I think I have good news for users who cannot restore factory settings for AlienRespawn in Windows 8.

After Windows 8.1 update, AlienRespawn recommends you to update. If you update on Windows 8, AlienRespawn will break and will have error since your original drive's capacity is bigger when it's updating PE environment but in Windows 8.1, AlienRespawn treats this current environment as new environment, therefore, it can be updated successfully. After the Windows 8.1 update, AlienRespawn also recommends you to recreate your recovery media, which is factory image. My hunch is if I do so, I would have a lower capacity factory image which will be useful later which has Windows 8.1 in it.

I'll need to do more testing on this but that's my initial impression after updating my system to Windows 8.1. If this works as stated, then this is awesome.

EDIT: After assessing the situation, I'm short of a few disk drives. If anyone who is willing to help me in this testing, please let me know so that I can borrow some drives and I'm willing to do it on the spot during that period.

This post has been edited by Aura: Jan 24 2014, 12:13 PM

horns Yes, it is the first option. It's called "Desktop mode battery change".

This post has been edited by Aura: Jan 24 2014, 11:52 AM

wow.. i don't have that.

How should this be handled? Activate it?
I see that it always charge to 100% even if it drops to 98%.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Urs is special one issit?

Mine is disabled by default and tick the checkbox at the bottom. I think that's the default setting since I didn't do any clean installations and didn't mess with the setting.

now i remember: clean install haha!

Hi guys.. i just ordered Alienware X51 with i7 Processor. I called Dell yesterday to ask if i can upgrade the gforce card to the latest and they said no. Will i be able to upgrade it with newer card in the future?

Alienware X51 can be upgraded. The only limitation that the X51 has is the chassis size and the power supply brick. According to most ppl, it can be upgraded up to GTX 670 or maybe GTX 770 only. U only need to make sure that ur future graphics card can fit into the chassis and also need to make sure that the power supply brick can support the card.

for bf4 settings use this (the below settings is for 670m; with it 680m is giving 90fps on large maps):
source: ROG forum post

Thanks for the tip.

Transferring and reinstalling Windows 7 Ultimate to the new laptop. Let's hope there's no issues

Win 8.1 ain't good enough?

Windows 8 is to much trouble. Anyone here know how to install Windows 7 under EFI? Installs without a problem for legacy.

Dell doesn't provide a driver for Windows 7 for the Broadcom wireless. What the hell? Let me try the Dell US drivers.

This post has been edited by refnulf: Jan 25 2014, 10:37 PM

I thought UEFI is for windows 8 and above? I don't think windows 7 can be installed using UEFI.

no Aura, we can install w7 in uefi mode, but we need to make some changes in the installation media. please check the step 11, http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458...te-windows.html

basically it just mean, format the usb with fat32; extract all the contents from the w7 iso to the usb; then create a boot folder and put the windows uefi firmware (bootmgfw.efi) from w7 iso into it. (use 7-zip 9.25 or up for the extraction process)

edit: to qualify for installation with uefi mode, you need 3 things:

1. in bios turn off secureboot, and enable legacy mode;
2. the disk is of gpt type;
3. have an install media (usb prepared as above).

during POST, spam f12 key and choose uefi with usb storage media. (there must be an option of usb storage but labelled with uefi).

This post has been edited by horns: Jan 26 2014, 09:51 AM

I've tried but having issues getting it done in EFI. I think I'll just have to do it legacy or something for the meantime.

uh? what's the problem? any error message?

First time, it said boot issue after the first restart.
Second time, screen goes black when it tries to boot.

Finally I just legacy installed it. I'll try again later once I have more information on this. I'm guessing installing EFI with Windows 8 is a breeze?

hm.. it's still running in legacy mode in bios, because secureboot is meant for w8.x only. (there is no w7 key embedded in the bios)

however, when you check in msinfo32, the bios mode will be uefi if you install the w7 in uefi mode.

Doesn't say UEFI in msinfo32. I switched it to legacy in order to be able to detect the DVD, etc initially. Tried a few sets of instructions from google plus your link but still having trouble getting Windows 7 installed on UEFI. Secure boot won't work for Windows 7. I don't want Windows 8 until I have no choice in the matter, so I'll probably only go with the new OS next machine upgrade (in a year or two).

Anyway, don't have a second machine to hold me off while I try so I just installed Windows 7 like normal on legacy. I'll go back once I have some time. I had to put the stock hard drives back in and the stock ram and the Dell delivery fellas are coming tomorrow to pick the box up. Lucky I didn't get rid of the stock items.

Because I had to give up the M17xR4, I have 2x8GB (2x) of ram for sale, it'll work on the older generation of the alienware machines that don't have a lower voltage requirement.

CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10, 2x8GB DDR3, 1.5V, 1600Mhz, 10-10-10-27.

What a waste, let me know if anyone is interested? Sells new for RM519++ but it'll be significantly cheaper since it's used and has a lifetime warranty.