area-51 m15x case cracking explained

gues who's back... back again...

Mystik's back, tell a friend.

I keeed, but whatever. Hello everybody, I've been gone for some time and returned with some interesting observations.

To begin with my warranty expired last month, and I was thinking about sending in my laptop just before that happened... I decided I didn't want to part with it for the 4-8 weeks it would've taken AW to fix it... so now, I'm gonna see what I can do.

As it turns out, the hinge on the Area-51 m15x may be the culprit behind the case cracking issues... seems that, on some models, like mine, at least one side, perhaps both, of the hinge is very stiff, which, you would think is a good thing, because it would wobble less, but no. The screen wobble on the m15x has NOTHING to do with the stiffness of the hinge.

the material they've used for the upper support of the screen (that goes from the hinge up the sides) is extremely insufficient. It seems to me that the hinge itself is made of tempered (or similar) high grade steel or aluminum... the upper supports are made from fairly thin, low grade, steel. This makes them very flexable and plyable as well, so they'll bend and flex and I could probably make a pretzel from one of them...

Obviously, this is the reason for the screen wobble, the cheap metal used to support the screen. it flexes and that's the cause of the wobble. appropriately, this is also the cause of the hinge cracks too. it seems that some six screws hold the lower display chasis to the rear panel of the screen (the panel with the alien head on it)... these six screws, given the upper (metal) frame's plyability, are the only thing connecting the plastic to the rest of the frame, and since the plastic is fairly rigid, the only connection to any actual motion on the upper portion of the system. so when you move your screen, if you hear the plastic adjusting, you will eventually have hinge breaking issues. that cracking noise of the plastics rubbing together, is the sound of the upper metal supports bending, and the plastic torquing to move the lower (hinge portion) of the display... the plastic is moving it, not the metal, with this, there's obvious sress issues in plastic when connected to something so stiff and being given so much torque.

The solution? build a more rigid upper frame, and grease (loosen) the hinge slightly.

I'm not sure how alienware missed all this, but if you're interested in taking a peek behind the screen, I threw up a youtube video today about the whole thing, take a peek if you want to see behind your screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOXWzAwfSIc

Hopefully some of the people no longer under warranty can devise a solution to their problems, I'll be working on mine over the next little while.

 

Nice video guide for taking us through what lies where!
My hinge seems to be opening up a bit, sill under warranty though, sending it back hopefully sometime next week.

 

great jop Mystik,Why you didn't do this video 2 months ago when I need it when I was changing top panel because of crack near the hinge.Great video

 

Do it! if yours is under warranty, don't try to fix this, send it back in!!

Thanks. you bought a new top panel, what? aftermarket?

if you've ever had bits fall out from the hinge, it's generally the mountings for the metal nuts that hold the screen in place... if you can fix that, you're all set.


For everyone's information, I think I'm going to try and do this fix two-fold, first I want to reattach all the nuts back to the panel. which I've begun, using some industrial strength glue (PL Premium) I place the nuts in place, and after quite a few hours, I'll probably put more glue around it... after it's secured back in place, I'll probably try to reinforce the vertical beams on the display support, to try and prevent the problem from reoccouring. I might just pull vertical supports from a scrapped laptop I have lying around, and overlap them with the existing supports then find a way to secure it to the base of the bracket... that should give it all the support it needs. I'm also planning on greasing the hinge to reduce strain on the upper support.

By the time I'm done, I'll have done something that, in 2+ years, has stumped alienware. but, then again, is this something new?

NO WAY, someone on these forums accomplished something that alienware never tried?!? I'm totally shocked and amazed *cough, 64bit command center, cough*

anyways.

 

fix it yourself: forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5633447&postcount=96

 

I pretty much did that, but I'll be taking my repairs a few steps further...

thanks though

 

If anyone needs some m15x parts of high caliber let me know via PM, I'm thinking about picking up a dropped m15x with a damaged power side but with premium Parts meaning 9880m GT, LCD is in tact and LCD casing. wants 400 for the whole lot, and I think to myself the video goes for that much...

