M11x R2 Issues

Hello. I recently purchased a new m11x that I received on Tues. I7, 500 gb HD, WWAN.

The Laptop booted up fine and I tested out steam and played a little wow to check out the graphics. The graphics were great. I was able to open Nvidia control panel and Alien Comman Center.

After a few minutes of just checking it out I set it side and continued to let WoW download. About an hour I come back to the laptop to check how things are going and I can not wake it from sleep or whatnot. No matter what I do it will not wake up so I hard boot. I continued to download WoW and watch some TV. Came back and again the leptop would not wake up.

I started to read some forum post on similiar issues etc. I looked at my battery settings to see if something was wrong. Again, this is one day of me having the laptop and everything was set to default, no overclocking etc.

So I hard booted again. This time upon start up AlienFX and alien controller "something something" stopped working. I could no longer see the Nvida display in device manager or open control panel. Tried to reinstall display driver etc. Nothing worked.

I was not smart in the fact that I did not make a recovery thumbdrive. I uninstalled dell local safe or datasafe.

I ended up reinstalling Win 7 (knowing that I would have to redownload drivers).

Tried to do a recovery but I had no files in the recovery partition and this was after I set "hidden files" to show.

Well, anyways, to get to the main point. I have reinstalled my OS and drivers. There are two issues I am having which I am not done working on or troubleshooting.

I get all of my drivers using my serial tag # at the dell website and I also reference these forums for information.

1. I can install Nvidia drivers but when I go to open the "Control Panel" it says that "there is no nvidia card installed". I do not see the nvidia card in device manager. Is the card bad? I dont think so because it played WoW ok for a few minutes on Ultra at very good fps.

2. I cannot get my wi fi to work but I got my WWAN to work. Maybe I should try installing using safe mode or try to install Wi fi driver first?

Thanks for the help. I think I just really screwed it up and trying to figure a way to get it working again. I build my own PC's and have never had problems like this before.

 

Did a clean install of win 7. Once I get to Nvidia driver installation I am getting the error: "The Nvidia setup program could not locate any drivers that are compatible with your current hardware. Setup will now exit."

I tried installing before/after intel graphics. Tried in safe mode. Looked at optimus thread. Tried copying new .ini file. Nothing.

$1500 paperweight.

 

Did you download the video drivers from nvidia.com, 260.xx version?
Also while your at it get the latest intel video drivers and intel chipset/storage drivers.


BTW I hope you didn't pay $1500 for an M11x R2, especially 6 months after release...

 

Yeah I did. It cost me $98 just for overnight shipping.

Anyways yeah I was going to get the $799 one but wanted i7, WWAN, bigger hard drive.

Yeah I tried 260 drivers from Nvidia. I downloaded the intel chipsets/storage drivers from Dell website after I put my service tag in. Is there another place I should go for those downloads?

I cannot get it to recognize Nvidia hardware for me to install drivers. Going to call Dell Monday I guess.

 

So this morning I was installing drivers for my network cards and restarted the computer. After it rebooted there were two GPU's under Device manager so I tried to install Nvidia drivers.

I installed this driver: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/544419-nvidia-266-44-modded-drivers-r2.html

It successfully installed and I rebooted. Now that I have rebooted I do not see the GPU under device manager and I cannot sart Nvidia Control panel. I get the error message that "no nvidia hardware isdetected in your system".

Anyone have any ideas? Appreciate any help!

 

Reinstall the Driver but choose Custom. In there check the box that says Clean Install. Give that a shot.

 

I cant reinstall the Nvidia Driver because I will get a error message saying "no nvidia hardware detected".

I am going to uninstall the intel drivers and reboot to see if I can get the other gpu to show up and try what you are suggesting. Thanks.

I can get everything else working but the nvidia drivers.

I dont think there is something physically wrong with the GPU because I have played a few minutes when I first got it this week.

Is there something wrong with my GPU? Why does my device manager not show it? Why does GPUz not recongize it? Should I buy a new version of Win 7?

I might return it if I can if not I am going to sell it for cheap and grab something else before I deploy.

 

Ok, so I just installed all drivers according to the Dell Website. I followed their driver installation sequence guide.

There is one last "Unkown Device" and I am sure that is my GT335.

Earlier I went into safe mode and the I had two VGA's under display adapter. I was able to install the nvidia driver. But when I rebooted I had the software installed but the card was no longer under "display adapters". I could not open Nvidia control panel.

I am going to right click on unkown device and try to install from there.

I swear I am going to figure this out. It would be easier if I didnt have wife, kid, puppy aggro:0)

 

Can you post screen shots. Please.

 

Yes sure thing.

 

were you downloading on wifi?

I think there were issues with the R2 when it came out about massive data flow through wifi

 

I was actually downloading through Cable line because I did not have my WLAN network drivers installed yet. To tell you the truth I downloaded all the drivers on my desktop then burned them on a disc. I made sure i used my service tag # on the Dell site.

I am doing a system image disc and a backup before I try driver again(I should of done that the first day I had laptop, my fault, lesson learned). I have taken some screenshots also that I will get here ASAP.

Again, I got a wife and kids so I am pretty busy Be back later hopefully with either good news or some screenshots and whatnot. Thanks again!

 

I wish I could get this to work but I dont think I can. I have tried anything and everything to get these drivers to work. I have read many different post of modders who had made a different ini file etc. Here are some screenshots. At one time I was able to get both GPUs to show up in safe mode. I installed the intel and nvidia drivers. Rebooted and then the Nvidia gpu was gone. I am done. I cannot figure this out.

Here I finally got both GPUs to show up. I uinstalled intel gpu driver then rebooted into safe mode.

