New m15x week one review / questions

So i've had my m15x for a week now. It's been an interesting week. I'll start off with my first impression and end with questions i have about the machine.

So out of the box the thing wouldn't start up (great sign right). So i called tech support within 5 min of opening the box. 20 min of talking to an idiot and i was reconnected to someone who knew what they were doing. Fixed in 30 seconds.

I noticed the monitor hinge creaks a little when i move LCD.

two days later i got my copy of XP pro SP3, my external floppy, and my HDD drivers. Ready to install XP, went off without a hitch.

Get my drivers CD out and install chipset driver, thats the only driver compatible with my machine. Get home and find all drivers except for sound on the alienware site. Call support for help, turns out i was looking in the wrong place. All drivers install without a problem.

Install all software that i need for now and i start getting random disconnects from the internet. No idea what that is about. It may just be xfire that keeps logging me off, i haven't actually checked since i lost the power supply to my ethernet switch.

Start to play unreal tournament 3, it looks amazing, but something is off with my W key. I take it off and the hinge on the key is broken?!?!?!?! Call tech support and they want me to send in the entire keyboard rather then send me a new key. Some rational thought later and i am going to receive a package soon, either just the key or a new keyboard, no idea which.

Control of my machine is pretty good. The illuminated keyboard is a worth it buy. The touch pad takes some getting used to but it works fine, the only issue i have is the volume control. Sliding control doesn't work well at all, i prefer a wheel or buttons. However, it redeems itself by allowing the + and - signs to work as buttons, so it isn't all bad.

Other then that it is a great machine. I wanted to post the 3d mark 01, 03, 05, and 06 scores for the machine when it still had vista and now while it has XP but i deleted the vista screen shots before i backed them up, stupid me.

Questions: does anyone know why i would be getting random internet disconnects? I will test if it is just the machine or my network soon, but what COULD be causing the issue?

is the hinge creaking a bad sign? It doesn't creak much and when i close the LCD it only creaks in the beginning.

Specs:
CPU: T8100 (2.1 gHz)
GPU: Nvidia 8800 gtx 512 mb vRAM
Memory: 2 gigs of RAM
HDD: 120 gb 7200 rpm drive
OS: XP professional SP#

 

what are your specs?

 

I'm scared because I'm getting my m15x this Friday..what was the problem with your computer not starting up and what was the fix?
And I'll probably keep vista since it's something new to try and I'm too lazy to install XP and all the drivers, haha

I don't have an answer for your internet problem but the hinge creaking is something everyone seems to have..I would like to know how to fix that as well

Ps. I'll tell you how mine works out when i get it friday

 

The fix was simple. Take out battery and unplug AC adapter, hold power button for 30 sec. plug AC adapter back in, and power on. BTW, took me a sec to realize this but the power button and HDD light are both the same thing. They are the tiny alien head in front of the power symbol.

 

Bad thing there with ur keyboard, they will/should send you a completely new one which you just install and then you send back the old one. That is how it has been handled before by CS.

Good that they could fix ur start up problem! That would suck if you had to send it back, what was the problem?

Regarding your question, need more information and need you to do some tests and things etc to further try and analyse your problem. Check your thread which myself and others answered to try and help you: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=275649

Thanks for the quick update!

 

Sounds like you had to reset your computer...by using up all the power that was in the system (holding down power button without battery or AC adapter plugged in) and then just start up...that is odd! Good that it fixed it for you!

 

Oh crap, forgot about that thread, thanks for the reminder. But this is more of a review then a question.

and idk what they are going to do with the keyboard. I told them to send me a new one and i'd send the old one back. but from the way the guy was talking is sounded like he sent me just the key. He didn't elaborate very well.

 

you know... i understand the desire to have the best and the fastest notebook out there... heck, i even paid a ridiculously large amount for my voodoo... but honestly, i am just surprised at how many owners are "complacent" to have a machine that "works"...

is it me?
or does it seem like folks are settling for less?...

are we that easy to satisfy?...

heck, i guess to each his/her own... but i'm just a bit surprised...

 

regarding the internet you should call your internet provider's customer service. If your internet provider's customer service is anything like mine(time warner cable) they wont do anything for you i had to make a complaint to the NYC Department of of Information and Telecommunications before they actually sent me a technician . at least the tech finally fixed my internet