M17x Massive problems - keyboard, sound, everything stopped working

Howdy guys,

I hope one of you guys can help me, because i think you lot are my last chance. Firstly my story starts with my lovley M17x, i love my M17x you see. I have had it for about 4 months now without any problems. Well up until now.

Some background information
My first mini problem arose when the latest Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset) was released on the 27/07/09. I have tried to install it, but basically whenever i do, it just kills my laptop. It will take about 10 mins to start and only appears to use one of my dual cores. Anyway i have uninstalled this, and my laptop has been trouble free for some time.

This is where the major problems start
I recently upgraded to Windows 7 and noticed that the sound started to stutter every now and again (not a massive issue, but still very annoying), i can see a lot of other people had a similar issue so i tried to rectify it by following some tips below.....

http://http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5517271&postcount=369

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5356598&postcount=214

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5399021&postcount=205

Now its quite possible i have been a complete idiot here, because whatever i have done has annihilated my M17x. I have reversed all the above actions i carried out to solve the sound stuttering problem, but now i am left with a wreck of a laptop.

As well as having the sound still stuttering (but worse) i am now having problems with the keyboard. The keyboard only works on the Windows 7 login screen (and i hasten to add it works absolutely fine). However when Windows finally starts up the keyboard only works intermittently, infact it is so bad, its become unusable, im am typing this from my girlfriends macbook pro (i know, dont hate me for it). Also the webcam on the Aliensense logon screen has been demolished, it works kind of, but the video image is massively pixelated and you can barley make out any shapes let alone a face.

So basically i have tried everything i can think off. I have set all my start up programs and services back to the way they were prior to my dismally failed attempt to solve the sound stutter. I have all the latest drivers, except for the Nvidia (MCP79 Chipset) update which wont install no matter what i do.

So guys, is there any chance one of you genius's can help?
I am at a complete loss, other than realizing the fact that its something profoundly stupid that i have done, i have no idea what the problem is.

Any suggestion will be a great help,

Thanks guys

M17x
Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 @ 2.8 GHz
SLI Dual Geforce GTX 260M
4GB (2x2048) 1333MHz DDR3 Dual Channel
320GB Free Fall Sensor 7200RPM

 

Sounds like something is completely hosed with your OS. I can think of no reason why the chipset wont update. Keyboard issue as well.

Have you tried using the Respawn/Restore issue and starting over?

BTW, the links you listed are broken - might want to check them. The first one is one of my posts if I'm not mistaken. Its a pain, I know - but I think the best option here since you are not able to update the chipset as well as having a keyboard responsiveness issue is to respawn.

 

Hi there Mr BatBoy thanks for your post, i was also one of those dullards that didnt buy a respawn CD. I have tried system restore but that dosnt seem to do anything. Its particularly weird with the keyboard because everything was working fine and dandy with it before i started messing.

I am guessing its sounding like a complete wipe and new install of Windows?

Woe is me.

 

I can think of one - a broken mainboard. But that's just a stab in the dark.

 

Which would be a major one and rare to say the least. Possible though. Paraplygic, have you called Dell yet? Might be interesting to run through a diag call with them and see what they suggest... Calling can be a pain due to hold time, etc. but it might be a step in the right direction.

With the keyboard - if it had its own driver then I would be more inclined to dive into this - but the driver is a default OS component. Trying to think of what else could be accounting for lag with the KB... drawing a blank.

 

I will give Dell a ring tomorrow.

In the meantime i have made the mistake of trying to install the latest Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset) again. The same thing happened though It now takes about 10 mins to start up and only appears to use one of my dual cores (1 core is working at 76% with the other at 10% as an example).

Thats not normal is it?

Girlfriend is using her macbook pro now, so i am trying to type this out on my M17x - its taken over 35 mins.

Sob

 

Hi Paraplygic,
I would recommend restoring the entire computer, as most of your chipset/drivers are now corrupt. I have seen, and this rare in occasion, a corrupt chipset that stops use of the keyboard. Now I know you mentioned that you did not buy the respawn. However, they should have included a restore and resource cd that you can use.

1. Backup up all information (may want to try using a usb keyboard)
2. Boot to the restore cd and install
3. Install your drivers
a. Chipset
b. Video
c. Sound
d. Network (ethernet, wireless and bluetooth)
e. Touch Pad
f. Webcam
4. Install your software (OSD, Command Center, etc)

Good luck,
Gabe

 

Thanks for the tips Gabe, i haven't tried booting from the restore/resource CD yet (mainly because they didnt give me one of them either). I have had a bit of success though....

I eventually managed to uninstall (through lots of hard work) the Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset). Since then i have been able to use my Keyboard with no problems at all (i am typing on it now no less). I got quite over excited by this and then naivley tried to install the latest version of the Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset). Amazingly this worked as well. The sound stutter is worse than ever but at least i can use my laptop now.

Since installing the latest Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset) i am experiencing a couple of strange things though....

Firstly when the Windows boot up screen (just after the bios) starts it would only take about 20 seconds to load. Now with the latest driver it takes a minimum of 40+ seconds. Is this normal ???

Secondly when i check my dual core usage, core 1 hovers around 50%+ even when the laptop is not being used by any applications. When both cores are being used, core 1 is usually around 75%+ whilst core 2 sticks to around 12% ish. Core 1 always appears to be being used about 60% more than core 2. Is this normal behaviour? I am asking because before i installed the latest Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset) my dual cores were both being used equally.

Oh yeah and my sound stuttering problem is worse than ever.

Any thoughts on any of the above will be much appreciated,

Thanks people.

 

Just for grins here and to rule it out, can you go into the BIOS (F2) and look under the Graphics Options. Are both Hybrid & Integrated enabled or disabled? Make sure they are the same.

 

Honestly with all the problems you are having, I'd fully reinstall the machine.
You obviously have Win7. Back your stuff. Gather the drivers from the general info thread (think they are there somwhere) Then boot off the Win7 disk and choose a clean install rather then an upgrade.

 

Hi, guys. Just a question: basically, what is the difference between a normal restore CD and the Alienware Respawn CD?

Thanks.

 

Yah, you are gonna need a format and reinstall of your OS. Did the machine run fine with the default Vista install and stock drivers from Alienware? Also you said you upgraded to Windows 7. Did you do a clean install of it or did you actually upgrade from Vista? Cause that can play all kinds of fun games with your drivers and devices.

 

This might help...

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/alienware.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=5536

 

Well i have finaly taken the advice from some of you guys and earlier today i did a clean install of Windows 7 64bit, it was pretty painful. Thereafter another 16 hours later of installing/reinstalling every single component i have finaly found the problem.

Rather dissapointingly the problem i have is what i suspected all along. Basically whenever i install the latest Nvidia Driver (MCP79 Chipset) my M17x Dies. It can take about 2 min to boot up to the Windows log in screen and then shortly after it will deliver the blue screen of death (with a new reason for failure every time). I have tried pretty much every combination of installing various drivers in various orders, but all goes well until the Nvidia Driver installs. Its particulary stange because i never had a problem with the original Nvidia driver.

Again, i cry out for help. Do any of the wise old gurus on this messageboard have any idea what the problem is? and what i can do to rectify it?

Thanks again.

 

I suggest you simply don't install the latest chipset drivers. Just use the ones supplied by Windows or some other older version.