 

It's a real shame the m15x had this issue; that, and the overheating and burning out of the GPUs, is what stopped it from being an all-time great laptop.

 

Meh I still like it, I find that if you switch between the External and Internal Card often you'll be able to prolong the life of your system quite well.

 

Hi ya
I was just reading an old post of yours and wondered if you ever did pick up those parts ? I need to get some of the lcd struts, the bits that run down the side.... mine have snapped :/
Take care

 

Can't PM you cause you're a NOOB!!! J/K but anyways try m15x LCD on ebay to see if you can find casings you like or.... gimme your email and share with you what I have. THe part you need is so particular it makes it kinda difficult, but I can get a whole m15x PC with a bad Motherboard.

 

What screen does it have ??? If it is the 1920 x 1200 and is working fine I may be interested. Let me know. God Bless

 

sent yo PM

 

Hehehe,
thanks mate , its [email protected]

Yes I need these bits -> these are my broken parts


img176.imageshack.us/img176/362/phpplqsbtpm.jpg[/url]

thanks!

 

I'm so glad this board spurred so many responses... I'd be interested in getting a the better video card and associated cooler, but I currently don't have the money to spare.

I'm fixing the problem with my system now, but I've hit a wall of sorts. and I find that the vertical supports for the display are wholly inadequate, so I'm going to reinforce them... somehow. I'll probably try to make a video after of what repairs I did.

 

Alright Guys This is it I'm going to continue on here, Anyways here is the deal: http://columbus.craigslist.org/sys/1679707998.html

I have the system in my Posession I'm parting out the parts and I will sell them at a a fair price Real fair IMO. Jdeluna wants the Screen, it's the screen he wants Gloss 1440 x 900

Left we have a SSD drive, GPU 9800m, I want those parts but if you need them more then me I'm willing to work with ya. Just state the parts you need and I hope to build Fair prices for all and part this system for all users.

ALL PRICES WILL BE DERIVED OFF THE $500 PRICE POINT MAKING IT CHEAP FOR ALL, I WILL NOT TRY TO DRIVE IN A PROFIT JUST BREAK IT UP FAIR FOR ALL USERS

EDIT: Jdeluna, I have the screen you want on my persoal m15x, I may switch to the gloss higher res screen and sell you my matte Screen that you want having all of this makes it alot easier.

 

GPU not need 9800m GT GPU is up for crabs.

 

top panel available?

 

i have a friend who would buy the 9800 off you in a heartbeat (his 8800 burned up.. hes left with a $4000 netbook right now)

i'll send him a link to this thread. he'll probably be hounding you for it in a few hours.

 

hound

How much for 9800 GT GPU

-giga should have pmed you my email cuz apparently I'm not allowed to =/

 

$250, but I think USMC want's it, I'm going to say this whoever paypals me first gets it. I have 500 of my own cash tied in it so I need to relieve as much of that as possible as fast as possible. And I understand how people could be scared or weary about doing this, but I'm legit and the PC parts are working all except the Motherboard, once $500 Total is hit all parts will go FREE, just plus shipping, know this though, Priority 1 will go to any users who paid for parts originally. This seems fair and the best way to do it.

Email me at [email protected] or PM me. THat email is my paypal, state the part you want and this is how it will work.

Come this weekend you will get an Email from me with an actual image of the part you want and it will then be shipped Monday to you. (I pick up laptop on Sat, I've seen it it's all there) The processor is good as well btw. Nemisis has dibs on Skull Cap at this point unless he doesn't PM me back in 12 hours.

SSD drive is mine, that's all I want to walk away with, and I'm taking 80 for the SSD so that leaves us at 420. But USMC did offer 250 for the GPU. so that'll bring it down ALOT.... If he goes through with it. It will be a mad house I'm thinking once 500 is hit.

