*XPS M1730 Problems/Dell Replacement Issues*

Still a great machine. Enjoy it. If other faults come up over time, you might be able to request a screen replacement with the repair.

Congratulations, and a great way to kick off the new year.

 

Kade Storm & Extreme_S
Many thanks for your advice but this time I was probably a bit premature hoping for a new machine, after all this was only the 2nd time for a Dell warranty claim! After a clean install of Windows 7 and then labouring over reinstalling my data & accounts, I continued to suffer driver failures and Windows locking up/freezing. Dell came out on Thurs 29/12 and installed a new Nvidia 9800M GTX graphics card . . . wow, so this was the point of fingers being crossed hoping that this has resolved the problem. Having been away for a couple of days, its only now (01/01/12) that I have been able to have the XPS1730 running full time and actually working and . . . .

I've had 1 freeze so I checked the Admistrative Events log and found this at the time of the Freeze:-

The description for Event ID 14 from source nvlddmkm cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.
If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.
The following information was included with the event:
\Device\Video5
CMDre 00000001 00000000 00000000 00000001 00000001

This means nothing to me but I noted that the 'source nvlddmkm' - referred to the same driver which I believe relates to Nvidia graphic cards.

More worrying (well it sounds like it it is anyway) is the following Event ID 37 Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Processor-Power which states 'The speed of processor 0 in group 0 is being limited by system firmware. The processor has been in this reduced performance state for 71 seconds since the last report'

I'm getting this for both processors '0' & '1'

Hope this isn't too far off topic, but DELL is due for a follow up call tomorrow (02/01/12) and I would like to be in a position whereby I can explain the most recent freeze but also maybe know as to whether either of the above 2 events mean anything else serious, like the motherboard, memory, cpu etc is dying? I'm afraid this is all way beyond my little brain.

Happy new year & thanks

 

No problem.

About the first error. You're right with the belief. It seems to be a display driver issue, but these type of driver issues also tend to come up when one of the two cards is no longer functioning properly. I've always found them to be a relatively decent indicator of hardware malfunction in the cards.

As for the second. . . I am not familiar, so I cannot comment further.


They may very well try to replace your GPU since you're still on your second claim. Nothing to worry about. At the very least, you'll get a new GPU that should do the job.

 

Happy New year to all!

Anyway update on my situation :

Dec 24, From morning till afternoon no one called (Had my cell phone in my pocket the whole time no missed call - nothing)

so late that night I decided to call them instead. Long story short, still the same thing spec haven't changed.

Dec 26,
The floor manager (who promised to call me on dec 24), called me and he informed me that it's still in process no further update from his end.

Dec 27,
I didn't know about this until 2 days later. It seems that Dell called my home number (weird, I specifically asked them to call my cell, easier to reach me), a family member took a message. Something along the line of "my system being build"

Dec 29
I called Dell as soon as I found out they called me. A nice tech support agent helped me and was able to get me order #, Case # etc.
Oh and he informed me that it is approved (yay! :yes: ) So I am getting what was promised to me in the first place.
I noticed they revert back to the original case # (the very first)

Went straight to the web to check everything, seems good, one thing that was not as promised. The DVD drive. I am getting a regular dvd drive
and not a BluRay. Another call was placed to dell that night. They are having a shortage on bluray drive. So they are shipping me a regular dvd drive
and later, once I receive the system, I just need to call them and they will send out the BluRay drive for me to swap. I ask the tech representative to note it down on her system (I've learned my lesson! )

Well, things are back on track. Countless of hours spent, each call to Dell is atleast 30-45 minutes . We'll see how this goes, so far it's still "In Production"

I'm still scratching my head how can a company promise something and then just back paddled like it never happened, like they never promised me anything.

 

ks47>
Is this system used? ie: Refurbished? How long did it take you from the day dell promised to send the system till the day you actually received the system?

 

mpw246pl>

I tend to agree with Kade Storm, since this is only your second time claiming your warranty, most likely they will just replace the graphic card

Now speaking from my experience, it took them 2 years of swapping out parts till they offered me a replacement. At one point I had to resend the system back right away because they broke a different part (was sent to depot for a repair but came back with another problem). So my suggestion, hang in there

Now onto your problem, since I noticed you have windows 7, I assume your system didn't come with Win7? Or you didn't purchase win 7 from them?
Don't be surprised if they try to pin the problem to Windows 7

Anyway, when they call, ask them to do a dell connect. Once they are connected, show them this log. This should give them a head start in their diagnostic.

 

it is a refurbished system, but it seems to be running perfect. the case had a small smudge on the back that can easily be touched up with black paint, and it looks like someone got frustrated when putting on the plastic strip with the touch controls (flat head screwdriver indention on side). I have tried two games now( Skyrim, SWTOR) all running on highest settings. have to mess around with ati catalyst controller on some to get crossfire to work, but i'm overall happier with this system than i ever was with the two xps systems i had. It took them 7 business days to get the pc to me after they had confirmed the specs.

