid going in one direction and the bottom housing going the other when closed. Replaced for second time due to the field tech raping it. I was offered a new system replacement, but declined it thinking it won't be a life changing experience.
43. Luminair My m11x is currently on the way to Dell, but I bought my system in June. Had a creak since I first opened it, and failed the paper test. Hinges finally split open completely last week. I've since sold it to a buddy and bought an m17x.
44. JakeL645 Mine does that too! I opened it up to check the hinge and it appears that the metal rod passing through both the hinges has detached itself from the plastic part of the hinge and my right hinge is fine. Is rather annoying and worrying hearing a loud scrape of plastic when I open it sometimes ><
45. ejohnson Mine broke at about 4 months, they sent me a brand new laptop. I would open the laptop in the morning and close it at night. No noise from the hinges even after it broke.
46. keftih The left hinge just started creaking a few days ago and the lid is wobbly.
47. tk112190 When you say wobbly.. do you mean like, you can gently hit the back of the lid as you're looking at it and typing... and it kind of shakes? If so... I'm having this problem too! CRAPPPP.
48. Spalding Second time I have had this happen, the first time i called tech support and had the screen replaced within the week. Both times it occurs with the left sides hinge, over time it just tightens up to the point where it won't move, eventually it begins to creak eventually seizing up all together, calling support to tomorrow to schedule a replacement.
49. SAIKOUUU Well, only two months in and the hinge issue that many others have had has debilitated my laptop. The hinge is cracking open the back part of the LCD panel. It sounds like the doors in horror movies when you open it up.
50. ita_a551n Mine actually did this too, Dell just gave me the option to get a brand new system so I took it.. It was like my old m15x all over again lol, oh the memories.
51. Wiggy Fuzz my hinge creaks loudly occasionally - i heard most people's did, so i did nothing about mine.
52. Frenchris The same problem happened to me yesterday... Holy S.... I don t want to send it back to dell !!! :-((((
53. kbc88 EDIT: I checked it again multiple times, its not a loud obnoxious crack. It literally sounds like a soft click noise as if it were latching to something.
54. Super Octet About the "click" you can hear when you open or close the lid, it's a big problem that happened to me last week. At first I thought the sound was normal, but once I closed the lid and the hinge broke.
turns out, the hinges are screwed in plastic and the plastic broke by itself. The tech told me that he wouldn't be surprised if it was to happen again and that it had to be taken care of by the warranty.
55. santa-u2 Mine looks exactly like yours. after reading this post, I am worried about the hinge on my computer too. Guess I will need to invest some money on warranty later =\
56. lksing78 "Sorry sir we cannot done anything to it cause this is wear and tear issue and you have to pay for the replacement" They sure know how to talk and walk away from it .
58. PerPixel I had my monitor replaced yesterday. I have a R1 units from early march with the screen coming out but I was on a long business trip so I kept it like that. After a few week the left hinge broke. I was a bit shocked to see how the hinge are designed actually. The center part is very strong and made of metal but each side are only hold by the 2 side of the plastic cover on the monitor case. I didn't see any screw holding both part together so I guess the plastic clip holding both cover side just broke after a while from the pressure given when you close the monitor.
59. midnight2kx So my laptop has the same problems. I't pops when i open/close and its all mis-aligned etc.. I talked to dell customer service and sent the photo's like they asked. hopefully they will fix the hinge soon. Ive only had it for less then 2 months!
60. philburkhardt Yup, had my LCD replaced 3 days ago because of it.
61. hanzocloud yeah had this laptop for a few months and the hinge is really annoying now.. makes a cracking sound everytime i lift up the screen..... and to think alienware charges premium price for their sh*t... next laptop im getting wont be alienware thats for sure !!!
62. CobraJet I think I have the same issue as you midnight2kx. It was making a clicking sound every know and then and then all of a sudden the hinge on the right just split open. I called Dell last week and they are going to replace the screen this week some time. Does anyone know how long it takes for the tech to call? Dell said within 32 hours but that time has gone and went ...
