Alienware 17x hardware or software problems?????

A little background new M17x notebook (one week old) running windows 7 home premium, specs T9600, 4gb 1333mhz ram, 1gb dual 260M GTX video:

The cpu was running at 100% at least 99% of the time, I followed people's advice and uninstalled command center, did the respawn restore still same problems called tech support they said that the respawn partition was most likely bad so they had me delete them and install a fresh copy of windows from the cd. I finished the install and used the resource cd to load the drivers and the programs I was still having problems so I downloaded all the current drivers and bios from the dell website.

I was still having problems with the wireless network everytime I shut off the computer or rebooted I would have to unintall the wireless card and reinstall then it would work until I either shut off the computer or rebooted.

I was still having problems with the internet the system would freeze and whatever I was doing would not respond, I ran a virus scan it came up with suspicious files having to do with the ask.com so I did a fresh install with windows 7 and guess what I am still having problems with the wireless card, just going online,and the video will cut out and go black and then come back on.

At this point I am not sure what else to do except call tech support again and be on the phone for hours with them. Can anyone help me?

 

I have had mine for 3 days and its been frustrating getting the advertised perfromance from the system. Certain games like DA and L4D run great. Others like L4D2, Mirror's Edge and Mass Effect barely run at all.

This led me to try driver updates the past few days - this is where my probelms really started. Doing clean installs I was getting progressively worse performance (lots of lock-ups and blue screen too). Last night it finally got yo the point where even the mouse cursor barely moves smoothly so I respawned and went to bed with the recovery process at 50%.

This moring I was greeted by an M17x powered off with respawn ejected. It won't power on. No post, nadda. I had to come in to work so I could not try the usual things (detach power remove battery, hold power key, pray). There is a winter storm coming in so I am going to head home early and try some other stuff.

The M17x is a handful. That's a challenge and part of the appeal if you want the performance.

 

This is exactly the problems I am having, you would think with a fresh install of the os and all the current drivers it would get better but mine seems to be getting worse, I also took the battery out and held down the power button to reset everything still doesn't work.

Hopefully you can get yours working, I am going to have to call tech support tonight, I didn't want to as it will most likely be hours on the phone but I want the notebook to work!!!!

 

send back to dell and get them to send u a new one ...

 

I have to deal with alienware as I did call Dell and was told to call alienware support.

 

Negative. If this is the M17x All Powerful, you go through Dell Support. Call them back - the rep you spoke with didn't know what they were talking about (or they were in 'Friday' mode).

 

I am back up and running - the usual tricks brought it back.

I cant get Mass Effect to work and l4d 2 only ran for 5 minutes before crashing to screen. My 3dm06 score was 13,445 so the performance is where it should be.

I would complain - but this is why I traded my uMBP - I wanted a challenge.

But no way would I ever trust import files or work on this thing. No way.

 

I am almost certain the problems are software and firmware related. Its a stable platform that uses 2-3rd gen parts (chipset, CPU, GPUs).

 

lewdvig,

Which nvidia driver are you running and do you have the 9400M G disabled (BIOS ---> Integrated Graphics & Hybrid Graphics options set to Disabled)?

 

Well they must still be in "Friday mode" as Dell told me I had to deal with Alienware tech support so they transferred me and I get the voice message that they are doing some upgrades and to call back later.

Currently I am reinstalling windows and following your guide on loading the drivers and crossing my fingers that all will work.

Thanks batboy

 

I have hybrid SLI on - it is set to 'Boost Performance.'

Drivers are the 179.85 from the restore disk. I am really nervous about updating because I have just got things working smoothly (which means only occasional lock-ups and crashes to desktop). LOL

The person I traded with for this M17x has it running Win7 Ultimate and 19x.xx drivers (forget the exact ones).

I read in the Mass Effect forums that reinstalling DX can sometimes clear issues up. That worked, and I can at least run Mass Effect and Mirror's Edge now.

After about a minute the games lock (audio still working). If I initiate task manager, the game comes back to life.

