Dell XPS M1730 Owner's Lounge, Take 2

it took me about 5 days before i heard anything back after my case was escalated!

 

thanks for that
wish they were more upfront with me regarding time frames .

 

They are quite bad with communication, i spoke again with sujay to see about the 280m gtx and he said he could not change it because the system is already built, around 10 mins later i got an email saying it will be deliverd on the 23/09!( estimated was 01/10)
However he did agree if i found the gaming performance to be below my m1730 he would look into the matter again. So maybe i will still get the 280m's like most other guys are getting on here, maybe i was a bit to polite

 

Yes it also took about 5 days for them to get back with me after my refusal to accept the Studio XPS 16 as a replacement. I am still waiting for exact specifications but hang in there, they do eventually seem to make things right...

 

I think i'm done with my M1730, I dont play games any more and i've got a lot of travel coming up, so it's time for something smaller lighter, and with better battery life.

It's been an awesome machine and has been cherished, but I think it's time has come, so if anyone fancies making me an offer then gimme a shout.

Smoke Grey
X7900 Extreme CPU
8700 SLi
4Gb RAM
Wireless N 1505 card
WD 320Gb 7200rpm X2 RAID0
LG Screen + A spare Sharp screen
DVD R/W
Bluetooth
PhysX

I'll rebuild it from scratch with whatever OS you want on it (inc Win7) + Office 2007 Pro + all latest drivers.

I just specced this up as near to this as I could get with a 2.6 non extreme cpu, and it came to 2 grand.

I've just taken out 3 yrs warranty on it - so you get that as well.

 

Please post this in the Market Place forum. Thanks.

 

BatBoy - I don't understand one thing about drivers - 1 month ago you inserted links to download version 190.40, few days ago - 186.91 + info about SLI profile update - which needs 190.62 version. Newest drivers on NV website - 186.81
So question - is this SLI update useless because we can't install proper drivers yet?
It will be nice to run it - I want to se how faster works newest NFS

 

The 190 series is a desktop driver modded by various entities (i.e. LV2Go, xfastest, etc.) for use with mobile GPUs.

The 186.xx is the current series of mobile GPUs released by OEMs, Microsoft, NVIDIA, etc.

The SLI updates are issued by NVIDIA only and include updates/additions to your SLI profiles which can be found on the 'Manage/Customize 3D settings' page in the NVIDIA Control Panel.

As to what driver is the fastest or works the best, it varies based on individual user choice. One driver may work better in one game than another.

Hopefully, this answers your question. If not, let me know.

 

It has happened so far twice today ... anyone has any clue what it is? my screen just laggs suddenly and it gives me a start and then "windows has shut down unsuccessfully do you wish to resume normally?" or whtever ... please hlep

 

Temps can certainly play a role in your GPU performance and overall system stability. Be sure to elevate the back of the laptop off the desk - use a couple of CD Jewel cases or bottle caps, etc to prop it up. If the system is old and you have had it for some time, take a can of compressed air and blow out the exhausts at the back of the system.

 

my temperatures are fine, my laptop is on a notebook cooler (the one that is recommended for the m1730) so hence it is elevated. i cleaned the laptop and the notebook cooler 3 days ago, the laptop is brand new i bought it like 3-4 months ago and started using it for 3 weeks then went on vacation for 1 months and now i have been on it for 2 weeks. any other ideas?

 

Strange thing in my M1730 recently. GPU2 has been consistently hotter by about 5 celcius. Anyone else getting anything like this?

 

my temps are as follows:
ACPI THM 55 C(130F)

Intel Mobile core 2 Duo:
Core #0: 47C (116F)
Core #1 (48c (120F)

GeForce 9800M GT
GPU Core 66C (150F)
GPU Core 66C (150F)

Both my GPU core were at 70-71 C when i first opened the temp monitor hardware

 

Fresh out of ideas then Batal. Sorry.

What you should try is leave HWMonitor running in the background and then run your game. When you notice the FPS drop, check your max temp.

 

while running hte game i am getting 70-71 temp on my gpu cores. my fps is not dropping at all, it just freezes and then restarts the laptop

 

Remove the cooling pad. Try a bottle cap.

