plugged in, not charging M17xR2 alienware laptop

* The PC should be plugged into the AC adapter
* Go here to get the M17x-R2 A10 Bios
* Download the zip file to your desktop
* Unzip it into its own folder
* Open the folder and then open the A10 folder and run W851A10.exe
* When finished, restart the PC
* Once into Windows, turn off the PC
* Unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery
* Hold the PC power button for 30 seconds
* Reinsert the battery and plug in the AC adapter
* Restart the PC and press F2 to enter the BIOS
* While in the BIOS, disconnect/reconnect the AC adapter
* Exit the BIOS and enter Windows. Check the icon on the taskbar

I am truly glad Dell has finally addressed this issue and I am hopeful that I will not have to shut down my laptop, unplug my a/c adapter, pull my battery and hold the power button several times a week or not be able to unplug and use my LAPTOP on battery power...

However, I have to express my sincere disappointment with the speed at which it was addressed and the fact that I've had to deal with this issue for at least four months after spending over $2500 dollars on an Alienware/Dell instead of a Mac.

In addition, I'd like to take this time to say that I have left several messages for Alienware tech support after hours and I have to date NEVER received a call in return.  Someone really needs to address that customer service issue.  I am a long time dell customer and currently very disappointed.

I just wanted to update this by saying that the instructions above did not fix my issue.  The computer still randomly stops recognizing that it is plugged in and starts to drain the battery as if it was unplugged even though the a/c adapter is plugged in with the blue light on.  It will spontaneously switch between the status a/c adapter and battery.

So, I have flashed the bios and tried all of the other "tricks" and am still having this issue.  This is absolutely ridiculous...this is what a 2500 dollar computer does?

I hate having to call tech support, but I guess I'll have to.  Though, if someone from dell tech support does read this, your response would be greatly apprecaited.

This is a "me too".

I continue to have this problem too.  Received M17x R2 a few weeks ago (replaced an R1).  I've kept a running post on same topic on Notebook Review forum (the thread talks about Bios A10).  I updated this system to A10, played with enabling/disabling the power adapter warning in the Bios and various other scenarios.  The net is that the problem is essentially always there & the "fix" is always one of two things:

1. Either Shutdown, remove battery, hold power button for count of 20 replace battery & then it starts charging - or

2. While plugged in & running - remove battery - replace battery - then it starts charging.

This problem is consistent regardless of which of the three AC adapters I use

I have done the aforementioned, but still have the same issue.  The laptop does not charge while the AC adapter is plugged in.  This has been an issue since the purchase of the laptop.  I have had the motherboard replaced as well as the battery to no avail.  I hope this issue is still being researched to find a permanent resolution.  Whats the point of a laptop that cannot be charged and used as a laptop, but instead always has to be plugged in to be powered on.

~C

M17x-R2 plugged in not charging.

I to am having the same problem. My system is saying its plugged in not charging.

Here is what happened to me

i had the older bios and when i unplugged the system it would not charge. the system would say plugged in not charging

Dell told me it was a known issue and they were working on a new bios

Some one from dell on 12/16/11  transferred a bios to my system called x33 this new bios let my system charge but theres still a glitch if i discharge the battery more then 40-45% then the system goes back to saying pluged in not charging this is happening with the x33 and a10 bios.

now dell/ alienware are saying they want to replace the battery and the ac adapter and the mother board.

I have 4 ac adapters and 2 battery's and i stil have the same problem with all the ac adapters and both batts.

I dont want refurbished parts put in my system so i can have more issues in the long run.  i have asked tech support to please test there m17x r2 in there lab and see if they discharge the laptops battery to 50% then plug it back in and see if this fixes the issue.

If i do unplug the system and pull the batt and hold down the power button and put it all back together the batt does charge  so i am having the same issue as the rest of you. I hope this helps!

This is my system config info...


