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

Issey,

tell me that Im not the only one who can see a huge step in performances between R1 and R2 .

 

just to give you an idea where you may end up ..

I was up-graded on the CPU, GPUs, Screen, some ppl even on the RAM

Soooo.....

 

Thanks. Does anyone know the likelihood of being upgraded to an R2? I don't really have a top of the line R1, but they've pretty much replaced most of what can be replaced and it just got worse. It will be nice to have a working laptop again . . .

 

Alrighty, here's where I actually meant to repost this:

Reposting here since it's more of an ongoing nightmare regarding one issue. Supposedly a tech supervisor is calling me but I'm really fed up at this point. This has been going on since May (the tech kept stalling with "we're still waiting on word from Dell about getting a new mobo sent out").

 

you are right for sure!!! ive playing games all day and its smooth as butter.

and the RGB is amazing! blue ray movies looks great...

im just happy i have a working m17x again

 

that is totally UNACCEPTABLE of dell...you could report them to the BBB for not honoring the warranty (if its valid).

 

Well, they sent out a new mobo but the same tech that wouldn't install it before was scheduled to do it this time despite them telling me he wouldn't have anything to do with it.

 

why not request for another tech to install it. you should be able to request this from dell.

 

I did. That's the issue now, lol

 

I've got an R1, and after several Tech calls, they are coming out to replace MB, Video cards, and screen. I have the T9600 2.8, and am running the GTX 260's SLI. Will they replace it with the same? Or would they use newer cards and MB when replacing them?

 

They will replace/swap out your old possibly faulty parts with the same specs.

Cheers.

 

Thanks Chief...

 

Or possible upgrades depending on what they have in stock.

 

Woohoo! Got an update, the system is in the final stage of production (so, testing I assume) and will ship by Friday. Coupled with the U2711 monitor I ordered the other day, this should be one balling setup.

 

ehehe oles nice great news chiefs. Top Stuffs.

Now you'd better go get some sleep till then lol. Cause you'll be missing some sleep once the Alien ship arrives lol.

I'm so tired right now lol. I've been playing Medal of Honor Tier 1

Cheers.

 

Heck yeah. I keep refreshing the status page every five minutes, double checking the specs to make sure they're real. Will the CF 5870's support the U2711's native resolution of 2560x1440? And furthermore, will games still run okay, or will I have to crank down some of the settings? I never liked AA (at such a high resolution it's practically unnecessary) so that should free up a lot of GPU power..

 

First I would like to thank everyone here for the help they've given (even though I haven't chimed in much it's been a great help).

Second I have a question. Could someone decrypt this for me and tell me what's going on and what will happen next?


Service Tag: [redacted]
System Type: Alienware Laptop M17x
Ship Date: 1/23/2010
Dell IBU: Americas

Service Call Summary

Description: ESCALATION: CUSTOMER
Service Call Number: [redacted]
Initiation Date: 10/11/2010
Last Updated: 10/12/2010 12:00:00 AM
Call Status: AUT
Call Type: EXG
Service Ship Date: Not available

 

RedViking, you will get an order placed soon if they are processing a replacement so check your order status daily.

 

You mean hourly, right?

 

On a serious note, where would I find the order number? Or just the generic 'all orders' on the Dell website under 'my account'?

Just to be clear, we are talking about an order status and not the service call status, correct?

Thanks again for the help!

 

Yep. That's where it'll appear. You can also check your dispatch status as well, but it will not show anything specific about your replacement's specs.

 

No worries buddy--do not pay any attention to the service call status page once you get your order number.. you may even find it in your Order Status page already.

 

Tech came out with the parts and installed them. Fired up the machine everything seemed fine, except I noticed sound wasnt working. I called Alienware back, they said the Tech probably didnt connext the wires. I then called the Tech and he said he did and everything was connected, and was probably a bad card. I then told ALienware that and they said they will send another card. I spoke to a Supervisor and he said they wouldnt send me a replacement, but was confident they could fix it and my computer would be trouble free. A couple hours later I fired it back up and within a few minutes the screen flickered white and crashed. I called back ALienware just so they could note it, and then proceeded to write the Unresolved issues an Email explaing what has happened and that I was dis-satisfied. We'll try the MB again and take it from there I guess. But at this point I'm pretty upset with Alienware/Dell for selling such a lemon and fixing it with lemon parts... Sorry had to vent

