New M15x Owner Information

Hey,

I thought it would be a good idea to compile some information I have gathered over the last couple of month to help new M15x Owners.

-= DELL DRIVERS =-

-= M15X Manuals =-

-= Be sure to see: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...wners-a05-do-not-install-cc-resouce-disk.html =-

M15x arrived - What to do

1) The first thing you will notice straight off the bat, is how bad the mousepad is. To make it somewhat useable, uninstall the synaptic mousepad driver. This will make
windows install the default driver which works a lot better. For more information on this issue, see this thread - AW is researching this - http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ad-cursor-movement-polling-rate-problems.html

2) Make sure you install some anti-virus software. Some free programs such as Avast or Microsoft Security Essentials provide as much protection (if not more) as commercial tools (such as Norton)

3) Update your display drivers.

• Nvidia
• ATI cards

NOTE: The ATI drivers require a small modification to be installed properly. This can either be done manually by doing the following steps:
a) download the driver through the ati utility
b) let the drivert extract
c) at the installation window of the driver press cancel.
d) Now, navigate to the place you have installed the driver. This is usually "C:\ATI\Support\xx-x_mobility_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc", where xx-x stands for the driver version. In the case of the driver version 10.6 that path would be: "C:\ATI\Support\10-6_mobility_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc".
e) Once in that folder, go to the Config folder. Inside, you will find a file called "InstallManager.cfg".
f) Right click on that file -> open with... and select notepad.
g) Locate the line where it says "WorkaroundInstall=false"
h) change this line to "WorkaroundInstall=true"
j) save the file and exit notepad. Now go to the driver installation folder (e.g. the parent folder of the current folder)
k) Run set up

For all lazy people out there, Quad provided a modified version of the 10.6 ati driver with the fix described above applied. You can grab it here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/6388616-post18.html

ALSO NOTE: It is highly recommended that you uninstall your current driver and run a tool like CCleaner + reboot before proceeding with the driver install


4) (Optional) Upgrade your Bios to the lastest version. (A06 at the time of writing). The Bios can be found on dells website.

5) (Optional)[Advanced] Reapply the thermal paste to the GPU and CPU. Only do this if you are confident in your technical skills.

Troubleshooting

NOTE: Most problems can be solved by using the power drain trick. This should be your first item in getting rid of a problem. To do the power drain trick do the following:

• Turn off your PC
• Take out your battery
• Take out the powercord
• Press and hold the powerbutton for 10-20 seconds
• Put the battery and powercord back
• Start the PC.

Problem: Really low FPS during gameplay, even in less demanding games.
Solution 1: This is most likely due to the fact that you are running in stealth mode. Press the little spedometer button and you should see an increase in fps.
Solution 2: Make sure you are plugged in. The laptop will downclock itself on battery.

Problem: [Nvidia 260m] Good FPS but getting a slowdown from time to time.
Solution: You might have just ran into the throttling issue of this laptop (CPU + GPU). The GPU throttling issue only occurs with the Nvidia 260M card and usually with a high power cpu. The CPU may throttle on either cards. To solve the issue, visit this thread

Problem: My alienFX is not working entirely or only partially.
Solution: Do the power drain trick described earlier

Problem: The laptop restart instead of shutting down.
Solution: Upgrade your nvidia graphic card drivers. There seemed to be a problem with the drivers at some stage

Problem: Dell is giving me troubles with warranty repairs
Solution: Contact unresolved issues as described in this thread

Problem: My fans really loud at start-up for a second
Solution: This is completely normal. You have to live with it

Problem: Computer doesnt boot after the laptop went into sleep mode. Caps. Num and Scroll Lock are flashing.
Solution: This one is tricky. First try the power drain trick. If that doesnt work, you will have to remove the bios battery. This is a small battery of coin size. To do this you will have to remove the service cover (two screws) and remove the connector of the battery. After a minute you can reconnect it. The computer should now boot. For more information on how to disconnect the battery, see the service manual (you can find it here)

Problem: Lost all the alienware media (wallpapers etc) after a fresh install.
Solution: Get them here: Alienware wallpaper backup

Problem: Lost all the the cool alienware log in wallpaper after a fresh install.
Solution: Look at this post with detailed instructions on how to get it back

Problem: [ ATI] The display driver keeps on crashing (ATI driver has stopped responding)
Solution: There seems to be a problem with powerplay and flash media player. To fix the problem, right click on any flash content, press on settings and make sure that "Enable Hardware acceleration" is turned off.

For all other problems, visit this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/493471-m15x-problem-technical-question-thread.html

Upgrades

The M15x is a highly upgradable system. Here is a list on what can be upgraded:

1)RAM - Upgrading the ram is easy. It is however debatable if you require more than 4GB ram at all. Unless you are doing a lot of virtualization, you most likely will not need more than 4GB.

