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XPS: Trouble in "paradise".... - Page 5

post #81 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:04pm

Bad News

I just got back from lunch. I ran 3dMark 03 twice, and on the third run, it locked up during the "nature" scene. Dammit. What now?
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post #82 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:11pm
No, i didn't reinstall windows. Stock out of the box so far.

i will try running the 3dmark. Is everyone running the standard free version "3DMark03_340.exe"? I've never run this, i presume there is a Run All (or some such). Is that what i run, and then run it multiple times?
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post #83 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I just got back from lunch. I ran 3dMark 03 twice, and on the third run, it locked up during the "nature" scene. Dammit. What now?
Well, i'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a fan control problem that can probably be fixed via a BIOS update.

If they can fix this within a week via a fan control patch (or if someone finds an application that will allow you to control fan speeds in the meantime - and dell ACKNOWLEDGES the problem), I'll keep the notebook.

If not, back it goes.
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post #84 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karl
Well, i'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a fan control problem that can probably be fixed via a BIOS update.

If they can fix this within a week via a fan control patch (or if someone finds an application that will allow you to control fan speeds in the meantime - and dell ACKNOWLEDGES the problem), I'll keep the notebook.

If not, back it goes.
My feelings precisely...I'm on the phone with tech support now, and the guy is absolutely clueless (as I knew he'd be), and says they haven't had any XPS owners calling in...we need to make Dell aware of the bloody problem so they can fix it quickly...I will investigate the fan program...everybody else, please call tech support...I only had to wait ~10 minutes....kudos on their estimate...
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post #85 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammermd
My feelings precisely...I'm on the phone with tech support now, and the guy is absolutely clueless (as I knew he'd be), and says they haven't had any XPS owners calling in...we need to make Dell aware of the bloody problem so they can fix it quickly...I will investigate the fan program...everybody else, please call tech support...I only had to wait ~10 minutes....kudos on their estimate...
Calling now!

Technical Support:


General Number: 1-800-624-9896

Employee Purchase Program: 1-800-274-1410

Student, Faculty & Staff Purchase Program: 1-800-274-1410
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post #86 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:28pm
I didn't have problems with 3dmark or any games that I've played... so who knows... and I played with the laptop on my LEGS... and it didn't even bother me... the fans DID come on... and it didn't get unreasonably hot...
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post #87 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheNiXXeD
I didn't have problems with 3dmark or any games that I've played... so who knows... and I played with the laptop on my LEGS... and it didn't even bother me... the fans DID come on... and it didn't get unreasonably hot...
Well, so far it seems you're the only one! Congrats!

3dmark runs ok for me... once or twice. On the 3rd loop it dies.
In bf1942@1600x1200 with max quality settings both in game and in the driver, I can play for 4 or 5 mins before I get corruption, then a hard lockup eventually.

Notebook never gets very hot over here either, at least not that I can tell. I still think it's a fan control problem though. Probably not moving air fast enough off the GPU.

-k
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post #88 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:50pm

Latest?

Karl, What's the latest? Should we send 'em back?
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post #89 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:56pm
Alright, the tech support dude had me mail him a file detailing all my drivers, which he's going to send to his engineer...either the engineer or the tech support dude will call me back by end-of-business today to advise...either they'll have some troubleshooting advice or the engineer will just have me send the system back and Dell will send me another one...
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post #90 of 279
3/10/04 at 3:59pm
sweet deal
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post #91 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:02pm
er...not exactly...I'd rather have the engineer call back and say, 'Man, you're an idiot...do you realize you have driver x installed instead of driver y? Pay more attention next time!' and then have the system work fine. The alternative is shipping the thing back and not seeing a replacement till next week...
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post #92 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:08pm
Are we responsible for paying for shipping back to them??
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post #93 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lgriffin
Karl, What's the latest? Should we send 'em back?
Certainly not yet. I won't be making up my own mind about returning it for a few more days at least.

I spoke with 7-11's..err...I mean...Dell's tech support. After giving her some trite details about my notebook's problem, she said a new support queue has been created for this issue according to an engineer she contacted... I'm now on hold in that queue (no music, just every 30 seconds I hear "Please wait.")

More to come.....
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post #94 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:11pm

I'll call 'em when i get home

I'm going to call them when i get off work (3 hours) ( I don't have the XPS with me here ) and I will post whatever data they give me. I'm pretty freaking upset, because this is my first new Dell purchase, and i come from a Mac background.
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post #95 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:17pm
Karl...that's actually GOOD news...the guy I talked to had never heard of such an issue...he actually tried to tell me to update the games with patches from the web...LOL! Hopefully, we're finally being funneled to the XPS Specialized tech support that consists of nothing but the QA engineers, who will instantaneously realize their screw up and the danger to the company it poses and fix it forthwith (meaning by Sunday).
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post #96 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:20pm
Ok, I’ve run 3dMark 4 times now (3225, 3219, 3211, 3216) with no problems. The only difference is that by the third time the fan was on continuously; which even then wasn’t too loud. The bottom got warm, but not what I would call hot.

So I can’t duplicate the problem with my unit.
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post #97 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:26pm
I wonder if it's because you and Nixxed did not reformat?
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post #98 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:29pm
can't imagine why reformatting would have anything to do with this?
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post #99 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:32pm
I don't htink it was the actual reformating, it might be that you guys forogt to reinstall a program that controls the fans and what not. Did you guys make an image of the HD before u reformatted so you could restore it ?
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post #100 of 279
3/10/04 at 4:34pm
Aw, heck no...I know, jws, I can't imagine it, either...in fact, I specifically asked the tech guy if there was some process running IN WINDOWS that controlled fan speed & etc., and he said definitely not...so that leaves the BIOS...dang...
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