OFFICIAL: Alienware M18x Owners Lounge

[Brian]

Solution for: M18x R2 fails POST with 8 beeps attempting to switch from IGFX to Discrete GPU

***

WARNING: TECH|INFERNO ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO YOUR SYSTEM BY USING THE 580M VBIOS KIT. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Attached Files: 580M VBios Kit. This "kit" originally authored by RedLine has the files necessary to flash your nVidia GTX 580M to prevent throttling. In addition, there is an extra folder in there with a variety of 580M vbios settings that one can choose from.

AW M18x parts list: Credit Chris M @ Dell

Bottom Plastic

13PC8 Bottom Base, Black

1988J Bottom Base, Red

J6NT3 Assembly, Keyboard, Frame

JM0N0 Assembly, Bottom Door, Black

N6JR7 Assembly, Door, LCD Cover, Hand GripCables and Cords

0R215 Power Cord 15A, 125V, 10FT

436V8 Assembly, Bluetooth Cable

5120P Power Cord, 6FT

5FG2Y I/O Board Cable

67GPX Power Button Cable

GG7V9 Media, Daughter Board, Cable

JT0HD LOGO Board Cable

KFR5C NumberLock Board Cable

WTFK8 ODD Cable

7VKT9 ODD Bracket W/Cable

9JP9M HDD FPC Cable

KFNTK HDD Bracket W/CableDVD-ROMs

1HC8F 8x DVD+/-RW HLDS

M5F6V 8X DVD+/-RW PLDS

P94GT 6x DVD+/-RW/BD-ROM HLDSHDD

PVGPX 256GB SSD-S3, 2.5", Liteon Vangogh

4K2C3 256GB SSD-S2, 2.5", Samsung PM810

R6KNT 750GB S2-P11-4KE, 7.2K, 2.5", Seagate Desaru

65X3D 500GB, S2, 7.2K, 2.5",P11, ANAK

23NXF 320GB S2-P11, 7.2K, 2.5", Samsung MP4

34C6N 320GB S2-P11, 7.2K, 2.5", 4KE, 7MM, Seagate Julius

J1CM4 320GB SATA2-P11, 7.2K, 2.5", Western Digital MX320-1

PPHPX 320GB S2-P11, 7.2K, 2.5", Toshiba

Heatsinks, Fans

0TYGV Heat Sink, VGA, Left

HD9NJ Heat Sink, CPU, Qual Core, XE

P0DG8 FAN, Graphic Card, Master, LF

X4KPF Heat Sink, CPU, Qual Core

XHW5W FAN, Graphic Card, Slave, Right

Y8T9Y Heat Sink, VGA, 6970, LeftKeyboards and Mice

9M46F KeyboardLCD Plastics, Covers

J1C2G LCD Cover, Red

122RP LCD Cover, Black

99FWD LCD Hinge w/Cap, Left

615Y8 LCD Hinge w/Cap, Right

8NW7M LVDS Cable

PYVWX Camera / Array Mic ModuleLCD/Display

8075V LCD, W/PMMA+Frame+Bracket+WLAN Antenna

DNF7J LCD, W/PMMA+Frame+Bracket+WLAN & DMC AntennaMemory

FYHV1 4GB, 1600MHZ, 512X64, 8K, 204

0X23C 2GB, 1600MHZ, 256X64, 8K, 204

Y7W7C 2GB, 1600MHZ, 256X64, 8, 200, XMP

YR6MN 8GB, 1333MHZ, 1024X64, 8, 204

X830D 4GB, 1333MHZ, 512X64, 8K, 204

PX72C 4GB, 1333MHZ, 512X64, 8K, 204

560NY 2GB, 1333MHZ, 256X64, 8K, 204

F073F 2GB, 1333MHZ,256X64,8K,204

V1RX3 2GB, 1333MHZ, 256X64, 8K, 204Miscellaneous Hardware

0JDJY Power Button LED Board (w/ Cable)

