M6400 Problems

After a few weeks I have noticed a few problems with my M6400 Covet. Here is an overview.

1.) Random hard-locks. My M6400 will sometimes hard-lock... it will completely freeze up. CTRL + ALT + DEL doesn't respond.. Caps Lock doesn't respond.. Everything simply freezes up. This is usually after I switch "off" the WiFi switch on the side of the covet.. or when connecting to a new WiFi network. I've updated the drivers to the ones on Dell's site.. It works for a while then does it again.

2.) Random video errors. My M6400's display will "freak out" every now and then. Seems to be completely random. Sometimes the machine is at idle, I come back and the screen has random artifacts on it.. sometimes it occurs when I'm working hard. It occurs when docked with an external monitor.. (however, it only affects the primary display on my docking station.. not the secondary display) and un-docked on the RGB LED E2E display. I think this is a driver error- but I've installed the drivers on Dell's website. Here is a screen-grab of the problem on the RGB LED E2E display. (Somehow I was *actually* able to prnt scrn it and save it in photoshop despite the horrible screen) My external monitor is fine and works fine with other computers.

3.) My WiFi/Bluetooth lights on the Covet don't always work. Sometimes i'm connected viai WiFi and the light isn't on. Strange. Are there supposed to be on-screen displays with the Covet? i.e. when you turn up /down the volume should there be an on-screen display? My old M90 did this.

Here are the vitals on my M6400 Covet:
Intel Core 2 Dual Extreme Edition QX9300 2.53GHz, 1067MHZ, 12M L2 CacheDual Core
8.0GB, DDR3-1066 SDRAM, 4 DIMMfor Mobile Precision
1GB NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M Mobile Precision M6400 Covet
Intel X25-M 80GB SSD (main disk)
160GB Hard Drive 9.5MM 7200RPM FFS (storage)
17 inch Wide Screen Edge 2 Edge WUXGA RGBLED LCD, Blood Orange, for Mobile Precision M6400
Vista Ultimate 64-BIT Service Pack 1, with media, English Mobile Precision
Integrated megapixel VGA webcam with single digital microphone, Mobile Precision M6400
Dell WLAN 1397 (802.11b/g) 1/2MiniCard for Latitude E/MobilePrecision

I did a clean-install on the Intel X25-M SSD

Any suggestions before I call Dell Support? Thanks!

 

Why would you hesitate calling Dell Support immediately? Did you follow the prescribed order of driver install that people had talked about in the owner's lounge thread?

 

Because there may be a suggestion that can be found on this board before he decides to start banging his head into the wall with India.

 

get a mac, just kidding. This sound to in depth. I would just call up dell support and let them fix it for you.

 

Dell Business Support is U.S. based.

 

First off. Run Diagnostics. Assuming you didn't nuke the partition when you reinstalled windows you should be able to hit F12 when you see the dell logo, then from the list select DIAGNOSTICS.

If you did nuke that partition as well, use the driver and diagnostics DVD that came with the system. I'm trying to remember what the GUI is for the Precision's. I think you get a Memory test option then everything else. Start off doing a comprehensive test on the memory. Then move into a comprehensive test of the rest of the hardware focusing on MEMORY, VIDEO CARD, and CPU. Hard drive is also a possibility but I don't think so if you redid the system and are getting the same bahavior. (Read: The likelihood of the system putting the system file in the same bad location is unlikely.

If you get ANY error messages along the way write them down, they bypass a metric crap ton of troubleshooting when you call up Dell.
Also in Windows after a crash in your start menu right click on Computer and select MANAGE. Under SYSTEM TOOLS -> EVENT VIEWER you will see SYSTEM. Look in there for anything that has a red X. Don't freak if you see more then a few. Its a common thing. However look for something that occurred just BEFORE your crash. Frankly I don't think you will find anything because a complete freeze of the system suggests hardware, not software. But occasionally you do find something in the logs that point to what is going on.

PS- If this is Vista go into system preferences. There is also a memory test in there that you can run.

 

Not if he got the basic limited warranty it isn't.

 

where is this prescribed order of driver install? I looked all over the m6400 owners lounge thread...

 

My sales rep assured me there was no difference between the two, except that ProSupport will cover software?

 

bunta,
I forgot where I saw it. It was in the M4400 Owner's Lounge.

Here is the link for M6400 driver installation order.