Computer Related: Dell Laptop Freezes & Lack of Display

[RShea]

Download and run a memory test next. Since before the motherboard replacement you were getting errors that seemed like memory related, I'd rule that out next. Let the test run over night in a contant loop and it will record the errors.

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

and Memtest has a few versions out there too.
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolso...memorytest.htm

[RShea]

System restore could help for the rebooting if it is only a WIndows error. Dell will tell you it needs a system restore. (Did they do any when you had the earlier repairs?) If they did one earlier then I would not try one unless you are 100% sure there are no further hardware issues.

[Jonathan S.]

Thanks, but . . . unfortunately running any sort of extended test is no longer an option: the laptop has suddenly (i.e., in the last hour or so) become so dysfunctional that I probably can't do anything with it. I'll try the shorter test later tonight.

Specifically, since my last post:
- another power-up freeze at the Dell screen
- then a power-up freeze at the Windows progress meter
- after that several start-ups did absolutely nothing (i.e., blank screen, no hard drive light blinking), after which the computer shut down by itself
- now it finally started up and went into system repair mode and then let me log into windows

(Wow, cool, like, my computer is disintegrating in real time as I type this message -- on another computer of course.)

Anyway, Dell said I should run System Restore after the new motherboard was installed. But since it worked fine for a couple days after that, I figured why bother?

[dfinn]

If you want to rule out memory being the issue you can run a utility called memtest. What you'll need to do is download and burn the CD image from here:

http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.4a.iso.zip

Then, on your other still functioning computer, you'll burn that ISO (cd image) file onto a recordable cd. You can then take that cd and boot your laptop off of that cd and run a full memory test on it.

[skiHOG]

your problem lies at the third word in your title.

[Jonathan S.]

So I was thinking of running the memory test, but I suspected that Dell wasn't going to take me seriously unless/until I ran their SRCD as they instructed.
I got through the first disk okay, then at the beginning of the second:
"CRC32 check has failed"
Choice was either "abort" or forge ahead, but turned out to be not much of a choice, since it then froze with the status line at the bottom of the screen:
"CRC error in 34936data1.cab"
Technician on the phone now is writing up an order to send it back to the depot, where they will . . . well, the last time they had in their hands, they apparently ignored my two-page letter and all they did was "reseat LCD cable" as if that would solve all the various problems.

(By way of analogy, if the avalanche class I taught this past weekend were like a Dell laptop, half the class would get buried during the field session.)

[RShea]

I would be seriously considering discussing what their lemon policy is. Since this is the 3rd time that the symptoms have re-appeared in a short amount of time, you obviously need to consider discussing a NEW unit with them. I would put them on notice.

[Jonathan S.]

I brought that up, and this time he said they don't consider replacing the unit after only one part replacement. I said they've had two chances so far:
-- when I shipped it back to them with a two-page letter and they returned it with a three-word scribble of "reseat LCD cable" in an entirely dysfunctional state; and,
-- when the on-site technician replaced the motherboard, which resulted in a couple days of error-free computing.
But apparently the first try doesn't count because, well, they didn't try very hard?
I asked how long this is going to continue for, since if I go through another round of this I'm better off just buying a competitor's laptop and throwing the Dell in the garbage. But he reassured me -- well, okay, tried to reassure me -- that *this* time it will be different.
He concluded the call with "thank you for choosing Dell" but without much enthusiasm.

[Jonathan S.]

Package just arrived -- is it . . . Scarpa F3? No, wait, those arrived last week. (Very nice too!) Scarpa boot oven? No, arriving tomorrow. Dynafit Zzero 4 C-TF? No, later this week. Oh, why, it's . . . my Dell laptop!

And in response to my latest two-page letter, I received yet another form letter with a checkmark in the Corrective Action Repair section for . . . Mother Board.

Which is the part the on-site technician previously replaced.
Which didn't help at all.

I'm going to try calling up Dell even before I power up the laptop.

[Jonathan S.]

finally: "system exchange"

[XXX-er]

finally: "system exchange"

you got a new LT? cool

basicly as a tech you don't (and nobody here) know what it is so you figure out what it isnt .Think like Spock & replace the easiest parts 1st period

Cuz tests never really find anything ,and its more likely a part with an intermittent bug than something reseating is gona fix BUT you do it anyhow if you are far from a parts depot.

