M11x Problem/Technical Question thread for New Owners

Hello~

I got my Alienware m11x R2 just two months ago, and thers always a prblem wif Alien Respawn?


Issue:

-whenever i plug in a hard drive, Data Safe pops out and says "Unhandled Exception Occured. Apllication will exit."

-when i tried to open the AlienRespawn app, the same thing with Data Safe pops out, which i have to click "ok" and the app will exit.

Tried to find some thread and it provided a patch from Dell, but its a patch tht fixes mainly for "Vista to Windows 7 upgraded", so it doesnt work for me (message pops out sayn tht it cant change the MBR.ini)

wt am i suppose to do?
the messages r rlly annoyn, but i wonder if i truly need to backup and reinstall stuff, how can i do so wifout loosing everything? (since the disc provided is juz Windows 7, and not alienware softwares.)

Please help and thank you!

 

Also don't forget to check out Synaptic Scrybe and all the other good things here

 

I would also like to find out.

 

I believe that once it is fully charged, it will stop charging the laptop. However, if you are still worried, you can disable charging in the BIOS or you can download BTmeter which also disables charging(and you won't need to restart the computer).

 

I received my M11X a few days ago. Today, I tried to open YouCam but it doesn't work anymore. It says "The program cannot start because CntrlFactory.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this." What should I do?

 

Well since you got it a couple of days ago it might have been deleted or never put on your system, try looking for the program on Dell or google it.

 

hey guys, does the lid (top) of the Lunar Shadow R2 feel smooth/soft like stealth black r2 or R1&R2 lunar shadow are the same ?

 

I'm having an issue my right speaker seems to rattle or vibrate when playing certain tones (like waking from sleep). It is very annoying when certain voices are played over the loud speaker. Has anyone else experienced this? Is my speaker blown or is it just a loose screw? Thanks for any help. I thought i read a similar post but searched and was not able to locate it. + rep for solid answers.

 

Don't know for sure as have never touched an R1 but believe the R1 is meant to be shiny rather than soft irrespective of colour.

 

I got a small problem, Sometimes when turning the laptop on before loading windows it would stay in a black screen, I have leaved it the for a while with no luck.

Im forced to shutdown (holding the power button) and restart the pc. I usually press F8 and select "last settings that worked"

I got this to happen around 4 or 5 times already.

anyone has gotten the same problem?

 

How do I switch from Integrated to Nvidia 335?

 

Not sure about how to force the operating system to always use one or other. However, through NVIDIA control panel you can set what programmes use which GPU. Go to Manage 3D settings / Program Settings / Select a program to customise and go from there.

Assuming you've already tried google etc....

 

First post thanks for all the info on these boards!


Just got my R2, and did a clean install....one device is not recognized in device manager and I snagged everything from dell. Is there a common component that does this for anybody else? Everything I can think of is accounted for, and in my device manager seems everything appears to be identical to what the default Dell install was. Just some unrecognized device.

EDIT: Today there was no unrecognized device....guessing something needed another reboot or two to finish installing.

Been awhile since I used Nvidia is the only way into their control panel from the menu option after right clicking on the desktop? I seem to recall a systray icon, or a start menu program group...

EDIT: I found the Nvidia control panel listed in my Control Panel, and found the built in system tray option for nvidia gpu activity. Guess that is cool they have less intrusive drivers now.

 

I right click on desktop and shet has a circle keep rotating and nothing is happening. As you can see im getting pissed off.

Plus i cant click nothing while it has the loading sign( on desktop)

I can click the start button though

plus it freezes when i open control panel( only control panel freezes), It takes really a while for it to shut down( by forcing it)

My games make my laptop freeze

I have memory leak problem

What is this..........

im using 260 drivers, i installed everything

I keep getting this when i play L4D2
i got a problem with laptop
: i keep getting msg
: Close programs to prevent information loss
: your computer is low on memory

save your files and close these programs
: left4dead2

 

Is normal that the Alienware Command Center is laggy? when I open it it just shows the color wheel, and i need to drag the mouse or click at random spots to start to show the background (where you select the keyboard, or fron lights, etc.)

 

Not in my experience it's not. Make sure you have the most up-to-date version of CC installed. If you already do then you might try reinstalling it.

 

I can´t, it ask me to insert a CD to complete the install (with the new drivers in the dell site) and since I don´t have the CD (I think) and not currently a CD/DVD drive, I cant....

