Download the new M17 B13 BIOS here!!!!!

Here ya go, thought I'd make it easier for everyone to get the new M17 B13 Bios:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IWS2U9PC

I accept no responsibility for any damages.

This Bios in mainly intended to provide support for 8Gigs of memory in a M17 with a 64 bit OS. To a lesser extent, it also provides greater system stability to help correct stuttering issues sometimes experienced with quad cores.

This is what is posted along side the new BIOS at the Alienware site:

M17 Bios B13
This BIOS image update is presented in a Nero format, and may be used to create a bootable CD-ROM with all the necessary files to flash your BIOS. Apply this update ONLY if you are experiencing problems with your system.

Before you run the BIOS update:

* Make sure that your computer has the battery and the AC-Adapter connected
* Disconnect any third party peripherals connected to the computer
* Do NOT turn the computer off during the BIOS update
* Do NOT restart the computer during the BIOS update
* Do NOT eject the CD-ROM from the drive during the BIOS update

CAUTION: Improperly updating or flashing the BIOS CMOS chip on a motherboard can damage it to the point of rendering it useless. Accordingly, you should perform this BIOS update only with the assistance of an Alienware technical support agent. Performing this BIOS update without such assistance will void your system's warranty.

 

i'll try it later as i am busy but i will report later what happens.

 

thanks alot! will try when i get off work. My "myhive" wont let me sign in so u saved my life +rep

 

No problem. Happy to help!

 

thank you

 

Tell the results when you test it guys
Im still gonna wait if Asi can provide us with a bios that actually allows overclocking.. i dont wanna be chained to setfsb which isnt that great in my oppinion..

And thanks for the link Rob! Id rep you but i dont know how..

 

true i don't want to use setfsb either.

 

I too would like to OC only the CPU and not the entire FSB.

 

hmmm im going to wait and see if it actually helps the m17 first. No reason for me to get it since i have no stuttering atm. So hurry guys and post some results!!!! lol

 

I'd try the new BIOS but I've got the X9100 and no stuttering.

 

can you try setfsb and see how far you get. it should be the same but just software is being used.

 

so would you not recommend upgrading to this BIOS "IF" YOU HAVE NO ISSUES" with your system?

 

I have no issues so I'm not going to use the B13 Bios. There is no reason to.

That's usually ehat OEM's/manufactures recommend as well.

There is always a risk, albeit small, that something can go wrong during the process. That's why Alienware wants this to be done while in contact with Tech Support.

With that said, you may want to give A.W. a call to see what they advise.

Alienware Rose, Armando, what are the official recommendations regarding the B13 Bios?

 

well i don't see any release notes on the bios to see if it fixes anything else.

my advice is that people who do not stutter don't need to try this bios. but if you do stutter then go right ahead but make sure you post your results.

remember i don't want to be held responsible for a bad flash. but the chances of it happening is so low. i flash so many computers and i have flash my whitebook about 10 times and i'm still good.

 

FYI, I just got off the phone with Adrian at Alienware Tech Support and this is what he had to say about the B13 Bios.

" The main focus of the M17 B13 Bios is to provide support for 8Gigs of memory in the M17 in a 64 bit environment now that 8Gigs is an option in these (M17) laptops."

" To a lesser extent, the B13 Bios may help improve system stability and correct stuttering issues."

Hope this helps.

EDIT: Adrian also confirmed that if you are not experiencing any stuttering or you aren't going to install 8Gigs of memory in your M17, that you should not install the B13 Bios. If you do install the new Bios, he of course said, you should contact Tech Support first.

 

That doesnt really sound promising.. and from what zfactor wrote on the other thread, that the voltage adjustments havent changed, i seriously doubt they even tried to fix the stuttering.. just needed a new bios for 8gb it seams.. hope im wrong but i doubt it.. perhaps the next release if there will be one eh?

 

i guess your right. i wish i wasn't so busy othewise i would try it. if they did fix it it would be a big anoucement.

