New M6500 Discussion Thread

Thanks tomcom2k.

 

My computer freezes at least once a day. I wonder if this is a mobo problem? I'm on Bios A04 and will try and update to A06 tonight.

 

So, who's got a Quadro 5000M? Can it be bought as a part from Dell & popped into the M6500?

BTW, my back's killing me, I need this laptop raised up - who knows of a good laptop stand/lift??

 

Yes, it can. I'm waiting to upgrade mine sometime in March.

 

I didn't know Dell started selling the 5000M. I thought it was an HP Elitebook 8740w exclusive thing! I wonder if Dell uses the same vendor batch as the HP's.

 

They probably do, only changing one or two letters or numbers to differentiate.

 

It is not a mobo problem.

OK. I wrote a 20 minute post on this 4 days ago only to erase it by accident. One more try.

I get the weekly random freezes and have gotten these since 1 year ago - more than one year now - since I took possession. List of what was replaced during last 4 months on my mission to get it fixed:

1. memory
2. mother board
3. docking station

Still freezes. I am a lawyer. I had it. Told Dell Gold that I want a replacement - not refurbished but new. If that does not work I want refund for full purchase price. Warranty is "failing of its essential purpose" is the legal theory. Google it. It means I get my money back. I have evidence I tell the tech - internet reports out the wazoo for others similarly situated plus my own Dell service call history of the issue. I claim it is a design defect. yada yada yada.

This tech is better than the rest. Meaning, I think he is smarter than me and I know my sh!t. So I am impressed. He jumps onto my system to look around via some Dell remote desktop app. He shuts down some start up apps via msconfig and teaches me a bunch of stuff. He looks in event viewer and repairs the red "x"s that had to do with the TPM service and some related service that was in manual mode so he puts the related service in manual mode. Asks me if i use the thumb print reader and i say I dont even have a thumb print reader so he says i dont need that service and why consume resources especially when its causing errors. ok cool thats not why its crashing but whatever.

He then looks at dump files and matches them to freezes (I log manually the dates and times of freezes and whadya know there actually are dump files for every freeze). EVERY freeze he says is represented in a dump file and EVERY freeze has same thing in common: An Nvidia error. Graphics card he says. We upgrade to latest driver - not the old crap on Dell's website ( ! ) but off the Nvidia page. He says its a driver issue and he also ups me to A06 Bios.

We think that is it. I mean, makes sence to me and I feel good. He tells me in addition to memory and mobo and dock there is a small separate video circuit board that will get replaced next if it freezes again. Dunno about that. Is this true?

So check this out: Same Dell tech e-mails me TODAY (5 days later) to ask if it froze since the Monday tech session where we did these fixes (it did not). I see that e-mail arrive via pop up Outlook e-mail thing in bottom of desktop. I move mouse to that window to read the tech's e-mail and it freezes. I kid you not. All my other freezes were when system idle. This happened when i moved mouse. Send tech the dump file. It was Nvidia again. But I had newest driver.

SO, i told tech lets wait one more time. Next freeze gonna replace that small video card if it exists. If that does not fix it I will demand new PC. If that does not fix it I will ask for total cash outlay back or will sue Dell on breach of warranty cause of action. I paid close to $6K. I am done with this. But I must say I am contemplating class action status for others similarly situated. i am getting to the end of my rope.

By the way, tech told me the 2 MS hot fixes were for 64 bit systems only. I have dual boot config on 2 SSD drives. It happens on my 32 bit side and also 64 bit side - and todays crash was on 64 bit side AFTER the 2 hot fixes.

Ladies and gentlemen: I am one final circuit board replacement away from confirming this is a design defect. This is my personal opinion not a conclusion of law at this time. All of this post is my opinion and based on my experience. Now you know i am a lawyer because I am disclaiming myself on the internet.

Have a nice evening.

 

It's obviously still something in 'that' unit because I've never had a freeze. The entire unit needs to replaced NEW imo; although I tend to think it's software or registry related before a hardware failure. It's amazing what a single corrupt registry entry can do to a system. But you're saying it happens in both boot scenarios......

 

Cool thanks. Is waiting til next month a personal decision or Dell won't make it available til then? Have you got a part# or estimated price?

 

I can safely tell you that it will cost you an arm and a leg. HP's parts store sells the 5000M at $3,500 a card.