63. burnoutuk Have the same issue. Constant clicking or popping noises from the screen bouncing back and forth.Guess i'll contact Support once I've finished work.Grrrr
64. jabij5 I just had my screen replaced. The squeaking noise is gone but I have a feeling it might come back since the gap on the right side is still bigger than on the left. Does anyone not have this problem? Is it worth it to keep asking for a screen replacement or will there always be a gap difference
65. LockOn usa-repaired at 3months they broke at 2months, i dont think a video is necessary basically any noise from hinges is not good mine makes a creaking sound as i open and close it or even just move around if its on my lap
66. Phantom3D Just got my hinge fixed by a tech. I actually broke the day before he came, it was just noisy before. I have a bad feeling the problem will come again, and if it does, I will demand a refund..
67. Rotsu And now i just got the M11x R2 and i see this problem . . mine is still intact but i guess sooner or later it will fall apart. What is up with Alienware and Dell? Do they just love to lose customers or something? Everytime i give them another chance, they never failed to FAIL me.
68. Arcanum84 I bought my R2 in Japan, and everything from sales to service is handled through Dell. While it would be nice to contact Alienware directly, Dell here in Japan has been very quick to respond to problems and have been pretty accommodating. The techs haven't been that great, but Dell Japan has been excellent in promptly setting up repair dates, keeping me informed and ultimately sending me a replacement machine.
69. biglos Had broken a hinge on my laptop. Contacted Dell and planned on paying for the replacement as I believed it was my fault. After I paid for what I believe was a "New" replacement screen with hinges, I was told to expect the parts in 5 day.
70. CaptainMorgan After 5 months, the hinge on both sides broke. You could hold the computer over and the screen would flop open. No big deal, since its under warranty. Tech came out and put in a new top screen. I lifted it up and it felt a bit heavier than before. Actually, it was a bit noticeable.
71. jdbaker82 Well this sucks I need to have my LCD replaced I guess because my hinge is starting to make noises.
72. Arcanum84 My original screen was an AUO, but I've had my screen replaced twice and both times it was an SEC screen. I'm waiting for a replacement machine now and am curious what screen I'll get (hoping for an SEC).
73. teedoff00 ya know slickie, you're absolutely right! It is raised and when I press it it it gives a plastic clicking sound. What should I do? I didn't notice it until now but it is definitely not flush, the other side (left) is.
74. sagman76 agggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh My replacement arrrived a couple of hours after they took my old one away today. Great I thought not without laptop for anytime but.......Its worse than the first one!. I am so angry its hard to put into words.
75. Beerface I've had my M11x R1 for some months now, i forget the exact month i got it, maybe around March/April. The screen has always touched the keyboard leaving greasy marks which has been fairly annoying as the screen is so damn reflective. However its not really bothered me much as i know i can clean them off every so often.My hinge however has just broken unfortunately it seems all dell laptops have a high chance of suffering from this.
76. virtuehero OK, my turn now, after about 6 months of trouble free, my left hinge cracked and broken the day before yesterday, called Dell yesterday and the screen changed today. Now I have a samsung panel. The service is quite good. But after viewing all these posts, I'm worrying about what to do when the garantee goes out
77. surfxombie Well the left hinge is making a "creaking" sound so I guess I have a developing problem.
78. 1Coopgt Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my left hinge broke yesterday. I went to close the laptop & I hear a crack. Now opening and closing it I can hear it creaking and cracking. Time to call Dell& get this fixed under warrantee.
79. thewelshboyo I called up Alienware to get my newly cracking hinge problem fixed. They told me they don't have screens in stock until 10th September. My screen wobbles about 1", maybe more. The left hinge keeps cracking open too.
80. VikingBastich I've had my m11x a month or so since it came out. I've been hearing cracking on the left hinge for a few weeks now. Not every time but enough to worry me. I already had my Mobo replaced once due to random power offs while unplugged and being carried around... Now I fear I'm going to have to call and get the screen replaced.