 

is 70-75C alot ? is that why its overheating and restarting?

 

No it shouldn't be, but note that mine failed when it was lingering almost permanently around that temp (i.e. it was idling and gaming around the 70 - 75). Then again, it doesn't have to be the GPU itself overheating to cause the failure / crashes. Other chips including the VRAM could be causing it.

I also had the same problem with the sudden system restarts as well. Occasionally I was presented with a blue screen saying 'Windows has detected a problem and has halted the system to prevent damage to the computer'.

 

70-75 when gaming is insanely cool to me i idle around that temp on my 8800mgtxes. when i play games it hangs around 80-90 and peaks at 98


maybe your drivers are the problem?

 

Had the same problem. The problem was in TV settings. You need to change TV image upscaling. It most likely is set to upscale to fill the screen. You need to change it to something like "original picture output". Sorry, don't have access to TV atm, so can't say exactly how these settings are called.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Dell agreed to replace my m1730. I should get a call on Wednesday with an update. They told me it is not in the nature of tech support to replace a system, just parts, but they will replace the pc to satisfy me.

Whatever works to get me a computer that works, that's all I care about.

 

What was your time frame for this to happen please mate?

 

Just another hilarious update: another week (not even? I can't even keep track now) went by, my cards failed again and I toasted them back to health for a FIFTH time now. They run warmer on idle (low 60's) and cooler after gaming (52)???? These cards are so ridiculous. I can't wait to talk to Corporate about getting my M17x. I'm tired of taking this damn computer apart every week to stick them in the oven. I only keep three screws in the computer (of the 32 needed to remove palm rest from motherboard from bottom portion?) just because I know I'll take the cards out again in a few days.

Corporate did in fact call my house, and left two messages. I was too sleepy to pick up/call back yet, so I'm letting them sweat a little. Gonna' call Monday if I work up the motivation. I did a little 'corporate carpet bomb' email a couple days ago, and this 'Joseph' character sounds eager to please me.

 

Hank you are now the official go-to person for info on baking their M1730 GPUs.

 

Just wondering if the M1730 is upgradeable past the 8800 GPU's? I have the lowly 8700GT SLI, but if this mobo could support a 280m/260m that would be cool. If not I need to find some 8800's.


Finally got my computer fixed this past spring. They replaced both GPU's and the motherboard. It was really annoying to not be able to do anything once the fans cut in.

 

Well, if it wasn't already discussed, then we have an update on the UK-side of the XPS M1730.

We are officially out of 9800m GT, and the middle-to-top range XPS M1730s.

- No more X9000. (Maximum T9500)
- No more Raid HDD.
- No more 9800m GT SLi (Only 8700m and SLi version)

We're going the way of the US customers, and I now foresee people getting proper M17x exchange offers all over Europe. Not that it isn't already happening. Lawl.

Congratulations, Bpat. I feel happy and sorry for you. Sorry being the 'dell' part.

 

Hi Kade,
Have you made a decision yet for youre case?
I don't know if you read my escallation case, but i'm getting a maxed out m17x, a good deal after all.

 

Turn around time is roughly a week.

 

That's why I congratulated you.

But I'll never feel comfortable with Dell, and that's my final word on the matter. I'm probably going to end up with some kind of M17x myself, but the Dell-factor makes me very uneasy.

As for my case, I am still waiting to hear from the company. If nothing comes about, then we'll see. I hate the idea of being 'forced' to get an M17x.

 

Thats my view on Dell as a company, i could have stayed with the M1730 as its a nice laptop but after the unacceptable aftercare i experienced when 2 problems occured i had no piece of mind whatsoever for the rest of the 4 year warranty i had as i would have probably experienced the same things again like engineers failing to turn up 3 times, parts being replaced and the problem returning etc etc

We will never have a Dell product inside the house again.

 

Well chaps it looks like I got my replacement a bit too soon I should have held out for a month or so and got the M17X.

Oh well I still have 3 years warranty, so i'm sure something will break in that time.