4R02P PWA, Daugter Board, Media

FMG89 PWA, Daugter Board, Numlock

98X52 PWA, LED Logo Board, W/Cable

HR8KV PWA, Power Button Button

TPK3N PWA, I/O Board W/Cable

D0N00 Coin Battery, W/Cable

F1RJC Thermal PAD, PSX, Qual/Dual Core CPU

HV240 Touchpad LED Board w/Cable

K26CW Speaker LED Board, W/Cable

W2TRW Touchpad Button w/BracketMotherboards

61J35 Motherboard w/ Thermal Pad, Qual Core,(Contain MB C9XMR+Thermal Pad F1RJC)

C9XMR MotherBoard, order and dispatch Service Kit 61J35Palmrests

H1KWK Palmrest, W/Touch PadPower Source

FCPW3 Battery, 97W HR,12 Cells, SIMPLO

V48RM Battery, 97W HR,12 Cells, SANYO

J211H AC Adapter, 240W, 3Pin, Delta

J938H AC Adapter, 240W, 3Pin, Flextronics

XM3C3 AC Adapter, 330W, 3Pin, DeltaProcessor Modules

06335 Alcohol Swap for Cleaning Pad

27TV3 i7-2920XM 2.5GHz, 4C, Sandy Bridge, D2

DYP1X i7-2920XM w/Thermal Pad 2.5GHz, 4C (Contain CPU 27TV3+Thermal Pad F1RJC)

2VKDW i7-2820QM 2.3GHz, 4C, Sandy Bridge, D2

F1FF1 i7-2820QM w/Thermal Pad 2.30GHz, 4C (Contain CPU 2VKDW+Thermal Pad F1RJC)

KN579 i7-2720QM 2.2GHz, 6MB, Sandy Bridge

P18YD i7-2720QM w/Thermal Pad 2.2GHz, 4C (Contain CPU KN579+Thermal Pad F1RJC)

7YPMV i7-2630M 2.0GHz, 4C

M4Y6F i7-2630QM w/Thermal Pad 2.0GHz, 4C (Contain CPU 7YPMV+Thermal Pad F1RJC)

RTRCG FAN, CPU

6MGMN Back Plate, CPUSoftware

40DV6 W7HP64

DW6RN W7HP64

446JR W7P64

JR7NY W7P64

DYHHR W7U64

TMCCD W7U64

JF3V7 Resource DVD

VD2HY Adobe Standard ver 10 (ver. X), Card w serial product key

CTTHN Adobe Elements 8

W7NRW Adobe Premier Elements 8

797D0 Microsoft Office 2010 Professional

N99X6 Microsoft Office 2010, Home & Student

WR1P7 Microsoft Office 2010, Home & Business

94JT2 PowerDVD 9.5.1

R4DW2 PowerDVD 3D 9.6

5G9T8 Roxio Creator 2011

CYYW9 McAfee Platinum

T1WKW Fast Access Facial Recognition 3.0

WC3YD Dell Webcam Central 2.0Speakers

P8HYR Speaker, Subwoofer

VVN5Y Speaker, L+RVideo Card (VGA)

V9XKH AMD Blackcomb XT HD6970

29NC1 AMD Blackcomb XT HD6970 Right Heat Sink

RYVMN AMD CFX (CrossFireX) cable

VDV04 Nvidia M460m N11e-GS

5DWH3 Nvidia M460m N11e-GS Right Heat Sink

GDMRG Nvidia SLI CableWireless

2GGYM Intel Link 6200 WiFi Half Mini Card

4W00N Intel Link 6300 WLAN WiFi Half Mini Card

G9M5X 375 Foxconn Bluetooth module (Does not include cable)

WJCJD 375 Liteon Bluetooth Module (Does not include cable)

YWXT1 SiBeam Antenna Cable

NVIDIA-580M-Kit.zip

Edited February 21, 2012 by Brian

[StamatisX]

If you had the M18X, would you still go ahead and buy a 2920XM?

[Michael]

Anodized Aluminum confirmed :

[Brian]

If you had the M18X, would you still go ahead and buy a 2920XM?

Depends, if it ships with a 240W adapter, then no way. If by chance they man up and offer 320W adapter, then yes.

[eYe-I-aïe...]

As per Eric, they will offer both, which makes sense...

Update 2: It seems Dell has added a (more sane) 240W AC Adapter to the M18X, which is the same one used with the M17X R3.