 

ExtremeS,

Congratulations! Glad to hear the news. It's really a positive development and I am sure that others should be able to draw some positive ideas and encouragement from your experience.

Cheers.

 

Hi everyone.
I have a Dell XPS M1730 laptop, in which the motherboard have failed. There's a burned SMD resistor on it, on which the label is not readable because of the burn, so I can't make it out. Its position on the board is labelled /R251/. If someone has similar motherboard, and could look for me the label that I can't see (R....), or send a photo of it where I can see, I would be very grateful. I attach a photo where you can see the resistor in question.
Big thanks.
[/url][/IMG]

 

I bought an M1730 in 2009 and have had nothing but problems with it. About six months after I got it, the hard drive died and needed to be replaced. The thing ran so hot that I got thermal burns on my legs. Calls to Dell only got me the reply that "it's a gaming laptop, so it runs hot" - so I got a cooling mat for it. Several times in the first year, I had weird problems with the graphics cards and kept uninstalling and reinstalling drivers.

Then one day last year, I turned the computer on and it wouldn’t boot, the screen was completely black. Dell sent a tech to replace the graphics card. It worked fine for awhile again (well, as fine as it would – there were some things I couldn’t do because the graphics driver would crash)…then the screen went black again.
To make a long story a little bit shorter, Dell sent a tech to my house five times to replace the graphics card. They also replaced the heat sink on one occasion. The motherboard was replaced once as well.

After the fifth time the graphics card was replaced, the repair tech himself called Dell and told them the computer wasn’t working right. He then handed the phone to me and told me to tell them the system needed to be replaced.
I spoke to customer service and they told me that if the replaced graphics card failed again, I could send my computer to the Dell Depot and if that didn’t resolve my issues, they would replace my system.

Well, the computer worked for three days and died again, so I sent it off to the Dell depot the day after Thanksgiving. Approximately two weeks later I got it back, and the support paperwork showed that, once again, the graphics card had been replaced. It also sounded like they tweaked the fan because the fan was running a lot more often than it did before.

The first week of January, the screen went black again and the laptop would not boot up. I called Dell. They agreed to replace the system. They sent me an XPS 17-L702x. A techie friend told me this was a fair replacement for my M1730, at least based on the specs online (Dell tech said he couldn't send me the specs by email prior to sending the computer).

So what happened next? Well…before I even received it, I complained to a rep that it was coming with a 6-cell battery and I’d bought a 9-cell battery on my M1730. He sent me a 9-cell battery and also more RAM…so I’d have 8g of RAM. I got those things before I got the new system. When I got the new system, the battery and RAM did not fit (they were for the M1730… so those items will need to go back.

I plugged in the new computer and turned it on. Black error screen said that the adapter type and wattage could not be determined and the battery may not charge. I hit F1 to get past this screen and logged in, connected to my wireless router, and proceeded to start reinstalling some of the programs I needed. Then I see that, indeed, the battery is not charging… So I reboot. Same error screen, same result – the battery’s not charging.

So I called Dell the next day and they informed me that they’d need to replacethe motherboard. The rep said he was going to clear it through his supervisor and put me on hold. As I sat on hold, I got more and more angry, so when he came back on the phone I told him I don’t want the motherboard replaced; I want the entire computer replaced.

I explained to him that for three years, I’d had nothing but trouble with the computer I paid over $4,000 and that all they keep doing is replacing parts and when they finally send me a new computer to replace that one, they send me one that doesn’t work. So they’re (again) going to send me a new system to replace this one. Because the replacement/exchange department does not work on the weekends, I need to call back today to make sure they have the correct details in the system for my Case #. After reading through these forums, I think I'm going to insist that they send me an Alienware. For one thing, I need the backlit keyboard for my eyes; and even though it seems a bit petty, I want the lighting effects and the other silly aesthetic things my M1730 had. This is the most expensive “luxury” item I have ever bought other than my car and my house, and it’s completely unacceptable to me that I’m going through this much trouble to get what I paid for.

I am not a very assertive person – I tend to avoid conflict like the plague – but for the amount of money I paid for the gaming laptop I bought, I shouldn’t be going through this much crap to get a functioning gaming laptop to replace it. On top of that, I'm a woman (girl gamer ftw!), so I think they think that makes me an idiot.

 

UPDATE: Ok, I spent two hours on the phone with Dell yesterday. I was transferred to six different departments. If you read my previous post, I've had my M1730 about 2.5 years and have had the mobo replaced twice, the graphics cards 6x, heat sinks twice, fan replaced twice (I think), hard drive replaced once (a few months after I bought it).

After the last system failure, they agreed to send me a replacement and offered me an XPS 17-L702x. I asked the rep to send me the specs; he refused. I insisted and he said he could not send me the specs. I asked how I can compare the specs of the replacement system with my M1730 and he said I could compare the specs when I received the replacement. Thought this was shady, but I checked what specs I could find online and thought an i5 was a decent upgrade, so I stupidly said "ok." I did ask several times if I didn't think it was a fair replacement, could I send it back and he said I could then call them back to discuss it.

