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    AW M15x Throttling Issue Investigation - Stock clocks and overclocked.

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by 5150Joker, Dec 2, 2009.

  1. Cheater

    Cheater Notebook Consultant

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    guyz i dont think that my gpu is throttling :S dunno just gonna print screen and send it right here ... ill use furmark and techpowerup GPUZ
    and am not using throttle stop :S maybe it throttles but am noob lol so am gonna make the test and post it here
     

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  2. Cheater

    Cheater Notebook Consultant

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    is it ok ? dunno lo0ol just printed what inap did if there is anything wrong just tell me
     
  3. inap

    inap .........................

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    you clocks look solid, doesn't look like its throttling from what you posted.
     
  4. Cheater

    Cheater Notebook Consultant

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    yup that what am saying lol :p hehehe :p thanks so there isint anything wrong with gpu thank god
     
  5. inap

    inap .........................

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    try running it with prime and see what happens.
     
  6. Avengement

    Avengement Notebook Consultant

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    Better to be safe than sorry Cheater!
     
  7. thenzfarmer

    thenzfarmer Notebook Consultant

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    Hacks! :D
    Inap, your clocks look like the ones set as default when Riva doesn't operate correctly. I noticed these exact clocks showed up when Stealth was on or Riva wasn't operating correctly. The result would not be throttling but a straight downclock with no variations, explaining the low temps as well.
    Or is your system under the stress of different software?

    And I don't like this "notebook geek" label^^
     
  8. inap

    inap .........................

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    if you check the gpuz log you will see that it starts at 3d clock and then drops when it was stressed. the temps is because of cooler.
     
  9. Cheater

    Cheater Notebook Consultant

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    well .... as u said ... THrottling with prime .... DELL FIX THIS PROBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEM :(
     
  10. LeWZ

    LeWZ Notebook Consultant

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    Did you do the test with the following settings?

    [​IMG]
     
  11. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    He left PostFX off.. also I don't think he had AA on. I was talking to him earlier.
     
  12. JWest

    JWest Master of Notebookery

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    I'm starting to lose hope here, is Dell ever going to actually respond to this?
     
  13. Cheater

    Cheater Notebook Consultant

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    i think they are working on it but not sure cuz no respond
     
  14. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    They indeed are working on it.
     
  15. inap

    inap .........................

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    a fix is in the works, but no ETA. they tried to make me wait for the fix but i talked them in to gaving me a 5850 as a replacement card.
     
  16. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    FWIW: 820QM/5850m. If something here constitutes throttling, I think I can live with it.


    [​IMG]

    Larger image: [​IMG]
     
  17. inap

    inap .........................

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    nice rev, looks solid to me.
     
  18. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    Seems good..

    I think one large mistake we all have been making was the testing.. This prime+fur is a large mistake.. thats too intense.. so far all systems.. m11x and m17x also throttle under that stress with the right config.

    Also with the proper drivers etc.. the throtting has been minimal..even often on the 260 setups.. it still happens but that will prolly be fixed in the near future.

    We'll still work hard to make sure to test and properly get back on track...

    from now on untill too much time passes I would suggest this thread be used to report instances of throttling under real world situations and single benches.


    Anyways.. on a side off topic note.. anyone got a SC2 Guest pass they could donate to me :) if so please PM me dont post.
    Eager to test with that but not in to that game soo not gonna buy it.
     
  19. jeremy n.

    jeremy n. Newbie

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    hey guys i have an older m15x with a 8800m gtx, im wondering if there is a driver that works just as good or better than the one supplied. ive tried many whql and forceware drivers and none work. what i mean is they clock at half the speed than normal. normal clocks are 500/799/1250 and with all the newer drivers it get 250/350/600 according to gpu-z
     
  20. LeWZ

    LeWZ Notebook Consultant

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    So your M15X with the 5850 is not throttling, right? Nice to know, think I'll buy one and replace my 260m.
     
  21. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    If it throttles, I sure can't see it, even under the extreme Furmark+ testing.
     
  22. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    Ok people.. I need some real world examples of Throttling .. something I can test to try and recreate.
    They need to be recent and things you have actually witnessed ^^ (no assumptions please)
    Also if you play the game a lot, throwing in a post with a GPUZ graph screenie would be great!

    So please list any games that currently you can play and can see throttling in GPUZ.

    This is really important to the progress of the fix.

    I appreciate any responses.
     
  23. JWest

    JWest Master of Notebookery

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    Demigod always makes my system throttle, if you've got it you should give it a shot.
     
  24. thenzfarmer

    thenzfarmer Notebook Consultant

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    L4D2, Just Cause 2, Batman: AA, Borderlands, Crysis must figure up there too ^^
     
  25. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    Have you seen Crysis throttle or are you guessing? I need real factual current throttles.
    Even better if you can screenshot me a GPUZ graph.

    I bought L4D2 today to try that.


    Also curious thenzfarmer, why are you deciding to keep your 260m and sell your 5870? I personally would do the same thing but everyone else seems to be doing the opposite.
     
  26. Wattos

    Wattos Notebook Deity

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    Borderlands throttles. I posted the screen in this thread.
     
  27. inap

    inap .........................

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    TF2 also throttles big time. i play that game the most so its a definite yes.
     
  28. LeWZ

    LeWZ Notebook Consultant

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    GTA IV Liberty City Stories throttled on my M15X. I'll reinstall the game and get a gpuz graph.
     
  29. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    How do I get L4D2 to throttle? Is there some sort of place it does it most?
     
  30. hackcremo

    hackcremo Notebook Guru

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    Any1 can cofirm that bios A07 fix throttling 260m or not??
     
