M17x Stutter

[Chronoslayer]

It's the Intel Wireless NIC, afterall. This evening, I bought and installed a D-Link USB wireless NIC, the DWA-130. I then uninstalled (NOT disabled, completely uninstalled with the check box for delete drivers from the HD so the device can't auto-re-install itself) the Intel 5300 and connected with the D-link. I then connected to a CoD 4 server for some team deathmatch. Guess what? Stutter was 100% eliminated, just like that. I've been playing for an hour now with not a single stutter. Funny thing is I re-installed the Intel 5300, disabled the D-link, connected with the 5300, reloaded CoD 4, and the stutter is still gone, so far. Anyone else wanna try? You should be able to return the USB NIC the next day or so, if it doesn't solve anything.

Just ran DoW II. Still no stuttering. Still running on the re-installed Intel 5300 AGN. I don't get why a HD format wouldn't have any effect yet bringing it back after installing an alternate NIC does. Vista formats must not be getting rid of everything.

[Rotsu]

Which OS are you on chrono?

Im assuming its windows 7.

[scook9]

I have the issue of my wireless not coming on (working) for like 2-3 whole minutes after I get to my desktop, and until this happens my computer is useless

Have not tried to see a correlation to stutter though

[BatBoy]

Since I'm not running Win7 I cant verify this but on Vista it worked for me. To resolve the Wireless Connect Delay, in-game intermittent stuttering and intermittent popping during MP3 playback, try this:

1. Disable the AlienFX Controller @ startup (I use CCleaner's Startup options tab since its a quick way to access Startup items).
2. Stop and set to Manual startup the Alienware Fusion Service. Always make changes to services by typing 'Services.msc' into the Run command.

Downsides to this fix:

1. If you need to change your lighting just launch AlienFX Controller from the Start Menu ---> Programs --->Alienware --->Command Center. Once you have finished your lighting changes, right click on the AlienFX icon in the task tray and choose Exit.

2. When switching to battery power, you will need to manually kill your lighting if you want it off. It will not power off/Go Dark since these two items are not running. As with changing your lighting, you will need to follow the steps to 'Go Dark' as outlined above.

CommandCenter really needs to be fixed.

FWIW, I had the stuttering occur with both the T9800 and QX9300 CPUs. The above steps resolved it completely.

EDIT: To clarify, when I mention 'stuttering' I am referring to the intermittent FPS drop in-game. This will not resolve the DPC latency spike issue. DPC latency has always been an issue on on most laptops - do a Google search and you'll see this problem traces back for a number of years. Also, I have AlienSense disabled as well - I think its a resource hog and worthless. Not sure if that factors into the equation.

[Chronoslayer]

I'm on Vista 32-bit.

[Quadzilla]

Since I'm not running Win7 I cant verify this but on Vista it worked for me. To resolve the Wireless Connect Delay, in-game intermittent stuttering and intermittent popping during MP3 playback, try this:

1. Disable the AlienFX Controller @ startup (I use CCleaner's Startup options tab since its a quick way to access Startup items).
2. Stop and set to Manual startup the Alienware Fusion Service. Always make changes to services by typing 'Services.msc' into the Run command.

Downsides to this fix:

1. If you need to change your lighting just launch AlienFX Controller from the Start Menu ---> Programs --->Alienware --->Command Center. Once you have finished your lighting changes, right click on the AlienFX icon in the task tray and choose Exit.

2. When switching to battery power, you will need to manually kill your lighting if you want it off. It will not power off/Go Dark since these two items are not running.

CommandCenter really needs to be fixed.

FWIW, I had the stuttering occur with both the T9800 and QX9300 CPUs. The above steps resolved it completely.

Nice find batboy.

[Marvie100]

Yeah, that makes me wonder if it was the AW Command Center causing all the problems with the M17 Quad-Cores too now because there was a difference for me between balanced power profile and performance power profile (performance profile proving "less" stuttering")....hmmm

-EDIT- The more I think about it the more it makes some sense, I'll just say "some" who were using the .28 OCZ BIOS were stutter free. With the .28 OCZ BIOS you can't install the AW Command Center (It doesn't recognize it as an AW Machine with the OCZ BIOS).

[BatBoy]

Thanks Quad. If it works well for everyone, Scook can edit his 1st post and link to post #214. Its not a permanent fix of course - but a temp work-around until AW/Dell updates Command Center (given that AlienFX and the Fusion Service are both part of CC) with the necessary code changes to correct whatever is mucking things up.

[dondadah88]

i never tested that out on my whitebook before.. but i had the bios and command center from someone who give me to the links from his m17..


i should of tried that.

[Rotsu]

I can assure that CC is not the cause of stuttering at least not on Windows 7.
Windows 7 has stuttering problem with a fresh installation using minimum applications and drivers installed(i deliberately did not install those alienware stuff like CC and touchpad drivers just to avoid as much conflict as possible if there are any) as i tested it myself right before i switched back to windows vista.

Stuttering was there and big spikes of DPC latency. Maybe we need more ppl to test this out with windows 7.