*Dell-Alienware & AW Legacy Replacement Systems-Warranty Repair Issues*

Thanks for the quick replies. I have a pretty stock m17x system; 2.4 core 2 duo, 4G RAM 1033, 1440 x 900 resolution screen, 260M SLI, with 1 year standard warranty. Paid around $2200 for it. The stuttering is so random that I'm afraid if I call tech support about it they'll think I'm making it up.

 

Haven't thought about that. thx

 

OK. My R1 is doing great-mostly. Had 1 black screen last night for the first time in about a month. Other issue I have is freezing in games. Only really played 1 or 2 but the one that does it often is (Don't laugh) Command and Conquer Generals:Zero Hour. Any known isssues with that game or ideas? Drivers are 257.21, BIOS AO4

 

od37 - no they won't that is the number 1 problem with thr R1's need to get on this and explain you are aware that lots of people are having this problem and you want your system to work as advertised.

 

pmassey - have you run any bench test's? 3dmark06 free, and Heaven 2.1 and let us know the results. the stutter, BSOD, and freezing are problem with the R1.

 

If I still have issues after I have my 260M replaced again I think I'll have to start asking those hard questions. Thanks for the replies I'll keep you all posted.

 

I did a while back. I know C&C is old and figured it may have been a DX issue or something. No probs with the actual graphics, just a random freeze for 4-5 seconds and then right back at it. I'l post a SS of 3D Mark 06 in a few. It'll do it about every 5 minutes as long as I'm playing. Wierd!!!!

 

Thanks ya it should not freeze in games, even under stress. After all they are Gaming Systems.

 

agreed with alienwolf; the R1 is notorious for stuttering issues. Keep at the testing. I tested the Area51 m17X constantly (well some breaks of course) for days until I could safely say it was a consistent issue. Not that I stressed the system but I kept trying to find the exact circumstances that they occured and I could repeat the steps while talking to a tech. My issues were overheating so that was easier but my repaired system suffered from unexplained stuttering in game as well as overheating gpus. Make sure you have HWinfo32 or another such hardware monitoring software running so that you can monitor temps, cpu, etc.

 

Yeah. HWinfo, GPU-z, CPU-z, EVGA Precision. Just ran this

My daughter unplugged the AC about halfway through for 15-20 seconds or so on the Canyon Flight. But no stutter issues. Only thing is after I ran it, I had IE minimized and when I maxxed it from Rocketdock, the screen flickered, then turned a light blue(sky) and froze. But that could be from the power issue (unplugging). I'll test the crap out of it tonight and post some results. Gotta go play with the kids and wife before I get in trouble.

 

@pmassey - Yeah I didn't mention all the testing software because I think we'll get snubbed a bit if we go into too much on this thread. - I benchmarked with various software but the biggest tell for the stutter for me was my Crysis game - full version. I believe it costs about 15US dollars at Amazon and it is soooo worth it to find your issues. I had stuttering and artifacting within the game in random areas then while using monitoring software I could pin down whether cpu, gpu, temperature etc was causing the massive fps drops.
PS - don't you love it when the kids help with the testing process?

 

Infernia, I spoke to my rep on tues 27th 15.30 to confirm the booking....half hour later got a call from an AW rep telling me that they are going live with the x40's within days....emailed my rep back but he had gone for the day.
Obviously he got mail the next day and replied back "sorry - cant change anything as its been booked - even if you wanted to pay extra" - which i found really offensive, i mean afterall, its MY laptop they are building they way I want it to be built. Seems like they are being very awkward. All i want is for the new chip to be put in instead of thhe 820...on the UK site, there is no price difference so i just thought it would take just an email to get my order ammended....apparently not and too much hassle for a rep to go to....

I even told him BEFORE they had been released in the UK that they were getting released in 1 or 2 days and i was proved right but he would not have it at all....kept saying " no we dont know anything...could be months away, you need to book now"

I really am cheesed off over it, i know its not a massive step up but as it doesnt cost any more, its a step that i feel i may as well have and the way i feel about it at the moment is that im just being stone-walled.