Received the L702x last Thursday, plugged it in and it's not charging. I called tech support and they said they need to replace the motherboard. I told them that not only would I not allow them to replace the motherboard, but I want another replacement and will not accept another L702x because it's not a fair replacement for my M1730 - the display is not even close to what I had on my M1730, and I need a decent display because I work with graphic design.

Each of the reps I talked to yesterday gave me some weird argument as to why I can't get another replacement for my M1730 - one even tried arguing that "if I bought a 10-year-old car, I wouldn't be entitled to get a newer one if something went wrong, right? I wouldn't get a full refund, would I?" I told him he'd be entitled to get whatever his warranty SAID he was entitled to get.

Interestingly, another told me I should have asked for an Alienware up front...I told him I actually did and the other guy said they couldn't do it and all they could offer was a 702x; he asked why I accepted it, and I explained the other guy wouldn't email me the specs - I asked him "Do YOU think that's fair?" He reply was, "I need to transfer you to my manager..."

The manager gave me two options: I can send my M1730 to the Depot for repair, or I can let them send a tech to replace the motherboard of the L702x and keep that replacement. I refused both options and said that I either want a different replacement or a full refund of the $4,500 I spent on the M1730. My case has been sent to the Senior Escalation Team, so I'm waiting for a 24-48 hour callback now.

At this point, I still have both laptops (still within the 10 business days to return the M1730...because I need to retrieve my data from the HD once I have a functioning replacement!). I'm hesitant to part with it because one of the reps yesterday told me I need to send it back ASAP and another told me that since I have the L702x, any replacement I receive would be a replacement for the L702x and not the M1730. So if I have to send either of those laptops back, it will be the non-functioning L702x they sent me as a replacement for the non-functioning M1730. I also have 8 gigs of RAM and a 9-cell battery they sent me for the L702x, both of which actually fit the M1730 and not the L702x...

It's unbelievable to me that you pay for a full warranty and have to go through all of this to get what you paid for...not too sure if I'll ever throw this amount of money at Dell again. I'm happy with the cheap little Dell notebooks I've bought at Best Buy for web browsing and routine stuff, but to spend this much on a high-performance gaming laptop that has been nothing but a disaster...? Think I'll take my $$ elsewhere next time.

 

With respect to the, "you can't get a newer model replacement." You can argue it goes against the spirit of their warranty policy that they give you something of equal or better value. That is, if your original system was an SLi with a highend GPU and CPU, then they must match this. If they cannot match this, then they must exceed, but stepping back isn't in exactly fair, no matter how old your system.

You can explain this to them in a diplomatic fashion and insist that while you appreciate their efforts, from a customer service standpoint, it just isn't fair. Perhaps escalations can be brought into the fold again from where you can request for something equally reasonable. One could also add that replacements for better systems do take place, and present this in a positive manner as to how their commitment to customer satisfaction always takes priority.

I certainly think that for the money you've invested, you should be given something that is at least equal, and the present exchange -- while newer in component model -- is not of the same class.

 

Thanks for the reply I got my escalation callback just as I was walking into a meeting at work, so I had to ask for another callback. The agent said he'll call me back after 5pm EST tonight - I hope so...I hate the waiting game. If there was anyway out of the meeting I was walking into, I'd have taken the call because I'm itching to get this resolved

I'm sticking to my guns and if I have to, I'll send them back the L702x and let them try to repair the M1730 again and start from scratch for a replacement. It seems really tedious and unfair, but I'm not accepting the L702x (even a working one). The display alone is enough of a deterrent to me after my M1730. Colors are not as crisp, images are not as sharp. It just won't work for the designs I do, let alone gaming.

 

No problem.

A word of advice regarding depot service.

Make sure that they know that you are accommodating *them* in your willingness to allow a depot service when you have NBD warranty at home.

Before you send the machine, take full pictures of its condition and status -- parts etc. This is important because the majority of the depot stories I've heard here, the systems often return bashed up and sometimes, even downgraded. This way, you have some form of proof towards system deterioration if your depot job doesn't go as expected.

If this does happen, then again, approach escalations diplomatically. Tell them how you are eager to come to a mutually beneficial solution, and how you established this attitude by setting aside your NBD expectations by sending them the machine, affecting your productivity and convenience. That they should consider all this patience and willingness on your part as a very upfront positive gesture and return the gesture in kind by honouring the warranty with an exchange of equal or better spec-to-spec standing. You should get a dual GPU system replacement that is the same class as your M1730, or better if they don't have alternatives.

 

Thanks again for the reply. This would actually be the second trip to the Depot my M1730 will have taken.

I did hear from the Escalation Team last night. The rep said he's putting a request into the warehouse to see if they have another M1730 with the same specs as mine. He said he'd be back in touch with the specs if they have one or with another option if they don't, and said they'd probably be able to offer me an "upgraded L702x" if they don't have another M1730.

