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    XPS 1640 Wake From Sleep Freeze/Crash

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by SovereignGFC, Nov 12, 2011.

  1. SovereignGFC

    SovereignGFC Notebook Guru

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    So I thought I solved my computer problem, which was/is: Waking my XPS 1640 (Win7Pro x64) from sleep results in a frozen screen and an eventual hard reset.

    I uninstalled the ATI GPU driver (Radeon HD 3670) using DriverCleaner.NET (the whole Safemode shebang). Then I installed the latest available at the time (11.9). Until yesterday it was fine, but now every use of sleep causes the hard reset.

    The System event log reveals nothing other than the usual "Unexpected shutdown." No driver is faulted, no Blue Screen is found. It's as if the actual cause of the crash somehow eludes the Event Log...

    Possible correlation: Last night I was watching a movie with my girlfriend and the computer really heated up since it was sitting on the bed (I know this is bad--no lecture required :p). It got so hot the decoding began to stutter. I elevated the back to vent heat better and finished the movie. Then the next morning the problems started.

    Could I have killed the GPU?
     
    SovereignGFC, Nov 12, 2011
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  2. SovereignGFC

    SovereignGFC Notebook Guru

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    It appears I answered my own question.

    If you, like me, are using ThrottleStop to manage your CPU's power states rather than letting Windows/Dell cripple your machine, it is necessary to disable Windows CPU management in the Power Options->Advanced settings control panel. Failure to do so seems to cause this issue--setting "Maximum Processor State" and "Minimum Processor State" to 100% appears to have solved the problem.
     
    SovereignGFC, Nov 13, 2011
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  3. chewyeong90

    chewyeong90 Notebook Evangelist

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    I don't think it is ThrottleStop's problem. I used it and also have minimum processor state at default 5% and max 100%.

    If you could post your minidump here in Windows\Minidump I could help you take a look.
     
    chewyeong90, Nov 13, 2011
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