 

I believe GPU is gone, just got PM from USMC he said he'll pay when he gets home from work.

Sorry... just he was first.

 

Thanks for posting this video Mystik. It would sure help a lot of people with case cracking problems with their area 51 m15x.

Getting the panel replaced by Alienware won't do you much good as the problem would simply resurface. I was fortunate enough to have found a repair center here locally, who was able to fabricate a better hinge mechanism to solve this issue. Please talk a look at this thread, where others have already posted some of their DIY fixes.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=423760

 

I "DIY " My Alienware m15x with QuikSteel Steel Reinforced Epoxy Putty

Purchased at Walmart for about $3.95

**See pics** "Before with Cracks around Screw holes" and after with "Steel Epoxy Putty"

So far its been on for over 6 Months with No problems

 

I think I would take it to court. It would put shame to Alienware and Dell. You pointed out the real problem. Heat plastic and how people shut the M15x.

 

how much for the cpu? and what kind? thanks

 

I thought I'd make a follow up posting...

I just finished repairs and I'm going to summarize what was done... I used a premium, industry glue, called PL Premium (used in construction), for the purposes of re-adhering the screw-nuts to the plastic back of the display... I added grease (specifically 5W-30 motor oil, lol) to the joints to help loosen the movement, to reduce resistance.

Most importantly, I pried out the centre astetic cover for the hinge (on the lower case, between the panels)... though, I can't really recommend doing this, since you're liable to break a few snaps that don't even secure the piece in (most likely breaking snaps that hold the casing around the top and back of the laptop together), it can be a good idea, the hinge is adjusted by two nuts, one on each side. These are standard nuts you'll find on any type of mechanical component... I have a socket set handy, and I took the time to go ahead and loosen them, to try and further reduce the resistance of the movement of the screen.... WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

honestly, over tightening of these two nuts, I am confident to say, is the primary cause for the case cracking issue. because the joints are too stiff due to the over-tightening, the display is more difficult to move than it should be, causing the metal supports to bend to an extreme when attempting to adjust the display at all. Because of this extreme flex found in the upper metal supports (which is also the cause for the screen wobble), the less flexable plastic supports the movement of the screen... the plastic casing was NOT intended for that purpose. The incredible force and torque to constantly adjust the screen causes the plastic that support the "nuts" that hold the screws in, breaks under the strain and the case begins to seperate.

if you want this problem fixed PERMENANTLY, you HAVE to take this extra measure. if the screen wobble is too much for you to handle, and you have some spare metal lying around from laptops of days long past, you can reinforce the LCD brackets and reduce the wobble significantly (a step I want to take, but am unsure I can find, or have the components too make it happen).

Of course, resecuring the "nuts" back to the plastic is necessary as it's part of the design... the lubrication is probably not necessary, but the primary nut adjustments are an absolute essential step to resolving this, long-term... of that, I am sure.

Have a great day people, I know I will

 

Did an LCD changeout from Matte to Gloss, and guess what my hinges on the right side are broken too. So fix it? Or Use Warranty to replace it? I used warranty so my system is going out next week.

 

you're still covered under warranty after changing your LCD?

if so, I say send it in for warranty replacement.

In all honesty, I wish I had... knowing what I know how... ironic, since I wouldn't know what I know how if I had. Warranty replace it to get a new Panel B (the culprit, eg, the ripley or skullcap specific casing), and when you get it back, pop out the center aesthetic cover that hides the hinges, and loosen the nuts. you WONT have case issues after that.

to anyone attempting this mod, I must warn, if you loosen the hinge too much the nut could continue to loosen over use and fall out, causing the hinge to fail. be careful not to loosen too much... but be careful not to tighten too much either, since either will result in the failure of one component or the other.

 

just to follow up, I just posted my video.

YouTube - Alienware Area-51 M15X Case Cracking Repair

I hope it helps.