I'll take another M1730 with the same specs as I have. I won't take an L702x, upgraded or not. You're absolutely right that I should get a dual GPU system replacement, and I'm not going to back down no matter how many people they transfer me to lol.

 

Great to hear that. Well, seems like you have two points to your name for willing to cooperate and send your laptop to the depot when you could've technically insisted on home service.

Use these to your favour in a diplomatic fashion and manipulate the conversation to present the facts of the case in your favour. It seems that when individuals become passionate, the response can vary from excellent results to complete rejection -- it can be a bit of a gamble. So objectively speaking, you have the tools, and supporting evidence to work your argument without needing the passionate last resort. Let the previous record and your willingness as a customer speak for the resolution process and put them in a position where they'd have to offer you something equal or better just to save face.

 

@ skatoulaki, why don't you ask for the money back? Give them two options: your money back or an Alienware with SLI, I bet they'll choose the second option and give you a proper replacement.

 

@bluke424: That's what got my case escalated. I refused the XPS 17-L702x and told them I wanted my money back.

To update this, I just got off the phone with the Dell rep. They're sending me a refurbished Alienware m17x R1 Extreme Edition. I've asked him to email me the specs, and he said he will do that shortly. Without seeing full specs, is this a fair exchange?

I'm thinking that since at the very least the processor is an upgrade and the R1 has dual GPU's, I should accept this replacement...hell, I'd have been more than happy with a refurbished M1730 as long as it worked - I really loved that computer.

UPDATE: Ok, here are the specs of the replacement:
Space Black Alienware M17x Laptop
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Operating System
Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad Processor QX9300 (2.53GHz, 12MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
8 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz (2 DIMMs)
500 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor
6X Blu-ray Disc Combo (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM)
SLi, Dual nVidia GeForce GTX 280 1024MB
Internal 300Mbps Dual-Band a/g/n Wireless with MIMO Technology
17 inch WideUXGA 1920x1200 (1200p)
125V Power Cord & 210W/240W switchable Slim 3P A/C Adapter
Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module
9 Cell Primary Battery
Back-lit Keyboard

My M1730 was:
Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T9500 @ 2.6GHz
NVIDIA SLI 8800M GTX (x2)
8X DVD+/-RW Toshiba
500GB Hard drive 7200rpm
4GB, DDR2, 667MHZ, 2 DIMM
AGEIA PhysX Accelerator
AverMedia TV card
Windows Vista 64-bit
17" LCD, WUXGA UltraSharp True Life, 1920x1200
85 WHr,9-cell Battery


Is this a decent replacement or is there something I should ask them to upgrade?

 

Hold onto your M1730 power adapter, when they replaced my machine they sent out a 240W adapter and the battery wouldnt charge, it took about 4 phone calls and several weeks later until I got the proper power supply. The 240W may not sufficiently power your SLI, should be 330W. Also when I got my system exchanged they set me up with an M18x, however I had the X9000 cpu in mine, read a few pages back for full specs.

 

Great, thanks for the advice! I just emailed the rep who's handling my exchange and asked him if they can ship me a 330W adapter and I'll send the 240W adapter back. I'm going to be holding onto the M1730 so I can attempt to retrieve my data off the HD before I send it back anyway, so I'll definitely hold onto the adapter for awhile.

 

I still think you are getting screwed. I would of threatened lemon clause. You can be assertive without being douchy. If you look at the specs you are receiving compared to most people on this board you are getting slighted. Should of just cried on the phone lol.

 

Thank you for your reply. You're probably right...but it's better than the single GPU replacement they sent me (XPS 17-L702x), so I am probably lucky that they'll even take that one back (well, it's not working, but still...they were trying to give me another of those), and I don't think my 1730 was as maxed out as some of the others on this board. A couple of techie friends told me I should take it. If I was a hardcore gamer and really knew what I was talking about, I'd probably have kept fighting for more, but I think this will work for me.

 

True. Even if it wasn't maxed out, so long as it had dual GPU solution, it just isn't in the same classification as the L702x. You need to use the classification aspect as a core argument point. Their argument about new vs. old, appreciation vs. depreciation isn't relevant in the context of machine classification since the allocation of your initial investment is disproportionate to the lower class replacement. Yes, your machine is old, but the money spent was an investment -- an opportunity for them.

No need to worry about things just yet. Allow this process to go through, so you're at least back with a DUAL GPU system to argue your case. Right now, you're at possible risk of being treated as an L702 owner, which changes how they treat you down the line. Once a single gpu lower end system is officially accepted, then they're not obliged to ever consider a dual GPU system replacement. The M1730 should ideally be steering you in the Alienware direction, and not towards that of a lower classification system.