 

All we really need is one or two people who have the stuttering problem with their quad core to test this new Bios.

Although it may not sound promising, there's only one way to find out for sure.

 

Wow, months of hearing about this so-called "stuttering" issue and not one person to test the new Bios?

Guess we should take out a help wanted ad! lol

 

i tested it, it made my stuttering come back!!!!!! im getting rid of it now. Plus using setfsb the max OC is 2.8ghz only. I will never leave my ocz bios. it only uses a cpu voltage of 1.275 vs ocz's 1.3v

 

really i didn't notice that about the bios.

great job alienware.

 

Can we get anyone else to try the new B13 Bios so we can see if these results are consistent?

 

just what i thought it undervolted to fix it !!!!

 

can you explain your theory?

 

AW uses a lower voltage on the CPU .....

i am gonna upgrade and see if my voltage stays the same and see .....


not sure what im thinking right now
just woke up

 

well the stuttering isn't caused by the voltages. i can tell you that. becuase when i had it. i went to the 6x multiplier which was 1.6ghz and i was still stuttering like no other. i also up'd the voltage to see if that will fix it to the max and still nothing.


the only way that threoy would be proved right is if only when we overclock and get to a curtain clock speed and it does it. that's whenstuttering would occur and then we would have to wait for them to do something about it.

 

I have a hunch that your myhive wont let u sign in is really because the site it weird and you have to press the login button. Pressing enter resets the page! Hope that helped

 

Did you try undervolting?

Also, is the CPU the only component that can have is voltage effected by a Bios?

 

no the GPU can as well

modify the GPU bios and then reflash it

the increased voltage will let you overclock the GPU's more just like a cpu

 

the GPU's can as well modify it and the re flash it and the increased voltage will let you overclock further

 

Guys how do you explain this: when i start to stutter i just pull out the power cable and plug it back in and the stutter is gone! It doesnt appear again than for a while..

 

I think you're touching on the key element here that most of us don't really understand. I'll stick with my original prediction of bad/lack of power distribution...

 

At least in your case and a few others, it is most certainly is a voltage related issue.

In my last post I was trying to elude to the fact that there are many things effected by the Bios other than the CPU and GPU's.

Static electricity could cause the stuttering. Some of the 15X guys had problems too until they started using anti-static sprays or cloths.

The charging circuit could cause the stuttering. If the AC adapter is unplugged, then the charging circuit isn't sending voltage to the battery.

The Bios could be at fault by not giving the proper instructions to any piece of hardware. The hardware only functions within the parameters of the instructions given to it by the Bios.

From what I've seen, it's not an overheating issue, I've seen the posted temps by many here and they are well within safe ranges.

It's difficult to troubleshoot electrical issues so you might want to start with the easiest things first.

I'd try installing the new Bios, no harm no foul. If that doesn't correct the stuttering, try an anti-static product.

Good luck HellCry

 

If it was static it would make sense that my P8400 would also stutter but it doesnt.. ill try the bios perhaps if Asi wont be able to give us anything but i sure hope that wont be my last resort.. i can also try the anti static spray but i dont even know where to get it in my country and how to use it..

 

Just out of curiosity, Is anyone running on 110V AC, or are we all 220V AC?

 

You might try grounding your chassis to a good ground just to test.

Marvie, I'm on 110 but I don't have the quad or the stuttering.

 

There's this thing about the "north bridge" component that overheats which causes the quads to stutter. If he's pulling the AC adapter out to "fix" his issue, it's plausible the system is downclocking itself while on battery, lessening the heat output and suppressing the stutter.

There are several people who have modded their machines to allow for better heat dissipation on the north bridge. Search the forum with the keywords "copper mod" and "northbridge" for more information. Could be useful over and above the firmware and only if you're brave enough to risk voiding your warranty.

