M15x & M17x Touchpad cursor movement & polling rate problems

Haha don't worry guys, you "should' be able to have A08 by next week. They are still tweaking and testing (hence what I'm doing) but they think that a rev version should be available next week.

 

Given that we've all been unhappy with less than fully tested BIOS's in the past, and given that there is a valid BIOS in testing now, I think it's fair to be grateful and a little more patient so they can test fully and not have 50 messages in the forums the day after the release saying what got broken.

Test away folks, and let's be sure this fix is a solid one.

 

OH!!! And did I happen to mention that this is the BIOS that fixes throttling? Well that's what I'm told.

 

Installed the beta last night also seeing the same - polling rates seem MUCH improved - below
(I am using the windows default drivers)

 

This is good news. Considering what most people use a trackpad for anything over 60hz is ideal cos the screen wouldn't show anymore anyway.

 

So, there is hope

 

I wouldn't call it hope seeing as how it is a reality. But yes, there's "hope"

 

I hope A08 will fix throttling too..

 

I'm being told that it will. (that's what I'm running right now, A08)

 

Can you try A08 with nvidia 260m..see whether throttling occurs or not..

 

I don't have a 260m... You could always send me one for free! Haha just kidding. You will have to wait til next week I suppose.

 

is that what it shows - ? (what they sent me has some random number lol )
either way looooving it = ) - such a difference

 

I'm not sure what it says, I will let you know when I'm back in front of my computer.

 

Actually, for the touchpad - the ideal rate is 80Hz. Nothing to do with the display. All other laptops I have checked have a 80-90Hz range which is fine.

For the throttling, lets keep those posts to the throttling thread. Thanks guys.

 

My 1710 is in the 80-85 area. Has always behaved fine in that way.
Good MS mouse is 120-125 though

 

Interesting my mouse has a 1000Mhz polling rate

I found that when using Momentum with glide that the polling rate is actually in the 90-115 mhz range compared to 20 mhz

 

The new bios will poll at 60Hz with the Synaptics drivers installed. Aparently it polls around 80Hz with the windows drivers.

 

Be careful, I had to do a clean install on my computer because after the first restart after flashing the BIOS (not the restart right after the flash, but after I used the computer and stuff, then restarted). I kept blue screening on startup and tried to rebuild the MBR and tried startup repair, chkdsk, everything. No dice. :/

 

Hmmm.. I dont think that has anything to do with the bios.
That has never happened to me and I have had a few revisions.
Are you sure you let the BIOS flash the EC too?
It could have been just coincidence and something might have happened during a shutdown or something.
Thats the only thing I can think of.

 

Yeah I know it doesn't sound like the BIOS. Idk what it could have been. All that matters is that it's fixed now!

 

Because if you big enough to complain, if there is a fix you have to be equally big enough to say

Thank you Chris and Dell

 

Haha definitely ^

 

I'll stay with "Thank you Chris and Brian" in that case.

What should I thank Dell for? For selling me a $2300 laptop with a barely functioning touchpad? For a customer support (excluding couple of their guys here) with an IQ level of a dead fly? For paying for warranty, and sending "on site technicians" with less knowledge of these laptops than an average toddler in the kindergarden..... you got the point.

But at least the hinges on that one seem ok... (even tho I don't really close it nowhere near as often as m11x)

Btw, where did you download the beta BIOS from?

 

How did you get the beta BIOS? Man... I want 'em...

 

I'm getting sustainined rates of 60-70 with the new A08 BIOS, depending on the system. This equates to the rate I see on an Adamo, a Mini 10 and several Latitude systems near my cube.

I think the BIOS is supposed to go live tomorrow, but I'm still waiting for confirmation from engineering. I'll post a message here once it is promoted.

Thx.

 

Looking forward to A08.Thank's for the update,Can you elaborate in what has been done on the engineering side to achieve this polling rate?

 

Thank you agian Brian for the update

 

Thank you Brian! I can't wait!

 

thanks again Brian, i too am curious as to what was needed to be done engineering side.

 

I'd be interested to know what they had to fix in the BIOS, too.

 

Thanks for the update Brian. First Apple's event, now this- looks like tomorrow should be fun

 

I wasn't very involved in this from a technical standpoint, but my understanding is that the EC code specific to the touchpad was improved and cleaned up, which dramatically improved the refresh rate...

I spoke to engineering briefly about this today and they mentioned that we should be able to get this posted some time this week. I'll post here when it goes live.

 

Thanks for the information

SAUCE

 

always bother about touchpad..the touchpad confirm already have solution's now...please focus on m15x throttling..do something about it..ask the engineer what are they really doing to solve throttling problem..dont just be proud by solve the touchpad problem to cover up throttling which are the main problem..cheerss..

 

Hi guys,

Im off to kenya tomorrow so i asked brian for the bios in advance and he amazingly went out of his way to get it for me. Its still only the beta and not the release but i just wanted to ask all who has used it, does it say x37 bios? and WTH have i still got a polling rate of 20hz

Dont get me wrong its obviously an error on my part as it is working for others

 

Double check your current BIOS by typing "System Information" in the start menu and mid way down it will tell you. It should say "Alienware X37"

 

Yeah, i think it was just a failed flash, dont have the time to fault find tonight, im on a plane to kenya tomorrow i just really hope i can get an internet connection there! lol

Can i just run a07 from the download site to revert?

 

Haha well I guess another user was having trouble with the winflash that he included so I would recommend using a bootable jump drive.

As far as reverting, yes just download it from dell's site.

 

Dude that was me! Ha, there was a mis-communication and I ended up with the m17x, suffice to say it wouldn't take.

I flashed it with a bootable USB but the phlasher program
Wouldn't pick it up until I renamed it bios.wph.

 

Haha woops. Shows how much I pay attention to names. So it works now? I used the win98 boot files and ran the batch file, the rest was taken care of automatically.

 

EC code is embedded controller code?

 

Yep, that's the one
In M17x-R2 case it's the ITE IT8512E LPC controller.

 

So where's the bios?!

 

Not out yet

 

Hiding around the corner

 

What about the M17x? Is there a Bios coming out for it as well? I have only seen stuff about the M15x A08 bios, but nothing about the M17x. Did I miss anything?

It always is

 

Almost complete.
current status: BIO

They are still looking for the "S" from their storage room to complete the BIOS

 

^^ zzzz must be the early morning but my first impression of your post was ?

just sat there scratching my head till i got it and then facepalmed.

 

^^ I am running a beta for the m17x MLK (R2) so should be fine I guess =)

 

I'm still working with engineering to get the new BIOSes released for the M15x and M17xR2. I'm hoping that it will be this week, but it might push out to early next week due to vacations around the long weekend. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

M17x is coming, but I don't have an ETA for it yet...