Owner's Thread: Dell Inspiron 11 3147 2-in-1

Dell Outlet (refurbished products) are refurbished for a reason. They can range from corrupted software, bad hardware, etc. I'd try to get them to send you a brand new product. This laptop is the best $200 I spent back in February.

 

I had an episode yesterday where the system stopped disabling the touchpad and keyboard upon foldback of the display. I addition I notices that a two finger tap did not register as a right click. I.e., the touchpad driver enhancements seemed off.
After a reboot the behavior was correct.

This suggests that the issue is not hardware failure but rather software, perhaps a driver error that causes some of the behavioral issues.

Did you check the system event log for failures around time that the display foldback stopped working?

 

You only paid $200 for your 3147?? Yoweez. I paid $339 at Amazon also back in Feb and thought I was getting a great deal! (I still do).

 

Hi Pam,
To me, I'm amazed you are hassling with it like this. We all like to tame our laptops and see them (and the OS) work well for us; to problem-solve. But your issues straight out of the box don't bode well to me. It sounds like you've done what you can in uninstalling and reinstalling drivers. Something isn't right if this keeps working and then not working straight out of the box.

If it is only a week or so old, I would insist on a replacement. If Dell refuses and only offers a MB replacement, I'd take that over what you are hassling with now.

But this on-again-off-again driver issues on a new OS is NOT the norm. I'd push for a replacement, or pay a bit more for a new, boxed one.

 

Yeah, Staples had a coupon $150 off $499 regularly priced laptops and at the time, it was $350. Originally the cashier said there was $100 instant savings already, but she scanned the coupon anyway and it brought it down to $200 ($210 w/ tax). Later on, Staples would remove the coupon and put restrictions on it, but a lot of people (on Slickdeals) were able to get in on this deal and other laptop deals through the coupon use.

 

Thanks for your feedback, everyone. My touchpad has been great for the past few days, but twice this morning my screen randomly went black and didn't come back until I touched the touchscreen (no keyboard/touchpad response, though they both worked fine after I touched the screen and the display was back on). So weird, and just doesn't give me confidence that I will be able to use it for any length of time without some new issue popping up. I bought our last 3 computers from Dell's Outlet with no problems, so I didn't expect to have issues this time. Live and learn, I guess.

I spoke with customer service and the best they will offer for replacement is to send whatever "similarly configured" unit may be in stock at their warehouse in 7-10 days. They were quite insistent that I had to understand/accept that I might not get the exact configuration I currently have (3147 with the Pentium N3540). I don't want to accept a downgrade just to get another potentially defective refurb when I'll be outside my return window by the time it arrives. This one is just going to go back for a refund. I will keep looking and hopefully I can find something in my price range that will work for me.

 

Sorry to hear of your annoying/concerning journey with this unit, but if it is a lemon, sending it back is the best. Frustrating to have to wait and look further.

I encourage you not to give up on this Dell 3147 (or 3148). Most everyone has not had your exact experience w/ their 3147. I think the majority here who had issues with their touchpad & keyboard was due, in part, to them replacing the HDD w/ an SSD and doing a fresh install of the OS and then having driver issues. That is not your story.

Great units are out there. I'd say that most everyone (not all) have had a good experience from this model.

Prices are up for the 3147/3148 right now, but the price will likely drop again. When it does, you might give it another try. Another thought is that your local BB or Office Depot/Staples, etc may have one in stock. They usually have a 2 week return window.

 

Thanks, Quatro. When it is working right I love my 3147, I just think with it acting this buggy for the first ten days I won't ever have faith in it. Someone sent it back once for a reason, and as far as I can tell it wasn't really fixed with whatever refurbishing they did. QC is never perfect, right? This is still the best reviewed 2-in-1 out there in this price range and it fits my needs nearly perfectly. I will be keeping an eye out for sales or coupons and hopefully it won't be too long before I have a replacement.

 

Hi Pam,
Yes, I'm enjoying my 3147 quite a bit, and believe it or not, it is my main computer! But my needs are fairly straight-forward and simple. In part, this is due to all of the other tech I now have for other digital needs (tablets, Nexus 4 phone, etc).

I chose this Dell because it was one of the few (if perhaps only) 2-in-1 that offered not-too-complicated access to the HDD, memory, wireless card & battery; all user-replaceable. And all for an about-$350 price. Good processor for the money as well for basic computing.

