NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Notebooks - General › XPS: Trouble in "paradise"....
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

XPS: Trouble in "paradise".... - Page 13

post #241 of 279
3/12/04 at 3:32am
I think that they will send a technician to the house even if they dno't have at Home at this point because the issue is so damn new and the fact that its still under the period where we are allowed to refund it, they will do everything in their power to please ya right
Reply
Reply
post #242 of 279
3/12/04 at 4:21am
Well I tried to get mine to lockup today but I wasn't able to .. So that leave me to believe there has to be some kind of hope for others ..

I ran UT2004 Demo for 50 mins, Battlefield 1942 for 1 1/2 hour, Desert Combat for 1 hour and 3D Mark 03 for about 1 1/2 hours looped all one right after the next and never hasd a lockup ..

I see a lot of people think its the GPU .. Is there any way to see my GPU clock setting without having to load powerstrip ?? Since mine is working I don't want to chance a program messing up my clock settings since mine works fine where its at ..

My system is pretty much stock and I only made chages in 2 places .. Not sure if that had done anything to make it more stable .. I'd change it back but I can't remember what the factory setting was so if anyone tells me I can move it back and try this weekend to see if I can get it to lock-up ..

Here is the changes I made .. On the OpenGL and Direct3D screens .. I had moved everything to performance like this pic ...
Reply
Reply
post #243 of 279
3/12/04 at 4:22am
I am running smoothely as well--hopefully it will continue.
Reply
Reply
post #244 of 279
3/12/04 at 8:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Planet-Ed
.. I'd change it back but I can't remember what the factory setting was so if anyone tells me I can move it back and try this weekend to see if I can get it to lock-up ..
I believe the stock settings are:

Main Settings = Optimal Performance (slider in the middle)
Anti-Aliasing & Anisotropic Filtering = Application Preference
Texture Preference & Mipmap Detial Level = High Quality (sliders to the right)
Wait For Vertical Sync = Application Preference (I think)

You can also just click the "Defaults" button on the bottom

-Geed
Reply
Reply
post #245 of 279
3/12/04 at 8:53am
Planet-Ed,

Which resolution did you use in each of your games (and in 3DMark03) when you ran your long tests in post #242? I'll run the same exact tests on mine using the same settings in the ATI control panel and see if I get similar results. I'll try it with the defaults first, then change the settings to match your picture & post my findings.
Reply
Reply
post #246 of 279
3/12/04 at 9:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammermd
Dangit, Karl, go getcha sum rum & coke...keep us posted on what happens with your on-site request...I didn't get in-home service, but I'll definitely require that they ship me a new one I can use before I send this one back...I'm currently using it for business and can't give it up!
Since we all had a hand in trying to narrow this down, who knows. Maybe dell will be gracious and toss us an on-site swap for the GPU - "at home service" or not...
Reply
Reply
post #247 of 279
3/12/04 at 9:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by XstatiK
Planet-Ed,

Which resolution did you use in each of your games (and in 3DMark03) when you ran your long tests in post #242? I'll run the same exact tests on mine using the same settings in the ATI control panel and see if I get similar results. I'll try it with the defaults first, then change the settings to match your picture & post my findings.
If you're going to match those settings for 3dmark, make sure you do it in the Direct3D section of the control panel. 3dmark03 doesn't use OpenGL.
Reply
Reply
post #248 of 279
3/12/04 at 9:28am

Rise of Nations

Add Rise of Nations to the list of affected games. I started the tutorial and got 5 minutes into it before the comp. locked up. Sigh.
Reply
Reply
post #249 of 279
3/12/04 at 11:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by XstatiK
Planet-Ed,

Which resolution did you use in each of your games (and in 3DMark03) when you ran your long tests in post #242? I'll run the same exact tests on mine using the same settings in the ATI control panel and see if I get similar results. I'll try it with the defaults first, then change the settings to match your picture & post my findings.
All the games were run at 1600x1200 and 3D Mark 03 was looped at 1920x1200 ... I used the high resolutions to stress the GPU ...
Reply
Reply
post #250 of 279
3/12/04 at 11:44am
First off, you guys are sure doing a great job working through these issues. However, has anyone recieved the 9100 yet? I'm guessing if this problem so many of you are experiencing really is related the the gpu... it's pretty likely the 9100 may have the same problems. I know personally i've put off ordering until I hear some feedback in the forums. So... where are the 9100's??? I do wish they'd offer a comparable system under the latitude line... as i've always prefered those to the inspirons. Ah well...

onlymobile411

- Too poor for an XPS - i9100 is lookin good though!
Reply
Reply
post #251 of 279
3/12/04 at 12:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by onlymobile411
First off, you guys are sure doing a great job working through these issues. However, has anyone recieved the 9100 yet? I'm guessing if this problem so many of you are experiencing really is related the the gpu... it's pretty likely the 9100 may have the same problems. I know personally i've put off ordering until I hear some feedback in the forums. So... where are the 9100's??? I do wish they'd offer a comparable system under the latitude line... as i've always prefered those to the inspirons. Ah well...

onlymobile411

- Too poor for an XPS - i9100 is lookin good though!
To be honest, I doubt the 9100 or any future XPS machines will have this issue. The work we all did here alerted Dell to this potential problem - however, I expect that any machines in production over the short term may be delayed a while to ensure they have good GPU's. Dell knows it will cost them less in the long run to fix this issue NOW than apply a breakfix patch later that could potentially lower the specs and make everyone unhappy.