81. TXChainsaw I have had a tech come to my house twice for the hinges. First time was the left hinge. The second time, last week, both hinges, and he also replaced the monitor due to what appeared to be flecks of plastic under the glass(?). I'm guessing the flecks occured during assembly, or possibly from the hinges themselves? Either way they are fixed.
82. rpg-XPS I have my R1 about six months and over the last couple of weeks the left hinge has lost it's strength and has begun to crack/creak while opening. When lid is closed it sits 3/4mm higher off the base than the right side. It can be rectified by gently pressing down on the hinge to level it out, only to return to this position after an open/close of the laptop.
83. Sailboat535 I had purchased my M11X from Best Buy a few months ago, and I am noticing my left hinge is faulty, almost to the point of breaking now. I was told I was covered by the 1 Year MFG warranty, so I should be OK with getting it fixed through Dell correct?
84. mobilezila Ok, so my m11xR2 hinges have started creaking whenever I open or close the lid, and I also noticed that my hinges are uneven. Can anyone confirm if the issue has really been fixed with the newer m11xR2's, and if DELL will replace the screens with the newer hinge materials for us folks who purchased the m11xR2s before the fix?
85. jor2704 After 3 months, R1 hinge finally gave way. Tech coming over tomorrow to fixed it. Will update.
86. smoothoperator Chalk it up to getting caught up in the hype. I cannot trust this piece of crap while travelling. I remember when the alienware first came out everyone was talking about how great the build quality was. I have never heard of hinges failing within 4 months of normal use (if not less). I hope this thread proves to Dell that they have forever tainted the Alienware brand by releasing such a crappy product. Lesson learned never again.
87. iceColdgin /Philippines/m11xR1/ - left hinge has a slight play already after only 3 months of use. there are no cracks but lid does not close properly. i need to push the left hinge down a little
88. drsqueggy Hey guys. My right hinge makes a clicking sound when opening and closing. I can see that the plastics on the hinge seem to come apart then click back together when moving the screen back and forth. I'm quite worried as I bought the laptop pretty cheap over ebay, its also a German version, with a German keyboard. Will I have warranty? If it does break, will Dell UK (I live in the UK) come out and fix it?
89. Freeride600 Count me in - 6 months, two busted hinges. three months seems to be the lifespan. LOL
90. streather Reasonably sure my left hinge is about to give up on me, makes a creaking noise, and is out of line with the rest of the laptop when you close the lid, feels loose etc.
91. ericgedi77 You can add me to this list, I had my screen replaced after a month of owning my M11xR2. I received it in August, the replacement LCD hinges seem to be holding up well, but it is way out of alignment and does not close properly. I did not call for a second repair because I wanted to see if the hinges would hold up, and the technician that came out did not inspire much confidence in me.
92. virtuehero Add me on: left hinge broke after 6 months of use. Screen changed (now a Samsung one). The positive side is the SAV service is actually quite good: il took me 30 seconds on the phone plus a photo by email to get everything fixed the next day morning.
93. Lewis Moon Dell's m11x is a wonderful, fast gaming laptop with one FATAL flaw: it has a design defect; the screen hinges separate from the chassis with normal use. This defect has occurred in a LOT of computers.
94. beomsu21 To all, what is the best way to process a repair/replacement hinge/LCD bezel. I never had an issue with my hinge until recently and now it feels like if I keep opening and closing it anymore it is going to snap.
95. Pbure97 You can add me to the list if you want. Hinges were damaged, were repaired within warranty one day after calling Dell (new lcd).
96. CZroe I bought it the very first day it was available at Best Buy (early April). The left hinge started creaking in May or early June. It completely split open shortly after, possibly July. It was replaced shortly after with a different panel and now has extra antenna leads (WWAN?). I never noted what panel it originally had, but it did look better. The problems have not returned but I stopped carrying it places and so it has gotten very little use since.
