Serious M1330 issues

Hi,

This is my first post on this forum, every time I've googled for the issues I've had with my new M1330 so far this forum as come up!!! I hope I can get some useful advice here!

I received my M1330 last Friday, was very impressed with the speed of delivery it only took 3 days from the day I ordered. I actually ordered 2 identical systems for myself and my girlfriend. The system my girlfriend is using is working fine except for the odd IE crash (probably Dell's flakey Vista 'bloatware' installation).

My system also initially seamed fine, although after removing some of the Dell rubbish and installing a few programs I left it alone for a while and came back to find a black screen and it wouldn't respond to buttons, touchpad, a quick press of the power button and all the play/volume buttons on the front were unresponsive (they didn't light up either). I wondered if it was just a dodgy Vista installation or something, so I tried resetting to factory settings, seamed fine again at first then started getting the same problems again.

I thought oh well hardware should be ok or it wouldn't work at all? So I got out a MS version of the Vista CD and reformatted again (fortunately the Dell keys now work with the MS cd's, they didn't used to with XP). This was on Monday and everything was fine for 2 days, then suddenly this morning it happens again! I got hold of Dell and was on the phone to a 'tech' for about an hour, but he clearly really didn't have much of a clue but suggest it was related to power settings. Once I got of the phone I tried as many power configurations as exist in Vista and none seamed to be linked to the issue, but the issue does only seam to occur only when I leave the laptop inactive. By this evening the problem has escalated to a point where if I leave it for 5-10 it does on me!!! Once it even did it while I was using it.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced these kind of issues, this is my 3rd or 4th Dell laptop now and I've never had any problems with any system from them in the past so prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt this time round and hope it's just a simple thing that they can fix quite easily for me.

Sorry for the long post!!

 

Try this guide...it may help you.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=157838

 

I'm using a Dell-free Vista install already, I've had 3 different installs now, shipped, factory reset, clean Vista. I'm thinking it could be the mobo.

 

It's overheating...I had it on my 1st M1330 and I requested for a brand new replacement (If you are in your 21 days, NEVER accept refurb. replacement! I had an experience that a Dell customer care "manager" told me that I could only get a refurb. replacement but actuallly not).

 

I used to have an M1710 and that got HOT, sometimes too hot to have on your lap! The M1330 barely gets warm, seams unlikely it's overheating? Did you have the same issue? Basically it just seams to turn everything off - screen, wireless etc but it's still on the power light is on and the bluetooth, the fan is humming on a low setting, just refuses to do anything.

 

Okay let me tell you what I got...
When I play 3D games (BF1942 DC mod, C&C Generals...etc), the screen suddenly turned off and there was no response by pressing any button. However, the fan and the power led were still on. The only way to solve it was to press the power button until it shut down then turn it on again. Sounds familiar, right?

 

Yep that's what I'm getting, weird thing is if I use it continually, it's absolutely fine, if I leave it for 5-10 mins it dies in exactly the same fashion! How did you get yours fixed?

 

I didn't and couldn't fix it...I just called Dell for a NEW SYSTEM replacement.

 

Sorry just read up and realised you posted that already!

The XPS guy I spoke to yesterday offered to send an engineer out (next day) to replace the mobo. The problem is really I am screwed if I don't have a working laptop by the end of next week (sold my M1710 on eBay just yesterday). Not sure if I should accept the replacement mobo or push for a replacement system. This system was delivered within 3 days of ordering so hopefully a replacement would be delivered equally quickly!

 

Also if I get a replacement, I could just switch the hard drives I assume? I've spent hours setting up all my work software on this one 3 times in the space of a week, I don't really have the time to waste doing it again. My bloatware free install is perfectly stable it seams.

 

Replacing mobo is also a good idea if you think that fits you. However, make sure Dell is giving you the newest A04 mobo when you do so.

 

I'm not sure which mobo I have, I've read that new builds can ship with either, I don't have a screwdriver that will reach one of the screws to take the bottom plate of in order to tell (is there another way?). I'll make sure if I do go that way that they install the latest board.

 

I spent another hour or more on the phone to Dell, they were again convinced this was a power management issue, I played along to show them that all the settings were fine etc etc.

Finally when they were looking for more software issues I suggested to them I switch the hard drives over between the 2 M1330 systems, as surely if it was software the problem would be repeatable on the 2nd system as they are identical in spec.

Surprise surprise, my Vista install is solid as a rock on the other system, no problems at all. I plugged the other hard drive in my laptop, pointed out to them that we were both have very different software on each as one is personal use (loads of music programs and such) and one is business use (Java/PHP development SVN etc) and my laptop dies again.

The 2 guys I spoke to at XPS support in Ireland are going to discuss which components could be faulty, although they indicated they are still thinking it's the mobo. Excepting a call back in the next hour or 2 to arrange an engineer visit.

Problem solved, I hope! Thanks for your input alexzeon!