 

All of the above...YES! That's exactly my viewpoint as well. One of the reps I spoke with last week during my 2-hour call that was transferred to everyone but the Dell janitorial staff tried to tell me that since I had accepted delivery of the L702x, the only thing they could give me a replacement for was that L702x. When I pointed out that the rep who arranged that replacement had refused to send me the specs of the machine, that's when I was finally referred to the Senior Escalation Team. I know that their calls are sometimes recorded for "quality assurance," so I really hope that previous rep's call was recorded (and REVIEWED!) when he told me he could not send me the specs.

My Alienware was delivered today and is sitting at home waiting for me. I'm going to ship back the L702x they sent me and holding onto my M1730 for a few days so I can try to retrieve my data from the HD. Can't wait to get home and check this AW out, get my games loaded, and start playing again. I've been having withdrawals!

Thanks for all the replies, and thanks for this board too. Reading the posts here at least made me sound like I knew what I was talking about So thanks guys!

 

skatoulaki,

Congrats on your replacement, I too was in the same boat not to long ago.

My suggestion about holding on your M1730 is to be careful. I was told by the rep to hold mine until everything is settle/done. Here I am right now on hold with Alienware support because apparently after 10 days (something like that, I don't remember the exact day) if you haven't return your old laptop they freeze the support!

 

Well, great...I'm sure they'll do that to me. It's about how my luck is with Dell.

I received my Alienware yesterday. I think it has a single graphics card (it should be listed twice in Device Manager, right? That's how it was on my M1730) and not the model listed in the specs he sent me. There is no Blu-Ray drive - just DVD/RW. The display, while better than the one on the 17-L702x, is not what was listed in the specs he sent me.

I just got it last night, and I hadn't had a chance to go through all the specs because I spent 2 hours on the phone with tech support because I couldn't connect to my network wirelessly. The tech remoted into my system and after two hours told me it was a software issue with my router and since I don't have software warranty, he could either fix it for a $129 fee or I could purchase a 1-year software warranty for $199. I cannot even tell you how frustrated I am by this mess. I refused both options and he told me I could call my router manufacturer and they'd charge me too.

I spent another two hours staring cluelessly at my router admin settings and just as I decided to give up, I Googled "M17x will connect to ethernet but not wireless"...which brought me to a thread right here on NBR and turns out it was a sleep setting on the ethernet adapter (yeah...hardware issue, for which I AM covered, not a software issue with my router). After that, I went to bed.

This morning as I was getting ready for work, I went into My Computer to check the specs and Device Manager is only showing one graphics card and it's not the one in the specs the SET rep who processed my exchange sent me. I started looking at other stuff and I don't think it has a Blu-Ray either, and I think the display is not the one specified either. I emailed the rep and listed those issues and told him I am going to go through all the specs when I get home and will be in touch. This is just one headache after another.

I do keep getting reminders about sending my M1730 back, but I still have data I need to retrieve off the HD...and I'd like to wait until I have a final resolution of my exchange - it only seems fair, right? Maybe I should pull out that HD and put in the broken one they replaced when the machine was 6 months old...and send THAT back to them.

The L702x and the RAM and battery they sent me are being sent back tomorrow.

So so so frustrated by this whole process. I think I've been patient enough with them and received a whole lot of stress and aggravation in return. And how incredibly stupid is it that the Dell tech could not figure out what was wrong last night (a simple hardware setting) and I (Miss Doesn't-Speak-Techie-At-All) was able to find the answer on my own, online in about five seconds, once I stopped believing his opinion that it had anything at all to do with my router???

Sorry, I'm just venting. This has just been going on for so long, and I see all the frustration people go through, it just makes me sick. Does Dell even CARE what they are doing to their reputation???

 

I am really surprised by this trend in recent practice by Dell. . . no official offer in PDF format in the form of an invoice, which must be agreed upon by the customer before the replacement can be processed. This simply doesn't compute and will cost them more money if they just randomly select a system they consider worthy, send it to the customer, only to have it sent back and incur multiple delivery costs and processing time. It's not very efficient practice, speaking strictly from a monetary standpoint. Of course, it has even bigger ramifications from a customer relations standpoint since customers can become frustrated with such situations.


Please have a look at your system and find out if it is an M17X R1, R2, or R3. If it is the R3, then you're limited to single card options only. A good way to find out which system you might have is by inspecting the video card name in your Device Manager list.

I think they should still provide you with the following:
- Dual GPU Solution
- Blu Ray Drive


As for your concerns about sending back the laptop or your M1730. If you are not satisfied with the replacement M17X, then make a note of all the points where it doesn't measure up to the original M1730. Send this to your escalations manager, and offer to return the replacement system on grounds that it does not satisfy the specification of your original system on two very important fronts - GPU and Optical Drive. Add further that they should offer you a replacement specification by e-mail, and once this correct replacement is offered, and agreed upon, you would like a one-week-window between receiving the replacement system and sending back your original so that you may transfer important data from the old system to the new; this is a very basic request and usually honoured by Dell.