97. (Txc)Traveler Add me to the list, my left hinge broke and split my screen too, plus lost rubber feet and laptop is overheating, going to be sent to repair center via mail. Very disapointed, ive only had this laptop for 4 months, I should have known, I returned a dell studio 14z because it was broken out of the box and i bought this instead, and now it breaks too,if my 11x it breaks again after it gets repaired, I will never buy dell again and will never reccomend AW or dell to my friends, It saddens me that as a kid I dreamed of owning an alienware and now that I finally got around to getting one, I loved it till it broke, and it kinda killed the buzz for me since it crapped out on me, I am now feeling a little worried jsut carrying around my laptop.
98. ejohnson Add me to the list, I broke one hinge last month. Got a replacement laptop. Now the left hinge on that one is getting a little loose and moving around more, my guess is it will break with in the week as thats what my last one did. I open my laptop once in the morning when I get to work, then close it before I leave work. 5 Times a week, so im not over working the hinges.
99. giangn626 - (US) I've had my hinge replaced the first month after I got my M11x. My hinge was pretty much gone at that point. Now, the hinge sits unevenly and I have a ton of scratches from the keyboard and the top piece. The scratches don't bother me enough to have the whole screen replaced again. I will before the warranty is up.
100. Fraggable - (US) I've had my M11x for about 5 months and have had keyboard smudges on the screen and a larger gap on the left side of the hinge than on the right for the entire time. Hasn't been worth trying to have it repaired yet, but if Dell releases a fix plan/recall I'd love to have it corrected.
101. theneighborrkid I don't think I posted in here before, but my friend and I both had to get our hinges repaired... Got mine at launch, he got his in summer.
102. tears You can add me to the list, but then again I thought you were specifically talking about broken hinges, not things that are an result of crappy hinges like a scratched screen...
103. sagman76 Same as above...I have had two with misaligned hinges/screen touching keyboard. My 3rd or present system has the key touching issue and there is still a slight gap. I didnt have them repaired, just exchanged. I am sure there are many more like this but the title implies completely broken hinges. I think I still have my photos of both old systems somewhere. They are in a couple of old threads here too. Screen touching keyboard thread I think.
104. root I have an issue with mine, It is not cracked, but when you close it. The LCD goes up in the back, and I must push it back down to get the LCD flush with the base again.
105. armoured Ugh. Ordered the first day it was released. 1x replaced.
106. Teh N00b My hinge is making loud cracking noises when I open it, as well as being loose. When I close it, the lid is quite obviously out of place. Count me in as one of those unfortunate
107. cleverpseudonym i didn't read this whole thread, but i Bought a R1 the other day and the Hinges were creaking all to hell & the previous owner had tried some sort of fix, i called dell and told them it was making noise and it felt like it was going to break, and i had a replacement screen assembly in 2 days. was the easiest time ive ever had with dell. i was pleasantly surprised for sure, hell the thing is like bran new now. i did have to totally disassemble the thing to replace it, but i sure wasn't going to let some tard Dell tech replace it. thought id post a positive experience since most of the time these threads are all about hate.
108. bus_dr1v3r I was just going to update and say that mine still has not been repaired because it took me almost 3 weeks to get a box in. I can't be mad though, at least it is in the process of a repair. I almost want to open mine up and see how they repaired it when it gets back, but I'm afraid to void my warranty now!
109. hoofhearted My m11x's left hinge broke internally a few months ago. I just call Alienware this past Sunday and they scheduled a tech to call me some time this week.
110. Arak-Nafein Hey guys. Add me to the club. Same old story; my right hinge started making the noise, now it's broken internally. I'm going to have to call Dell & get them to fix it. My right speaker is dead as well.
111. keftih I don't think my hinge is going to last much longer and I'm going to be away from home for about 2 months. So I'm considering doing the job myself (if Dell agrees to ship me the part). Plus, maybe I can reinforce the hinges myself while I'm in there.
112. CoMMy Please add me as well. After 8 months of being an R1 m11x owner, the left hinge started breaking and crackling... DELL Support here is really bad and giving me a hard time to even fix this to begin with. Had same issue on m15x and i thought it was fixed.... too bad they lie too much at DELL.
