Hello folks, my laptop (Alienware M15x) has been acting up very weird since last year.

The symptoms are:
Slow loading speed
Frequent hang and BSOD
Intermittent auto-restart
Extremely slow boot time that can take any time from 1 minutes up to 10 minutes or it just stuck at the boot screen,
Fans emitting irregular noises and vibration
GPU overheating

Now that's an impressive list of problems that can happen on one single laptop (And it costs me RM9k+)

I called up Dell to get most of these fixed on the January 2013 because that's when I got back from the UK.
The parts replaced was the GPU, both processor and GPU fans and the mobo.
So that solved some of the problems, except the slow loading speed, frequent hang and slow boot time.
I didn't have a backup computers back then so I had to deal with the problems.

Now something serious happened, the slow loading/boot up time and frequent programs hanging became so unbearable it's no longer usable I had to restore the laptop back to its factory's setting (Reformat if you will) but same problem persisted, slow boot up time and whatnot.

I did some test on the SSD and these are the results:





Something has got to be wrong with this kind of result on a SSD.
And a quick google assured me that.

http://thessdreview.com/our-reviews/samsun...as-ssd-testing/

I called up Dell again today and found that now their after sales service become so bad it reminds me of the good old Screamyx tech support.
I explained the problems and I was asked to run the diagnostics. Turns out that the optical drive and touchpad is fried as well, the operator noted that down and I was told a replacement for the optical drive, touchpad and mobo will be arranged. I mentioned the SSD problem but he said since no error was detected during the diagnostic, he can't do anything.

So that's it, they won't admit that it's the part's problem as long as it don't show up as error in their Diagnostics. What can I do now?
Because anyone sane can tell something is veeeeery wrong with my SSD :/
Not to mentioned I paid almost a grand for this so called "Premier" complete cover warranty. So much for the "Premier" and "Complete Cover".

This post has been edited by awyongcarl: May 27 2013, 11:08 PM

that speed doesnt look like anything a SSD can achieve.... btw you talk in calm tone or angry tone.. sometimes will affect customer service outcome haha

Calm. I just said what I should, describe the problems in details. Complied with the request of running the diagnostics.
No F words were said, no shouting, no cursing. Just..frustration and sighs.

that was unexpected... my experience with their cs was pretty good... but that was 2 years ago so it might not apply anymore.
maybe when the technician come need to beg him for help

I'm going to show the technician the SSD test result and request him to escalate this issue.
And beg him for help? You kidding me? I paid a grand for this sole reason! Warranty and service! And now I have to beg them for help? Nooooooooooo!

not to beg in a sadistic face, but beg in an angry manner. thats how i show to ASUS support.

however, have you gone thru lots of read write process on your mSATA drive in the past?

No. I've had similar test result since 2 years ago. It just had no chance to get it fixed because I was in the UK for the last 2 years.
This laptop was used only for words processing and gaming. It's just as of late the hang up and BSOD has gotten ridiculous.

im worried that the unit of mSATA you received is a lemon unit upon purchase.
now, you can ask the dell technician to RMA your mSATA. if not, threaten them to do so.

Threaten? How? Since what I was told is that "If no error code is shown then nothing is wrong".

Should I just google some random SSD error code and tell them that? lol

No offence bro but you're expecting prince treatment, Off course we all paid a lot of money for for AWs but thr is a way to get things done.. nobody is asking you to beg.. a fair argument with facts will surely make them to replace ur SSD.. you need to explain them the situation in a better way. When tht person said they can't help you as the diagnostics showed SSD working ok.. you should have said maybe if i can talk to your level 2 or someone else who has more knowledge about SSDs so that I can explain my problem.

They changed almost everything for you and only SSD left and you called them lousy. I guess you have no idea about how other brands are doing with thr warranty. I am 200% sure that they will replace ur SSD but you need to know how to express ur problem to proper people at proper time and in proper way.. tht doesnt means u show respect n something. Frustration has surely to be shown but maybe not to the level 1 customer service as they are only eligible to allow certain things to be done. They are following protocols. Level 2 bends in a bit.. that is whr you can have your shot. Good luck.

Still if you need my suggestion on how to talk with them. I can help you out as i've even gotten my M17xR4 replaced for a single led light issue which they couldn't fix.