 

Time for me to rant about my M11xR2.

First of all, it's really fragile. Once, to read the service tag, I flipped it upside down. Then it shut down. Another time, I was carrying it on my side and it powered down. The slightest bit of pressure on the hinge area powers it down.

Sometimes, it also doesn't charge. I plug in the charger and BatteryBar says the charge rate is 0 mW. It requires a reboot for it to charge.

Lastly, it turns off when unplugged from AC power. Then it doesn't turn on unless I plug it in again. If I unplug it then, it shuts down. It fixes itself after an hour of leaving it alone, but still very abnormal, no doubt.

Very disappointed. I don't want to wait a whole month for Dellienware to fix and send back a premium laptop that should be perfect if I paid $1300 for it. I really want a refund, but I've had it for 60 days and it's outside the 30 day window for refunds. I'm annoyed.

 

Tell them over support. See if they will outright replace the unit.

But I think it's a mobo issue...?

 

You have a defective motherboard. Which is entirely different than it being fragile. The only thing fragile on the M11x is the plastic in the lid where the hinge attaches. Otherwise these have very good build quality.

Call Dell ASAP.

 

Thanks for the diagnostic. I called Alienware and told them it was a motherboard issue but they still told me to disconnect the battery and put it back. I did that and the problem was still there, so their next solution was to put me on hold for an hour. I just dropped the call.

I still can't believe this customer service of theirs. I spend on a premium laptop only for it to short out when I'm giving a presentation at work. Very humiliating and unacceptable.

I would love a refund, which HP was willing to give me after I had an Envy 15 for four months, but Dellienware won't after just two months. Amazing. :|

 

One question, I always read about running some games in dx9 mode helps to get more performance, but, how do I get that mode? Where do I select it?

 

Usually right clicking on the desktop shortcut and adding "-dx9" to the end of the Target area works.

 

Thanks, worked, got in Crysis from 16-25 fps to 19-29 in high settings...

 

How does putting you on hold for any amount of time = their not being willing to fix it under warranty?

 

exactly that.

You don't get any service until you get to talk to someone. If you are on hold for a long time, they are ignoring you, despite all of their excuses to the contrary.

 

And hanging up is absolutely guaranteed to get nothing fixed.

 

that's the caller's perrogative. I would normally use chat support, but I don't think AW support has that... just chat sales

 

Hey guys,

I called again a while ago, and strangely, the exact same guy named Dave answered. He apologized for putting me on hold, then told me to wait as he got his manager. Then I got half an hour of listening to a call center. :|

Sorry for the heat, I'll try to be more patient, but I'm pretty concerned if these guys aren't getting up to start on a simple problem like mine. Haven't even gotten to the point where they've run a proper diagnostic yet (aside from the battery thing). :|

 

You're entitled to good support. If you aren't getting it with one service rep then tell him you'll call back. Call back later on and make sure you get someone else. Calmly explain that you're tired of being put on hold for long periods of time and that it's difficult for you to devote so much time going over the same tests over and over again. If you're still not getting anywhere with a different rep then ask for their supervisor.

The important thing is for you to have Dell make you happy with the product. Be insistent yet polite and you'll get there. There's always going to be bad or inexperienced support staff and dealing with that in a way that minimizes your frustration is key.

 

My point is that being placed on hold by support doesn't equal their being resistant to fixing a defective product as they're obligated to. It does mean that the support he was getting wasn't very good. Two distinctly different things.

 

Ignoring a customer on the other end of a support line is about *this* close to saying " Get Out"

Ignoring that customer for an hour is a slap in the face on the way out.

 

Hey guys, I'll be getting a alienware m11x r1 soon but first I have a few question!

1) Is the overclock 1.73ghz not 1.6ghz for the SU7300?

2) If I overclock the CPU to 1.73/1.6ghz and run GTA 4, and leave it on for 6 hour or so with charger on, will anything happen to my m11x? Like CPU fail or something?

3) Battlefield bad company 2 fps at absolutely lowest setting including resolution on the R1?

4) GTA 4 at lowest setting and a decent resolution fps for R1 (Overclocked CPU)?

5) GTA 4 at lowest setting and a decent resolution fps for R1 (Stock CPU)?

Thanks alot, Philo

 

Hey bud, I own the R2, so I can't answer the first and second questions. I'll try to help with the others, though.