Picasa Web Albums - Jonathan Buyno - m11x issues

Eventually I was able to get the Nvidia and intel drivers to install. This was done in Safe mode using dell gpu drivers found on their site. After these failed I would try 4-5 different ones that I found on forums and other places.

Picasa Web Albums - Jonathan Buyno - m11x issues

Now I thought I was good. I rebooted into regular windows and GT335 under computer management is gone. Nvidia control panel will not open either. I dont have a screenshot. Basically it is like the one above without GT335 showing up.

So I try reinstalling again, again, again. Trying safe mode, using CCleaner, Driver Sweeper, deleting residual files, trying many different versions. Started fresh OS about 3-4 times. Going to do it one last time since I am pretty sure Dell support will tell me to wipe OS and start new. Here are some random errors I get.

Picasa Web Albums - Jonathan Buyno - m11x issues
Picasa Web Albums - Jonathan Buyno - m11x issues
Picasa Web Albums - Jonathan Buyno - m11x issues

Here are some post I followed to the "T":

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...1x-r1-260-99-hybrid-drivers-intel-2020-a.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/492051-m11x-r2-nvidia-optimus-issues.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/6360625-post17.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...2-community-built-drivers-punkbuster-fix.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/544419-nvidia-266-44-modded-drivers-r2.html

I have spent so many hours on this in the past 3 days. I got to stop or I am going to be divorced. I wish I could of got it to work. The laptop works excellent otherwise.

 

Think I am just going to buy a R1 and be done with it.

 

I am assuming you bought it from Dell/Alienware right?

If so, then you have 21-days to return it; either tell them you want a new one or return this one and re-order with a better price.

 

Ok, so tonight I was getting ready to box it up for shipment tomorrow. Well I tried one last thing which I doubt got me to install the driver....not sure. I deleted my "OEM" section with my windows restore CD.

I went through and started installing drivers like I always did. I was following the checklist. I installed my chipset drivers then GPU drivers. I saw my two standard GPU's in device mgr and I got NVIDIA drivers to install but when I restarted my GPU was not showing up inder device mgr and I could not open NVIDIA control panel.

So I continue to install drivers (figure I should try to get it back to factory specs as much as I can).

I GO ON TO NEWEGG AND ORDER A M11X R1 SINCE THEY GOT A NICE DEAL GOING ON. OVERNIGHT SHIPPING, BE HERE TUES.

I get to my OSD driver and for some reason I check my device manager and see that I have two GPU's under Display adapters. One says Intel HD and the other has a yellow triangle saying "standard VGA display". I did not uninstall my drivers but try to see if I could install on top of drivers. Got the same old errors and just retarted bcause I needed to in order for my OSD to complete.

Well, just my luck.....GT335 is installed. I say to myself....yeah but NVIDIA Control Panel will not open...It does.

So after many hours of messing with it, about to get a divorced I seem to have got it working. (Making a backup to a backup, thumbdrive image etc)

Just my luck that it would start working 10 minutes after I place a purchase at NEWEGG Thanks all for the help. That was very painful...but lessons learned.

 

So what are you going to do with it?

 

You may still be able to cancel the Newegg transaction if it hasn't been processed,
which is likely since it's Sunday.

But the $1500 you paid is waaaaaay too much. Hmm, tough choice. I do
love my R2, but paid only $890 shipped (refurb) for it.

 

Hmm well, I think I might go ahead with the Newegg order. I dont trust this one I got.

Weird, I open NVIDIA Control Panel...close it, then my GPU(GT335) under device manager dissapears. Then I cannot open Nvidia Control Panel until I reboot. Once I reboot I can see the gpu "GT335" under device manager and I can see the Nvidia control panel in my task panel.

I opened GPUz then selected my Nvidia gpu and it freezes and goes into "not responding".

Well, I am going to continue to install the remaining drivers I have and I am going to try to play a game to see what it does.

Yeah I think my total was $1424 with overnight shipping that cost alot. I got the laptop from Hidevolution which had great customer service and fast shipping. The same build from Dell would of been more expensive and I did not have time to wait to receive laptop

 

Ok I really am sorry that your r2 was malfunctioning. I don't want you to get discouraged by Alienware at all. I hope that the r1 can suite your needs.

 

I am not discouraged at Alienware. I love the machine. Perfect size for what I need. I have a awesome water cooled desktop overclocked i7 with a GTX580 for my heavy gaming.

I just need something small for when I go on deployments and whatnot and this machine will work great for that.

 

As an R1 owner I urge you to keep the i7 R2; you may have some issues but the system is solid, and the i7 core lets you run four virtual cores.... this is a serious consideration compared to the fixed C2D dual core. Games, multitasking, Windows, all (well most - if CPU intensive) will run notably better with the i5/i7 architecture.

The reason these "great deals" are appearing is the tech is now 3+ years old and on the way out... Had it not been for some odd circumstances I was in at the time, I would have ordered an i5 over night from AW, used it, then returned it for an i7 once it got there... cheesy yes, but it is an option, and Dellienware is still making phat money on these systems.

 

Yeah I agree with you. I talked to HIdevolution rep and they were going to replace it but I opted out due to me leaving state Friday. I must say HIdevolution was very helpful and I will order from them again.

I have heard that alienware might announce a m17x r2 or something come CES. Maybe I can sell a kidney and buy one because my wife is going to kill me if I buy one more gadget

I hope the r1 can meet my needs. Again, I will use it for wow and maybe diablo 2 (yes I still play, cannot wait for D3) and use my desktop for my fps. I don't like fps on a laptop for some reason.