The only change in hindsight I might have made is when I bought it, the 3148 with the newer i3-4010U processor was only $50 more (!) Now it is at least $100 difference (often more). But that is bragging rights really, since for my use of Quicken, email, Office apps and web browsing, I'm not even pushing my 4 GB RAM, much less my processor. But we guys always want it "a little faster".

I also avoided the i3 because I assumed (wrongly) that the faster i3 would consume more battery and I needed as much battery life as I could get (an SSD really helps in that area). When I later saw the benchmark tests and power consumption, it showed that the newer i3-4010U actually consumed *less* power than the N3530. Go figure.

But in reality, I've no remorse over getting this 3147. With changing out the slower HDD for my 500 GB SSD (Samsung EVO 840) from an older laptop and replacing the Intel 1707 wireless card with the much-better 7260NGW -AC wireless card, I'm very happy with its performance.

BTW: reading more about Windows 10 (I was using Win 7 until this 2-in-1), it looks like a worthy upgrade eventually. Some are calling it Windows 7B; what Win 8.0 should have been. Should be fun to try that out this summer as there are some things about Win 8.1 that I find silly, overly-complicated or just plain not intuitive. It feels like 2 interfaces glued together, but it is working fine for me (once I figured out its shortcuts and idiosyncrasies.)

ADDED: And I'll add that I still think the paint job on this 2-in-1 isn't very strong and the housing plastic is quite thin (when I removed it). So unless one just has to use it in tablet-mode (I don't), I recommend the iPearl mCase hardshell. It adds 8 oz to the weight, but really protects the top and bottom from wear and it solves, IMO, the complaint of flex around the touchpad & keyboard. It strengthens the lower housing so that I get no discernable flex at all.

It prevents folding it into the full tablet mode, but the other 3 modes (laptop, presentation & tent) still work just fine.

(** This ad brought to you by Friends of Dell 3147's **)

 

I try to clone the HDD onto a SSD (Crucial M500) but for some reason the system has been giving me a blue screen error, then it self reboots, and then the drive does not show at all (no bootable drive error). Any tips?

When I use EaseUS to clone, I see 6 different partitions on the HDD. There's the OS C NTFS parition, and then the other 5 shows up as"*, other". Is that normal? Should I clone the whole drive/all paritions?

Is it possible that it is the SSD itself? A quick search on Google shows that other people have problems with the M500 on this system on the Dell forum but I am not sure if it's a coincidence.

 

Hi Gigamaster89,
Most SSD's come with their own cloning software. Did yours? For me, the best cloning software was one that ran on bootup and ran outside of Windows. Less corruption that way and all files can be cloned.

This last SSD clone that I made (of all partitions), I finally broke down and bought a disk cloner. Worked perfectly:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IKC14OG/

But if you want free cloning software, look back on this thread (post #93 and others) and you'll see the software several are using:

Macrium Reflect Free Edition
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

 

I sent mine back today and am keeping my eyes open for another. I'm probably going to do a little comparison shopping first (Yoga 2?), but for now the Dell is still at the top of my list. Tech support may have left a bit to be desired, but their customer service was good (at least for the return, crossing my fingers the refund goes as smoothly!) and we've been a Dell family for some time.

Thanks again for all your input and advice throughout the thread- it was really invaluable!

 

Hi Pam,
I just watched a YouTube video on how to break down the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro ... the wireless card is accessable. The RAM is soldered on so not upgradeable. The SSD is a small form mSATA SSD (not the standard 2.5" form factor). The battery looks huge. It is over $1,000. BUT, it does look well-made inside:
http://www.myfixguide.com/manual/lenovo-ideapad-yoga-2-pro-disassembly/

Looking at the cheaper Lenovo Yoga 2, it is made much more like the Dell in its level of construction & thin housing, except the RAM isn't removeable:
http://www.myfixguide.com/manual/lenovo-yoga-2-13-disassembly/

Part of why I like the Dell 3147 is its easy upgradeability.

Comparison shopping is fascinating to me as I get to see what's out there... then I go for 3-4 yrs before I look again! ;-)

ADDED: But I LOVE the backlit keyboard on the Yoga 2 Pro (but missing on the cheaper Yoga 2). That is the one big thing I miss on the Dell 3147. Still, I got it for $340 so of course it doesn't have a backlit keyboard! I can still dream.

