Issues of M17

[fusionsenses]

Update. Problem 2 is fixed, read below.


Update on problem1.
-Tried vista32, same temperature.
-Tried new ATI driver, same.
-Other M17 owner with exact same spec with me, but way lower temperature.



I finally find out the cause of the issue of the heat myself. Yup, the AW TS was no help at all on this issue, only wasting my time and make me look like an idiot when I was trying to convince them it's not the ERROR. Finally I find the cause and call them again. Kevin from Roswell understand the issue and the cause after 1/2 hr on the phone (which is way faster than other techs). I will continue to update and REVIEW their support service, which would help the potential AW buyers on making decision.


Hey, guys. Some of you already know the problems that I found with my new M17. So I just want to start a new thread so that (1.) I can keep documenting the process for my own use, (2.) for other new owners to confirm my findings, and (3.) hopefully, I can find the solution.

Problems:

1. HOT GPUs. The picture says all. All 3D games would make the gpu go to 100+ in few minutes. The GPU doesn't slow down at this insane temp.
Didn't try other drivers yet, it's the latest. but the point is the fan is not cooling them at all. The GPUs are at 50 degree on idle 2D. and the fans are trying to cool it 24/7, but can't. The air coming out from the fan are not HOT. Check post 7 for more findings.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/361...ightemptv9.jpg

2. Fake Dead (Bright) Pixel after driver loaded, and I can't get rid of it.
Right out of box, it's there. It's on top of every window/application.
After trying to fix the problem by messing with many driver tool and app and many reboots, the pixel moves to another place, but still there. Sometimes if a driver tool refreshes the screen and take the background and colour bit settings away, the pixel is gone. Once I get the background and colour back, it comes back at the same place. Refresh method cannot be reproduced 100%.

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/7258/pixelbd7.jpg

Issue 3:
Paint peel off. No, it's not the wear and tear theory.
This happens to my second M17, but not first M17, and I treat both M17 the same as a baby.
On this second M17, only the top palm rest paint is off. Other parts that are even sharper doesn't peel off.
I had my first M17 for 1 month - no peel.
I had my second M17 for 1 week - start to peel.







Talked to Roswell. He has to talk to others to find out the problem. He says it's a C-panel, which requires to take out motherboard to replace, so I would have to send it in to get it repair.

Issue 4:
Closing the lid doesn't make it to go to sleep/shutdown/hibernate in fresh vista and fresh windows 7.
Yeah, I did do the settings, just in case you suggest.
Seems like some connector is off.
Roswell will give me a call tomorrow about it.

UPDATE: on issue3
Roswell told me that they couldn't tell from the pictures if the paint is peeled off by itself or by damage done by me. So I will have to send back the laptop to let them inspect to see. And if they think the peel is done by me, then they will have to charge me.
I told them there was no scratch or dent or any damage to the laptop, the paint is just peeled off by itself, but there is no way I can prove it. It's all at their discretion.
On top of that, before they gave me such answer, I told them I wouldn't send this back for 3 weeks to repair anyways, I just want to report to them that there are such problems. I guess they didn't take that as in good will. I told them I would ask for repair if the problem gets worse or the peel gets very big.

[fusionsenses]

Problem 2 is solved.

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/a...i=&p_topview=1

The cause of problem 1 is found by myself, not by the AW TS.
Since I spent minimum of 2 hrs on the phone with AW TS and seeing that I am getting no where, no matter how many times I phone in. So, I took the chance and open up the laptop and find the fault on their part. I am not going to discuss the specific fault, because this is probably an individual case. They promised to get me full refund on this meltdown system, and have a new system for me after days of bargaining. Will update further when I finally get the money back, because they ask me to buy 2nd system and return the first back.

Update Dec 10, 2008:
I just got my new M17 replacement, the test record of the new one is 11157 in 3dmarks06 while the old one was 10861. Both are installed by the same guy.
Assembler Initials: RR
Tester Initials: AI
Will test further for stability and temperature.

[whizzo]

phew, 100°C is too hot, definitely. have you tried different GPU drivers? also, does the white dot only appear on the wallpaper, or on other things as well?

[fusionsenses]

phew, 100°C is too hot, definitely. have you tried different GPU drivers? also, does the white dot only appear on the wallpaper, or on other things as well?

didn't try other drivers, it's the latest. but the point is the fan is not cooling it at all. the GPUs are at 50 degree on idle 2D. and the fans are trying to cool it 24/7, but can't.

the dot is on top of everything.

[whizzo]

ok. can you feel hot air coming out the back? come to think of it, can you even hear the GPU cooling fans spin&blow?

[ScottY_06]

Is only one GPU being loaded in that image, or are they both under load, if they are, one is still 50*C lower than the other.

How warm is the air coming out of it?

[fusionsenses]

Base on my findings and tests on the HOT GPUs, here is the possible problem.

1. The dude, who install the video cards and heatsink and fans, screwed up and didn't put thermal pad in between, or the fans are install backward or something. It should be thermal related issue of the installation rather than the GPU, because the chance of BOTH GPUs have same problem is small.

Or

2. Vista64 screws up the sensor driver for the temperature for these GPUs. A Vista32 might solve the issue.

[fusionsenses]

Yes, i mention many times before the fan are spinning HARD. only warm air coming out, which brings me to post#7.

[whizzo]

i'm leaning towards 1). the other option would be more BIOS-related (as seen with the m15x and the x36 BIOS), and other users of this NB haven't had this issue.

[fusionsenses]

Is only one GPU being loaded in that image, or are they both under load, if they are, one is still 50*C lower than the other.

How warm is the air coming out of it?

The screen is just an example of over 5+ different games tested.
In this example, only 1 gpu is loaded because of atitool is in windowed mode.