- F

 

If you read through the quad problems thread and project freeze youd see i actively contributed and moded my system already.
And about your theory that the system is downclocking on battery; i set up the power profile for the battery the same as plugged in so i made sure it doesnt downclock. That is not it. The northbridge does not overheat. Rob has alot higher temperatures on his northbridge and cpu with x9100 and doesnt stutter.

 

Sneaky said it right. The only possible explanation is that the computer is changing its power profile from "On External Power" to "On Battery Power" and therefore resets something that was potentially causing the issue to begin with.

 

I believe that's very correct HellCry. IMO, it has nothing to do with the northbridge getting too hot.

Although there is no temp sensing diode in the northbridge, an overheating NB would also be reflected in a rise in CPU temps. This is due to the very close proximity of the two, not from convection, but rather from conduction on the Heatsink. Because the distance of the heat pipes is so short between the two, heat conducted by the heatpipe from the NB would be reflected in the form of higher temps on the cpu. We haven't seen elevated temps using HWmonitor that would indicate a heating issue.

 

I've only browsed through the thread. Very little time to go through it all, but when I received my machine stock, I was plagued by non-stop stutter. I virtually never get it now, after disabling all manner of services that start during bootup. I used msconfig for that.

- F

 

Well that's a good point, even Alienware initially told us to do this to see how it worked. Only problem is, the computer ought to be able to handle it all and then some. I should be able to play a game and render a video while burning a DVD with this rig. All you're doing is lessening the load on the processor.
Although I do still get a kick out of "vitually never"...

 

True that, but we're performance s, aren't we? We should be killing off everything but the least amount of services needed to keep us running. That way no cruft gets in the way of all the important stuff we want to run.

I used to do that with my XP machines and the difference in overall performance was astounding. I used BlackViper's guides back then to do it. One of these days I'll cut the fat off my installation and see how she runs.

- F

 

I too use Black Vipers guide with excellent results on my last remaining XP computer.

He also has a guide for Vista rigs as well.

 

hell cry, what is on your north bridge now? nothing?

when halogod was stuttering he had nothing there. also i before this whole thing happened, had a torn pad. it was in three pieces. although i had it on my t9400. i don't remember if i was stuttering.


hell cry, use your p8400 with nothing touching the northbriddge, this may or may not stutter because of the physical difference of the chip.


also can you try it with out your battery in.

my system was just sold so i can no longer try physical things myself but i am replacing the copper and thermal paste in it. i am going to use a fine cut piece and see what happens. i don't think i will do it tonight. (as5 worked better then mx-2 for me on the northbrigde.

 

It's looking more and more like there are different causes for different people.

Unplugging the AC adapter works for a few.

The new B13 Bios has worked for at least two so far. And did nothing for others.

The copper mod has worked for some as well.

With all the variables and different fixes it seems unlikely that only one culprit is responsible in every instance.

This would also explain why (even with all the exhaustive work you guys have done) it seems like we're chasing our tails on this one.

 

Im selling my rig. Ive had enough. What do you think i can ask for it? With a qx9300 (got an oem too so dont think of qs prices) and how much would it be worth with a p8400?
For reference prices in europe are different than us. Alienware.co.uk price for the same new rig as mine with qx9300:3.216,00 EUR = 4.581,84 USD.

 

hell cry you to.

 

well im sorry to see you all selling up, i contacted alienware and informed that they sold me the alienware with unlimeted upgrade possiblities????? erm 4870? bit limited to me that is.... plus i also informed them that maybe i could go to trading standards as when quadcore in the laptop it does do what its meant to, i.e like you say i should be able to watch a movie burn video play games all at the same time ( within reason i know) but even trying to play just one game and normall resorces in the background...

THE LAPTOP ISNT FIT FOR PURPOSE

so maybe i can get my money back as it wont do what it says on the tin.

waiting to see what they come back with.

i do think its a power problem myself.

 

Man, sorry to say it, but this is why I cringe every time someone recommends a quad in this rig to prospective buyers. Which is more often than not, what happens.