You likely need to replace hardware so you appear to have done something for joe user ... one piece at a time OR replace most of it at once for political situations

Not as likely but don't discount having 2 bugs or even 3 bugs, or putting in a bad part ,parts the last tech hit with ESD during a bug shoot /sent to depot & repaired but not really /or could be bad from the factory.

having more than 1 tech/help desk managing a problem can muddle things up

Joe average doesnt really get ignored by dell per say cuz the problem is sitting there on somebodies screen ,its a question of ownership ... who owns the problem and here it becomes like a tennis match where H-desk at software/hardware/possibly the com provder bat the ball over the virtual net and say "I did this so now its yer problem " once its off yer screen you forget about it and go on to the next prob ... or for coffee


As the user slagging dell/microsoft/the tech/screeming does zero to fix your problem ,it just gives the tech a sweaty crotch

just be persitant,document eveything and follow up.Yours is just one of thousands of problems the H-desk is dealing on and maybe a doz that the tech is dealing with .

All this shit breaks , sometimes its your LT ,sometimes your LT is the lemon.

I know lots of happy dell users ,lots of happy IBM users , at least one unhappy Mac user

[Jonathan S.]

Joe average doesnt really get ignored by dell per say cuz the problem is sitting there on somebodies screen ,its a question of ownership ... who owns the problem and here it becomes like a tennis match where H-desk at software/hardware/possibly the com provder bat the ball over the virtual net and say "I did this so now its yer problem " once its off yer screen you forget about it and go on to the next prob

Agreed -- that summarizes my perception of what has been going on behind the scenes there. Just one different person after another, each one seemed sincerely eager to help, but with no continuity/ownership, the key follow-up aspect was entirely absent.

The other major problem was the repair depot. The first return, resulting in "reseat LCD cable," could not possibly have addressed all the symptoms I noted in my enclose letter. The second return, replacing the motherboard, didn't make much sense since the motherboard had just been replaced. (Okay, so maybe the replacement motherboard could also be defective, but hardly seems like the most probable culprit.)

My main hope was that eventually someone there would basically say, whoah, this guy's laptop worked for only a few weeks, and now it hasn't worked since November, he's called us umpteen times, we've had the laptop in our possession three times, let's just give him a new computer and be done with this.

[XXX-er]

They know who you are ,your s/n ,ph #, where you live ,what you paid for the box and who did everything you have described up till know ...its all on the screen BUT ownership of a problem is KEY,I owned MY problems get even one other guy in there and it could go to shit if communication breaks down

my gut sez you had at least 2 problems , I say gut cuz I am a bit of a computer illiterate but I fixed alot of hardware, it only requires that you have alot of parts/great backup and be logical ... spock would have been a great tech other than he would have pissed off alot of end loser's with his personality or lack of

I have replaced as many as 4 new defectives ,I have gone a week fucking stuff up not fixing anything ,a trail of smoke following me from call to call ,in any case you just keep throwing parts at the box.Always replace something (you can always take it out) and always give an action plan ,if that doesnt work ,say the words "tell you what I am gona do for ya" much as you can

shit thappens ,if you are persistant/business like/documented /polite maybe you speed up the final fix be it a part/software/new box? This is just the boring reality of computer teching for a big outfit ... the best part is fixing that box and getting away from the office/managers/clients

BTW : you know they will fix that LT and sell it to someone as a reconditioned box ... and it will probably be fine

[Goophy]

Heh, and you probably just needed some new RAM-modules and a LCD.
Sound to me like a lot of people did not follow the routine.

If the problem is not solved at first service, the support agent that takes your next call is supposed to take ownership on the case and not close it until the computer is confirmed working by you. Guess noone really does that.

Jonathan S., if you want to I can check who fucked it up and get their boss pissed.

[Jonathan S.]

I don't want to exact revenge on anyone, but I would like future Dell customers to be better treated than I was.
To that end, the people who should be reprimanded would be:
-- the repair depot staff who responded to my long list of symptoms with "reseat LCD cable";
-- the repair depot staff who responded to a motherboard replacement not solving the symptoms by replacing the . . . motherboard, again; and,
-- the many staffers who never seemed to attempt any follow-up or continuity (although the most recent staffer said he would follow up, noting that it only recently became permissible, or something like that).
I can PM you case #s if you're interested.