At lowest settings and low resolution (1280 x 720) on Bad Company 2, I get about 40 fps on full servers (32 people). This is without any overclocking. With the R1, you should get about the same, or maybe just slightly less.

No matter what you do, GTA 4 will NOT run well on the M11x. The coding and optimization for the game is absolutely horrible, from what I've read on other threads. I had it before, but it was so choppy I uninstalled it. Not worth the hard drive space.

Many games are optimized for PC well and run at high settings on the M11x (Modern Warfare and Mirror's Edge, for example), but GTA 4 isn't one of them. :|

 

anyone know if the Intel Centrino ultimate N6300 half-height wifi card will fit in the m11x r1?

 

Yes, it will.

 

I just got my m11x R2 i today!! DD

I was wondering about how i see my current BIOS version and how to control the fan on my laptop.

Can I manually switch graphic processors?

There seems to be alot of threads about OCing... Which is the best?

 

Congratulations! In terms of OCing:

OC CPU: Read the first post properly.
OC GPU: referred to by this great thread action point 8 in the first post

 

When I lock my computer (Windows key and L) would programs still operate? i.e. Steam downloads and File transfers?

 

Hey guys,

How will the ALIENWARE M11x R2 run WOW?
It got the i5 processor and 3gigs of ram.

Or should I get the M11x R1 with Dual core processor?

Thanks.

 

i5 will run it no problem.

 

Will it run on full settings?

 

If not full, it will come close.

 

Yes but..
1. Not DX11
2. FPS hit when it gets busy
3. Not in raids

Drop the settings, get Throttlestop and yes it will run WoW.

I run it on high with water and shadows down a bit.
I also raid 25man heroic ICC on low settings and get > 13fps in busy combats

 

Ive just recieved my brandnew M11x R1, but found out that the indicator panel (which indicate wiless and CAPS ...) is sooo much dimmer compare to my friends R2. It can hardly be seen, except when the room goes dark. Beside, the wiless and CAPS icon seem smaller than R2s.
Is that normal for R1?

 

Right click AlienFX, and see if "dim lighting zones" is enabled.


Otherwise, press down (somewhat firmer then "lightly") near the icons and see if they get brighter (indicating not good contact between the panel above the KB and the PCB with all the status LED).

 

Hey guys, just got my M11xR1 but I got 2 problems already.

1. nVIDIA 260.99 do not work in Switchable mode.
2. The Intel Canitga GS45 on dell site showed an error "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software. Setup will exit" when I am trying to install it.

Please help me out. Thanks in advance.

 

Just got my m11xR1 yesterday.
Call me idiot or wut, I'm aware of the hinge issue but I still buy it :/

Anyway, problem right out the box lol.
Press power button, the screen is adjusting the monitor brightness automatically up and down up and down, it never stops until I manually turn the brightness using FN+F4 to maximize the screen brightness.

Any idea? >.>

EDIT:-
Okay um, restarted it several times, the automatic dimming went away but now the brightness stays maximized lol, even if I manually tone it down using the FN+F5, the brightness remains the same even though the brightness bar is empty >.>

EDIT2:-
Several more messing with the system, I found that when I click on the Graphics mode on the task bar and select save power, the brightness issue go away completely and adjusting the brightness is working like it should, but when I switch it to performance, the auto dimming comes back again, what do - -

EDIT3:-
forcing the system to run with discrete graphic in BIOS fixed the problem. But, not really a solution is it...

Anyway I'd say it's a really great looking and sleek machine, I can now understand all the m11x owner's rage lol.
Now I just hope I'm one of the minority that has no Hinge issue..

 

I'm debating to get the M11x R2 to replace my ty XPS 1340. I need something light so that's why i'm not jumping into the m15 or m17 for now.

How does it perform compared to the 1340? Will games run much better with high-medium settings.

The games I play are mostly FPS (Bf2,L4d,MOH,COD, ETC)

Does the M11x R2 have any know issues beside the hinges? Has dell fix the hinges issues or is this something I'll have to deal with at some point?

Does the M11x R2 have any know issue that the 1340 have? (wifi turns off/on, over heating, freezing, media key doesn't function)

Thank You for any advice.

 

Mine is now rock solid and with Throttlestop it rocks on games. No doubt left in my mid just a nag about the hinge (maybe).