Returning M17X

I would like to now how much time do I have to return the M17x after buying it and have a full refund?

 

I think that depends on location.

In Sweden, we have 14 days.

 

In Canada/United States you get 30 days.

 

30 Days from date of reciept, and you may be charged a restocking fee. Better get on the phone quick if your still within the time frame. From your first impression post it looks like you got a few more days left. Better act quickly. Have you tried reformatting your HDD and re-installing your OS and drivers? Might help with your gaming issues. Have you tried calling tech support?

Alienware Policy

EDIT: I'm Assuming you have 21 Days to avoid restocking fee, which means you got three days, act now. To put it into perspective, a 15% restocking fee of a $3,000 laptop is $450

 

In the US we have up to 21 days from date of purchase but if it was bought between Black friday and X-Mas then you have an extended period to return your puchase because it could have mean a gift for someone i know i bought mine on Black Friday and they game me untill January 15 to return it

 

Maybe in Canada but not in the us in the US you have 21 days to return it unless otherwise told when purchasing it like for holliday times

 

Thanks for the answers.
Effectively, my FIRST IMPRESSION intervention was just that: a first impression. Problems appeared soon after (numerous lock-ups, freeze, OS not responding, etc)

I did 5 respawns, etc.

When I buy a 3800$ laptop, I want it to run flawlessly... I'm also not sure for the SLI... I find it more troublesome than not... are the games really faster? Lots of games are not supported when you buy, etc. I installed the new Nvidia drivers (supposed to support Modern War 2 SLI): only a card is running, and now the game runs slow with low framerate and jamming...
When I use SLI for games like LOTRO, I see no improvement in FPS.

Yeah, I know, i'm an impulsive guy. Maybe I should wait...
Maybe I should do a clean win7 install... I don't know...
I'm not a tech guy; when I use the M17x, it's for gaming.
I don't want to tweak it everytime I want to use it... I don't have time for that (working a lot)

And I'm pretty sure that replacing hardware won't change a thing...

I need convincing
(sorry for my english, i'm a french speaking guy)

 

I don't think games are not supported on M17x. MW2 runs silky smooth with SLI. With 1 card I got average FPS of 45, with SLI: 70 with all settings maxed out, full res, 4xAA.

It eats every game I throw at it. Except GTA IV but it's still playable tho.

SLI may not work well on some games but only a few tho.

And you don't have to tweak it everytime you play games.

Anyway, if you don't like it, act fast.

 

Win7 is the problem here. Idk why so many stay with that OS for gaming. You are literally in the .01% of all gamers and get zero support. Get xp or atleast vista.

 

i have never has issues running any games with my system....mw2 constant fps at 92...full specs no overclocking... win 7 ult 64

 

Yes but that doesn't mean you are the rule. There are a huge number of people with gaming issues on win7.

 

XP is nearly what, 7 years old now?

I refuse to run an outdated operating system on my top-of-the-line gaming machine. To me that's a ridicuolous proposition.

I have had no problems with W7 running games as old as Unreal Gold and as new as Crysis, Mass Effect, and Unreal 3. I understand that some are having problems, but in my opinion that is up to Dell to fix, and they need to do it ASAP.

 

true but is still supported and produced under request by micosoft until 2012

 

Due to the different policies Dell has based on geographic region, its best to contact Dell Customer Care to confirm your return period. Call Customer Care - you can find the number on the main Dell site for your location.

In regards to your issue with MW2, its running on one card due to not having a valid SLI profile. There are known workarounds for this issue. Silly can provide details. Most game issues seen with the M17x w/NV GPUs are caused by older drivers with no SLI profile for current games. Its not a HW or system issue - its a driver issue.

 

In regards to MW2, I thought the 195.62 driver had a compatible SLi profile? I don't have MW2, but I have the 195.62 drivers (for better CUDA support mostly) and they work flawlessly.

 

195.62 does have the correct profile. The OP may not have it configured correctly. There are a number of "possibles" here. Its up to the OP to post full system specs, hybridSLI state, etc., in order for us to troubleshoot correctly. In his earlier post he states he did 5 respawns, is not a 'tech' person. It very well could be a configuration issue.

I have exchanged PMs before with a few who, in the end, were attempting to run their games soley on the 9400M G. The M17x requires a bit of tinkering knowledge - should it? No. Its different from previous systems due to the HybridSLI factor. This can cause a great deal of frustration/problems for those with little technical experience.

 

What are you talking about? Windows 7 is perfect for gaming so far. It actually is a lot better than Vista and no way worse than XP. A lot people here are playing game on Windows 7.

And for OP, you may want to install BatBoy mod to make SLI work on MW2.

I just simply add MW2 profile into 3D aplications settings and it just works, do not have to change any setting.

 

No gaming issues here. Win 7 Pro x64. Anecdotal, yes, but fortunately this forum is not a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

 

Lets focus on the OP's posts - this is not a discussion of XP vs Vista vs W7 and which is better for gaming.

Thanks.

 

what techniques do you use to not get the restocking fee within the first 21 days?