Have fired off several emails to various people explaining this and what i would like to have done....gotta wait now, see how amicable or flexible they will be.

I dont mind extra waiting time, im not that bothered over a week or two....just as long as my system is set up as sweetly as it possibly can be...

I dont think that is too much to ask from a customer view point....although this is Dell so who knows...maybe they think im after the world.

 

@Stevie - I really suggested you offering the price difference as a gesture of going the extra distance. Since there really isn't a 'price difference' it may have just been a re-stocking/reorder fee that was the difference. Like I said it was meant to be a gesture of 'you' making a sacrifice for your own happiness since they provided you with the upgrade to the 820. And by doing so it possibly could have gained you the trade.
In my experience thus far... returning parts, ordering parts with reps, returning systems, reordering systems cancelling orders etc. There really is 'VERY' little wiggle room for them to perform things that you and I would find as 'common sense' or a simple click of the button.
Because they have put in your order, it may be a huge process to cancel and reorder. It may involve going through a supervisor or even higher just to do something that we see as benign.
Logically the 820 = 840 in price so why not include it? I am just saying what seems easy to us, may require an act of God for a Dell rep to pull off.
I wish you luck. I can't say one way or another that if this M17X R2 is havinig problems when I finish testing it... that I won't be as angry if not more. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed, pulled out my rabbit's foot. etc.

 

The biggest problem with asking to change an upgrade is they don't like it. I tried several times during my replacement. My rep explained to me it is not their desire to replace parts at my request to please me or at my expense. The process is to repair the system and not the time to be making change's. It was purchased with certain spec's they are doing their best to replace it and it causes problem's when people start changing their minds. I could see his point, once an order is placed production is started, and when you call Oh ya I want this instead, the order now becomes a Dell outlet item. All units are special build as stated on the site all Dell out let items are either returned by the customer opened or unopened are refurb's. All ordered but canceled and do not make shipping are as like new not refurb sold as unopened. Hope this puts a little light even if you don't agree with their procedure's.

 

Good deal. I wasn't plugging them, just saying I had it. And love the kids all the time. Just wish I could get them to leave my $3300 toy alone.

Don't have Crysis but I have a friend that does. May try it out. About the most graphic intensive I have is CoD:MW or BF2:BC. Got Need for Speed-Carbon, Shift and Undercover, but they run pretty good maxxed. Reckon I'll just keep tryin'.

 

Thanks for those words...i did offer to pay more for my own happiness but was told that even if i was preapred to do so, it would not be possible....i have just finished firing off another email to them about this...im not holding my breath, it would be nice, it would show they think of their customers but who knows.....

Wishing you luck with your new system! - hope you dont have any problems after testing!

 

I gusses no one wanted to here that.

 

Yeah i can see where you are coming from Wolf.....and i totally agree.....

My only gripe is that i told my rep of the forthcoming cpu's and he denied knowledge of it...i tild him thhey would be out within days...he said no.....i agreed a replacement on that basis (even though i had been told they were gonna hit in days)......

Now they have hit, i am quite mad at dell.....for obvious reasons.....

And besides, i told my rep about the changes within hours....all i got was "its been booked - cant change it".....i hardly think it was in production, more like too much work.

I could understand it more if i changed my mind say, 5 or 6 days after i had a confirmation but i havent even had a booking confirmation yet and i am still getting thhe runaround regarding this.

Its not like im asking for the world but i may as well be or so it seems.

 

Maybe with luck they will come around.

 

Hahahaha, i very much doubt it matey! but who knows.

