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m15chief

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Everything posted by m15chief

  1. I don't think that file makes a difference, if you use UEFI you get the Alienware logo, if normal boot you get the windows logo after the POST screen
  2. Thanks chaps, tried with both and the difference is marginal, some gentle messing and 1150/1280 seems to be the sweet spot. 3d11 score of a shade over 3200 with no artefacting. I left turbo on, can see in the bios that it will throttle at 85c and I never get close to that. Hwmon and gpu-z logs show only as high as 72c even on intensive load for long periods. (Sniper v2, hitman, ghost warrior and black ops on high settings) Also using ic diamond repaste and a coolermaster u3 so all good thermally. I also noticed an improvement in my score by around 400pts even without clocking after the new a11 bios was flashed. Thanks for all the effort put into the unlocked bios, very much appreciated. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2
  3. Does it make a difference having turbo boost on or off in the bios? Managing a 3d mark of just over 3000 on 1100/1300 Which considering i have the top end i7 chip is a bit less than i expected. Seen users with the older sandybridge and the lesser spec ivy bridge with higher scores using the same overclock.. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  4. A custom power plan restricting the processor to 75% on battery seems to be a workaround Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  5. I tried again without the rat3 & the cooling plate, and im still using the factory shipped HDD +mSATA instead of my crucial mSATA and Samsung 840pro SSD. Took a bit extra, i kicked off a malware scan & i set ie to use the GPU instead of the HD4000 for the HD youtube vids, but the same result. Just as the fans kick in the lights go out. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  6. Confirmed.. I decided to try a different test to see if i can overstress the power system without gaming. Loaded up photoshop (using the nVidia and Cuda) and started some 3d modelling Loaded up a massive spreadsheet 30k lines and performed a vlookup query Loaded up YouTube and started up some HD trailers, All while keeping my U3 coolermaster plugged in, my rat3 mouse and a usb3 stick Last thing i started doing was transferring a large file from the usb when all the lights went out.. Has to be a power drain issue, because its happened across 3 boards, 3 batteries and a second brand new replacement it has to be the combination of the hardware that is the issue not one single component. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  7. I do have a coolermaster U3 but for testung i leave it unplugged, i do also use a rat gaming mouse, but again for testing i leave it unplugged. My config also has the killer-n wifi and a mSATA ssd as well as a SATA SSD. The battery does indeed drain at an alarming rate when gaming but 1-2 hours shouldnt be impossible to ahieve. I think you are correct that a surge of requirement causes the shutdown. The power system is being overwhelmed by the demand and tripping some sort of protection switch. I originally suspected the GPU as testing using the intel 4000 didnt cause a shutdown. Then with your results along with being able to delay the shutdown or even prevent it by reducing the available power to the CPU in the power management made me think it was the CPU However, it has to be a combination of all of these, as well as the additional peripherals thats causing the power demand to outstrip the available power while on battery. Im going to do some more testing maybe adding peripherals, usb3 disks and other stuff to see if the shutdown happens faster. IMHO i still think thats a manufacturing flaw, if you can configure such a system it should still operate as advertised. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  8. Ok, Thanks again for testing. Ive only been able to test using the i7 3740, so an alternative hardware config is a massive help. So far it looks like you dont have the same problem then.. perhaps it is a CPU issue rather than GPU Some quick searching via google shows a lot of affected users, i assumed it was the GPU and therefore all users. One forum runnng a poll where almost 70% of users reported as having the issue out of about 95 respondents. Ive also seen users with the r1 with the issue, but i'd never even considered the CPU as the culprit, i always assumed the GPU until my recent tests with the CPu power plans. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  9. Also which Assassins creed? Im thinking of buying the newest one. If i do buy it i can test on my system using the same game. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  10. Thanks for testing ratinox, very much appreciated. My latest discovery, if i reduce the processor power in the power plans to below 75% on battery im seeing a lot less failures, so it might not actually be the GPU after all, but the CPU thats drawing too much power leaving less for the GPU essentially causing a phantom overheat condition. Hence the error message about the battery being disconnected. Could be that the slightly lower clock on your CPU is why you aren't seeing the issue, when i underclock mine using power plans it happens far less. Let me know how it goes with Guild Wars, also make sure the graphics settings are high or ultra. To speed the process up a little. I have also been using the standard 720p test in furmark as a way to replicate the fault without a game. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  11. OK, for those following the saga on here instead of Timeline | FalienwareFalienware I now believe this to be a design flaw, either with the GT650m itself, or the surrounding hardware and its configuration. I've isolated and tested every possible component and OS that I can, and i'm still able to recreate the fault. Also some googling has found various polls where up to 70% of respondents encountered the same issue. I also found scores of forum posts littered around the web where people have the same problem. Heres how I have successfully recreated the issue every time. Charge the laptop fully, then unplug the AC before you boot (also happens if you unplug while windows is booted, but in order to get a clean test do it before boot) Boot into windows and fire up steam Load up a graphically intensive game (I use Hitman Absolution on ultra or high in the native resolution) Other ganes the mileage varies play Within minutes the laptop will power off and refuse to restart despite the battery indicator showing as full or near full. Ok to get your laptop working properly again, plug in the AC, boot, then do a proper shutdown then boot again on AC. All should then be back to normal and you can use the battery again. I've repeated the fault with a couple of different games, with various detail settings so I know its not the game, or that the card can't handle the settings. Some take longer than others before it happens, but in around 80% of games i've tried so far the issue occurs, i assume its based on how graphically intense the game is. I've repeated this fault successfully across 4 different GPU's boards and batteries. 2 different processors, various drive configurations, SSD, HDD, RAID and AHCI across multiple OS's Win7 pro, Win8 and Win8 pro. I've also repeated the fault across various BIOS version A08, A09 and A10 and various nvidia card driver version 307 thru 310.9. Finally although some games the fault manifests itself faster than others i've also been able to replicate across various games, as well as using some popular benchmarking tools. My config m14xr2 Core i7 3740 ivybridge 16GB Ram 2GB nVidia GT650M