 

Act swift and be persistant. If you don't get the answer you want ask for thier manager

 

Well, I willing to give it another try...
If I'm not satisfied, I have some days left to ship it back

Here are my specs:
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9100 @ 2.26GHz
4g 1066 Memory
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M SLI
WDC WD32 00BJKT-75F4T SCSI Disk Device 320GB
Operating System- MS Windows 7 Home Premium Edition
Screen 1900 x 1200

I want to start from scratch, what should I do?
Clean Win7 install?
SillyHoney talking about Batboy's mod to make SLI work with MW2, I didn't find it...
What next?

Many thanks for the answers

 

I think all those SLI notebooks needs to have a big sticker printed "For Tech Savvy Enthusiast Only" else it just creates big headaches for those rich consumers and tech support / customer support.

When I see this kind of posts it always reminds me of the Supercar some rich feller just bought and complains about the stiff ride and road / engine noise on the first day and wrecks it on the second day driving it out of the car porch.

No insult intended, it is just the wrong machine for the wrong type of user.

 

ormantell, lets start again - can you list out the issues you have? Also be sure to include which display driver you are using (ver.#). Thanks.

 

I followed instruction for enabling SLI (Gizmo's tutorial)
Didn't installed nhancer...

I have problem since installing NVidia driver 195.x (MW2 has become choppy... (FPS drops at 12-15 for 20 sec)

Numerous lock-ups when playing SIMS3 (the screen freeze, I can move the mouse cursor but cannot press any button, cannot ctrl-alt-del, etc.

Had to respawn because after booting, crash at desktop (black screen 3 seconds after arriving at desktop esch time I restart the laptop)

I think that what the other poster said is true, this laptop is not user/noob friendly (you just have to look at a lot of posts on this site everyday...)
Not sure about the comparison with the sportcar (you don't need to understand how the engine is working to enjoy/drive it)

Many thanks

 

Ordmantell,

Following process is what I use when updating the NVIDIA Display Driver and this is where I believe you need to start. If you proceed with the steps below, uninstall nHancer first via the Programs & Features Control Panel so there are no conflicts. You can always re-install it later if you want it.

1. If you do not already have it, download CCleaner. CCleaner is a nifty cleaning tool with Registry Cleaning abilities as well as a nice handy startup items quick access list. You can grab it from: http://www.ccleaner.com/ (Be sure to review the quick tour if you have not used it before: http://www.ccleaner.com/help/tour/1-after-installation).

2. Verify Hybrid Graphics and Integrated Graphics are both enabled in the BIOS (F2 as the system is starting up to enter the BIOS). This is very important when updating the NVIDIA Display Driver as it will ensure the driver is installed for not only the 9400M G but also the discrete GPU(s). After the driver is installed, I suggest disabling both of these options in the BIOS. Doing this will help lower temps of the MCP79 chipset. If you do not want to disable this its not a big issue - feel free to decide for yourself. If you do disable them, be aware the system will not run or switch to the 9400M G when AC power is disconnected. If you are off AC and happen to boot on battery, you will receive a prompt stating that these are disabled and in order to continue they will automatically be enabled. When returning back to AC, you will need to disable them again (if you so desire).

On to the actual driver uninstall/install:

3. Open the Programs & Features Control Panel. Locate the entry titled "NVIDIA Drivers". Highlight it and select UNINSTALL. VERY IMPORTANT: Select: Only uninstall the DISPLAY DRIVER. If you do not do this, you will need to reinstall the NVIDIA Chipset Driver. I also seem to recall 195.xx adding an extra item to the Programs & Features Control Panel uninstall list - NVIDIA Control Panel or something along those lines. If you see that one, uninstall it first.

4. Once uninstall is complete, you will be prompted to restart. Acknowledge the restart prompt.

5. As the system is booting up and you see the BIOS screen, repeatedly tap the "F8" key to enter Safe Mode. You will see a list of options and need to highlight SAFE MODE and hit enter. This will put you into Safe Mode.

6. Once in Safe Mode, open CCleaner and select the Registry Module. Click Scan and then Clean any left over entries which are found. Once this is done, reboot the system normally.

7. Once back at the desktop, Vista will install automatically the Standard VGA Adapter. Allow this to happen and once done, reboot the system normally.

8. Once back at the desktop, run the install for the new NVIDIA Display Driver.

NOTE: I suggest 186.82 to start with (the download link is in RED letters at the top of the post). This driver is a good launching point and functions fine with HybridSLI. Once you are able to comfortably install display drivers and have ruled out a hardware issue, then you can try other driver versions.

In order to use 186.82, download it from LaptopVideo2Go and run the executable. NOTE: Do NOT bother with Laptopvideo2go's "Modified INF". It will not work properly on the M17x.

Extract the contents to the Desktop so you can find it easier.

