M17X BIOS A01 Issue

Hey everyone,
I recently gave the new BIOS a test drive, and there's definitely something wrong with it. Do not install this bios! It will cripple your video driver and cause a dramatic drop in system performance.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

Any more details? I've already installed it and don't see any issues.

 

Hi Mandrake,
After installing the BIOS, the system lost the video drivers and started to reinstall them. After the video drivers were reinstalled, the system became rather sluggish. I attempted to restore the system, and the restore process took longer than normal. The chipset driver took a very long time (and the system started to become unresponsive). I suppose there could have been a mis-flash, but the system did boot successfully boot following the flash. I'm attempting to flash back to BIOS A00.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

i've been using the new bios since the day it came out and also have experienced no issues at all.

 

I'm still using A00, I have no reason to update the BIOS when there is nothing in the new one that makes it worth while.

 

Did you try a reinstall of the drivers? Which drivers are you using?

 

I installed it as soon as it came out and have no issues as well. All is very good!

 

yea it happened to me also when I update bios, bsod everytime, even with stock settings. I had to use drive sweeper and reinstall chipset and graphic driver. Now im stable again

 

Hi,
I re-verified that the BIOS installed correctly. Unfortunately, restoring the system from the DVDs was painfully slow (not normal). I attempted to install the chipset driver (which took about 15 minutes......again....not normal). The system is now back on A00 and running at normal speed.

I'm a little confused at to why it had such a big affect on the system. If Mandrake and others were able to install it successfully, then I can only assume that I had a misflash (which doesn't seem logical since the system would boot). I think I'm going to stay away from this BIOS.

Gabe

 

i have already notified upper tech at alienware and dell..if you do you MUST as other have said reinstall the drivers afterwards
what i am suggesting is to remove the gpu drivers run a reg cleaner then update the bios, after that you can reinstall the drivers after updating the bios. what i think is happening is some hardware in the system for some is different than others and is affecting it somehow

 

the bios changes some of the hardware settings for some devices and thats why windows wants to reinstall some hardware

 

I would strongly advise flashing back to version A00 for all those that are having issues. The old BIOS can be found here:

http://support.dell.com/support/dow...-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=315373

zfactor - Thanks for the help. This would be my 3,100th system flash. This flash definitely did not act normal.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

yea that would seem like the case, i was totally freaking out since my system was really unstable. And removing and cleaning the drivers, then reinstalling fixes it

 

if possible and you really want to flash this one start with a fresh system. then flash it then install everything after that. imo that would be the best way. though this update is really of no use at all unless you somehow have ati cards in your m17x, lol i recc staying with a00 for now.. i looked at a m17x tonight i had to recover for a freind of mine who flashed this and basically bricked it. i got it all running again for him and told him do not flash to this. also there are a lot of people here in the forums having issues with this bios as well after flashing

 

I actually flashed from a fresh system myself. I was still seeing abnormally slow performance.

Gabe

 

well then i would avoid it alltogether. his system seemed okay after a fresh install, but we went back to a00 anyway due to me saying i would not trust the new version. he is a client of mine and trusts my judgement

 

i love the new one

 

I got the same problem after flashed A01 bios, the performance dropped tremendously in any game or benchmark. I reinstalled the video driver then everything seems fine now.

 

This BIOS issue is indeed very strange. I can't last remember the day since Dell came out with a BIOS update that did not work properly. What the heck is happening to this company???

Seriously, don't they intensively test the drivers and BIOS updates before releasing them to the public?

 

um its not unusual when you change the PCI strings for it to mess up

 

I ordered my system on Friday, I will update you all with what BIOS it comes with when I receive it.

 

Why do they still have the A01 BIOS update if so many people are having problems with it???

 

I just did my Flash, and everything is running great.

 

I re-flashed just be absolutely sure. It seems to have taken better the second time arround. However, there still seems to be a dip in performance.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

I would try disabling the 9400M before the flash. I did and I have no issue. Again I'm not using the default drivers so that may play a big part.

 

Hi Mandrake,
I'm actually using Fallout 3, along with some other games, to judge the performance difference. Fallout 3 is showing visible performance decreases while it is less noticeable with other games. Everything is freshly installed once again, and I'm still seeing a degrade in performance. Flashing back to A00 instantly cures the issue in the same testing environment.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

FO3...I can't get enough but yes I see more of a change when changing drivers than the new BIOS. (I'm also the person who can't see the affect of the auto dim so I may be completely crazy)

 

You don't notice the dimming?

