Dell Precision 5510 Owner's Lounge

Hi guys,

I got my 5510 for some time and its working fine for some time. Actually, its such a beauty and very capable workstation.

Recently, I got a problem that my chrome browser cannot be updated. I don't know what caused the clash and try uninstall and install but failed. I decided to reset the computer through the windows 10 tools. I tried a few different reset tools in windows 10 but all failed. During the process, the window prompted encountered a problem and nothing was changed.

Would you have similar experience and how to tackle it? I have asked the local support of Dell in my city, they just can help to reset the PC to windows 8.1 which was its original software. I guess if I go on that route, then I have to pay for the upgrade to window 10. Any advises for resetting the 5510 while keeping the windows 10?

Best regards,
TL

 

Download the Windows 10 media from Microsoft. The tool can create bootable install media from a flash drive.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Use that to create a new Windows 10 install if that is your intention. If Windows 10 was already installed on the laptop, you will be able to re-activate it without cost and without a product key, as long as you install the same edition (Home vs Pro).

 

BIOS 1.7 has now appeared on the Dell support site.
Enhancements:
1. Improved the stability for the file transferring within pre-OS USB LAN connection
2. Improved keyboard typing experience with high typing speed.

John

 

Thanks, I tried and its working.

 

Okay so my 5510 Has gone coo coo on me! any help is much appreciated.

I have upgraded the laptop to 32 gigabytes of RipJaws DDR4-2666 CL-18-18-18-43 PC4-21300 the moment I bought it back in 2016 and have had zero issues with them.

I also have a Thunderbolt DA200 hub which is always connected to the laptop anytime I am back in my room.

Today, out of the blue, I realized that the system won't boot into Windows 7 at a presentation for some reason. Luckily I had the slides on my Drop box and saved the meeting but the laptop is still a mess.

It boots up fine until the "loading windows" prompt of Windows 7 and then the Fans rev up and it just stays there. I even left it running for 45 minutes and still nothing.

Came back to my room and hooked it up to as I usually do (with the DA200) and it booted up fine without a hitch, albeit very slow. After some looking around in Windows realized that Windows can only use 1 gigabyte of system memory despite detecting 32 gigabytes of installed memory (it says 32 Gigabytes of physical memory, Usable 1 Gigabytes). Weirdly enough the BIOS can also see the 32 gigabytes of Ram.

The below are a list of what I managed to find out in the trouble shooting that followed:

• The system won't boot into windows unless the D200 is connected to the thunderbolt port. this is true for all the following steps as well.
• Both RAM slots seems to be working just fine - Tried both slots with the original 8 gig stick that came with the laptop, works fine and the system boots up, windows sees and uses the memory
• Both 16 gig RipJaw modules seem to be working just fine as well - tried each on either slot and it they work fine and boot the system up. memory detected and used in both cases.
• When I Install both of the 16 Gig modules at the same time the issues repeats itself. Boots into windows, only 1 gigabyte is usable out of the 32 gigabytes.
• The New BIOS, 1.7.0, did not change anything either. I was on 1.6.1 previously

Any Ideas?

Edit:

One thing I forgot to mention:

When I shut the laptop down while the D200 is connected the status light below the track pad starts blinking Amber (3 times) White (once) and repeats this cycle three times before the fans rev up and then the system shuts down. During the time the blinking is happening the screen is off but the power button led is on.

This does not happen when I turn the system off without anything connected to the thunderbolt port. Also, this is not something new, it started happening the last time I updated my BIOS (1.6.1).

 

I'm assuming you're not using 32bit windows, or windows home edition.
Launch msconfig -> Boot tab -> Advanced options, make sure no maximum memory set? Sometimes I have seen the OS turn this on by itself when it freaks out...

 

Like I said, I upgraded the ram to 32 gigabytes 2 years ago when I first bought the laptop and have been using it since with no issues. My OS is Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit that came with the laptop.

I also checked the msconfig and no maximum memory is set.

 

Didn't mean to be insulting or anything, just throwing out random ideas. I think the weird part is that it works with 16gb on only one chip. I was looking in one here at the office in BIOS thinking it might be some obscure dual-channel setting but I don't see anything like that.
Can you confirm the Memory speed is matched to the actual RAM speed in bios? And says Dual Channel mode?

 

Thank you for throwing the idea out there, I did not mean to be defensive, I am just in the middle of 2 different massive projects and my trustee laptop is just not working like I am used to it right in the middle of all the presentations and deliveries. As a freelancer that is very unnerving.

I also thought of some obscure setting in the BIOS and checked it thoroughly but could not find anything related.

And yes, I can confirm on both counts, the memory speed matches and the BIOS indeed says that the RAM modules are installed in Dual Channel Mode.

As crazy as this thing is, I believe the whole D200 dongle fiasco is more worrying and somehow interrelated with the issue with the RAM modules. This is mainly due to the fact that both 16 gigabyte Modules, and also the ram slots are physically alright. There seems to be something is seriously messed up at the Motherboard level which is connecting the two together. I was hoping that the installation of the new BIOS would somehow correct, or reset the issue but that did not come to fruition either.

 

Have you recently updated to the latest version of Win 10?