Once extracted, open the 186.82 directory and look for a .zip Archive titled "Additional INFs". You will need to extract this .zip archive. Once extracted, look inside. You will see a file titled "nv_whql". Right-click on this file and select COPY. Go back to the 186.82 and Right-click and select PASTE. You will be prompted to overwrite the existing nv_whql file. Select OK to overwrite it. This must be done in order to install the driver. The existing .inf file (.inf is a driver "information" file which tells the driver which hardware to install for and with what options for that hardware) will not install for the M17x. You must use the .inf file from the Additional INFs directory.

After you have overwritten the nv_whql.inf file, delete the following two files:

1. nvfu.inf
2. nvfu.cat

Next, run the installer by launching the setup.exe file.

Once this is done and the driver is installed, download the SLI Profile Update tool which I modded for use with the 186.82 (and others) driver. This will ensure you have a valid SLI Profile for MW2 and several games released after 186.82. Instructions are in the README file **Be sure to review if on Win7**. You can grab it HERE.

I hope you made it this far. It can be a bit confusing the first time you do this however once you do it a few times its a no-brainer. Just take your time and read over each step. It might help to print this out and reference it as you go through each step. Once you have updated the driver and SLI profiles we can proceed with additional updates as needed.

Post back and let us know how it goes. If you run into any issues feel free to PM me.

 

What do you mean by adding MW2 profile into 3D Aplication?

Is this something you have to do when you updating your sli profile to you computer?

Took a quick look in Nvidias control room but could not find anything regarding to that?

Nickness

 

I am on mobile at the moment so I can't give you a detailed process but if you check the nvidia control panel help section/menu it will cover adding a game to the active 3d profiles.

 

i have been looking now, and search for et in help menu. Nothing seems to pop up.

i read in the "readme" note in the "sli update" that there maybe is listed several games you dont own in the profile, so it sounds like i should have a list to choose from or something?

It seems like this is my last step before im am there 100%, still acure a little stuttering in the game MW2, and it could be this last thing!

Would you be kind to explain ones you have the time, then i will be no more trouble .

I installed the driver the way you explained plus the update you modded yourself!

So im all ears ?

-Nickness

 

Here you go... see attached.

 

ar okay. So when i add the game there the sli update automatically loads in the profile options fore it?

 

As long as there is a valid profile - MW2 has a valid profile so you should be fine. If you run into one which does not have a profile (you'll know as instead of saying the game's name it will show the .exe name), PM me and let me know.

 

hmm, seems like i got a small problem.. Cant seem to find the executable for MW2, because it runs through steam. So when i click to see the path for MW2 it shows me the path for steam?

So its kind of a problem for me to add it to nvidia control panel!?

 

Try checking the directories here for the path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps

There should be a MW2 directory in there - look in 'common' as well.

 

see this kind of thread really gives me pause regarding purchasing one of these. I notice that the machine the OP has features the quadcore CPU and the 280 card(which seems to be a constant with the problems im reading about) i mean i know a bit about computers i would not say that im a techie though. It just seems outrageous to me that DELL/Alienware would sell a 3k+ plus product that doesnt work flawlessly out of the box. We as the consumer spending a tremendous amount of money for their product should not have to "tinker" with the unit to make it work correctly. The laptop is advertised and a gaming powerhouse it should work when you turn it on end of story.

 

On the fence? Don't buy one. Overpriced, unsupported crap.

 

Can't seem to update the sli profiles with your updater BatBoy. I followed the exact steps outlined on the other page, but I run into that error. Anything I should check in particular?

 

Yeah you are on W7 arent you... Ok, I ran into this as well the other night when I was investigating DPC under W7. I resolved that error but now I cant remember how I did it. I should have jotted down a note so I could update the readme file. Try this:

1. Right click on the "RUN_SLI_PROFILE_UPDATER" and choose Run as Administrator - see if that works. If not, try:

2. Disable UAC (User Account Control) - see here if you are not familiar with the process: http://techie-buzz.com/how-to/how-to-disable-user-account-control-in-windows-7.html

Run "RUN_SLI_PROFILE_UPDATER" and then re-enable UAC at the level you had it set to before disabling it.

If either of the above do not work, wait for another W7 member to post or I will have to load up my W7 image later this week to confirm.

Sorry about that.

 

That's it. Turning off UAC works.
Actually what I forgot to mention in the first post what that couple of days ago, when I first ran into the post detailing the driver install, the SLI updater worked just fine. After reinstalling windows yesterday I didn't turn off UAC anymore.

I tried with Run As Admin but would have never thought to turn off UAC.

Thank you for the fast reply.

 

Thanks for the confirmation - I need to fix those instructions. Glad everything is working now.

 

i found the exe. file for it now and thx.

one last problem, know i said that before, but...

When i quit the Nvidia control panel it does not apply my changes "adding MW2" to the list, because when i close and oppen its gone again...

??

I cant seem to find any apply button either?

 

I thought that the 195.xx drivers did not support "hybrid mode" properly, so to install those drivers you would need to make sure that the integrated card and hybrid mode were disabled in BIOS before installing. Correct me if I'm wrong -- perhaps a set of these drivers has now been modified to work with hybrid mode that is available on one of those other sites people always mention (such as Laptopvideo2go). In any case, this could be contributing to ordmantell's problems.