I wish I didn't see it as that was the ONLY complaint I had of my screen

 

Nope maybe that feature is broken on my screen.

 

Then I would consider yourself extremely lucky!!!


It drives me crazy.. I wish there was a way to turn it off... lol

 

I flashed with the new BIOS last night. Under Windows 7, the first attempt caused Winphlash to crash. When I ran Winphlash64 manually as Administrator, it flashed successfully. During the first restart, I went into the BIOS and chose "Load Setup Defaults". After that I redid all the custom settings I had, such as the OC (MEM and FSB to 1333), the SATA (as RAID) and the USB Powershare setting.

The system then booted normally and for about three hours of Fallout 3 game time, I haven't had any unusual performance issues.

 

Auto Dim? Is that a feature in the M17x? I have never seen it happen...
But then again, My screen is never at 100% brightness.

 

Its not the dimmer that is set up in the power settings. this feature is built into the LCD itself.

The LCD itself will brighten for a bright background then darken itself for a darker background.

For example, put a dark picture as your background... Use one of the alienware ones.

Then open up IE and go to Google (just cuz its a white page). don't maximize it .. But make it take up 60% of the screen.. You will see that it gets brighter when the ie window for IE is in focus and is displayed..

You can open a few windows like that and make them smaller and you can see it get bright when a bright color is displayed..
Ok.. dont want to get OT.. We can discuss this further in the LCD thread..

Sorry for going OT.

 

No such thing. People are making up the "auto dim" issue just to scare people. It's like the loch ness monster...just myth.

 

But the voices in my head confirmed the issue..

 

regardless, if it is built in to the panel, I am sure a firmware could disable it just fine

 

Haha its there and anyone who thinks its not has to have there eyes checked .

I have had a few people over to show them this "feature" and they all confirmed it .

Drake i think all that cigar smoke has slowly clouded your vision .

 

Well I am sure it is something I will be able to live with. If not.....I got 2 Gateway FHD2400 on my desk that liked my whitebook too.....haha

 

Nope, plus I'm out of my favorite cigars and my supplier is back-ordered .

Anyway I said before if it's so obviously someone should film it.

 

Scook its nothing even be concerned with as the panel(if you get a good one) is very nice .

It can sometimes be a tad distracting in games where the atmosphere is dark because the panel will be dimmer then it should be but over all mine is still amazing and on lighter backgrounds its a real beauty.

 

I already explained how to do it for the full effect.

When i first got the machine i remember you commented on how you were trying to find something on the screen to disable it by covering up portions of your screen.

Id have to dig thru the order status thread to find the post .

 

10char

 

Take a dark background like the ones AW gives you.

Open up my computer and maximize then minimize the window.

Forget the white portion of the screen completely and watch the task bar jump up 4 or 5 levels of brightness , you cant miss it lol.

 

There was a review on Gizmodo about a new Samsung TV that does the exact same thing as our screens. Maybe its some new crazy thing Samsung is trying to push forward with?

http://gizmodo.com/5320720/samsung-led-lcd-un46b7000-hdtv-lightning-review-avoid

 

TV's have had this auto dimming stuff for a while. And I hate it. My gf's dad got a sony 52", great tv, but it is either auto dimming or has an ambient light sensor and dims for ambient light, I hate it.

 

Wow Quad, I didn't have any troubles with it! So i'm actually gonna give it a test the moment I'm home. But I dont think there is a big problem.
Do you all keep the screen on 100% brightness then? I think this would explain why I'm not experiencing it, because I do not.

But we are totally OT indeed...
Maybe a moderator can place this discussion in the LCD thread?

 

Not completely OT...it came up as someone asked if the new BIOS fixed the dimming feature. We could quickly get back on topic

Does this new bios flash ok using usb?

I hate flashing from windows, the one time I did it, BSOD during flash and a bricked DFI motherboard

 

The M17X has an auto-dimming feature?

 

here we go again....haha

 

OK, step away from the computer, turn to face the wall and clasp your hands at the back of your neck. Our agents will be there shortly to 'fix' your delusions.