2)SSD Upgrade. Replacing the old drive with an SSD drive is also very easy. Check the service manual for information on how to replace the hdd. This is one of the best upgrades you can make to increase overall system performance. Check this thread
To see a video comparison of the loading times of a normal HDD and a SDD, look at this thread

3)CDRom->HDD Upgrade. In case you do not require the optical drive, you can replace it with a HDD. This requires a bit of work -> Check this thread for a complete guide

4) Graphics card upgrade. If you have an nvidia 260M or 240M you can upgrade to the ATI 5870m. This will not only solve the throttling issue, but will also give you a performance boost. Check this thread for more information. Also have a look at InappropriateName_3's guide for GPU replacement
Here is a video on how to access the Graphics card : M15X Accessing Graphics card

5) The CPU can also be replaced. Right now, the M15x supports up to the 920XM and possibly the 940XM.

Third Party Apps

1) AlienFX winamp plugin
Turns your AlienFX into music virtualization. Made by Ingrader

2) Stealth Mode Indicator.
A small application sitting in the task bar letting you know if you are in stealth mode or not. Requires Command Centre to be installed. Make sure you download the version from thread page 2

3) AlienFX Lite.
An alternative to the Alienware alienfx application. Works also on linux.

4) OSD Mod
A modification to the OSD (the pictures which pop up when you press the touch buttons). Quite cool! This was made by alienen. Before using these files back up all the icons which are located at: c:\program files\osd\icons. Then extract the contents of the archive to that location. If you dont like the modification, you can copy the old icons back


Other useful Threads

1) A ton of information can be found here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...all-powerful-m15x-owners-lounge-part-4-a.html

2) if you are into benchmarking, visit this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ds/455438-official-m15x-benchmark-thread.html

3)Games that have alienfx support:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/465100-games-support-alienfx.html

4)For very cool templates for your alienfx:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/487800-m15x-alienfx-themes.html

5)For people wanting to overclock:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/480192-m15x-gpu-overclock-thread.html

Maintenance

I think it happened to all of us at some stage. You buy a brand new computer, it works really fast. After a year the computer seems to work like a low end model reacting to input only very slowly. Here are some tips you can use to keep your laptop as fast as the first day you used it. In maintenance one can distinguish between software and hardware maintenance.

Software
Here I will list some methods to keep your system as fast as the first day. Note, those tips will use CCleaner ( CCleaner - Optimization and Cleaning - Free download) so make sure you install that first.

So here goes:

1) Do not install just any software you find anywhere on the internet. You actually most likely will not need some software which you find on forums etc. Before installing software think carefuly whether the source can be trusted and wether you need the software at all.

2) Disable automatic start up of software. This is one of the issues which slows down your pc at boot time. Most people actually do not need the software which starts up when you log in first time. Most applications which do start up, have an option to disable autostart. For applications which do not have the option, use CCleaner(under tools/startup). The only applications which sart on my machine at log in are: ATI CCC, Avast and Steam. The laptop can be used the mement the wall paper shows up.

3) Keep your windows installation up to date. It seems there have been some issues around with windows updates and some functionality of the laptop. Dell tech supports then recommends to turn off automatic update. Under no circumstances should you do so. Windows updates fix security holes in the machine. 15 years ago, such new security holes would not have been such a huge problem. In the age of script kiddies, you should always update your windows copy. DO NOT accept turning off windows updates as a solution. It is not.

4) Keep your driver(s) up to date. The only driver you really need update is the graphics driver, unless you are facing some problems with your hardware. Always download drivers from official companies website, never from third party websites. Thus you will always download the latest (and virus free) drivers

5) (NON-SSD only) Defragment your disk once a month. It is very important that you do this step only with traditional HDD's and never with SSD. It will reduce the life of SSD drives and offer no performance gain. To defragment your disk, go to "computer", right click on your disk, then press on properties, go to the tools tab and press on defragment now.

6) DO NOT install codec packs. Instead use VLC

7) Run CCleaner once a month to remove any registry errors and delete old information which was cached by the system (and temporary files). Note, depending on which options you choose, you may lose your browser history information.

8) Do not trash your desktop. Keep your Desktop clean of thousands of icons. Use the new Windows 7 taskbar instead for any application shortcuts

Hardware
In this section, Ill provide some information on what I do to keep the hardware as new.

1) When closing the laptop put a piece of microfibre cloth between the lid and the keyboard. This will make sure that you wont get any scratches on the screen

2) This is just my opinion: Remove the Battery when running on AC power (for longer periods of time) and the battery is fully charged. If you happen to have the 9 cell battery, place something under the back of the laptop to elevate it just like the 9 cell battery does (I use 2 boxes of tic tacs). Here is a complete thread dedicated to battery maintenance.

