Ask Alienware's General Manager, Frank Azor, Anything on AWA!

Ran as admin.
Disabled 860m.
The time I press a second key, it runs and quits. I don't know if it worked or not since it did not give my a chance to do anything.
I'm not the greatest when it comes to running in command prompt, so there's that too.

 

That happened with my 970M and nvflash. But not mnvflash. You didnt accidentally type "nvflash --list" instead of "mnvflash --list"?
Try "mnvflash.exe --list" or "mnvflash.exe --save 860m.rom" or "mnvflash.exe -b 860m.rom"

 

I wonder what this means for notebooks and PSUs that barely cover the power requirements?



"With the CPU no longer a bottleneck, the GPU never has a chance to idle"

The overclocking limit is starting to make sense... kind of...

 

No progress. It won't continue, and if I paste what you told me to insert, it ends. If a file were to be saved, where would I find it?

 

It probably says something to the effect that no NVIDIA GPUs are found or a similar error message because of the type of hybrid graphics switching the new systems are using. It is not the same as the old Optimus or Enduro from what I can tell. The anemic Intel iGPU is in the driver's seat.

You would not have to find it. It would prompt you to direct it to the folder you want it to be in, just like a download off the web, or using "Save As" in a text editor.

 

Sigh... not much was gained from this on my end.
At least I can download from techinferno for a month. Bet I can find something good in the end of this.

 

If you look hard enough and with positive perspective, there is always something good that comes from experience, even when the experience does not end the way we hope.

In the absolute worse case scenario, you at least learn what not to buy when given the opportunity.

 

You mean like this current situation we are facing with Alienware? Yeah, I can believe that (I understand the moral applies to everything; just trying to brighten up the situation too).
I wasn't expecting Alienware to be ahead of the game, already selling the "GTX 960m" with the 13.
But in any case, hopefully Khan or Frank can provide some response to this, vague or not.

 

@Alienware-Frank,
I have an alienware 17 r2 in production and I contacted alienware support about the 240w psu. The support tech could not help me and connected me to dells modifying order number. They could not modify my order to come with the 240w psu. Do I have to wait for my laptop to come in and then ask for the right psu? I thought you said in your earlier responses that they will fulfill my request with no cost?

 

The 240W PSU isn't an option with the system, so what you're asking is completely custom. I'm surprised they'd even consider it. Do they even have a system that uses the 240W PSU's? I don't think so. You will probably have to wait and buy one aftermarket.

 

When you step back from the situation and look around, almost everything sucks in the "high performance" laptop world right now. Apart from a few systems that still accommodate awesome CPUs and have enough bulk in their chassis to hold good stuff, almost anything being sold is garbage. This is not an "Alienware problem" by any means, it's just sad that they went down that road, too. Most of the stuff for sale is a jokebook, including that dorky MSI Titan with no palm rest some people are all goo-goo-gah-gah about. These whiners that have chirping for several years about wanting thin and light trash with screen resolutions too high for their GPUs to handle gracefully finally got their way and now we are all paying for it. It's just a shame there is almost nothing acceptable available for the rest of us.

 

Frank made an announcement on here stating users who wanted the 240 watt adapter could call in and request one. It doesn't matter if it's part of the configuration or not. It has been approved for them to send us one. Apparently the word just needs to be spread.

 

Sorry man I think you're wrong. It does matter. By providing it as a customer request the original specifications (of a hobbled machine) remain and continue for new un-informed users. Either it's a part of the machine or not.

He said we don't need it so it's just a feeble attempt to head off the demanding user. If it works good luck, but I didn't buy into an eco, power saving, restrictive, hybrid machine, There are plenty of those available way cheaper.

 

I got in touch with Dell and they said they didn't have any 240 in stock, but they added a note to my order and it will be shipped out once they get some.

We'll see if they deliver on that promise.

 

I think they will, you might have to chase it though

Ask for the 330w one instead, already been supplied to one caller.