My overall take of this situation isn't as bad as the text might make it seem; you've made progress and moved on to an Alienware system. Unfortunately, without more detail, I am left wondering if your options might be limited to a single-GPU system, which shouldn't be the case. Keep persisting, and view each step that goes in your favour as a positive. I realise that you've been more than reasonable and patient, so I would recommend that you take each positive step in positive light and take this matter further. It is unfortunate what they've done, yet again, but it's a step in the right direction and I see more promise from the situation.

 

Well, in diving into my specs in more detail, I can tell you this is what they said they were sending me (and what I received):

Space Black Alienware M17x Laptop (correct) (they said it was an R1...I have no clue how to tell)
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Operating System (correct)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad Processor QX9300 (2.53GHz, 12MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB) (correct)
8 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz (2 DIMMs) (correct)
500 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor (incorrect, received SCSI drive)
6X Blu-ray Disc Combo (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM) (correct)
SLi, Dual nVidia GeForce GTX 280 1024MB (incorrect, received nVidia GeForce 9400M G, and only one)
Internal 300Mbps Dual-Band a/g/n Wireless with MIMO Technology (not received)
17 inch WideUXGA 1920x1200 (1200p) (incorrect, received a "Generic PnP" monitor," and not 1920x1200 (1200p))
125V Power Cord & 210W/240W switchable Slim 3P A/C Adapter (correct)
Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (not received)
9 Cell Primary Battery (not sure, this information is not listed)
Back-lit Keyboard (correct)

I'm extremely upset about the graphics cards and the display, not sure if I should even care about the rest of these items, and yes, it did come with a Blu-Ray player, I was just reading it wrong in device manager...this is another item I don't really care about much because I didn't have it on my M1730.

I'm getting so tired of fighting with Dell, but those two items (GPU and display) I can't compromise on. I PAID for those two things specifically, and I want them. Ugh.

UPDATE: Ok...I'll say...what a difference it has been today on the phone. Alienware tech support seems to be soooooo much smoother. Here is where my tech-dumminess gets in my way. I do have two graphics cards, but they were not activated. Now I have what I was told I was getting - the only issues unresolved were the SATA vs. SCSI drive (and I'm gonna let that go since what I'm getting is comparable to what I had in my M1730) and the display. Regarding the display, the tech is going to call me back tomorrow, once my warranty has transferred to the Alienware machine and they're going to send me the correct display.

So I'm happy! This was actually a pretty painless phone call today (after I got transferred three times). Once I was on the phone with this guy, it was all good - he was quick and efficient and knew what he was talking about.

 

Skatoulaki,

I hear ya! I've been there. Your experience is more or less the same as what I've experienced.

Now for your current laptop, from past research, I think M17x R1 have a hybrid GPU. To save power it'll default to Nvidia 9400 but when you need graphic processing power it'll switch to your GTX 280. But don't quote me on this.. I'm just remembering what I've read

Hard drive, how do you know its SCSI? I don't think Alienware support SCSI. Anyway are you looking thru device manager? If its on raid sometime it'll say SCSI

Have you tried punching in your SN# on the dell website and see what is your spec? From what I've been told by dell, serial number is married to a computer's spec and cannot be changed

 

Oh! Man, this might be a major misunderstanding.

I am posting this from an R1.

Here's the thing, the R1 has an integrated 9400m GS as a hybrid SLi for power saving features.

Boot up the PC, make sure it is running on direct power and not battery. Access the BIOS when it boots up by pressing the F2 key. You will then have access to the BIOS. Navigate to the graphics section and make sure that either 'hybrid' or 'dedicated graphics' is enabled. Otherwise, you're defaulted to integrated graphics, which limits your machine to just the 9400m GS for those scenarios where you don't have a power brick on hand. Your system must always be plugged in when booting in order to have access to the dedicated GPUs.

The 280m GTX specification has always come in SLi configuration, as far as I am concerned. The only time I've seen an M17X R1 ship with a single card is the basic M17X R1 config, which usually involves a single 260m GTX. You have the correct part, most likely; it's simply disabled in the BIOS. You've also got one hell of a great CPU. To be honest, you've scored a decent upgrade with this system. It may not be the latest in the M17/18X series, but it's still one hell of a machine. Take good care of it and it should last longer than a series of M1730 GPU failures.

Also, I totally agree on the Alienware support factor. I've had my share of drama with them from time to time, but on the whole, they're much less argumentative and more focussed on solving the problem and moving forward.

 

Haha, yup, I'm all set. I had updated my post. The Alienware tech remoted in and did all the stuff you said above He's also sending out a new display (they sent me a 1440x900 and not a 1920x1200...think I have those numbers right), so I'm just waiting to hear from a tech to schedule an install. As I've said before, I'm not a real hardcore gamer, but I went into WoW last night, maxed all my graphics, also into Second Life and maxed out the graphics, and everything was INCREDIBLE! Can't wait to get some more of my games installed and my graphics editing apps and see what it can do, but overall, I'm really happy with it. It's actually what I always expected my M1730 to be (and more!), but it never really lived up to it with all the trouble I had with it.