Don't expect the XPS or 9100 you just ordered to arrive "broken". This problem appears to be limited to a few machines. I'm sure a ton of people have their XPS units already, and I don't see hundreds of people posting about it on http://delltalk.us.dell.com. I'm also pretty sure the initial production run of machines have all reached "home" by now. We may see more about this over the weekend when people actually sit down to play, but I believe Dell when they say that they have 10 machines off the line in testing, and all of them work fine.

Don't be afraid to click "buy" because of this issue.
Reply
Reply
post #252 of 279
3/12/04 at 12:49pm
In my humble opinion, based on the dealing I had with Dell. I believe on this issue, even if you have mail in service, you will be able to talk them into sending a tech on-site. Make them aware that the options are that if they can't do this on-site, you will not have time to make a decision whether it is suitable before the 30 day return date. If they say no, tell them either they need to give you in writing an additional 30 days, or you will return the system for full refund immediately. Do this through the customer care and not the technical support.

When I spoke with them, they really tried to get me to keep this thing, unfortunately based on the tech support I got, the only way they would have satisfied me enough to stick with them would have been, to give me a new system, refund the $350 in price difference, extend the 30 days. When I mention the price difference they went silent, never got to the 30 extension. I think they will work with you though.
Reply
Reply
post #253 of 279
3/12/04 at 12:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LurkingJayhawk
In my humble opinion, based on the dealing I had with Dell. I believe on this issue, even if you have mail in service, you will be able to talk them into sending a tech on-site. Make them aware that the options are that if they can't do this on-site, you will not have time to make a decision whether it is suitable before the 30 day return date. If they say no, tell them either they need to give you in writing an additional 30 days, or you will return the system for full refund immediately. Do this through the customer care and not the technical support.
Yeah, good idea, folks. In fact, it's not even an excuse. It makes perfect sense. I don't see how anyone could make an effective decision regarding this machine unless you get the GPU swapped on-site. Shipping it back and waiting for it to return would burn your 30 days up in no time. If Dell really wants you to keep the unit, it's in their best interest to have 'em field service it.

And with the price premium we paid on these, I'm relatively certain they don't want to take 'em back
Reply
Reply
post #254 of 279
3/12/04 at 1:22pm
I agree. Maybe Dell really is doing a test on these because mine's been in production for about 10 days now and its still building. So hopefully when i finally get mine it'll be all good to go, keep up the good work boys
Reply
Reply
post #255 of 279
3/12/04 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeLLSpiRE
I agree. Maybe Dell really is doing a test on these because mine's been in production for about 10 days now and its still building. So hopefully when i finally get mine it'll be all good to go, keep up the good work boys
Yeah, if you're in "building" for more than a day, that means there's a holdup. Looks like they caught the GPU thing before yours got out the door.
Reply
Reply
post #256 of 279
3/12/04 at 1:42pm
I'm right there with you HeLLSpiRE. Mine's been "building" for about a week. They must be running ours through the ringer. Watch us have fingerprints all over our LCD's now, plus a HD full of game leftovers.

B.
Reply
Reply
post #257 of 279
3/12/04 at 2:00pm
11 Days "In Production" via web status.
11 Days "Currently in the build stage" according to the 1-800-433-9014.
Speculation: As a former employee of a former #1 OEM I can tell you that production starts and machines are built when all required components are delivered to production in minimal quantities of 100000 units. Stuck in "Build" for 11 days would only happen if they halted production due to softload rebuild (hard drive image) or hardware/SKU replacement (ie GPU board refresh). If you run out of parts it doesn't matter as you already have alternate sources ready with enough supply to quell the initial build quantity. Since DELL has these GPUs SMT'd onto their pcb design it only takes an "oops wrong resistor" run on 100 or 200 units before they fix it and production waits for the refreshed parts. Fact is if units are being delivered, as they have been, then they've made FAR more than 10 units. It is very common to have pcb refreshes during a production run up to 4 or 5 versions.
Reply
Reply
post #258 of 279
3/12/04 at 2:06pm
that sounds like no good to me. Looks like we won't be seeing ours till early April, GOD that's long, might as well take the 8790 plunge
Reply
Reply
post #259 of 279
3/12/04 at 2:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeLLSpiRE
that sounds like no good to me. Looks like we won't be seeing ours till early April, GOD that's long, might as well take the 8790 plunge
Actually, he didn't state a timeframe

And don't go by Dell's shipping estimate. I shouldn't be getting my XPS until next friday according to their estimate. It showed up this past tuesday
Reply
Reply
post #260 of 279
3/12/04 at 3:24pm
Well I installed the workaround, and I played Eve Online for an hour then Shadowbane for half an hour with no locks. I had to leave to work at that point.

The heat seemed to build up just like before, maybe a bit less I can't be certain.

Still I want this thing remedied. I hope they send someone out, or I guess I have to get a refund. This is just too much money to mess around with.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Dell Notebooks - General
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Notebooks - General › XPS: Trouble in "paradise"....