113. Vallejo Add another one to the list ( Me ) 6 months with the laptop, and yesterday I notice that I have this problem (The one vorob post he had, (The one above)). What I'm really getting worried about is that I live in mexico, and I dont know if they can give me technical support here...I will call them tomorrow to see what will happen. Even worst, this was my first alienware pc, and probably the last one.
114. adan197 Hi guys, I'm new to the forum here but this hinge issue has been plaguing me since I bought my m11x. The screen started out a little shaky, not perfect but it was within the tolerable range. I had half a mind to call Dell support then. But since I need my laptop virtually everyday for classes, I hesitated to get it fixed. Over the months, the screen got more shaky and I discovered that it was actually due to the broken hinge. I think the flawed design of the hinge is the issue here. Every time I opened the screen, it seems to generate an opposite force which, gradually, tears the hinges apart.
115. Zeromus-X I posted in another thread before I saw this one, so I'll say it here again -- m11x R1 owner since June 11. About a month ago, I noticed my left hinge was crooked and you could move it with a light touch when closed. I haven't contacted Dell yet because I'm more curious to know what their response to the current problem will be. Also, I use the laptop for work and would rather not be without it as much as possible.
116. Tedster59 well, now the keyboard touching the screen is leaving marks that will not come off with some elbow grease and some eyeglasses cleaner and the little clothe the fluid comes with. and now the hinges are getting weaker.
117. cla1000 Well, after like 3 weeks of ownership. my left hinge is moving out of its way and creeks rather nastly. I called dell and they promissed a brand new replacement. My original one is an m11xr2 I7 black that I bought refurbished from dell outlet. I asked the guy at coustumer service if he is sure that I will be getting a new one and he said yes for sure. Well after a week I just got my "brand new replacement" and it has a refurb stiker on the back, oh and its lunar shadow not black. It seems to be in ok condition but the hinge seems as week as the original one even tho the guy said that they fixed the problem and the one I originally got should not have the hinge problem any more. That is why he wanted me to send the unit back instead of them sending a tech to fix it at home, so they can study the problem.
118. santa-u2 got mine replaced back in 2 months ago. since it replaced, the screen is working ok but making noises still when closing the lid. not going to bother asking dell but planning to get extended warranty for my machine. =\
119. LupinTheThird damn, my left hinge just broke after 6 months.
120. beomsu21 I call DELL and advise of them my issue and they quickly send in a tech to replace it. I have to say, the replacement LCD is exactly the same and I have a feeling in the next few I will have to call about the same issue. It is a piece of cheap plastic. Aside from this, I do have to say my tech was very polite and seemed to know what to do. I give a B+, but if you don't trust the tech, tell him to stop and you will need to call DELL again for another tech. Just request a replacement if you have any hinge issues, it definitely is a defect and not wear and tear. Good luck.
121. tr0picana My hinges crapped out after roughly 6 months of having the R1. I had a meeting set up and a Dell technician came with a new screen. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to successfully replace the screen as it was his first time working on the M11x. He did however get his experienced colleague to replace the screen 2 days later. His colleague replaced the screen and returned the laptop to its original condition. Very pleased with the way everything was handled.
122. plectophera My left hinge just died on me real bad. The hinge itself is cracked open, the screen body has cracks from the extreme tension. Calling support tomorrow, I hope they're nice about this stuff in Norway.
123. RoachX My R1 hinge started getting loose and creaky ~5 months after purchase. It is now at the point where the plastic comes apart (though i can snap it back together) so it is time i call dell to get it serviced. My question is, has dell actually come up with a proper fix or will the repair/replacement eventually give out as well. If that is the case i will have look into getting my warrenty extended (Is that even an option?).
124. benchmade42 Only two months!! The laptop was bought in USA, no warranty in Colombia, only in USA, I have to buy a regional warranty, is a disappointment for a laptop with only 2 months of use. Please help me Dell!!
125. stevenxowens792 I purchased 2 m11xs this year. 1 for my wife first (the first day they were available to order for the general public) and 1 for me. Both r1's. I sold mine. My wife still has her's. She just now has the unfortunate luck to experience the hinge issue. So now I have to go through the support call mess. What I am saying is that I really like the notebook. It has deserved the POP it's received. Still nothing close in size that performs in it's market.