 

Awwww... I like hearing from you. Your words of wisdom and witty humor... I think I have the smiley's backwards. But back on topic, I pretty much have encountered the same thing over the past 6months. It seems so easy for them to do, it won't cost a penny, but it isn't necessarily as easy as it seems. Many times it requires a lot of work to do simple things. Which is why I'm keeping my 920XM because the difference is clock speed only (with the 940XM) So, the hassle was far too much (both for me and for the sales rep) to cancel, wait, reorder etc. Especially after my awesome discount. I wasn't going to push my luck.
During the repair process of my Area51, I did request an upgrade at my own expense. The tech rep said yes but then later declined because it simply wouldn't work. So, it's not totally out of the realm of possibilities just very unlikely based on everything you said.

 

Hey guys,
Apparently the singapore dell website now only offers single 5870 and crossfire 5870s for the m17x. Seems like the 4870s are history. Plus they do not offer anymore R1s and there are no core i5s and below. All the processor options are at least i7s x40s. Furthermore, all the screens are 1200p rgb led screens. I have high hopes for my replacement specs, if the replacement is approved. Are the US and UK sites offering the same things?

 

The US is still the same 15 and 17..

 

Seems like asia is ahead. Why is this so? any ideas?

 

*whistle*

Okay, I waited WAAAAY too long then to get back to Corp.

I sent an e-mail to them on Friday just before the weekend after 10 days with no reply, straight up asked for a replacement this time since the previous rep only commented on my slated GPU replacement and not on any of the other myriad problems that make the system unusable- and I mean legit unusable, not just for gaming, but as in it doesn't boot without crashing unless it's plugged in (regardless of vid drivers) and even then can't do anything with overheating and stuttering and BSOD'ing.....

Here's hoping they say yes....really sucks trying to be a film student with nothing to actually work on the raw footage with at home, and I hate Macs, which is all the lab has....

 

Anyone know an approximate time frame on when i should hear something about my Full System Exchange? I mean it was approved and put through last Thursday, I was just curious how long I should expect to see specs and a time frame on completion. Is there a way to check through their website?

 

I dont think you can check via web site...i am in the same position....had a spec confirmed on wednesday for a completely new build replacement...was told i would get some kind of booking confirmation email (specs i presume) within 3-4 working days......

Havent heard a thing.....

 

Have any of you experienced flickering when connecting the m17x to an LCD TV? Mine does it randomly. SOrry if im posting this in the wrong thread.

 

OK great news guys,
My corp rep just called to confirm the replacement and he said he would sent me the specs before wednesday. Hope it would be good.

 

Any guess what will my specs be?

 

Id imagine you would get an 820qm (or 840qm if available) and crossifre 5870's as a minimum on an R2 for your old spec....as for ram, who knows if they are in a kind mood

I'd imagine like for like optical drives and hard drives.....

I guess it really depends on "who you get" to do it ..... fingers crossed for you , i hope yo get a good spec and keep us all posted on it when the email hits!!!

 

Hey stevie,
Hope I can get what you said, i would be extremely contented to get those specs!

 

What about you stevie? Do you have finalized specs on your monster?

 

Well, you had the best video cards in the 280m's and a pretty fast cpu so I would imagine the 5870's would be like for like and as for cpu, as you didnt have an extreme cpu, its unlikely you would get a 929/940 so next best would be 820qm if they are feeling good !!

 

Well, verbally, yes. I have been told it will be exactly the same as my 3wk old baby detailed below but with a cpu and ram upgrade to 820qm and 6gb repectively.

As we speak, I am trying to get hold of someone at corporate to "try" and negotiate that they drop in the 840qm as it was launched 2 days ago in the UK.....im not holding out much hope but as it doesnt cost any more at all, i would think they could do something about it as my systems was only booked the other day and i havent had any confirmation emails / order number through yet...hoping its do-able...

 

@Beef, Just specualtion on the cpu front by me for you....i say 820qm as i imagine that they would "give" you something and as the newer 840's are out and about, they may have more of the 820qm to "throw about"

 

Hey stevie,
Yeah, i guessed they would give me the 820s instead. Good luck on your side for the upgrades. I would say the upgrades are already pretty neat and a jump to the 840s would be a bonus. Hope you can get what you want!

