Resolution:
After coming across a few suggestions via Google to remove any Nero apps, I decided to uninstall the Nero Suite installed by Dell/AW. Process used:
1. Uninstalled the Nero package which came with the M17x
2. Ran CCleaner's Registry clean and removed all entries found from the uninstall
3. Downloaded and ran Nero's General Clean Tool which found leftover files from the uninstall
4. Rebooted
5. Installed 3DMark06 and Vantage
This corrected the issue. As to why I was able to run 3DMark06 and Vantage previously *with* Nero installed I really have no clue.
Konig over @ NBR mentioned he was able to work-around this on his m15x by doing the following:
Fixed it by renaming NeVideo.ax and NeVideoHD.ax to NeVideo.ax.bak and to NeVideoHD.bak respectively. You can find these files in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ahead\DSFilter\Either way, it certainly appears there is an incompatibility with Futuremark's SysInfo and Nero. Something may have changed with the MS Windows updates which were released on 9/8 - I have no idea. Oh well.