 

I'm putting a 95% the issues you are seeing are due to the driver. 179.85 is just way old. I still have no idea why Dell would ship the M17x with that driver. I LOL'd big time when I saw that on my system/first came over to AW.

I play L4D2 as well and have no issues with v186.82

I would suggest backing up - either to an image or just backing up your important files.

Make sure you are on: BIOS A02 and all drivers are current. I know there is a compatibility issue with the chipset driver and Wireless, so whatever work around which is working for you is fine.

Main thing to do is:

1. Clean uninstall of the NVIDIA Display Driver
2. Install 186.82 to start with - can always update or try a newer version later. Also update to the latest SLI Profiles (either with my modded batch updater or use nHancer).
3. Disable the 9400M G (again, Integrated Graphics and Hybrid Graphics both set to Disabled in BIOS).

I'm betting once this is done, the issues you are seeing in L4D2 and others will have vanished.

Let me know if you need assistance - shoot me a pm.

 

Hi Batboy I followed the install according to your guide, everything installed really good didn't seem to have any issues with the video, I do have the current BIOS the system seemed to work good for most part then when I had to do a reboot I lost the wireless adapter again and now my function keys are not working. :mad

Do I need to disable the 9400M?

 

If you are on W7 then follow Glzmo's thread to resolve the wireless issue:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=436486

Are you talking about the touchstrip keys when you say function keys or the actual FN+F1 through F12?

If its the touchstrip keys, make sure you install the current version of OSD as there is a conflict with A02 and the previous version of OSD. OSD current version is here:
v2.21 A03, Last Updated: 09/18/2009

 

I am talking about the actual FN + F5 I was trying to dim the screen and none of them are working.

I will follow Glzmo's thread on the wireless thanks.

 

When I disable the 9400m my 3dmark06 score is almost exactly 2000 lower - that is about what a 9400m scores on its own. Still on the 179 set though so this info might not be relevant.

I think I will try the 186 set you recommended and see how I make out.

FYI - those 195.62 drivers you posted about on your blog are the set that was on my rig when I got it. The previous owner had upgraded to win7 and had the latest LV2G driver set installed You are right about that set - lots of problems.

You blog is awesome BTW - I'll link to it in my review.

 

thanks for the compliment lewdvig and glad you are finding it useful.

I'm thinking the 195.62 was the desktop driver (released on 11/26) if he had it installed when you received it. There was the 195.55 beta but as far as 195.62 WHQL Mobile is concerned it was just released on the 4th. The 195.62 desktop driver must've been the modded version from LV2Go. Either way, its buggy at least with Vista.

I actually didn't see a drop when disabling the 9400. With most bench runs I conducted, it actually went up with the 9400 disabled. As you most likely are already aware, bench runs are going to differ with driver version. While the 186.82 is the most all around stable driver it does perform lower in the benching category.

There was another poster who had this issue as well jabbok. I cant recall what the outcome was... Reinstall OSD and see if that corrects the issue. I have no problems with the FN+F5/F4 keys. Very odd.

 

Well, the 186.82 set just ran Mass Effect maxed at 1200p 60 fps for a couple of hours. That is exactly the sort of stability I want.

I get an error in 3dmark06 - but I only benchmark to diagnose probs in games, and now I have no game probs so who cares about the benchies?

Thanks BatBoy!

 

What was the error you saw in 3DMark06? Comm Surrogate error?

 

I was getting crashes to desktop in games this morning L4D 2 and Fallout 3.

When I came hear to look for causes I saw your post. The 3dmark error was not not the surrogate error, so I retried the benchmark and it hard crashed my notebook. After reboot 3dmark ran fine 12,800 points (Windows problem solver said it was the nv driver).

I am wondering if my problem is related to wake from sleep (I shut the lid last night).

 

Fresh boot and games crash after about 5 minutes. Blue screen NV driver.

I'll revert back to the 179.xx.