126. m11xuser9999 Add me to the list of defective hinges. Had the m11xR2 i7 since August 2010, and now the screen wobbles, and I notice the right hinge is looking pretty loose. This certainly is a defect, since the laptop has not been dropped, or used aggressively in any way, it mostly just sits on a desk. I understand Alienware has acknowledged this problem recently, and I hope Alienware comes up with a solution very soon.
127. plectophera It sounds like 'yo hinges gonna snap soon, really. Mines started off like you described, now the entire screen back panel (!) cracks open. ha. Calling Dell support sunday/monday.
128. suefourmet Add another one to the list of M11x broken hinges. I bought mine early on and have had no problem with it at all until I opened it this morning and discovered a badly cracked hinge that allowed my display to extend outside of the frame. I'll call Dell tomorrow and leave my laptop open until I get some repairs.
129. keftih I think a misaligned screen leads to the screen touching the keyboard issue. From what I've seen, it's the creaking hinge that usually is the tell tale sign of a dying hinge =[ Update for my hinges: By now, both of my hinges split open whenever I close the lid, but I won't be able to return home for another 2 weeks. I hope it can last until then!
130. Danyo26 Add another to the list - hinge was busted open back in August (bought in March) and replaced, and now this one is starting to wobble and click when opening/closing it... I love this laptop, and some of my friends got in on my recommendation, but now I'm regretting telling them about it =\
131. roadogaj Well, I have joined the list of folks who had their hinge issue repaired. My hinges started out fine, then steadily got tighter, and started making the legendary cracking sound. I finally stopped closing the lid for fear of breaking the lid completely off. Small pieces of black plastic were falling out of the hinges as well.
132. skidillydoo Had my LCD replaced TWICE. despite the great customer service, i am incredibly disappointed with the build design.
133. garrison72 these hinge issues are really annoying..mine's starting to make small snapping sounds..
134. armoured Called AW today, told them my hinge problem and they had the nerve to try to sell me an extended warranty because mine runs out in 80 days. They told me the problem is with the screen - not the hinge, which is completely BS. This is an defect in the engineering. When I run out of warranty and this happens again, I will go out of my way to convince everyone I know to never deal with AW again. This is total crap. I know it's going to happen again, it's their fault for designing this crap hinge; I'm stuck with a defective product that either Dell or AW is trying to hide.
135. gh0stwizard Russia, M11x R1: Broken hinge after roughly six month of use, display and hinges replaced after 5 days.
136. Zlog Not like Dell REALLY cares, but I'm on my 3rd hinge, and its very evident that I'll soon be calling for my fourth hinge. My first replacement was...... 4-5 months after I got it? It's in this thread i think somewhere. I had that one replaced a couple months ago as it completely failed and I couldn't close my screen. This one I'm on currently, (same side every time, mind you) is creaks and clicks when you start to open or close it, and theres a good centimeter of mis-alignment during the process that i can "push back down" when it's closed. Real awesome, Dell. You guys need to fire your engineers. Bunch of idiots if you ask me "Lets just screw this hinge into the plastic!"
137. Arcanum84 I got a new replacement M11x back in October, and the plastic covers on the hinges have been making a creaking sound ever since I got it, and it's been getting a little worse over time. The sound doesn’t happen when the lid is being opened, it only happens after it is opened and if something causes the screen to wobble. For example, if I move it from one desk to another while the screen is open I can hear the creaking sound, and I also hear it if I move the screen back and forth slightly while it’s open. There is some play with the plastic hinge covers, and with the lid closed I can move them up and down slightly, which causes the sound.
138. TalonH Opened my laptop today and I heard a CRACK. *sigh. On the phone now. EDIT: Alienware has the best support. Will report back in later on how the repair went.
