M1210 XP Splash screen locks up - freeze at login screen

Last week I got my Dell XPS m1210 and every morning when I turn on the laptop it locks up at the Windows XP Splash screen. It just does not go beyond it. I have to press the power button to shut it off and then I get the message Windows did not start correctly. Once it goes beyond the splash screen it locks up at the Windows login screen where the username comes up. This is very annoyong. After a few tries it eventually works. I have done a fresh install of Windows XP Pro with all the drivers from the Dell website and all the Windows updates. When I did the fresh install I wiped out everything including Media Direct and the testing diagnostics partion. I lfashed to the latest Bios 06 before I installed XP from scratch.

I have also run the Dell Diagnostics (from a CD) and they came back error free. I have tested the hard drive for errors and it found nothing. I have done a fixmbr and fixboot but the problem still exists. Any other suggestion besides installing Windows XP one more time.

Laptop was purchased from the Outlet Scratch & Dent for $1,600 with tax. It is flawless and I don't see any scratches and it came with a Dell Nylon carrying case. However, those Windows lock ups are frustrating.

It came originally with Windows Media Center and I reformated a day after I got it. I did not test it long enough to see if it locked up right out of the box.

I have been reading through this forum for quite a while and was waiting until a good deal came along. There is a ton of great information here.

thanks

BD

 

When you did a format did you do the quick or full format?

Does it boot into safe mode?

 

when I did a format I chose "quick format". Does that make any difference?


After a few hang ups the system comes up fine and I can login.

thanks for your reply

 

Not a problem. Especially after deleting the other partitions I would have selected the full format, much better choice then the quick. May even save you headaches down the road.

 

update:

I did another fresh install this time I downloaded the Hitachi Drive Fitnes Tool and fully earased the Hard Drive that way first (came back error free). Then a fresh install of Windows XP (full format). Just installed all the Dell Drivers and the problems still exists. Lock up at the splash screen and user login screen.

I found another post in a forum which seem to have the same problme and it is related to the Sigmatel Audio Driver. I have the same error messages in the event log.
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=166990&highlight=StacSV
http://www.notebookforums.com/thread160982.html

Error: StacSV - this is related to the Sigmatel Audio Driver
Error: SideBySide - also related to the Sigmatel Audio Driver

these Error messages are always present at each reboot or startup.

In the other forum somebody mentioned an older Sigmatel driver but I could not find it.

any suggestion welcome.

thanks

 

Disable the audio device in device manager to see if the problem goes away.

 

update:

disabled the sound and the system still locks up.

chatted online with a Dell technician and was told to send the system back for replacement since it is still in the 21days period. Seems like there is no fix to this problem if your system has the lockup issue.

I found the previous Sigmatel A05 Driver but it made no difference. Lock ups at startup and login screen returned. At least the Technician did not make me go through all the testing as I have done all those things ahead of time.

this is a nice laptop only if it worked

 

Definately sounds like a dud though. At least they will replace it with minimal hassle. I've never had a hang issue on my 1210 and haven't seen much around here about it, so hopefully your next one will be fin!

 

not sure about minimal hassle when I was trying to fix this for the last week. First time that I had a laptop with an issue like this. Hope the next one will be flawless.

 

I have been having this same described issue with my XPS M1210. Problems started occuring after I did a clean install. I believe the issue is with the Webcam driver after much troubleshooting - disabling everything in msconfig and adding one at a time, many times. I have since uninstalled the driver and disabled the device, no freezing since then -- no camera since then either. The camera is a logitech camera - have not been successful in finding a compatible driver directly from logitech.

 

I think it is a combination of the Sound Driver and WebCam driver. Once those are installed the system locks up. Same issue here once I did a clean install the lockups started. ( I did not test it out long enough with the factory default install to see if there was a lockup) However, I read in another forum that when you use the latest intel chipset drivers 8.1.1.1010 with a fresh install there are no more lockups. I tested this out and so far no lockup even with Cam driver and cam software installed. System does not even freeze up anymore at the first boot in the morning. Usually it always froze at the XP splash screen.

Right now I'm still waiting for the replacement from Dell and I installed Vista on the M1210 Dual boot with XP to see how that goes. There has been only one lockup so far as the laptop would not boot into Vista. Screen just stayed black. Other then that it worked fine with no driver issues. However, I found Vista quite annoying even with all the fluff turned off.

 

Hi,

I am currently having the same problem as you did. But my blank srceens are less frequent, it seems to happen every now and then. I got the tech guy to replace my HDD and hopefully RAM module tomorrow. But they didnt offer a replacement. Does your new system work now? Was it really just the intel chipset issue?

thanks

 

After posting the other day I thought I would take another crack at getting my camera going again (after all, I did pay extra for it). My laptop had been running stable for months with the camera disabled in device manager. To my delight, I saw that a new driver version was released (previously v9, now v10). Upon successful installation of the driver it requested a reboot. Well.... it frooze on reboot Since then, it has frozen many times, both when rebooting, and when coming back from power saving mode (i.e., lid closed for a period of time).

I should of went with my earlier intuition when deciding to buy a DELL. Oh well, next time.

 

Hi All, I too having the freeze problem. When I got my laptop it was preinstall with Vista Ultimate 32Bit, so without long testing or playing around, I format it, delete all my partition and did a full format using ntsc, and install Windows XP Pro SP2. After that, as usual install drivers, program and so on... I start noticing the freeze at first boot early in the morning the very next day, and to make things worst, after few attempt of starting and booting up, I got a blue screen saying a driver problem, It dnt say which driver, so i just ignore it and boot to windows again, when to the device manager, all hardware driver is install. After playing around for few day, I start to notice that if my Ipod or external harddisk is connected while switching on the laptop, it freeze!!! I can't conform if that is the coz of the freeze yet, so will test it out somemore and update you guy. So if there are any update on how to solve this...pls let me know. TQ.

 

It is definitely the Webcam... I had the same trouble since forever... All I did was disable it as I rearely use it; and qhenever I do, I just enable it and disable it later... I've had no problems since then..

Earlier this week I tried to enable it and it asked me to reboot.. I did and now everytime, not just now and then, the computers freezes!!!

I had to enter in Safe mode and disable it.. and now not one freeze, although no camera either...

I am running XP and waiting for my Vista Upgrade, (still)) and I'm hoping that with Vista this issue will be solved...

I've heard in other forums that the camera conflicts with Bluetooth Widcomm drivers or something..? Does anyone of you have bluetooth???

 

well the laptop has been replaced by Dell but I was able to fix the problem before it was shipped back.

The logitech webcam driver was not the issue in my case as I tested all possible combination and it made no difference. Laptop locked up with or without the driver.

then I found a post in another forum and suggested to download and install the latest Intel INF Chipset Driver from the Intel Website. Then unistall the Widecom Bluetooth driver and use the build in XP stack instead.

I followed those instructions and the laptop never froze up again or stuck at the black boot screen. Actaully too bad I had to ship it back since brand new replacement has a really washed out screen. Also it came with Vista but I put XP on it as soon as I could.

 

I had this problem and it turned out that the camera was conflicting with my virtual drives. If anyone uses Deamon Tools or any other virtual drive program try uninstalling them and see if it helps.

 

Can someone please link me to the correct INF drivers for the M1210, XP Bluetooth Drivers to use instead of the Widcomm?

Thanks