3) Finally, keep your vents clean. The M15x has a really good cooling system, pumping a lot of air through the radiators. Therefore it is likely that dust accumulates on the radiators and clogs them up. You should clean the vents at least once a month and it can be done very easily. This video show the steps taken below: YouTube - Cleaning the Alienware M15x

a)Get compressed air. (this is usually sold in cans. Alternatively you can use a compressor)
b)Turn off your laptop.
c)Remove the service cover by unscrewing the 2 screws.
d)Spray the compressed air from the outside vents and see the dust fly out. Do it with little pauses, and keep and eye on the fan. It should not rotate too fast.
e)Spray the compressed air on the grill on the service cover.

Do not do this while the laptop is turned on. You can permanently damage your laptop fans.

Hope this helps

PS: Tell me what I have missed and Ill update this post!

 

wow nice job, wattos!! very good idea

 

Very helpful for new M15x owners. +rep!

 

perfect timing as I wait for my new M15x +rep!

Edit: Is it confirmed that throttling doesn't occur with the ATI card? I thought it was more related to CPU usage than the graphic card?

 

Thanks Wattos and well done!

 

well, The M15x has both CPU and GPU throttling. My Ati 5870 doesnt throttle, but the CPU does. This however is only half as bad as GPU throttling. Thanks for the post , Ill modify the OP

 

Nice Work.... Wattos.... +rep...

 

Thanks for the info and links!

Should definitely help me out.

 

Great guide Wattos! +rep!
Perhaps you should link the M15x GPU overclock thread!

 

Really nice post Wattos.

 

Nice post, bud. Repping ya.

 

Nice post, great thread for newbie : )

 

Newbie here, been lurking for a couple of days, GREAT Forum. I just found out my M15X is in the boxing stage, ETD is 11JUN10, I cannot wait!! Thank you WATTOS for an awesome post for new owners. I will follow the suggestions for sure.

 

Ignorant question here, but I cannot find where to set my signature and system specs in 'User CP'. Am I missing something here?

 

at the left

 

Yep, I opened 'Edit Profile' and put my system info in the 'Current Notebook' field. I then opened 'Edit Options' and ensured 'show signatures' was checked in the 'visible elements' area. But I still have nothing showing up as a signature in my posts? Obviously I missing something else. Thanks for the understanding and help.

 

on the user control panel at the left there is a option called edit signature, here you can post your system specs

 

you will have to format the signature yourself. Here is BB code I use for my sig

HTML:

[size='1'][B]Alienware All Powerfull M15x [/B]
i7 920XM|[COLOR="Red"]ATI 5870[/COLOR]|8Gb DDR3 G.Skill Ram|1920x1080 WLED|250 GB SSD[/SIZE]

Also, I updated the OP with somewhat new info

 

My M15X shipped today with an EDD of 09JUN10!! This is like waiting for Christmas Day when you were 10.

Thanks Wattos, I'll tackle the signature next.

M15X/LUNAR SHADOW/i7 920XM/8GB DDR3 1333MHZ/1G NVIDIA GTX 260/FHD 1920x1080 (1080p) WLED/500GB SATA II 7200RPM HDD/DUAL LAYER BLUE RAY BURNER/INTEL 5300 HALF MINI/9 CELL BATT.

 

Great thread!

 

Thumbs up from me too for posting this thread Wattos. Read most of the links already while I await delivery of my new M15x!

 

added inaps guide and the backed up wallpapers.

To mods: Do you think this could be made sticky?

 

I second that, it should be made a sticky!

 

This is really great info since I just received mine.

 

Nicely done Wattos!

+rep!

 

My M15X arrived today and we have been getting acquainted ever since. So far I have just been installing and setting up software. No complaints so far, but in all honesty I haven't really wound it up yet. I do have a question about 'Stealth', as near as I can tell there are only two settings e.g. touch the button and you get the 'bright' tach which I assume is fullspeed, touch it again and you get a 'faded' tach which I assume is stealth mode. Are my assumptions correct here?

M15X, LUNAR SHADOW, i7 920XM, 8GB DDR3 1333MHZ, 1G NVIDIA GTX 260, FHD 1920x1080 (1080p) WLED, 500GB SATA II 7200RPM HDD, DUAL LAYER BLUE RAY BURNER, INTEL 5300 HALF MINI, 9 CELL BATT.

 

actually the otherway around. brite is stealth on and faded is stealth off. and nice setup man, congrats.

 

Good job Wattos, +rep! Wait, I am pretty sure you missed out this wallpaper for the login page,

This picture has the alienware words at the bottom.

