XPS 1645 freezing during fullscreen internet video playback

I got my xps 1645 yesterday. It's a nice laptop! I've had the usualy issues with Dell and am trying to get the AC adapter, but that is not what this is about.

I completed a fresh OS install, and updated to all the current drivers, and flashed BIOS to the current Dell provided BIOS.

When I am watching movies from Hulu on full screen the laptop freezes after about 15-20 minutes of playback. First the screen was just going black like it was about to go into powersave, but when I moved the cursor it was super laggy, like the system was frozen. So slow I would either have to restart, or, if it wasn't too frozen, shutting the screen and opening get it to correct itself. So I went to ATI and installed the latest drivers from them (Dell's website is .2 behind the current). The next time it froze I got what must be the Windows 7 equivelent of the blue screen of death. It wasn't the whole screen just a little one, but it looked the infamous blue screen of death we all know and remember. Before I could get up and read it the system restarted. I will try to watch movies with my camera on to get the exact error. My system is up to date.

Also, prior to installing the new drivers (I have not had it happen since, but I just installed them an hour ago) the screen would go pink. Everything would still work, but the screen would be totally dominated by a pink color. I assume all of this has something to do with the video card, so I installed the current dirver. Catalyst 9.9.

I have Core i7 720m
4 gb ddr3 1333
128 SSD
ATI 4670
Blue ray

Anybody have this issue or know how to fix it?

 

Definitely sounds like a video driver issue if this happens while watching full screen video and repeats it's self and only crashes during video playback.

Try this first. Go into your power options and under video playback make sure that the video playback is set for performance and NOT power saver. While in power saver mode during full screen video playback mine would be choppy.

It could also possibly be a RAM issue. You could rule this out with Memtest easily enough.

If all else fails and you format and reinstall and you still have this issue it would be hardware I'd guess. Call Dell if the above doesn't solve it.

 

The BSOD is def from the driver you got from ATi.

Just curious, do you have the RGBLED display?

 

I was kind of wondering about the RGBLED display question as well. All though it wouldn't make a difference driver wise.

 

I just was wondering because a few others here were having actual hardware issues with the RGBLED screen.

Going all pink like that might not be 100% related to the drivers.

 

You might want to look at the "Problems with XPS 16 and Windows 7." thread. I am having this same issue and it seems to be related to Flash and IE.

 

I have exactly the same problem. I do not have the RGBLED screen. I use FireFox for watching Hulu. I haven't seen this issue in about a week, although just tonight the computer was on the very sluggish side after I watched 40 minutes of Hulu video ("Community" and "Parks and Recreation" ). I have all the updated Dell drivers. I haven't installed any drivers that did not come from Dell.com.

Is this not "Throttlegate"? The computer just seriously bogs down.

 

Try using the latest Adobe Flash 10.1 beta which has GPU hardware acceleration support:

http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html

You may also need to update to the latest ATI Cats using Mobility Modder to take advantage of this feature.

 

Thanks guys, the fact that we all had the same issue certainly means something. As I wanted an SSD over a Ultra High Def monitor (I have only the measly 1080 WLED, or just the middle of the road monitor), though I wish if I had the extra flow I would have gotten the better one.

Let me say this laptop rocks. If you expect to game for 5+ hours on an XPS system you are asking too much from the brand name. You want top of the line Gaming you buy alienware. But as an all around PC that has serious power, the xps is awesome, and totally competes with a mac book.

The issue, well, I haven't been watching movies since our last interaction and I'm a bit drunk at the moment so wait a minute for more info. I will try installing the next (BETA version of Flash) as of all your respones this makes the most sense, and actaully seems tailored to solve the problem.

I expect this stuff from a PC. From a hardware superiority side, we are like 2 years ahead of Mac. So let us deal with these issues, we are breaking new ground.

More on this thread when I am more responsive.
Figure this out!

 

Beta 2 of Flash 10.1 is now out and runs a lot better than beta 1.

 

I dont know if anyone is still following this thread but the Flash Beta 2 fixes the problem. Been playing full screen video for a couple of hours now.

 

By the way, do you have flash's hardware acceleration turned on? (You can right click on a flash video and select settings to show a checkbox to turn it on or off).

 

I just got mine 1645 yesterday w/RGBLED, and within the first 20 minutes of watching flash video on Hulu, got the total lock up after display blacked out twice. I'm now running the Flash Beta 2, thanks... I'll see how it works.

 

Odd that my XPS1645 was always freezing watching Flash video in full screen with the latest Flash version 10 download (on 1/30/2010). Even weirder how the freezing was resolved by UNCHECKING hardware acceleration (right-clicking the flash video !?! I guess I just don't understand graphics hardware or graphics software.