 

Virtually the same scenario happened to me. They gave me two options: depot, or replace the motherboard and probably go to depot anyway if it doesn't work. I chose the latter, and still had problems, so I called back and was firm with my case to get a replacement. I asked the service rep I spoke with to look through my case at the service calls and notes, and explained that I could not send my laptop away to god knows where for several weeks, while my employment required me to have my laptop available. It was approved then and there, and I've been (mostly) patiently waiting ever since. ;P

 

Thanks for the tip Superkyol. I guess what stuck with me was the Tech told me he's seen alot of issues with M17x's (he didn't say much the whole time he was here, but he did say that)
The Supervisor in Costa Rica told me there are very few issues with these machines. (I told him there's forums full of guys having issues) He said since I've had the machine for 1.5 yrs it's highly unlikely that I will get a replacement. Which, thank you for mentioning, I too have a history of calling them with issues almost from the week I got it. I will mention it to them. Hopefully I can get some resolve like you did.

 

Allright all, update on me-

I've got it. It's absolutely STUNNING. Night and day difference as had been mentioned by others. Only hiccup is for some reason my 285's are having drivers issues out the ying-yang, so when my rep (who is absolutely an absolutely spectacular fellow, so if any of the Dell higher-ups read this, please accept my commendations for Mr. Madhukar) called me up to ask if I was having any issues at all with the new machine, I mentioned it, and he is sending out 5870's in CrossFire for me by tomorrow. I'll pop those in, reinstall Windows, and should be good to go with it inside of two days.

Add that to the rumors flying about that 10.10 Catalyst drivers are on there way for laptops, and it's been a good week.

 

Great news! Is he sending you a tech or just the parts?

 

Totally swamped with projects, but I checked my email and saw an update to this thread that had your name and this post. I am so happy for you. It's been a long road but you are finally at the end.
Congrats!!!!
Hopefully by next week I can get back to the forums. Good luck all.

 

sweet deal, man! im happy for you...i know exactly how you feel getting your alienware back to working order!

 

I specifically asked him to just send the parts, so I'm doing the installation myself after what happened with the last tech- not that he was bad, just there is always a difference between a person handling a machine they have personal interest vested in and someone who doesn't. And I've gotten quite good at pulling these things apart.

Thanks for all the support everyone, and here is hoping that no crazy DPC-latency/throttling-esque issue crops up on the R2's in a few months...

 

Grats Praetorian! Glad you got your system. No word yet over here but I was told it would ship by today, I'll hold out for a few hours more before I call in. ;P

 

Quick update. I called today see if there has been any traction on my order and apparently it's been built and shipped (not to me, but to the US). The only thing it's missing is the 1920x1200 screen. Think I should hold out for that even though they are upgrading other things? These are the new specs:

1 224-8106 Nebula Red, Anodized Alum 1 1 99.00
1 310-0173 AIRBORNE DOCUMENTATION,SY 1 1 .00
1 313-8792 AlienFX Color, Quasar Blu 1 1 .00
1 313-8944 5.1 Channel Audio 1 1.00
1 313-8977 8X DVD+/-RW DL,QS,CNB 1 1 .00
1 317-3663 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 1 1 .00
1 317-5661 Intel Core i7 740QM, 1.73 1 1 1860.00
1 320-8854 17, WXGA+ 1440 x 900 (900 1 1 .00
1 320-9009 Nvidia GTX 285M,DUAL,1GB, 1 1 425.00
1 330-6175 Standard Nameplate 1 1 .00
1 330-6348 AUTO-UPDATES,ON, AW 1 1 .00
1 330-7841 Alienware M17x 240W A/C A 1 1 .00
1 342-0677 640GB Raid 0,2x 320GB,7.2 1 1 100.00
1 410-1883 Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 1 1 .00
1 420-6436 PC-RESTORE, DIM/INSP 1 1 .00
1 420-9691 DATASAFE LOCAL BACKUP 1 1 .00
1 421-1305 Nero Media Burning SW, AN 1 1 .00
1 421-1360 Steam with Portal 1 1 .00
1 421-1400 WIN 7 HOME PREM, 64, ENG, 1 1 .00
1 421-1573 Alienhead 3D 1 1 .00
1 421-1591 Alienhead 3D 1 1 .00
1 421-1721 SW,SFTCON,BSC,ANW 1 1 .00
1 421-2261 Alienware Command Center, 1 1 .00
1 430-0628 BLUETOOTH 2.1 1 1 .00
1 430-3688DELL WIRELESS 1520 WIRELE1 1 .00
1 464-7384 Exchange

 

You don't live in the US? How do you plan on sending your old machine back?
You could ask them to send a tech to install a WUXGA screen if you lived in the US.