 

After 1 more try to reinstall all the drivers something strange happened.

I installed all the recent drivers (both network and audio) from Dell website and suddenly my Windows Update offered me an update for Realtek Audio drivers from 29.3.2015. After I installed them, my bluetooth headphones worked for maybe 2 hours, until I restarted my computer, when the problem with disconnection reappeared.

Now i know, that the bluetooth itself can handle both wifi and BT audio streaming at the same time but there has to be a driver-related issue. Will keep digging....

 

Hi Mikhayl,
This story continues to reinforce my belief that there is essentially something off about the Realtek Audio drivers and that they are causing conflicts.

Could you try something for me (if you haven't already tried it)? Go to Device Manager and remove (and uninstall so it removes the drivers) the Realtek HD Audio drivers. Then "Actions>Scan for Hardware Changes". This will force Windows to search & install it's own driver for the audio chip, which should be a generic Microsoft HD Audio driver.

This Microsoft HD Audio driver:
* has caused me NO conflicts with BT or networking
* sounds great on my 3147 for all of my music and streaming video. I honestly can't tell any quality difference from the Realtek drivers.

I'm interested to hear how that affects your use.
-Thanks.

 

Here's a video of the mCover case for the Inspiron 3147

 

Yes indeed. I really like the iPearl mCase for my 3147. Decent protection for an easily-scratched paint job and it seems to reduce flex on my unit.

 

This one optional Realtek update offered from WU keeps failing to install on mine.I have installed all latest updates from Dell support site.

 

I tried what you suggested, no success.
Everything worked only until next restart, when the headphones get disconnected after a while.

I have a feeling that I have already tried every option to solve this issue: using former windows drivers, dell drivers, various combinations of drivers, but nothing worked longer than until I restarted my PC.

I decided to give up, going back to cable headphones.

 

Dell Inspiron 11 - 3147 System BIOS
A05.exe | Windows/DOS (22 MB)
Release date 30 Mar 2015
Last Updated 30 Mar 2015
http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER02883071M/1/A05.exe

 

Excellent. Thanks for the heads up.

 

So I purchased the 7260 AC wireless refurbished card (Part KTTYN) for $25.99 from dell chat using the $25 Dell Advantage signup promo. Came out to about $3 after tax.

I installed it and used the dell drivers (although windows did recognize it even before installing dell drivers and had its own drivers installed initially).

Everything is working but, when I closed the laptop and put it in sleep for a while, when it wakes up it doesn't automatically connect to last hotspot. I have to go and select it. i tried waiting it out and try to go to a website to try to see it that would force it to connect but it doesn't. Once I manually connect it, it's fine. However, once it would not manually connect to any hotspot. I had to reboot system and when it came back up it auto connected to last hotspot.

Any body else with this issue with the 7260 card?

 

see post #93

 

I had this exact issue last week. Then I discovered I had uninstalled Quickset64. When I reinstalled Dell Quickset64, the touchpad again began to shut off in presentation/stand, tablet or tent mode.

I see you have Quickset in your install list. Was it the 64-bit version and is it the latest version?

Mine is ver 11.1.21.

 

What does Bios update A05 fix?

 

I've no idea. I just updated the BIOS. But I don't look at it much on this laptop, so I can't see what was changed or added. Seemed fine before and it is still fine.

 

Dell 3137 have SATA2 only. I hear that 3148 have SATA3 support but two peoples wrote on Amazon that 3148 have SATA2 only like 3147. Is that true?

 

Try the Intel drivers from https://downloadcenter.intel.com/do...uetooth-technology-for-Windows-8-1-64-bit-WP-

 

From http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=0M529
Fixes & Enhancements
Fixes
- Not Applicable.

Enhancements
- Increased stability of HDD.
- Supported Computrace function.

 

Hi Mr Ratio,
Yes, I read the same in the 3148 Amazon reviews (though take note that Amazon puts the SAME reviews for both the 3147 & 3148 so you need to notice which reviews are for the 3148). Probably, the 3148 also only offers SATA II. I think the only difference between the 3147 & 3148 is the processor. The 3148 offers the i3-4010U processor.

 

Jesse, I think this link is only for the Intel BT driver, not the wireless networking. His post seems to be talking about networking and hotspots (WiFi), not BT.