  12. Fair enough i suppose. I just assumed that something as basic as an OS would have been properly setup. Another lesson, never assume. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  13. Really?? From the Bios modder?? I think there is every right to complain. The random screw lying under the DVD drive is justification enough to complain, & the fact that a replacement system still has the issue with completely stock settings and hardware suggests that its a manufacturing issue. The unactivated os is just a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things, not major although the dvd media does not come with an activation key, so i've used one from the numerous board replacements. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  14. No i didnt, i swapped out the HDD without even turning it on. So technically, when i took the SSD out and reinstalled the HDD it should have been as if it was the first time it was booted. Its not a major deal as ive got cd keys from the multiple board replacements, if i really need to i'll just use one of those. Just shoddy from Dell/Alienware, and the loose screw rattling around the case is unforgivable.. i wanted the replacement quickly to minimise my inconvenience bur not at the cost of a proper build :-S Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  15. The plot thickens... My brand new replacement came, and the first thing I did was to install my SSD. First thing I noticed was that the battery wasn't screwed in.. rather shoddy I thought, Then after taking the DVD drive off I found an extra screw, just sitting there under the DVD drive??? Those of you with the m14x will know that all of the screws needed to get to the HDD have retaining washers so this is a case screw, something you dont need to open to get at the HDD!! Anyway, after cleaning out the leftover screw, and installing my SSD I find that the power off issue remains, even with all new hardware,, I decide to do a clean install of windows and also a clean install of the games i'm using to test, and I also re-install the shipped hardware (HDD and mSata) Double FAIL... Windows isn't even activated on the shipped hardware !! Timeline | FalienwareFalienware
  16. Tried all that Svl, most of the time the response is that im UK based and they dont support my geography, same with @Dellcares and @alienware on twitter. As per the blog i've tried multiple calls emails and even a letter. And had only one call from a supervisor who basically told me there was nothing they could do. [email protected] is supposedly the latest escalation path but ive had zero response from that & the [email protected] which promises a response within 24 hours still hasnt responded to any of the 3 emails sent 2-3 & 4 weeks ago. So its not for lack of trying.. i've even worked up a £30 phone bill on the 0844 number on my order summary until i got the 0800 number. Have a read on my blog titled Engineering Malfunction about how engineer used a flathead screwdriver to scrape paste off the old GPU then onto the new GPU when the mobo was last swapped out.. how much confidence would that give you when their engineers are a liability?? www.falienware.com/timeline for the entire story Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  17. Cheers for the support mate, its very much appreciated.. the site traffic stats are showing a lot of hits from Dell in texas & one of their supervisors let it slip that the senior execs are working with their legal dept on what to do about it. so if you wanted to copy/paste this into a comment on my site it should be seen by someone senior in Dell Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  18. Cherrs Brian, apreciate the support. Hopefully this sort of protest will improve Alienware support for all of us. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  19. It shouldnt in the short term. but its worth trying to figure it out. I saw somewhere the logic on the led lights can sometime cause this. Can you try turning all the leds off in alienfx then try shutdown? Other than that look in the syslog to see if you can figure out what service or program is causing it to lock. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  20. try also turning off usb power in the bios. That could be preventing clean shutdown. You only really need it if you still want to power peripherals or charge a phone while the laptop is shutdown anyway.
  21. Sick and tired of Alienwares terrinble customer services I decided to create a weblog of every interaction while trying to get my 1 month odl m14xr2 fixed/repaired/refunded. The whole story available at www.falienware.com for anyone who is interested..Hopefully if I can drum up enough interest they will kickstart some action and get my laptop sorted.
  22. Ok, 3rd board, 3rd battery & the shocking use of a flathead screwdriver to not only remove the old paste from the old gpu but to smear it onto the new GPU!! Not only that the tech failed to reconnect my touchpad, dvd drive & got paste all over my dining table again.. I wasnt bothered i onew the replacements wouodnt work anyway & i damn well knew i wouodnt be keeping this laptop. Sure enough after he had cobbled it back together, figured out the beeps were because he hadnt connected the cmos battery i showed him again how i can recreate the fault on command. The engineer called in to say the entire machine needs replacing, which with any luck should be next week. If i can recreate the problem with that one i'll know for certain its a manufacturing flaw & if not.. at least i'll have a brand new laprop again and i can try and put this nightmare month behind me.. Incidentally i purchased some new domain names of the alienware variety.. just deciding what to do with them ;-) Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  23. Alienwares answer... you guessed it.. another mainboard and battery.. :-( at this rate im going to need a new mb and battery every month just to use my system Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
  24. Gaahhhhh... FFS... 1 week after the mainboard and battery replacement and its happening again. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
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