139. Skools717 My left hinge seems to be breaking it clicks every time i open up the laptop and it stick out more that usual. the other one is fine but will this problem get worse or should i be fine if i just stick with it. I know others have had problems with the hinges, the laptop is still under warranty ive only had it for about 5 months
140. Cabb I just had my m11x R1 since 18/11/2010 but I am a bit worried about my hinges..but it can also be that I am really sensitive about it becuz it is a known problem.. Right now the left hing moves a bit up but really really minimal and it makes a slight pop sound when it is opened..
141. streather chalk me up for a repair, hinges went a few weeks ago, but it wasn't an issue until today, phoned alienware up, got a guy on the phone and arranged a repair in under 5 minutes
142. m11xfan hey guys. i am glad i found this forum thread. i have been using my m11x for 5 months. i use it about 3 times a week for a couple hours. the first month was completely fine but ive noticed that the screen was becoming some what loose when it is in "open" position during the 2nd month. it didn't bother me too much since it was holding on its own. it finally happened when i tried to use my laptop this morning. i heard a "pop" and noticed there is a small black plastic piece in the top of the lcd screen and my hinges seemed to popped out. i tried to put the hinges back in but it seems like the screen gets stuck when i try to open it.( could be opened with a small amount of applied force) i bought my laptop from bestbuy. do i go there to get this fixed? can i get this fixed under dell's 1 year manufacturer's warranty? i still cant believe how the hinges would just not work properly out of the blue.
143. Docsteel Add my name to the list, bought an M11x-R1 and after less than 1 month the left hinge started creaking and you can see the hinge on that side sticks out and has a larger gap than the right one. Contrast to my nearly 1 year old M17x-R2 that is used daily with no problems outside of a GPU fan that died. EDIT: I noticed this morning in the light that the creaking is coming from where the left hinge casing is rubbing against the body of the computer, I can actually press on the hinge and it will shift back a bit from the body.
144. flanders 45 days into m11x ownership and my left hinge is making a slight click when i open past a certain point. Oh Nooooo! At least I have 319 days left on my warranty
145-147. Pbure97 My already replaced lcd panel (due to faulty hinge) has also cracked. So, I received my third lcd panel today. Not a goog quality one, as there seems to be a lot of space between the screen and the plastic cover. Also, some gap at the top near the webcam. First time I noticed liquid bleeding when I was only opening the lid (it's normal if you press on the cover, but not if you only open the lid). On the plus side, I received a panel with extra WWAN antennas.
148-149. johnnatch I bought my m11x six months ago and had my screen replaced exactly three months after the purchase. Now the right hinge on my second screen is beginning to crack. I don't believe DELL is going to address this problem in any way. They are known to refrain from recalls of products with obvious design faults (relying on fixing them under warranty). I suggest we take some organized action. I cannot believe that WIRED still rates m11x as an "Editors Pic", even though the design fault is obvious.
150. Fuzzyhead three months after first replacement (#11 on the list): Hinges failed another time, second replacement: display plus hinges
151-154. datniceguy Lol, I'm on my fourth m11x as we speak. My very first m11x had the hinge problem. Second m11x, the technician in Northern Virginia stripped all my screws on my backplate, plus one of the screws wouldn't go in at all. My third m11x, they upgraded me to an R2 - it's screen was so dim on the brightest setting it was comparative to high brightness on the first two laptops I had (not a power setting issue, GPU/mobo issue). ...and now I'm on my fourth, a refurb m11x R1 (opted for the older one because the R2 got three hours of battery life out of my use vs. six hours on my R1's). Lol, this fourth one doesn't sit flat to the ground, the left side of the laptop makes a creaking sound EVERYTIME I pick it up, and the power button light doesn't show white. Ugh, I love this laptop so much, but the QA at Dell is totally dropping the ball. That, or the build quality on this laptop is just straight shoddy. I think I take the prize home as "Unluckiest m11x Owner on NBR". FOUUUUUUR - and another one because I don't feel comfortable keeping this one either... If there's a Dell rep lurking these boards, they better come talk to me quick because as quick as the replacements have come, the tech team is pretty weird at answering e-mails depending on the tech you get.