 

Next problem. WiFi working perfectly, but Bluetooth not. I cant find any devices

 

Did you try uninstalling and reinstalling the BT driver? Or let Windows Device Manager install its own BT driver for you? I'm just guessing here.

 

Well I after using my bluetooth headphones for months I restarted my computer today and there was a windows update and after the restart bluetooth settings are gone and no matter how many times I try uninstalling the 1707 wifi+bluetooth driver set and reinstalling bluetooth still doesn't work or exists. Tried letting windows find the driver but windows can't find a suitable driver...Oh and the touchscreen no longer works. Amazing how good windows is at killing itself.

 

When I say, let Win 8.1 find the drivers, what I mean is:
* go to "Device Manager"
* Open "Bluetooth"
* Select the bluetooth driver "Intel Wireless Bluetooth"
* highlight it and hit "delete"
* say yes/tick box to "delete the driver software for this device"
* Then tap "Action > Scan for hardware changes"
* Win 8.1 then automatically installs a generic older Intel BT driver.

Done.

Try that and see if it helps at all.

PS Also, I stopped using the Realtek audio HD drivers entirely as I think they can cause conflicts w/ BT, etc. Doing the above for the Realtek Audio drivers, Win 8.1 replaced them w/ a generic MS Audio HD driver and it works really well for me. Have you tried that?

BTW, Windows Update has caused me no problems at all, even now.

 

And I've no idea why your touchscreen has stopped working. I'd contact Dell about that as that isn't a known issue. Sounds like faulty hardware.

 

Mr Radio,
Not sure if this will help but do try what I've suggested above this post (#485). Go to Device Manager (DM) and remove/delete the Realtek Audio HD and BT drivers and then have DM scan for changes and add its drivers in for them (which will be a generic Microsoft Audio HD driver for the Realtek). On mine, I think the Realtek drivers caused me conflicts with BT.

 

Seems you are correct.

The WiFi drivers version 17.14 are at https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24656

 

Sooo...off topic, but I thought about getting a Surface 3 (or Pro 3), but it's outrageously hard to justify having paid $200 for this and at least $600 for the Surface line (with 4GB/128GB SSD minimum). I like the convenience that this laptop (Dell Inspiron 3147) has with the keyboard and the various positions it can be placed into. Right now I have it in tablet mode on an angled stand and using a bluetooth keyboard/mouse.

I dunno. I don't really need the horse power (Surface) for gaming/high end tasks. The Dell has performed everything I threw at it with little to no lag. Maybe I should wait and see. My last laptop is just about 5 years old and is still running strong.

Hasty decisions are expensive ones!

 

I thought the same when I looked at the SP3. And since I have a backlit BT keyboard, I at times use this (in dimly-lit areas) with the 3147 laptop in display/presentation mode and the BT keyboard in front. Either way, it works for me. The SP3 is surely faster, but I don't need that much faster.

BTW, since Fri, I'm trying out the Dell listed drivers for the 7260 BT (17.0.1428 ... which keeps coming out as 17.1.1411.504 once installed) and the Intel Pro wireless card (17.0.1.5) and the Realtek Audio HD drivers (6.0.1.7283) again. It has been three days, but so far so good. I don't know if anything is different or I'm just doing something different, but glad all is working. I'll post if I have any issues.

 

Whoa. How did this thread go from 25 pages to 49 page?? (Now it is 50 pages) And my last post is still the last post. Moderators must have merged another thread.

 

Does anyone's SD card randomly pop up the detect window randomly? It stopped doing it early on, but now is doing it somewhat frequently.

 

Is this happening with no SD card in the slot or with an SD card inserted?

If the later, it sounds like the OS is somehow disconnecting with the SD card and then finding it again (which would result in the pop-up device-detected window.)

Kind of like when the BT or sound or wireless (or whatever was causing) some of the units to lose the WiFi connection and then find it again later or suddenly not see any networks at all around it..

 

Yeah, I don't get it. It's not being bumped around. I haven't tried it with other SD cards, so it could be that particular brand (generic lol)

 

Yes, if you have a spare, I think I'd try another card, just to be able to rule that out.

