The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M11xR3 BIOS A04 Available

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by Rockwell B1, Sep 29, 2011.

  1. Rockwell B1

    Rockwell B1 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    77
    Messages:
    333
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Alienware M11xR3 A04 System BIOS
    Release Date: 9/29/2011

    Fixes and Enhancements:
    updated micro code for new CPUs


    Download:
    HERE
     
    Rockwell B1, Sep 29, 2011
    #1
  2. NedKelly

    NedKelly Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Good find, we'll see what difference it makes, OC better/easier maybe......
     
    NedKelly, Sep 29, 2011
    #2
  3. Rockwell B1

    Rockwell B1 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    77
    Messages:
    333
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I don't have time to really dig into it right now, but one can only hope.

    No noticeable change so far using them.
     
    Rockwell B1, Sep 29, 2011
    #3
  4. potentiality

    potentiality Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    45
    Messages:
    174
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Argh! Just after I go through all that trouble of trying to figure out how to get the firmware from a a04 owner...
     
    potentiality, Sep 29, 2011
    #4
  5. potentiality

    potentiality Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    45
    Messages:
    174
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    A04 only adds Microcode updates. They skipped a03, so I have no idea what that added. I can only hope support for jdec specs for 1600 ddr3.

    I guess they must be releasing new cpu combos soon.. (New Ivy I series?). Based on the R3 motherboard (R "3.5"). Otherwise it wouldn't make much sense to add microcode cpu updates for a system that cant replace the cpu.
     
    potentiality, Sep 29, 2011
    #5
  6. MassiveOverkill

    MassiveOverkill Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    264
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Someone else flash this and tell me your results........I don't want to say anything until someone else states their experience first just to make sure it's not placebo effect.
     
    MassiveOverkill, Sep 30, 2011
    #6
  7. un4tural

    un4tural Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    53
    Messages:
    666
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Dell should start releasing update logs, like you know, rest of the world...
     
    un4tural, Sep 30, 2011
    #7
  8. potentiality

    potentiality Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    45
    Messages:
    174
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Again, we have no idea what they did in A03.
     
    potentiality, Sep 30, 2011
    #8
  9. Bman2309

    Bman2309 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    37
    Messages:
    82
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    i just upgraded and didn't notice anything during general use. No problems upgrading, nice and easy.
     
    Bman2309, Sep 30, 2011
    #9
  10. NedKelly

    NedKelly Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I feel like my fan is less active under normal use...?
     
    NedKelly, Sep 30, 2011
    #10
  11. un4tural

    un4tural Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    53
    Messages:
    666
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    31
    well i updated from A01 and all thats different is that the fan doesn't jump from low to MAX instantly whenever it feels anymore, its a tad more settle. Also it feels like the RPM for fan increased during idle/low use, could be just me. Does feel like it gets hotter now during gaming, but it could be due to hot weather in UK lately.

    No idea what A02 and A03 were supposed to do, but i don't really feel any other differences than fan settings adjustments...
     
    un4tural, Sep 30, 2011
    #11
  12. Rockwell B1

    Rockwell B1 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    77
    Messages:
    333
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Like I said, I've not noticed any difference from A02. Good or bad.

    A03 was never released so no clue what hidden things were done, but I can't tell a difference from A02. The stated thing A04 does is probably just insight into an R3.5 update with different processors they are going to start offering.

    Seems like a highly optional update to me since we can't change out the CPUs.
     
    Rockwell B1, Sep 30, 2011
    #12
  13. potentiality

    potentiality Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    45
    Messages:
    174
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    potentiality, Sep 30, 2011
    #13
  14. un4tural

    un4tural Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    53
    Messages:
    666
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Ok, after a few days of testing, i noticed a few weird glitches... Not sure if its due to the new bios or not.

    First off few times when i started game early in the startup process (desktop was visible, starting background applications) the fan didn't kick in at all... which made me a bit trip, cause i was playing with earphones and it took a lil while to figure out whats wrong...

    second, and i am quite sure its impossible, but i thought the fan was blowing air from below the laptop though the went on the back, but after extensive testing using the wet finger method (you lick the finger and then feel the wind direction), it seems to blow air to below the laptop. Again i am quite sure it isn't possible that new bios could do that, unless its some excessively advanced fan in a notebook... Just thought it was blowing it from below notebook to behind notebook before...

    also, what does computrance do in bios? haven't noticed that with A01 bios.

    And also also, overclocking feature is unlocked, which i don't understand a tad of. what does SSC stand for in overclocking?
    i doubt its http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_spectrum ... noticed quite a few new options in BIOS after the update...

    ill take a picture to upload tomorrow for those who don't feel like exploring.
     
    un4tural, Oct 3, 2011
    #14
  15. Rockwell B1

    Rockwell B1 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    77
    Messages:
    333
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    My fan is behaving normally, blowing out the back and pulling from the bottom. If anything it seems like my fan doesn't kick on as often anymore, no more higher rpm pulsing like I was getting before when just browsing the net and stuff.

    Google Computrace if you want more info, but it is a way to find your laptop if its stolen and possibly wipe it remotely (don't quote me on that, been awhile since I looked into info on it). Was there in A02.

    Also, the OC stuff was there in A02 as well. No new options either from what I noticed.
     
    Rockwell B1, Oct 3, 2011
    #15
  16. potentiality

    potentiality Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    45
    Messages:
    174
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    That would mean they installed your fan upside down inside its casing.. or, plugged it in backwards if signal is in middle.

    Don't use the finger. Use a sheet of paper. Cut small piece off and see where its sucked towards/against.(not small enough to get sucked inside of course)
     
    potentiality, Oct 3, 2011
    #16
  17. un4tural

    un4tural Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    53
    Messages:
    666
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Ok so i used a piece of plastic bag, and it does indeed blow the right way. Wet finger technique failed me.

    Anyways, heres the screen of the OCing, whats SSC stand for? also, so 9980 x 10Khz 99800Khz, 99.8Mhz? i don't see the multiplier... is it cause of speedstep? to hit the stock 1,4Ghz... Halp i am confused :O
     

    Attached Files:

    un4tural, Oct 4, 2011
    #17
  18. rypaul

    rypaul Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    10
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    SSC stands for Spread Spectrum Clocking. It is supposed to help prevent, in theory, your laptop from emitting electromagnetic interferance which could disrupt other electronic equipment.
    When turned off it is supposed to allow for higher stability when overclocking but since the R3 does not overclock much turning it off should be unnecessary.
    When not turbo'd the multiplier is 14 so 14 x 99.8 gives you your final cpu clock speed. Turbo on your cpu should be able to hit a 23 multiplier in single threaded apps and 20 in multithreaded I believe.
     
    rypaul, Oct 4, 2011
    #18