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.

    New M11x owner with a few questions

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by jason_fl, Mar 16, 2011.

  1. jason_fl

    jason_fl Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I have an M11x R2 that I just bought 3 weeks ago. Overall I am very pleased with the machine. I also have a Lenovo x201 and like both of them the same.

    Anyways, I have been noticing a faint sound coming from the lower right corner of my machine. Every two seconds I can hear a 'buzz' (hard to explain the sound) with a slight clicking noise. It is constant.

    I assume this is my hard drive. It sounds as if it is constantly searching even if the machine is idle.

    I have ran a couple of HD Tune tests on it and the hard drive health is fine. I have also looked into stopping some services that might be causing the issue. but I have found anything.

    A few questions:
    1) Is this a normal thing for these machines?

    2) Are there any unnecessary services that I can stop (ex. Alienware Respawn)?

    3) There is a pause of about 2-5 seconds from the time I press Alt+Ctrl+Del before it gives me the 'lock computer' screen. Is this normal for these machines? This happens every time I try this.


    Just seems like there is something running making my computer do this. Can't quite figure it out.
     
  2. HighLife420

    HighLife420 Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    64
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    If im not mistaken, the HD is on the left palm rest, you can actually feel it when you rest your hand on it. With the room very very quiet, i can hear a very faint clicking type sound which im assuming is the HD.

    I removed Alienware Respawn all together.

    I have about 1/2s-1 pause...nothing close to that though, have you updated video drivers? Change your login/logout screen?
     
  3. jason_fl

    jason_fl Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I haven't updated my drivers. I may do that. I was just assuming that I had the latest as the laptop is only a few weeks old. I guess I can't rely on that though.

    I haven't changed my login screen either. I will remove Respawn today.

    I just can't understand how the hard drive is always active like it is. It sounds almost like disc thrashing.
     
  4. Jrcampb

    Jrcampb Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I don't even think my m11x came with respawn or half that crap installed.

    I opted for wallpaper and some other stuff, and I just didn't get it. I don't really care, there was almost nothing I had to uninstall.