 

Thanks Beef, I will keep posting with updates....Good luck!

 

You too mate!

 

Tell you what, when I hook mine to HDMI it is fine. But I hooked it to a projector yesterday and it pretty much locked it up! OK. Windows Explorer quit working and I had to kill the task then manually restart it. No big deal, just seems wierd.

When I reconnected it the second time, it was fine. So maybe it's just an itializing thing. Not sure.

 

Thanks alienwolf and infernia for the help. I did send an email Thursday afternoon. I have yet to hear back. I'll give it until this Thursday but if I don't hear back from anyone by then what should my next course of action be?

 

@amodar - I wouldn't wait the whole week. Granted you sent an email on a Thursday and giving them 2-4 working days is reasonable, but don't wait the whole week.
I noticed that when my representative finally contacted me, it wasn't 24-48 hours, more like 3 days; the email had a person from corporate forwarding the email to a critical issues representative within the message. I don't know their policy but in my case it went through two departments before I heard back.
My advice is to give them until Tuesday and if you haven't heard anything email them again. Let us know because if that gets you no where then it is time to write a more forceful, but polite email. Still that is a last resort and I really think you will hear from them before it ever comes to that. Good luck

 

This is interesting. I got my order number for my 3rd system replacement today. This one is a brand new build.

It is yet another R1 with the exact same specs as my first computer.

So it seems not everyone gets an R2! I don't really care about that as it is still quite an upgrade over my first computer from them, however I have little hope that number 3 is gonna work better then the first 2!

 

Have another question also...

Which do you think is the better proc... the Q9000 or the T9600? 2ghz 4 core compared to a 2.8dual core? Seems like the huge clock speed advantage is the way to go?

 

@dissident - I have heard good things about the Q9000. But I didn't own either the T9600 or the Q9000 so I can't offer up anything more than what I have read on this forum.
I would totally test this thing with everything that could possibly make it stutter. I believe the user Elkay has built up an impeccable argument against the R1's design and why it is impossible to keep it from occuring but... without going back and reading the threads where he discussed this in detail; I am working off of memory alone.
And yet there are users out there that would argue that their system works perfectly. Keep us up to date.
@everyone - I am still waiting for the laptop cooler before I put the M17X R2to the test. It would seem that Newegg can be slow at delivery on occasion.
It should be here tomorrow,

 

Just a quick update for you guys if your interested....i got a replacement spec thru yesterday....was all good until i realised its said "single 5870" as ooposed to the c/f 5870 i had originally....

On the phone/email again to corporate.....thankfully before they shipped....they cant cancel it so its shipping to me anyways but they have placed a new order/new build for me today with the correct spec....

Looks like im gonna have my original system, the replacement system and then the replacement of the replacement system all at my home all at once.......any one think i should do a runner and leave the country? LOL

 

@stevie - You can't quite catch a break. Then again three alienwares at your house all at once? Lol nice vacation planned? Hope they do it right by you.

 

Hahaha, well i might just do (and could do with) a long holiday....i wonder how far almost £10,000 worth of laptop would get me......LOL

 

Well, Corp/Escalations put me through (the second time) to the Rep that originally handled my case waaaaaaaay back in Feb when all I had were stuttering issues and who approved swapping my 280's out for 4870's. Now going through the whole shebang of informing her of the whole power-supply-draw-screw-up thing that basically bricked the system and praying that they just approve an R2 replacement without trying to a) re-diagnose and re-test every part in the gorram machine and then replace them or b) push off yet another R1 that will just have the same issues AGAIN.

Also, @amodar- I waited a week to reply, and honestly, shouldn't have even done that. I concur with the 3-4 working day estimate. Otherwise, just ping 'em again.

 

I must have been lucky as when i sent my email to "the boss", i got a reply within 5 hours.....mind you, it has been an EXTREMELY long and hard battle to get what i deem to be fair out of them...