1
    5V3DW    Module, Media, Resource Dvd, Alienware, M17X10
1    6FY1X    Module, Accessory, Alienware, M17X10, England/english, Dao/bcc
1    F836R    Pad, Mouse, Alienware, M17X
1    WRD6T    KIT..., DOCUMENTATION..., ANW, M17X10, ENGLAND/ENGLISH..., D/B
1    6RDR6    SERVICE INSTALL MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., ANW, M17X10
1    GFWWN    MODULE..., SHIPPING MATERIAL..., PACK, M17X10
1    N8GY4    Base, Notebook, Red, Configure To Order, Alienware, M17X10
1    K01Y7    ASSEMBLY..., BASE (ASSEMBLY OR GROUP)..., NOTEBOOK..., RED..., ANW, M17X10
1    T780J    Module, Battery, Primary, 85WHR 9C, Dynapack International Technology Corp
1    W075J    Battery, Primary, 85WHR, 9C Lithium, Dynapack InternationalTechnology Corp
1    V3C5M    Module, Card, Network, 370, Foxconn, Alienware, Dell Americas Organization
1    P560G    Card, Wireless, Bluetooth, 370 FXCN, 5DB, No Bios
1    VW0X1    Module, Keyboard, Alienware, 101, ENG-US, Personal Computer
1    8WK6F    Keyboard, Alienware, 101, ENG-US, Personal Computer
1    Y540P    Module, Software, Alienware CYBERLINK, YOUCAM
1    YGV2J    Module, Accessory, Waybill, Asset Recovery Business, Exchange, England, Dell Americas Organization
1    1803X    KIT..., DOCUMENTATION..., WYBL, ASSET RECOVERY BUSINESS..., EXCHANGE..., ENGLAND/ENGLISH..., DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION...
1    CDKX3    Module, Blu-Ray Rewritable, 4X, Panasonic, BARE, Alienware
1    JY598    MODULE..., INFORMATION..., SOFTWARE..., ANW, ALIENFX, RED...
1    7X54D    Module, Information, Audio, M15X
1    5FJ8M    MODULE..., LABEL..., INTEL..., NO BIOS..., CI7
1    69WYT    Module, Processor, Clarksfield, I7-620M, 2.66, M17X
1    FGF8T    Processor, I7-620M, 2.66, 4MB, Arrandale, C2
1    K005R    MODULE..., DUAL IN-LINE MEMORY MODULE..., 8GB, 1333MHZ, DDR3
1    F073F    Dual In-Line Memory Module, 4GB1333MHZ, 512X64, 8K, 200
1    X830D    Dual In-Line Memory Module, 4GB1333MHZ, 512X64, 8K, 200
1    8WG28    Module, Liquid Crystal Display, 17WUXGA, Light Emitting Diode, M17X10
1    K1NFP    LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY..., 17WUXGA, RED/GREEN/BLUE..., LIGHT EMITTING DIODE..., AG, SAMSUNG...
1    NRTT8    Module, Card, Graphics, 5870, Parker, Mid-Life Kicker
1    C8245    Card, Graphics, Hard Drive, 5870, Parker, Mid-Life Kicker
1    H754T    Assembly, Bracket, Video Graphics Adapter, Heatsink, M17X
1    N330P    Module, Information, Artwork NAME-PLT, Custom, M17X
1    NT799    MODULE..., INFORMATION..., ANW, AUTO-UPDATES, ON
1    8P085    MODULE..., CORD..., POWER..., 110V, 3W\3P, ASIA PACIFIC..., UNITED STATES...
1    C465T    Module, Bracket, Hard Drive, Second, With Connector, M17X
1    F584N    ASSEMBLY..., BRACKET..., HDD, W/CON, SECOND..., M17X
1    H606T    MODULE..., HARD DRIVE..., 320G, 7.2K, SGT-HOLL, ACROSS LINE OF BUSINESS...
1    F729T    Hard Drive, 320GB, S2, 7.2K, 2.5, SGT-HOLL
1    H607T    Module, Hard Drive, 320, 7.2, #2, SGT-HOLL, XLO
1    F729T    Hard Drive, 320GB, S2, 7.2K, 2.5, SGT-HOLL
1    Y924N    Module, Information, RAID 0 Alienware, M17X
1    P349J    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., ADOBE..., READER..., 9.0, MULTI-LANGUAGE...
1    XM544    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., PC-RESTORE, TRANSACTIONAL LINE OF BUSINESS...
1    D282K    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., DTSV, BASIC..., 2.0
1    P395P    Module, Software, CYBERLINK Powerdvd, 8.0, Alienware
1    P398P    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., NERO, 9, ANW
1    8FHFY    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., STEAM
1    2J4FR    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY..., W7HP64, ANW
1    CP1VF    Module, Software, W7HP64 Consumer Desktop, English Dao/bcc
1    D9KVP    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., QUICK FIX ENGINEERING..., WIN7, CNB
1    Y2FYM    MODULE..., SOFTWARE..., W7HP64, DIGITAL VIDEO DISK DRIVE..., MULTI-LANGUAGE..., ANW
1    DW6RN    Kit, Software, W7HP64, Multi-Language, Alienware
1    WCVM8    Module, Software, Soft Contracts, Banctec Services Corp., Alienware
1    D0W4H    Module, Software, Alienware, COMMANDCNTR, M17X10
1    CTX0X    MODULE, INFORMATION, WIRELESS, BLUETOOTH, 370
1    MVF7Y    Module, Card, Network, DW1520, Alienware, United States
1        intel n 6300