When things get TOO technical... you should stop talking to level 1 customer service.
btw the technician can help you, off course if you have problem.... you need to convince him with proofs and Alas! ur problem will be fixed.
I will say again that I am very sure that they will replace ur SSD... maybe even give you a better one if the old SSD is not in thr stock.

it IS no questions asked still you just need to convince them first n then technician comes and he doesn't go like heyy this is still ok wht.. i wont replace for u. It has never happened to me in the period of 9 dell services i've experienced on various laptops including Alienware.

The parts is faulty and they get it changed as per the warranty, and I should be grateful? And that sounded like a "prince treatment" to you?
And on top of that I paid for the warranty upgrade/extension. That still considered as "prince treatment"?

I don't give a chimp about how others brand treat their customer because that's irrelevant.
I bought a Dell. Simple as that.

But regardless, you are right. I should have ask for the higher-up to answer my questions.
I'll do that tomorrow when the technician come to get the laptop repaired.

This post has been edited by awyongcarl: May 27 2013, 11:58 PM

easy bro. I was just saying practically... not dissing you. I suppose that is how you compare services by looking at their competitors. Nevermind you call and talk to level 2.. Explain em with good facts (y) good luck.

No problem bro, I do appreciate the advises and help you offered.
I just thought it's unreasonable for them to shove off the problem I'm having just because their onboard Diag shows no error. That's an act of irresponsibility and avoiding the problem customer is having. I'm not even sure if I'm at fault for not asking them for higher-up. Is that really my fault? I mean if the level 1 tech support can't help or have no knowledge to resolve the problem, why can't they just ask the higher-up to handle? They have to wait until the customer request to? -.-

And honestly speaking I don't feel that it's unreasonable to get the faulty parts changed within the warranty period. I did not ask them to change everything and why would I do that if nothing is wrong?
I know some people abuses it but please don't automatically assume that everyone is just trying to abuse the system just because they had a major parts replacement.

This post has been edited by awyongcarl: May 28 2013, 01:45 AM

Well, I'm not sure, if u see d 'BAD' word...
... perhaps oversight?
It's a whooping ~15GB of bad blocks; signifying impending failure.

Wif d above, screenshot, it's >enuf to justify an RMA replacement!
If that's 'not bad', then I dunno what's good!

This post has been edited by watcher: May 28 2013, 04:48 AM

off topic abit from SSD but still on Dell CS matter

few weeks back, my lil bros laptop Dell N4050 was hit numerous times by BSOD. since the laptop still under warranty, I've called Dell support over phone and the CS instruct me to do some Diagnostic on the laptop. the result from the diagnostic shows that only HDD problem, so the SC say he'll appoint a technician to come to my home to replace the HDD.

2 or 3 days later the technician come to my house, and change the HDD. he then proceed to install fresh Win 7. the BSOD still hits even after change the HDD. so the technician proceed to inspect the motherboard and he says he suspect its faulty. he then help me open new ticket to replace the motherboard, but since he didnt bring any with him, he come back the next day. changed the motherboard and the blardy BSOD is gone.

so i think its up to the technician to fully inspect your laptop and not just follow what the ticket says.

Did you enabled TRIM support? Without TRIM, SSD performance will degrade tremendously overtime.


No it's not.

Yes, TRIM is enabled.

As for me, i use Intel SSD, few years already not a problem until now.

i will ask you to consider the power supply check. from adapter into on-board.
the simptom you mention earlier maybe coming from power fault somewhere
make ur system running wierd...drive got not unuf juice, interminttent restart, fan problem thus make thermal problem, fried thing...etc

This post has been edited by joefbi: May 29 2013, 04:15 PM

Well just a little bit of update for my case.
The technician yesterday replaced the DVDROM and touchpad, things works fine now except for the SSD still.

So he decided to escalate it and the SSD will be replaced, supposedly today. Guess what? They got my address wrong lol. I live in Kuala Lumpur, but somehow in the repair order my address is somewhere in Kuantan.

Good job Dell.

Dell warranty is regardless where your purchase from, even you vacation in Sabah or Sarawak, Dell technician will go there to fix it. Even that every month you travel in different state.
P/S: Where you are, where dell be.
all stated in the warranty T&C