 

Could be. So where are you at now? Are you on that 195.62 driver? I saw one of your posts and you mentioned it. Did you try the 186.82 - was this the driver which crashed out? Guess I'm trying to juggle multiple threads here

 

No sweat, you've been a lot of help.

Except for a period yesterday when I was running the 179 set, these problems have occurred with every driver. I can reproduce a crash after 5 minutes in just about every game. I don't always get a blue screen, but when I do it is the NVLDDMKM has stopped working error.

But 3dmark06 is completing a run (probably because it switches to desktop frequently.

 

This is really puzzling. I hate to think it, but I'm starting to lean towards a possible OS issue, a glitch in your process for installing/uninstalling the driver or <knock on wood> a hardware issue.

To see a "NVLDDMKM has stopped responding" error with multiple drivers is a sign there is something else going on. Did you check the Event Log to try to pin it down?

 

I am pretty sure its software - there are no artifacts during play that suggest a heat/damage issue. I am going to try reinstalling the chipset drivers (a voice in the back of my head does not trust driver sweeper and I wonder if it might be overzealous in what it removes).

 

Understand the hesitation on Driver Sweeper. I do use it on occasion if things go funky with a driver install or uninstall. You can actually use it each time when doing clean uninstalls of the display driver. Just be sure to reinstall the chipset driver prior to display driver install if that makes you feel more comfortable. This way, you know it (chipset drivers) are ok.

Listing this process for anyone not familiar with a clean uninstall of the display driver on the M17x. The process I use when using Driver Sweeper:

1. Uninstall NVIDIA Display driver via the Programs & Features control panel (only select display driver, leave PhysX and Chipset drivers unchecked)
2. Reboot when prompted and enter Safe Mode via the F8 key at the BIOS screen
3. In Safe Mode, run Driver Sweeper first and have it look for any left over traces of display driver files. Once Driver Sweeper is complete, do not reboot yet.
4. Run CCleaner's regsitry scan and fix any remaining traces of the driver uninstall.
5. Reboot with both Hybrid and Integrated Graphic options Enabled in the BIOS.
6. Windows will load the Standard VGA Display Adapter as the system is loading the desktop. Once at the desktop, reboot.
7. One back at the desktop, run the NVIDIA Chipset Installer. Follow the prompt after install and reboot.
8. Once back at the desktop, run the installer for the new NVIDIA Display driver you want to use.

Works for me everytime when I need to do a full clean uninstall and reinstall of the NVIDIA Display driver.

 

Here is the error I get when 3dmark06 crashes (this seems to happen when hybrid SLI is off).

I'll try the step by step again. I don't use CCleaner and I just tried a chipset install just now (after installing a new driver).

 

Background info on this error:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=240447

Have you checked for updated to DirectX also http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...8-DB71-4C1B-BC6A-9B6652CD92A3&displaylang=en?

 

Yikes. Could be temp related.

After my Mass Effect troubles I reinstall DirectX after driver updates - the installer always tells me I am up to date.

I am back to the stock driver set that came on my resource disk - hopefully I can get it back to stable.

To test this I left L4D 2 on last night with Rivatuner logging temps as I went to sleep. My M17x was locked up this morning with no HDD activity so I just hard reset it and came in to work. I'll check the Rivatuner logs when I get home.

I am curious about the length of time it ran prior to crashing and what the temps were.

Some history on the unit: it was ordered with Crossfire 4870s but they were borked so Dell had a tech install 280m's in SLI. This rig was bougfht with 3 year onsite so I think Dell will make it right.

 

@ this point I would just call them up. You have spent enough time trying to resolve it and are not getting anywhere.

At least its under warranty

 

I was having this problem and it was driving me nuts. I tried everything. Just as I was getting ready to flame Dell about my crashing computer I found the solution:

Disable Active State Power Management in the BIOS (found in the Graphics menu - same place as Hybrid graphics).

Whereas before I could only run games for a few minutes, now my M17x runs games until I close them (hours).

I read a lot of threads and found no solutions, so I am posting this in its own thread.