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.

    M15x really slowed down

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by millertime, Nov 29, 2018.

  1. millertime

    millertime Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    111
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Fair enough it is old now, but I've reformatted the hard drive starting fresh and it's a really long boot up time and even then when windows loads, there's a real lag in opening programs

    Is this likely to improve if I got a solid state HDD?

    If so, are there any specific ones I should look for that are suitable size and will work with the motherboard etc?

    Thank you
     
    millertime, Nov 29, 2018
    #1
  2. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    372
    Messages:
    2,152
    Likes Received:
    826
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Windows is insanely slow on a HDD, just grab the cheapest 120GB SSD you can off amazon
     
    Mastermind5200, Nov 29, 2018
    #2
  3. millertime

    millertime Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    111
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thank you for the quick reply

    Is it likely that even the loading of pr9grams is down to the hard disk?

    I'll look for solid state, any particular type or size I need to get to be compatible?
     
    millertime, Nov 29, 2018
    #3
  4. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    372
    Messages:
    2,152
    Likes Received:
    826
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Yes
    Any 2.5' SATA SSD should work, it will only run at SATA 2
     
    Mastermind5200, Nov 29, 2018
    #4
  5. millertime

    millertime Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    111
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thank you very much

    This laptop still looks high spec but the parts are about 8 years old so every chance my existing hdd is dying hence the slowdown?

    I'll look at ssd ones now thank you
     
    millertime, Nov 29, 2018
    #5
  6. xKilXlerx

    xKilXlerx Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    30
    Trophy Points:
    26
    Most likely the Hard Drive is failing. Check using HWinfo or other programs and check the hard drive to see if there is an ! mark.
     
    xKilXlerx, Nov 29, 2018
    #6
  7. millertime

    millertime Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    111
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Got a new ssd drive just installing windows now, will update in a bit to see if it indeed was the hard drive failing

    I love this laptop so I know it's weird but I feel sad for the old hard drive sitting beside me here, it has worked hard for almost 10 years!
     
    millertime, Dec 3, 2018
    #7
  8. xKilXlerx

    xKilXlerx Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    30
    Trophy Points:
    26
    All Hard drives have lifespans. 10 years is alredy big unless it is used rarely.
     
    xKilXlerx, Dec 4, 2018
    #8