Basically, they will most likely offer both (330W + 240W), depending on chosen options.

eYe

[unreal25]

"LCD: 18.4", 1920x1080, WLED, TrueLife glossy panel" (this is a sarcastic, golfclap)

[StamatisX]

"LCD: 18.4", 1920x1080, WLED, TrueLife glossy panel" (this is a sarcastic, golfclap)

same here....

[mw86]

I'd get the 2920XM no matter what and downclock the video cards if need be...

[CptXabaras]

Since the only reasonable upgrade for my R2 will be the M18x... subscribing

[Guest Astral_Dreamerz]

Hi all! I'm kinda new here (been lurking around couple of months now). Hopefully will get one RED Avenger then. Future M18x owner here.

[Brian]

Hi all! I'm kinda new here (been lurking around couple of months now). Hopefully will get one RED Avenger then. Future M18x owner here.

Welcome to T|I! Glad you registered and we look forward to your impressions of the system once it's released and you get it.

[StamatisX]

Hi all! I'm kinda new here (been lurking around couple of months now). Hopefully will get one RED Avenger then. Future M18x owner here.

Welcome to the forum Astral, I hope we see the M18x soon.

[mw86]

Hi all! I'm kinda new here (been lurking around couple of months now). Hopefully will get one RED Avenger then. Future M18x owner here.

Well nice to meet you Astral, welcome to the forum where all the top dogs collaborate Tech|Inferno.

[Brian]

So today I decided to sell the R3 and move up to M18x! What can I say, I'm a junkie, I need my dual card fix and aluminum body so I'm moooovin' on up! If anyone wants to buy my R3, let me know!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9y4iXAso4I

[wbabt007]

O Noes!!!! Brian has been seduce by power of the Dark side!!! We doomed, doomed I tell you dooooomed!!!

He he in all honesty I am struggling to make a decision I am leaning to cancel my order, but I don't wanna go over my budget and I have a feeling if I go to the m18x it will go over.

[CptXabaras]

Well my R-2 has that noise when it's switched off and plugged. I'll wait for the M18x to be released to start call DELL support and see if i can get it as a replacement

[mw86]

If there's a way for me under a year later to claim theres something wrong and get all money paid on the dell preferred account towards a M18x and have this one returned please tell me I'll try it myself when it comes out if you guys think it may work. I'm really unhappy no one else paid or is paying on a config like mine for 5,813.86. I got raped! That fact should be enough to get this replaced with an M18X. It would all be on a dell preferred account that has many years on it. I pay well over the minimum payment. Never miss a payment. I like what Michael said... Mike Dell Himself should have delivered. Purchase date was July 2010.

[Brian]

You definitely got raped with the M17x man, I feel for ya. And yes, if your R2 suddenly breaks down in a year while its under warranty, Dell will likely give you an M18x.

[mw86]

Then I plan to scrutinize every aspect of this system. I have 3months to convince Dell my M17x is faulty lol. I can bring up the fact that it was 5800+ and that it's not even a year later and the M18X could cost less the my R2 and be a similar config as my R2.... Thanks for the sympathy. I'm on an M18x kick now. It's been posted that it doesn't come configured with a 2920XM. But though not recomended someone could add it in. How factual is that? Or is it very unlikely it is going to actually work?

[mw86]

Perfect we can get the M18X with 2920XM!

[Michael]

M18x Picture Gallery

Some points :

• Gotta say it looks SERIOUS!
  
• I like the extra space on it's back for ventilation
  
• 4 Fans !
  
• Same touch panel and touch pad as the R3
  
• One of the picture confirms both NVIDIA SLI and ATI CF
  
• Up to 32 GB Of ram
  
• Seems like the whole body is anodized aluminum
  
• AlienTactX Macro Key Controls on the left side of the keyboard
  

[StamatisX]

From the pictures can you tell if it has 3 or 4 fans(I say 3)? I look at the one which displays the bottom cover and I am not sure if the second from the left is a fan or something else

[Michael]

yeah, i wasn't sure either. but it does kinda look like a fan..

[eYe-I-aïe...]

Hard to tell indeed 'cause the pic is not high quality...

But there's at least 3; maybe four if we're lucky !

[Michael]

might be a subwoofer