 

The Alienware rep (think it was Frank) said that 240W adapter was free of charge to people who asked for it.

EDIT: post #233 at this link is where Alieware Frank committed to 240W PSU for those that ask for one, free of charge:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ger-frank-azor-anything-on-awa.770195/page-12

 

@Game7a1 You should ask SVL if he knows why the program exit whenever you try to run the flashing program.

There is a possibility that nvflash interfere with mnvflash. Try this:
Uninstall GPU-Z
Search for nvflash (.exe plus maybe some more files) in your computer. Delete them.
CMD as administrator
mnvflash --list
mnvflash --save whatyouwanttocallit.rom

I had nvflash quit on me too when running it with maxwell. But mnvflash had the cmd window open without quitting (didnt work for my AW18 though because I have to run pure UEFI)

 

Hopefully he sent out a memo to everyone in Technical Support. I doubt they'd believe the General Manager promised everyone a free power supply straight up. Good luck to those requesting it! They definitely need a better PSU.

 

Yes, hopefully so too. That's why you quote the link to the post where he promised users could request a 240W PSU free of charge if there is resistance:

(post #233 at this link is where Alieware Frank committed to 240W PSU for those that ask for one, free of charge:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ger-frank-azor-anything-on-awa.770195/page-12

 

I also doubt they'd believe a forum post. They need permission from their supervisor(s) to be able to authorize such things.

 

If Frank posts it at Alienware Arena then they will have no choice but to believe it.

 

That might work because it's an "official" Alienware forum. Not sure. Good luck.

 

Considering what Frank said a few pages ago,

AWA is just driver central. I know Khan makes a couple of posts there, but since all of the knowledgeable members are (active) here, AWA doesn't serve as much purpose for these kinds of talks. Especially the 240 PSU thing.
Given that it came from Frank Azor himself, the post itself should be believable. AWA is a bit behind on the news, unlike NBR.
@Cloudfire I'll get to your idea sometime this weekend.

 

Frank at one point in time I believe you were not driven solely by profits. I agree with Mr. Fox in the fact that the elimination of socketed processors was solely a business decision and that the concerns of the people are a secondary concern.

 

I will not accept your decision until you reverse it.

 

Given this turn of events ( http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-18/pd), it's safe to say that Alienware is trying their best to do with what they can do with the 18. And while it is the m290x, I mean, it's something.
(Yes, I know this was posted in the Alienware m18x/18 section. The 18 is also being sold in the UK, Ireland, and Australia.)

 

Yes, it is very encouraging that they are offering it again. Definitely a reason for celebration.

I can only hope they are working on whatever needs to be fixed with the system BIOS/EC to make 970M/980M fully compatible.

While we are in the process of hoping, here's hoping for an unlocked system BIOS or Secure Flash removal so we can do that ourselves.

 

thank you frank

 

I apologize if I come across like a hard butt this is MY laptop though.

 

Seriously, just support the 980M/970M with the 18 ><. Charge a $200 install premium or $2k for a pair of x80M as usual. Surely they can make a profit once MXM cards are mass ordered?

I realize an 18 R2 would have some differences though including BGA processor, maybe, and M.2 SSD support.

 

What's your point J.Dre (rhetorical), people may as well quote his forum post, it's better than sitting around with your finger up your a**!

(Haha, I'll keep linking his post for anyone reading (post #233)):
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ger-frank-azor-anything-on-awa.770195/page-12

 

Wouldn't surprise me if the 18 R3 had a BGA processor. I mean, the 18 with 900m support could be called the R2. But who knows.

Someone already quoted that post on AWA. http://na.alienwarearena.com/forums.../the-unanswered-question-about-the-180w-psu/2

 

*deleted (formatting weirdness!)

 

Ok, so what's the significance of that?

 

That just quoting his post isn't going to do much.
Then again, it was quoted recently.

