E6520 Owner's Thread

I don't know why I can't multi-quote, but to answer everyone, I ran a diagnostic before, and it came back with something being bad about the LCD cables (but when I looked that up, apparently that is just something wrong with the A07 bios). Either way, it thinks the GPU is fine -- which clearly, I would agree with you all, seems hardware, seems major not fine.

Stupid dell can't accept videos for diagnosis, or I'd show them. They are replacing my motherboard, but I'm not holding out a whole lot of hope, as I have had this happen before.

Also, as an FWIW -- the system experienced this as a clean install (I re-did everything about a month ago; if anything, the problem has gotten worse).

This is also the THIRD laptop of the e6520 that it has happened on. They start out okay, and seem to degrade quickly.

Note, it also happens when the computer isn't even being used -- I have it hooked up to external speakers ... and every so often I hear the windows 7 bootup sound while it sits there being unused.

Another for-what-its-worth, it seems to be more frequent when plugged into an external monitor.

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What's the consensus? Do we think I should request LCD cables? Do we think a new mobo and fan will fix it? It certainly doesn't APPEAR to be overheating -- it isn't necessarily hot to the touch when this happens.

Thanks!

 

Wow. That's quite a Lemon. As Scott and I mentioned, first try to boot up and just enter the BIOS..and let it sit there while you watch a movie or something. It won't go to sleep (as long as you have it plugged in) and it should just continue showing the BIOS screen. You'll know if it reboots because it won't be in the BIOS anymore. If it can handle that with zero graphics problems ..say..overnight.. maybe it's a memory or hard drive issue?

Most graphics problems I've experienced - when hardware - will also happen in the BIOS, but if it's just temp. related, it does sometimes take playing a game or something to hit that magical "reboot" temp due to GPU failure. You could install Speedfan in that case to at least monitor your system temps....

 

I've installed speedfan and what used to be called everest, and have no reason to think the temperatures are the cause -- unless they aren't being reported properly. I've let it sit in the bios for a long time, its just hard to show whether it happens there or not, given that it seems to require graphical loading in order to occur.

what makes you think it might be memory or harddrive? (what could it be doing to cause that) I think the harddrive may be the same through at least 2 of these problems, and so too may be at least some of the memory.

 

How long has it sat in the BIOS? Whenever you look at it in the BIOS, do you *ever* see graphics instability? Have you ever tried to boot an alternate OS, or maybe a Linux LiveCD or USB?

If memory is bad, it can begin loading, but when it hits that certain register during loading of the OS into the module, it can die on you and reboot, hang, etc...
You can run memtest to check that MemTest. You can also try reversing/removing the memory modules to see if one or the other module is bad.

If HD, you can check the smart status with DiskCheckup. If there are bad blocks, again, as you load the OS, it could be loading a damaged file during the OS loading, leading to system instability.

Just some thoughts.

 

Oh, to clarify -- this isn't a problem with booting up. This is a problem where I can *sometimes* use the machine under heavy load for hours or even a day on end, but it always ends up eventually crapping out like that video suggests. The HD smart status reports fine. The memtest also reports fine.

As for how long in the BIOS? I don't remember precisely. Hours, at least. And no, I've not particularly seen artifacting or any other graphical glitching while in bios. It isn't like this happens piecemeal. When it goes, it goes -- the whole system stops responding, and it shows that blinking nonsense for between 3 - maybe 10, 15 seconds, while making that noise, and then forcefully powering off (and making the noise it makes when you hold the power button).

I thought you were suggesting that the memory or HD might be somehow to blame for the graphical glitching; if that is the case and I am misunderstanding, please clarify?

Thanks!

 

Then, your LED cable is ok.

Maybe it is a motherboard, or a CPU, or a GPU, or a fan, or a memory module. During the past I had experienced frozen screens and restartings because of incompatibily between motherboard and HDD!!! You mention that it is the third laptop with this problem. So, did you manage to find what was the problem of two others?

The first step, as other guys mentioned, is to be sure that it is not a windows problem. Usually but not always, a windows problem is a driver problem. So try to use another O/S, or to experience the problem when you are in BIOS menu. If it is difficult to use another OS, or to experience the problem in BIOS menu, try to experience it in Windows safe mode. Definitely, in this case it is a hardware problem.

If it is a hardware problem, and also because of the sound problem you mentioned, i would suggest to check the compatibility of your so-dimm cards.
Test your system, with only one so-dimm card supplied from Dell.

If the problem remains, check that your fan is fully functional using a software tool. Check rpms, and CPU temperature.

If the problem still occurs, it is either possible to have a defective CPU or GPU or motherboard. In this scenario, you have to test to find what is the defective part.

 

as to the other two machines? dell exchanged them and sent them back -- never could figure out what the problem was.

as to the graphics driver issues -- i'm running the latest provided by both intel and nvidia (I have both gpus).

running another OS for a while seems like a possibly good test. Think I can just live boot ubuntu and do a graphics stress test and let it sit there for a few hours? Anyone have any good suggestions for a way to do the gpu stress test on ubuntu? My linux knowl is not as great as I'd prefer.

re: the fan, cpu temp, etc -- all SEEMS to check out.

re: the So-dimm issue -- can you go into a bit more detail about why the sound while it is crashing out might suggest memory problems? You *might* be on to something -- i'd be willing to put all new memory in to test it. If that was the problem though, shouldn't that show on a long test under diagnostics?

 

wait... are you running the Dell-provided drivers, or drivers you downloaded from Nvidia/Intel? If the latter, that could be causing the problems. Use the Dell drivers - I've had issues where the "latest-n-greatest" drivers from Nvidia seriously mucked up several of my systems.....

Yeah, at this point, also try a LiveCD and see what happens.

Maybe you're not supposed to own a Dell?

 

I don't mean the sound when your system crashes. But the windows bootup sound you mentioned. You hear the windows bootup sound several random times without restarting? Right?

It is not necessary. Some times memories manage to pass diagnostics, but are either defective or incompatible. Try to test your system with one memory module from Dell. Another reason may be the temperature of the RAM. Don't forget that you integrated graphic card uses your system RAM.

Once, I had crashes because of a screw!!!!!!! A short circuit was caused because a screw of my board was accidently in touch with my desktop case

 

I've never before had problems with using the intel/nvidia directly provided drivers; and dell doesn't update its drivers ever.... if you want to have any hope of playing any games on a dell machine, you need to rely on nvidia. Besides, I've had the problem when using dell provided drivers as well. Generally speaking, I'd be much more likely to trust Nvidia to create drivers for an nvidia card than for dell to meddle with them. same with intel.

Oh, no -- I meant that was an indication of how many times it had randomly rebooted on me over a period of time while I was in the room but not paying attention.

haha .. and like i said, the temperatures are NOT high -- at least not according to the sensors. Well aware that the integrated graphics uses the system ram. I'm curious about replacing all of the ram. Just to test it...