For those who reinstalled the OS and tried to put back the look of the original log on page, here are some tips for you.
1.Download the above wallpaper
2.Go to C:\Windows\System32\OOBE.
3.Here, create a new folder named Info. Again, create a new folder inside the Info folder and rename it as backgrounds.
4.Now, without changing the name ( backgroundefault) of the downloaded wallpaper, just move the picture into the file.
5.Next, open to regedit. Look for the value named OEMBackground in the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background
6.Change the value from default 0 to 1. If you cannot find the above registry, you may want to download it from here. View attachment Enable Logon In Windows 7.reg.zip
7.Now, you can test it right away by holding alt+crtl+del together to see if it works.

 

Thanks a lot for both the picture and writing this down. Ill will link the OP post to here

 

You are welcome!

 

Just wanted to say hi all, I just ordered my M15x yesterday, I went with the basic configuration of 4gbs ram, 500gb hdd, 1gb ati hd 5850! I'm a little scared though because I didn't receive an email with my invoice yet and they left me a message on my phone after I finished ordering with them telling me to call them back :S ....guess I'll have to wait until my lunch break to call them back

 

INAPS, thanks for the info. I have yet to find anywhere in writing where it talks about which is Stealth and which isn't. I wonder what else I am missing or misinterpreting that isn't anywhere to be found in Dell or AW's documentation?

Btw, pardon my ignorance here, but what is BabyHemi I see referred to in a lot of posts? Is there a website or something I can go check out for it?

Man this system is awesome so far.... amazing actually!

 

Look Here:

M15X Manual

On page 32 it says:

So it is actually documented in the Manual


BabyHemi is a forum member who sells these awesome ATI 5870m cards

 

wattos, I did read that, several times. I guess in my braindead mode at the time, the part about bright being stealth and faded being non-stealth didn't register.

M15X, LUNAR SHADOW, i7 920XM, 8GB DDR3 1333MHZ, 1G NVIDIA GTX 260, FHD 1920x1080 (1080p) WLED, 500GB SATA II 7200RPM HDD, DUAL LAYER BLUE RAY BURNER, INTEL 5300 HALF MINI, 9 CELL BATT.

 

well, the text inst really that clear by what it really means, so not to worry. Enjoy your little beast

 

And 'it is' a beast! Thanks WATTOS. You all have made me feel right at home here. I really appreciate it.

M15X, LUNAR SHADOW, i7 920XM, 8GB DDR3 1333MHZ, 1G NVIDIA GTX 260, FHD 1920x1080 (1080p) WLED, 500GB SATA II 7200RPM HDD, DUAL LAYER BLUE RAY BURNER, INTEL 5300 HALF MINI, 9 CELL BATT.

 

Haha babyhemi is a parts supplier you can find him in the nbr marketplace. Great to hear your system is treating you right, Congrats.

 

Thanks INAPS, the more I play with this thing the more I love it. I'll have to check out BabyHemi over on NBR.

 

Wattos... I got my signature fixed thanks to you! I'll be tweeking it, we'll see. Thanks.

 

Boy that was intense... I just updated my BIOS to A06.... successfully, I don't want to that again anytime soon. It's 1153pdt, I am whipped and heading to bed.

 

Very nice thread, I have it bookmarked.
I ordered my M15x today and will be keeping this ready for when I get it.
Pretty scared that something will be wrong with it out of the box.

 

Congrats on your order.

I'm curious to see what your spec's are, since I just ordered mine a couple of days ago.

Also, This will be my 3rd AW laptop and I have yet to encounter a single problem with the other two.

 

Thread made a sticky and added links to post#1 for touchpad polling thread and BIOS A05/Resource DVD thread (had to remove as a sticky as we want to limit to no more than 3 stickies).

Nice job Wattos!! Thanks for taking the time to do this!

 

See you managed to get your sig working. Great system, man! Enjoy it.
BabyHemi, by the way is not only a local forum supplier, he's our personal magician!

 

Congrats on your order! Don't worry, it almost always works great out of the box. Don't forget that most people start posting once they have some trouble. If everything goes smoothly, most owners don't bother to register and write in these forums.

Any trouble that might surge will definitely be solved here. This little family is the best Customer Service in the world and the threads are every M15x owner's bible!

 

Thanks HTF, yep the more I play with this beast the more I am in awe of the raw power that lies within!

 

I've seen that M17x systems were/are having major issues with the updated drivers from ATi. Does the m15x (5850) have the same complications? Can I just download the newest ones from ATi when my machine arrives?

 

the 5850 in the M15x is having less trouble then the 5870's in the M17x at the moment. the 5850 at the moment can use any of the ati drivers with a little work around.

 

Cool. I'll likely be purchasing an m15x within the next week or 2.

 

THis should include a fresh install windows 7 guide.