155. tibomax Hi! I also have a problem with my m11x R1, bought it last year July 2010 as a birthday gift. I was really amazed of it and had no problems but after a few months of using, the alienfx/keyboard lights is no longer working they no longer light up and then I also have problems with both of the hinges they seem to be cracked and my m11x no longer closes properly, I have to push it slightly to close. I'm from the Philippines by the way and bought it from one of the computer shops here, any suggestions on how or where I could probably get this fixed? THANK YOU!
156-158. vorob So just a quick list of my replaces. Screen which was on purchase was replaced because of white dot on it.Second was replaces because of hinges problem Third was also replaced because of hinges So now I’m on forth screen, and I can say that it’s going to die soon…
LIST will be updated when there is new listing.
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dell already know this problem and i am sure they are working for this. but what we are after here is that denial cannot cover this mess up. that is why we are making a list and making it a data that might help us making them accept this faulty design of theirs and making them responsible for this and come up with a solution and not just a crappy replacement that will not last that long. just imagine the cost after the warranty. its not a WEAR and TEAR issue but its a FAULTY DESIGN. we love the product and i really like my m11x and i hope they make efforts in making a real solution.
For my experience, my left repaired lock hinge gave way first compared to my right rapaired lock hinge because the epoxy bond mix that i put was not up to its solid task. heres the pics of let and right below:
right:
![[IMG]](images/storyImages/right1.jpg)
and left
![[IMG]](images/storyImages/left1.jpg)
i can say that having to bond the hinge lock with steel epoxy is a very good solution but its just not what a big product like m11x should be asking. it need a very decent solution from dell because its a rust eating the luster out of m11x.
now please be advice that no arguments here and just exert a little effort of contribution by putting into the list if you have this defects thanks. please post your discussions and comments to hinges problems thread -
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Yes. That is one of the harbingers of a busted hinge
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Maybe we are "Holding it Wrong"???
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lol .
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i would give you a hundred + rep if you would do that. yeah for the love of...
anyway thanks bro, you would be instrumental in making something concrete in making our concerns be heard of.
but it would be a great help that the respective owners would post their stories here before i update them to the list. that would be a good validation. -
Forgot to post here. Here's number 15:
So how bad really was it? Let's leave this photo speak for itself:
![[IMG]](images/storyImages/imagenll.jpg)
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Yeah, the bad part is feeling it's going to literally explode into pieces every second... Oh and in case you guys were wondering, that was a pic of a completely closed laptop -.- I could easily use this next time I will be teaching stresses in the mechanics class...
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M11x Owners with Hinges Lock Problem
1. Cpt.Zero Philippines 2months old 1st repair
damaged: broken plastic hinge lock
2. azazul22 5 months old 5x repair
3. Alienware-Joel 1 month 1x repair
4. Xalgon 5months old 2x repair
5. DR650SE Completely Busted
6. Thomas@pc 5months old 1x repair
7. RigelKent Philippines 5months old, broke in 2nd month, 1st repair, used clear epoxy, no problems so far.
8. joseph3000 USA 6 mo 1x fixed
9. Flynnaz 4 months old 1x hinge replaced, bottom rubber feet replaced
10. VikingBastich - USA - 7 months old Mobo replaced once, screen replaced once, Rubber Feet replaced.
11. Fuzzyhead 6 months old 2x replaced hinges
12. hikarate 2 months ols 1x waiting repair
13. vorob 1x replaced hinge
14. drsqueggy creaking hinge.. about to replace hinge
15. unreal25 after 4 months, hinge started to break and entered self-destruct mode, all rubber feet gone, 1x hinge replaced.
16. hikarate My m11x was barely 2 months old when the hinge began cracking hard
7. Mixtli Hinge Repired once, but now my keybord's screwed up. Insted of lying flt, it peks n dips like mountin rnge, nd severl keys don't work. Notice the missing letter in my sentences. My tech screwed up my touchpd lso.
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Add me to the list.
EDIT: @ Cpt.Zero ur PC is really nice man.
List of Owners of M11x That Have Hinges Damaged or Repaired Already
Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by Cpt.Zero, Sep 26, 2010.