Thanks again so much to this board too...I have really learned a lot here, even a couple of my techie friends are impressed with what I've learned and have patted me on the back for not giving in to Dell and taking that 702x

 

Glad to hear that, and congratulations. Always feel free to post any follow-ups if you run into any unfortunate trouble. And yeah, this board's great. Who knows, maybe a few weeks, months, or years down the line, you might be advising someone else in a similar predicament.

Cheers.

 

Yes, you never know! So far, everything's working great (crossing fingers!). I got a call from the tech who's coming to replace the display to set that up. Ironically, he's the same guy who last came to replace the graphics card in my M1730 (and had replaced it once before that as well; I got a couple different people who did that), and he had actually told tech support the system wasn't working right, then covered the receiver, told me to push for a system replacement and that my system should be replaced with an Alienware, and handed the phone to me. They wouldn't do it then and made me send it to the depot, then promised a replacement if that didn't work. Haha, so it will be nice to say "hi" again and thank him for being a good guy too

 

Is there a reason why both of my batteries will not charge? I told Dell that it would not charge/hold a charge and they said it is because of old age. My m1730 is literally a desktop (I can't even carry it from room to room without turning it off). Is it possible that the charger is at fault?

 

UPDATE on my Alienware replacement for my XPS M1730: Tech came and installed my new display yesterday, so I now have the 1920x1200 resolution that my M1730 had. I'm absolutely blown away by the Alienware - it just FEELS like a much more solid machine than my XPS, and to be honest, it's such a difference from what I had (performance-wise, it blows my XPS out of the water), that I'm thinking my XPS probably was not working right from the start. Being a non-hardcore gamer, it's perfect for what I do with it. My XPS used to lag in L4D2 and APB and I'd never seen WoW with ultra graphic settings, and so far everything's running like a dream! I'm a happy girl!

 

Glad to hear that, Skatoulaki. The M1730 can actually run some of the games nicely if it is properly calibrated and not rife with GPU failure issues. Fortunately, with your replacement, this won't be much of a concern.

A couple of questions:

- How old are these batteries?
- Did they gradually stop charging or was it a sudden event?

Thing is that if your system is running and gaming properly when plugged in, then your charger is probably not at fault. Although I can't be certain.

 

Jowsley,

How do you know its not charging? Is it from a windows notification? If so, then you shouldn't worry. Mine did that but it charge/work fine. I think Dell programmed this battery to have life and want users to replace them at certain age (More $$ to them)

Now if it's not from the notification. Then either the charger or the charging mechanism itself (circuitry). If this is the case, your only choice might be Dell repair.

 

Skatoulaki,

Glad everything got sorted out. Just out of curiosity, when you punch-in your serial number on the dell website, what kind of configuration shows up? Does it shows your system having 1920x1200 or 1440 x 900 ?

 

I have an M1730 still in warranty. The other day I had it on and was in the kitchen, and could smell a burning smell. I looked in the living room and there was smoke pouring out the back of the laptop! I ran in with a towel to beat it with as I thought it was going on fire, there were a couple of sparks at the rear grille, but I managed to smother it without it going up in flames!

So, that was a bit shocking - I don't think it would have gone on fire, just seems like something's fried inside, but you never know.

Anyway, I phoned Dell (India) and they said they'd phone me back about it. I got an e-mail the next day saying they were going to replace it... with an XPS 17
It's not the best M1730 I've got, it's just the 8700 SLI cards, but I still think this is not a valid replacement for my system. The screen resolution is a lot lower, and I don't think it can take dual hard-drives.

I did a bit of reading on here, and complained and said this wasn't a fair replacement, but they say that's the only thing they can offer. I mentioned an Alienware, but they say they can't replace a XPS with an Alienware.
I've spoken to a manager and told him I'm not happy with this, he says he cant help and he's going to get customer relations (I think) to phone me back tomorrow!

So, first of all what are your thoughts on the XPS17 being a replacement for the M1730 (lower end) and if Dell are trying to fob me off, what's the best way to deal with them to make sure I don't end up bumped!


EDIT: Oh yeah they also offered me a refund but said they couldnt work out what I paid for the machine! I bought it through a reseller and they said they'd refund the reseller and I should get a refund off them - this sounds like nonsense, and I can see the reseller telling me tough titties.

 

Well, update on this, I got a phone message left saying they were going to replace me with a M18X Alienware Jeez, I thought the M1730 was big!
Oh well, it would have been better if I hadn't been fobbed off to begin with, but I can't fault the outcome! Good job, Dell, but need to work on that customer service

 

My M1730 suddenly started working very slowly a few weeks ago - I have just been using other computers in the time since then, as I had no time to try to figure out was the issue was. I finally had a look at it today and the CPU is underperforming by about a factor of 4.5 according to my CPU score in 3DMark 06 (~500 vs. ~2350). The CPU is almost always at 100% usage. CPU-Z also shows a big drop in CPU frequency (when compared to benchmarks from before this issue began), with the multiplier fixed at 3.0 (and not changeable with the T9500). It is still under warranty, so should I call Dell for repairs or is there something I am overlooking?