 

Hello! We have two of these little lappies, and we've had many of the problems discussed in this thread. I'm the designated fixer of all this sort of thing in my family, so I've read this entire thread at least twice, made use of the excellent advice and help, and now I've signed up just to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have contributed your time, effort, troubleshooting skills, and willingness to help the rest of us!
I have a small contribution to offer to those who find, like I do, that there's too much flex in the keyboard. In my case, it was so bad that it caused the touchpad buttons to catch on the edge of the palmrest bezel and then get stuck in the "down" or depressed state. That made the touchpad useless to me! The only way I could release the buttons was to press the underside of the case to flex it up again. When I did that I would hear the "click" of the buttons. I didn't want to put the iPearl case cover on it to firm up the front edge, so I needed to find an internal solution.
I finally fixed it today. I took the bottom off and inserted a long thin wooden coffee stirrer edgewise into the narrow space between the front edge of the battery and the bottom front of the case. The one I used for my coffee from Whole Foods is a perfect fit in all dimensions. The case fit back together with no issues, and now the touchpad buttons no longer stick or click all by themselves The keyboard still flexes in the middle when typing, but it hasn't been a problem for me like the touchpad buttons were. I hope this helps anyone else having trouble with touchpad flex.
I imagine most people would simply return a PC that had the problems reported -- and fixed! -- here. No wonder so many of them show up in the Outlet. It's really too bad that Dell doesn't test their product design before putting it into production. As so many have noted here and on the Dell forum, the Dell techs are either clueless or in denial of any of these issues. So again, a big THANK YOU to all who have contributed to making this little laptop work!

 

What a clever solution! A stir stick. Who would have thought? I'll remember that, should my touchpad get stuck or show too much flex. At present it is fine, but I'll remember your suggestion.

I noted the flex in my keyboard (a bit, not a lot) and when I fitted it with an iPearl mCase hardshell, it solved the flex. But as you've noted, the iPearl case with its loss of tablet mode isn't for everyone. And those cases seem prone to slight warping due to the very thin plastic, so they aren't perfect.

 

So I'm having Bluetooth disconnections now. Wifi also shuts off, which may or may not be the 7260AC card and/or my Wifi network. Can't really tell.

I have an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard that I use and a Dell BT Mouse that both disconnects at the same time. No matter how many times I try to pair them, restart my laptop, delete pair, reconnect, etc., 8/10 times, it doesn't work or it works for a short while and then stops. New batteries too. It would be different if only one disconnects, but both at the same time probably suggests something with the software/driver side of my laptop. Also I would try pairing them, it would say they are paired, but there is no valid connection so I have to delete and try again and hope the paired message actually is also connecting the device and working.

I also tried deleting the Bluetooth drivers, using the Generic Bluetooth that auto-installs, nothing. Also deleting Realtek Audio drivers, reinstalling, using default HD Audio drivers, nothing.

Tried downloading the updated Intel Pro Wireless Bluetooth drivers from Intel's website for the 7260AC, but nothing. I'm stuck using a wired mouse and the crappy 3147 keyboard (it's mushy and the keys feel cheap).

Also, the screen flexes when you push on the edges near the Windows button below the screen. lol

 

I have nothing to suggest. You've tried them all. Hopefully someone else can come up with some ideas.

 

Hi Quatro, I really like the concept of the iPearl mCase, especially since I don't use tablet mode, but I've read a few reviews that claim the laptop runs hotter with the mCase, also inclined to be tippy in regular laptop mode. So for me, the added weight of the mCase isn't justified, now that I've fixed the flex that was driving me crazy. The wooden stir stick was "free" (not counting the coffee), essentially weightless, a perfect fit, and re-purposed, and I'm about $20 ahead! Saving my pennies for SSD...

Johnny365, I also noticed the screen flex, but I don't use the touch screen much. The entire assembly is very flexy! Maybe the iPearl mCase will work for you if you don't mind not having it completely flat in tablet mode, and if you have SSD it probably runs cooler than with the stock drive. I think I saw a comment on Amazon or maybe YouTube that in tablet mode the mCase back cover can be clipped over the keyboard so it can fold flat. I don't have an mCase, so I can't verify that.
I wish they made this thing with a real metal case, and a decent wireless card, and the right drivers ... But I got mine for $220 on Outlet after a partial "courtesy" refund after an exchange and multiple trouble calls to tech support. Then I found this forum and fixed it myself! Thanks again, folks!