 

I do live in the US. They built a new R2 for me and it had to be shipped from overseas to the distro center in the US. That's why even if you buy overnight shipping it takes a week. It is just in transit currently.

I think I will ask them to update the screen once I get it. They are supposed to give equal or better. I think each component should be >= not an average of the whole.

1440 != 1920

 

got the secondary ATI 5870 GPU failure (ta-da!!!) and its replacement underway
And the system is not even two weeks old yet. WTH DELL ???

 

I've been reading a lot about that happening. Especially with the 5870. It might be a coincidence but my second 260m did the same. Odd. I wonder if it's the way they are shoe-horned into the chasis.

 

I know right ...

Seeing all these failures and return/exchange rate I have to admit it reminds me of an Xbox360's ROD issue ...
Seems like there were some major design/production issues. I just never seen any other laptop being returned/exchanged, or have constant components replacements like that... It's just ... Well , I miss those days when it was labeled "Made in the USA"

 

Because other laptops aren't as complicated as the M17x. This and the Clevos are the only laptops capable of running dual gpu's. Talking about gpu's, I think these mobile gpu's are a lot more fragile than the desktop gpu's and have more driver issues. Dell doesn't even make these cards.

And besides, you could always ask to downgrade your 5870's for 4870's if you want a perfectly flawless system. I'm sure they still have those cards and they are still better than your previous 280's.

 

.:headdesk:.

Okay, I might be an idiot, but are 5870's in Crossfire actually two cards? Because the invoice I just received with the package says 'HD 5870 XT' but there is only one physical card in the package with a Crossfire Cable that goes to nowhere on it.

Am I missing something OTHER than the other card?

 

Yes they are two cards.

From what I understand there are three codes usually for gpu's. Both cards plus xfire/sli cable, Master card (either this has cable or next does), and slave card. So you might have received the master(or slave) with code card for xfire.

 

Okay, that's how it is with the Nvidia's, but having never had ATI's before I was doing a double-take thinking maybe they'd just doubled up the chips on a single card (like they sometimes do with desktop GPU's).

Alllllllright then....time to send another email and wait until at best Monday. Oh well, at least it's here.

Oh, before I forget- did anyone else not receive a return label with their machine? Mine just came in the standard new Alienware box, and was lacking the label, but my rep swears it should be in there...

 

Ask and he will send you a UPS label to your email.

 

mine didnt come with one either, i had to call and ask them to send me one

 

Brillliant. Thanks folks!

Now, more questions! Would it be possible for me to install the ATI card now, then do a clean wipe of the OS and reinstall everything, following the program for R2's with ATI cards found HERE, and then when the slave card comes just pop it in and switch my settings over to CrossFire?

I would like to get started using this machine this weekend, but don't see the point if I'm just going to have to do a clean wipe and reinstall everything again when I put the slave card in if that's a necessary step.

 

Sounds like you got a slave card instead of primary. Can you read me the part number? If it has the crossfire cable attached, then it is a slave card.

 

I just realized that too, which means I'm screwed until next week.

Oh well!

 

Don't they test these systems before sending them out? Yikes.. D:

Called my rep yesterday afternoon, he assured me the system would be shipped out that evening.. no dice, as usual. He says he's going to call me Monday with a tracking number, but I have my doubts.

 

So far I've been told "We'll call you on [insert time/date]" at least 6 times ... Guess how many I've actually been called. If you guessed zero, then you are absolutely correct! In fact they did it twice in one day! Pretty close to that with emails they will send me 'tomorrow' as well.

I've found you just have to keep calling them if you want anything accomplished. Good luck.

 

Well, looks like it has been shipped! No tracking # though, I guess it's in transit to the carrier first. At least things are moving along!

 

Just got a call from Dell / Purolator saying my shipment will arrive tomorrow sometime.. but the Purolator tracking status still says the package is in US transit via USA Linehaul from Texas.

...wat