 

my problem: i run dell PC check up and i run the video cards tests and these fail:
wireframe shader rendering test
shader rendering test
fixed transformation and lighting test
wireframe line test

while those were having problems when i put my laptop to sleep (close lid) and open it all my colors were inverted, and i had to do a reset in order for me to see clearly again.
They have replaces in a span of 5 business days
replaced graphics cards 3x
replaced motherboard 2x
replaced heat sink (1)
replaced thermal fan
the issue still continues. i've asked over and over again for a replacement and they still say no. i've always stood by, by never saying i want to send in my laptop because of school. they also updated my graphics drivers and nothing. i should be getting a phone call tomorrow and im hoping they can do something about this.

anyone know about this issue? i have severe FPS lag when i plug in an external monitor, also all my game run on the lowest setting, since if i go any higher i lag like crazy.

 

How can I tell if I got a upgrade? I currently have both computers now. I received an alienware. As of now here what happened
XPS--->Alienware
Processor: X9000 2.8GHz(overclock at 3.4GHz) --> i7 2720QM 2.2GHz
RAM: 4GB-->8GB
Video Card: 2x Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT--> AMD Radeon HD 6970M
Disk Drive: TSSTCorp DVD+-RW TS-L632H --> HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GA31N
Screen resolution: 1920x1200 --> 1920x1080
32bit -->64bit

I do see that my screen resloution is smaller also I only have 1 graphics card. They told me they were going to call me to see what configuration but they just sent me this alienware.

 

any takes on getting offered the i7-3610QM in a replacement for a m1730 with X9000?

Have read the i7-3610QM does not overclock well, is it still a superiour GPU to the X9000 or would it be fair to push for an XM as replacement?

 

Probably even a base model Gen 3 i7 would smoke the X9000. Dont be too greedy. I know my neighbor bullied Dell into upgrading his 1710 to a 1730 and now they wont sell him extended warranty.

 

Hi guys.

My situation: I have a m1730 still on warranty and two weeks ago it died on me. The on-site repair guy couldn't fix it (after replacing mobo) and advised a collect and return repair.

It has now been 11 days since I sent it and I got a status call update to say that the depot is out of stock on parts needed for repair. Where to go from here?

 

Dell will look after it. Once it is in depot, when you will get it you are going to have 90 days warranty on all replaced parts.
I had the same problem with mine, still one more month to go of the 90days warranty. I was offered a replacement, I might go for it.

 

Hi guys,

after 4 weeks in the depot, my laptop was returned and working until I started getting errors relating to the graphics card. After another graphics card replacement, the laptop still seems to have issues, booting up in particular (hanging on bios screen). It's really been too long now, and I'm pretty fed up of replacements. (I have two years warranty left). Feels like i'm going round in circles with tech support.

Should I push this further? I really feel like just giving up and leaving the laptop to rot. Any advice would be welcome.

 

I just got off the phone with Dell and they refuse to do a system exchange / replacement, saying my laptop is "end of life" because it's 4 years old (the motherboard and video card are from last year!). They'll send a tech to fix it (it just stopped booting and seems bricked, won't boot off battery either).

For the record I've had 3 video cards, 1 motherboard, 1 screen, and 1 power adapter replaced by Dell already (the power adapter also went out just now with the laptop).

The guy on the phone was adamant that they can not do a replacement/exchange. Is it possible for me to push this in any way? If so, how would you recommend I proceed? I have 115 days of Warranty left and I don't think it's eligible for renewal anymore. It was first shipped December 2007 and I bought it from someone else in the summer of 2008.

I work/study abroad so I'm only home until August 23rd then I'm gone again until next summer and Dell has abused this fact to avoid confrontation, knowing I can't afford the time to hound them on the phone repeatedly.

I even asked if it would be possible to at least trade the laptop in for credit I can use towards a new laptop from Dell and the person on the phone said no.

 

So update, after another issue, I was forwarded to customer relations and got the great experience of possibly the worst phone rep ever. This guy was extremely rude, trying to put words in my mouth and fighting with me despite my calm tone and not kicking up a fuss, I barely had a chance to say much while he bombarded me with random statements about their policy and law. I really don't know what happened and how I ended up there but I'm pretty pissed, I never raised my voice, argued or said anything wrong and feel like someone just prank called me to hurl abuse.

I have no clue how to proceed from here. Is there anything I can do to be contacted by someone just a little bit nicer?


edit - after further contact I am now being offered 50% of purchase price (1k) plus refund on warranty. The laptop is now ~4 years old and I think this is a fair deal given 1 year of warranty left. I guess I could push it further to get the full paid price back but unsure as to how much longer this could go on.