 

That is funny. You want to know why? Because when writing something about Dell, even I slip up the line ' piece of mind', rather than ' peace of mind'. Probably got something to do with the how the 'Dell Experience' leaves people mentally in 'pieces'.

 

should someone start a new thread for m1730 owners who dont have a problem reading all these bad stories makes me sad.

 

lol and how bout naming it dell xps 1730 owner's lounge, problemless section and i think youd get no post in it cos almost everyone has problems =x

 

Lawl!

Yeah, sure. I love my XPS M1730.

If I got a refund, I'd probably want to get another M1730 with X9000. Keep it running cool, and have no problems. I think the machine's good enough to last this generation of games easily. All I require is good internal cooling, and the X9000 accomplishes the job.

Dell, on the other hand. . . nevermind.

 

Its probably because people are so used to calling Dell computers a piece of cr@p so piece sticks rather than "yo peace man".

Only if your prepared to live with the very loud fan noise when its overclocked at 3.4ghz, all Dell had to do was to have a lower temperature threshold where the fans kick in earlier.

 

yes, that might be a good idea.
I also understand that it isn't funny for those with a good xps m1730 to read all those sad stories.

 

Even if I had an X9000 processor I wouldn't keep my machine OCed past 3.2GHz. Before I had an M1730 with X7900 CPU (wich is also OCable @ 3.4GHz) and 8700M SLI. The fan noise was just too much.
In idle (or even with some load, but without OC-ing the Extreme CPU) the system is so d@mn quiet. I love to work in a silence medium...

 

I guess it's all a matter of preference... It's all in the ears.

Phew... made it pass 7 months. So far so good. I need a Quad badly.

 

What for? Isn't the X9000 enough?

 

I'm doing alot of renderings. Alot of my applications are Quad/i7 multi-core capable.

 

In the future rendering will be done by GPUs because they are a lot faster even than an i7.

 

I'm having a problem with the bluetooth on my system.

It came with the Dell bluetooth 355 but anytime I try to transfer something via my phone it says I have no bluetooth device connected. When I navigate my way through the control panel to the bluetooth setup and I try to connect a device it tells me to make sure my bluetooth connector is installed and turned on. I went to the Dell site for driver updates and still no fix.

Basically I think it's telling me that I have no internal bluetooth. It's really starting to p!ss me off...

 

Is your bt device pairing with the pc? If not, check to ensure your bluetooth is enabled(blue icon on taskbar with white middle) I think. If it is pairing, could be that windows hasn't found the device.

 

Hank, that's cause the cooling in the M1730 is tied primarily to the CPU. While the CPU is idling it doesn't hit the thermal threshold to turn all the fans on (45 for CPU I think, 75 for GPUs). When gaming the CPU hits that temp regularly, enough to keep the fans on longer to cool the GPUs.

I to regularly had my GPUs cooler while gaming than idling.

 

That's definitely not the problem, my system isn't even recognizing that I have a bluetooth card installed.

 

No. I mean I'm not discounting what you said, but I pointed this out in my last post because this is opposite of what happened BEFORE the cards failed for a fifth time. Temps on idle were nearer to 52C and 70C after gaming, with the core clock at 500 mhz and the memory at 799 mhz. On idle it's at 200 and 100 respectively for powermizer.

 

Anybody have "The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena"? The reviews that I have seen have been wishy washy, but Direct2Drive has it for $5 and I'm thinking that even if it stinks it is a good deal. How does it run? I have a beast with SLI 8700s...


Thanks in advance - Mike


P.S. You all may wanna check out www.direct2drive.com for a bunch of games that are only $5.

 

It doesn't work that way. Renderings algorithms don't work using the GPU. And, Autodesk isn't going to that direction especially using CUDA. The only GPU renderable plugin is Nvidia Geloato uses GPU rendering and it still not as fast as an i7 rendering. Every final rendering whether it uses the GPU or not is still CPU orientated. If it's slow, it will still be slow. But it's true it will change in time, but not very likely.

Other applications like Adobe Premier Pro, for Media encoding/decoding which I do as well will benefit the use of multi-core CPUs.