  31. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    I can confirm that is not the BIOS that is meant to fix the throttling. That is still being worked on.
     
  32. hackcremo

    hackcremo Notebook Guru

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    Thanxs for clarified that, however if not the BIOS that meant to fix the throtlling, what are they working on if not on BIOS?? the driver?? m15xR2 version??
     
  33. tennpoke

    tennpoke Newbie

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    Ok. My son just spent all of his high school graduation money on an MX-15. He has an I7 CPU and the 260M video card (I wish I would have found this thread before I ordered). We received the machine last Tuesday and he immediately installed StarCraft 2. I would have guessed that this machine would have played SC2 with the settings maxed out (or close to it). Instead, he is playing with the video settings on Low because of "drag" and slowness. I am out of town and haven't run any of the testing that is suggested here. I will when I get home. But, is this what "throttling" is?

    This machine is only a week old today and if I need to send it back and get one with the different video card I want to know now.

    thanks.
     
  34. tuenkamen

    tuenkamen Notebook Deity

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    have him press the speedometer touch button on the top right of the keyboard and do that while having maxxed graphics as it could be the problem. if not then throttling or even just needs a driver update.
     
  35. tennpoke

    tennpoke Newbie

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    Thanks. We did find out about "stealth" mode. That was the initial problem. Also, we updated the video drivers (specifically from the Dell website). We have not updated the BIOS (it shipped with A06).

    None of this lets it really run in full mode.
     
  36. tuenkamen

    tuenkamen Notebook Deity

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    are you sure its in high performance mode. also have you done a battery pull and bios battery pull?
     
  37. 5150Joker

    5150Joker Tech|Inferno

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    Send it back and order him a system with the ATi 5850 in it.
     
  38. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    yup send it back

    lol joker just noticed your sig...
     
  39. Zedman 5526

    Zedman 5526 Notebook Consultant

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    Hi ive been using rivatuner for stopping throttling and since than it is constantly being underclocked at 383/767/301. how should i fix this??
     
  40. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    @zedman
    1. make sure you have high performance mode selected (battery icon in system tray)
    2. unplug/replug the ac adapter while on (with battery in of course)
    3. toggle the stealth button off/on/off (do this a few times and stop with the spedo picture off)

    retry
    if you did all the above steps and stealth mode is off, your settings will stick.
     
  41. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    W00T, nothing to do with throttling so excuse my off topic, but incase you didnt notice there is a Beta driver for the m15x on the Dell site. It is much newer, finally :)
    I would like to think this was because I suggested they update them sooner, but it might be the community :p Either way woohoo :p
     
  42. Stormwatch342

    Stormwatch342 Notebook Consultant

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    So I have a 3 year NDB warranty.. Took me a week and now they are sending me a new adapter. Stating that my bios shows a/c adapter rating of 150W and should be 240W.

    Can anyone confirm there numbers for me.

    So now i need to wait for the adapter tomorrow then call in again and they want to run tests and then if problem persists they 'may' send out a card (5850)

    just adding from what i understood the 240w is for m17x and 150 is m15x.. and even using 150w is a lot.. wouldnt that fry my system.
     
  43. thenzfarmer

    thenzfarmer Notebook Consultant

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    Lol I only studied basic physics at school but yeah, the M15X is designed to function with a 150W adapter and the M17X with a 240W PSU.
    They are incompetent, I wish I could help you further but I just wouldn't plug that in as it isn't designed for that system.
    Check p69 of the adobe file or your manual - http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/M15x/en/mm/mm_en.pdf

    If you do use it, stand far away and film it as evidence. But check with someone else first.
     
  44. Stormwatch342

    Stormwatch342 Notebook Consultant

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    Well they are sending me one now..

    "According to Tier 3 support, the new bios will fix your problem sir. You just need a new power adapter that will run at 240w" - Dell Guy

    So now I wait until tomorrow and run some tests again...with a 240w Power Adapter and A07...

    I really hope the Power Adapter doesn't kill my system in the long run.
     
  45. DeeX

    DeeX THz

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    Thats odd they would do this.. The bios will now allow a 240w. It will work but unless they change the bios it will act like 150w and not use the extra wattage. This has been confirmed by engineers. With that said I have been trying to suggset to Dell that they up the adaptor on the M15x like they did the studio. Hopefully this will happen.
     
  46. Stormwatch342

    Stormwatch342 Notebook Consultant

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    Anyone try a 240 on the updated bios?
     
  47. LeWZ

    LeWZ Notebook Consultant

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  48. caes2004

    caes2004 Company Representative

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    Dear customers, thank you for your feedback concerning both the touchpad polling and throttling issue. We are working on a new BIOS to be released soon to address both issues. As soon as it is promoted, I will let you know.

    Also, the A07 BIOS will not support a 240W adapter. It will list it as the wrong adapter and not charge the battery.

    Thanks, Adriana
    Alienware Quality
     
  49. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    A 240W adapter poses no threat to your system with minimal judgment. People (Mandrake, Joker, Witcher, any number of others) have used the 240W's with the M15x sporadically since it was released last year in connection with o/c'ing efforts. The adapter does not push power to the computer; the computer draws power as needed from the adapter. It's just not necessary.
     
  50. Stormwatch342

    Stormwatch342 Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks Adriana... But that means i just spent a week and then another 2 .5 hours today on the phone getting the run around by tech support that has no idea what they are talking about.

    I just want my alienware to work... like 8 months ago.. not 4++ months from now.. If an alternate video card will do that why is it so difficult to get a working product. :-(
     
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