 

The link was just a link to an Alienware forum - that doesn't mean or prove anything. If anyone wants to know if Frank's post carries any weight, then they need to be firstly having problems getting the 240W PSU off Dell, and secondly they would need to link Frank's post to Dell Customer Service or whoever they're dealing with, and then if they subsequently received the 240W PSU we will have known it works to quote Frank's post. I don't understand the significance of your post still. (Can't believe I'm explaining logic, what a waste of time and forum clutter!)

((post #233)):
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ger-frank-azor-anything-on-awa.770195/page-12

 

Sigh... never mind. It's at least another place to quote.

 

Ok first I loved my alienware 17. I didn't want buy another brand . But I wanted to upgrade my 17 to the latest graphics card. I bought a 980m and tried and ran into problems and compatability issues. No support from dell. So I put old graphics card back in and sold 980m and started to look for a new laptop. First I looked a dell offerings. And to be honest dell has nothing to offer me anymore compared to the other competitors. So sad to say I packaged up my alienware 17 yesterday morning and shipped it of to its new owner. I ordered a new sagar/clevo because they still offer what I want in a laptop. I went with alienware when I bought my 17 because they offered what I wanted
in a laptop back then. But that was then and this is now. It's still hard to believe they can go from something so great to something so not great so fast.

This is just my opinion and I know everyones is different and what is not great to me might be great to someone else.
Just wanted to share my thoughts.

 

And a third apostle cuts out for Clevo, me too!

I've suggested this would be a good time for some aggressive anti-AW adverts by Clevo/Sager. Plenty of dissasitfied customers crying out to give their reviews of AW's latest offerings...

 

I really like Clevo, they make good computers. My wife is actually from Taiwan and it would be easy to get support from them if I were to go there.

 

While I know OEMs should of pushed back on Intel about this the fact remains that Intel has no plans for a socket laptop CPU currently. Haswell was the last of them, Skylake is going to be BGA.

 

While this is very true, there is no need to cripple a CPU because it is soldered. Hydrid madness.

The factories in the far flung corners of the globe are as much to blame as anyone else. They get pressure from western governments to clean up their act, be more energy efficient. Soldering is far more efficient than sockets, even though the noxious gasses and emissions are roughly the same. There is even the saving on gold. Simplify the production line and the data looks better...

 

So, I think I remember someone said desktop CPUs do not work well in laptops. Here's an example of not working well.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5826830

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/9405275

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/5218884

 

Intel does exactly what we and the OEMs allow them to get away with. If they have no plans for socketed CPUs in laptops, the best response from gamers and performance enthusiasts is to refuse to buy laptops with their soldered filth installed. If all of the OEMs that make gaming laptops lose billions of dollars in sales that vaporize and Intel can't move the filth out of their warehouses, they will pay attention and stop acting stupid. The smart OEMs that care more about their customers than going along with Intel's plan for failure are using socketed desktop CPUs. The environmental wackos can decline into well-established third world countries that have no "energy efficient" laptops available if they are hell bent on getting all jacked up about their retarded hoax agenda. They would be better off fabricating some other kind of bogus crisis, because their current earth-worshiping religion is a bunch of baloney. This is all about padding the bank accounts of key players, not about "efficiency" just like the idiotic CFL versus incandescent light bulb farce.

 

Wow. Impressive! I like the DT cpu and SLI, I like the speccs of this machine. Just don't like the design of it. But impressive! Wow, now I wished AW made a SLI of these!

 

If Dellienware had created a new Alienware 18 with socket desktop processor and dual mmx gtx980m would this the laptop sold very very well.

 

Easily! Even with Soldered SLI (for me)

 

Killselfpls

 

Yeah please kill yourself. What's the point in buying 3k $$$ worth DTR if you can't even upgrade it. Give me cash and I can buy new Alienware every 2 years if you want but that's a nonsense.

 

Mr. Fox, that's crazy... Look at that graphics score, lol!