**********this was exchanged for the 240 watt adapters**********

1    K2490    Cord, Power, 110V, 6F, AlternatingCurrent, 3W, PROPOSITION 65..., United States
1    K467P    MODULE..., ADAPTER..., ALTERNATING CURRENT..., DELTA - AC ADAPT..., 150W, 3P, WORLD WIDE...

1    J408P    Adapter, Alternating Current, 150W, Delta - Ac Adapt, 3P, World Wide, M09

Flip over your power supply and make sure it says PA-9E as the part number and not PA-7E. I had the same problem with my R1 when I got it new from DELL and it was because they shipped the wrong power supply! Also I had to flash the BIOS in my case A.06 to get the machine to charge the battery....

Although I'm waiting for the delivery of my replacement M17x R2 (should arrive tomorrow), my original R2 had this problem and the adapter displays part # PA-9E. Mind you, I flashed to BIOS A09. The machine was already dead before A10 was released. But I believe many have said that A10 has made no difference anyway.

My power supply says pa 9e  family and i have 4 of them and 2 batterys all of them have the same issue

 they are sending me a new batt a new power supply and a new mother board.  The unit will charge if i pull the batt and power supply and hold down the power button OR if i pull out the batt while its running and plug it back in.  Once the system discharges the batt to 50% then it wont charge anymore

i have tried every BIOS 06 07 09 x33  a10

I had this problem when I bought my M17x (R2) and have since flashed the BIOS to A10. The supplied Adapter was PA-9E. Flashing the BIOS seemed to fix the problem, but the issue has begun to crop up again.

Removing the battery and putting it back on again is a hassle.. moreover, the last time I did it, the system began to switch (almost continuously) between AC Power and Battery modes, until it was fully charged. According to few other forum threads, this could possibly be because of a loose battery connection. Sigh!

If anyone's figured out a way of non-invasively (without removing any parts) fixing it, please help.

little does J1mm know the company that makes apple parts is same company that makes dellienware ..... and most other OEM at that (aka FOXXCONN! )

Hello fellow purchasers of expensive laptops with <ADMIN NOTE: Profanity removed as per TOU> peripheral hardware!  If your laptop, like mine, is missing the small, easily broken chunk of plastic meant to keep the charger in place (the black plastic inside the port), and you have to futz with the exposed metal on a regular basis to keep it charging, it is entirely possible that doing so will fix your "plugged in, not charging" problem.  It has for mine anyway.  Here's to pirating windows onto a mac laptop next time!