XPS8300 with Ws 7 - running slower than computer with one fourth the memory

It does not have anything to do with Windows 7, but that XPS 8300 scares me.  I would go over the posted issues below first if you have not done so yet.  How much memory do you have and how is it configured in each slot?  I will assume that all the software you added to it is Windows 7 compatible.  

Dell has identified three possible root causes to this lockup symptom -

1. BIOS CPU power management

2. Loose AMD Radeon HD6950/6870/6770 video card

3. Possibly defective main memory modules

BIOS CPU power management

* Turn on (or restart) your computer

* When the DELL logo is displayed, watch for the F2 prompt to appear and then press F2 immediately

* Go to Advanced- CPU Configuration

* Disable CPU C6 Report

* Press F10 and exit the Bios saving your change

* Once into windows, restart the PC one more time

* Test the XPS 8300 for lockups

Loose GPU

* If lockups still occur, power the XPS 8300 off. Disconnect the XPS 8300 power cord from the rear of the tower. Open the case cover. Does your AMD Radeon HD6950/6870/6770 video card have a black bracket affixing the rear of the video card to the chassis via two screws? If not, Dell Technical Support will need to ship the Graphics Card Holding Bracket part number V32TR out to you. Once you receive the bracket, you simply power down, open the case cover and affix the bracket to the end of the video card and the chassis using the two screws

Defective RAM

* Download and run CPU-Z. Click the SPD tab to identify your memory. The next item to check is your memory. If you have GR82X 1GB, G8NT0 2GB, or 9V62Y 4GB memory sticks, remove them from the system and retest for lockups with just the other memory sticks installed. So if you had that memory in the white slots, remove it and move the other memory into the white slots. If the lockups cease when the memory sticks are removed from the PC, Dell Technical Support will need to replace the defective memory with a different vendor memory of the same size.

Run the hardware diagnostics (F12 at power on to access the diagnostic partition) and see if it shows up anything.  If it's still in warranty, contact Dell support.  If there is a problem, only Dell support can get it corrected under warranty.  We are just users helping users on here.

Thanks you guys. It took shutting down all software and rebooting with nothing running just to login to this account since it types gobbledegook. Tech support was looking at keyboard settings and was offended that I asked to looks at memory issues. Investigating your fixes now!

Okay, finally have had a chance to shut down and tear my desk apart to do these steps. I went on another tangent trying to use the new Windows Movie Maker but that was another big disappointment.

-Disabled the CPU C6 report

-It appears that the video card is none of those listed. Instead it is an AMD Radeon 6450. i have photos of how it is attached to the chassis but I don't think i can upload them through this forum.

-I don't see any of the numbers listed for memory in the serial # or parts fields in CPU-Z.

i am at such a loss as to what to do. I am considering wiping the entire disk and starting over with XP. This thing should scream: Intel Core i7-2600 processor (8 MB Cahce, 3.4 GHz), Windows Home Premium 64 bit, Datasafe 2.0 online backup (which has never worked), 12 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333 Mhz - 4 DIMMS, 500GB - 7200RMP Sata 3.0 GB/s, 16MB Cache, Nvidia GeForce GT530, etc.

Am ready to throw it into the street. My last built computer was 32 Bit with a quarter of the memory and slower processor and it screamed with XP.

Need real help!

@SDrickson, Not sure what you mean.

Yes, invoice claims 12 - maybe that will help.

Is the "Bad Nanya RAM" problem?

I don't know how to interpret these results but am thinking that it has 1/2 the memory it is supposed to (from CPU-Z:

RAM : 6144 MB DDR3 Dual Channel

RAM Speed : 665.3 MHz (1:5) @ 9-9-9-24

Slot 1 : 1024MB (10700)

Slot 1 Manufacturer : Kingston

Slot 2 : 2048MB (10700)

Slot 2 Manufacturer : Nanya Technology

Slot 3 : 1024MB (10700)

Slot 3 Manufacturer : Kingston

Slot 4 : 2048MB (10700)

Slot 4 Manufacturer : Nanya Technolog

Julie DC

CPU-Z shows that there's 6gb of RAM installed in the XPS 8300 [ 2 x 2gb modules and 2 x 1gb modules].

First check your invoice and see how much memory you have paid for.

If the invoice shows 12gb, you need to contact Dell ASAP about this issue.

Bev.

I gues my question becomes: should I just revert back to Windows XP 32-bit on this 64-bit Dell. I have had it since December and am fed up. I have the option of continuing to call Dell daily, trying to talk to tech support who I can barely understand and who refuse to look at memory issues as the cause - they  want to look at the keyboard because memory issues are premium support. This machine is under warranty for a year (or so I thought). Thinking I might just sell it on Craigslist and try something else but it will still be 64-bit

I thought Dell + windows would be a winning combination but every day, there is some new problem to troubleshoot. I'm trying to run a business but this computer is becoming a full time job.

Apparently it has 6 Gigs of Ram and an Intel 7 at 1333 Mghz but it is sluggish, it rarely shuts down properly, the Audio service works but says it doesn't, it locks up, ie, I'm typing one thing but what shows up is something else entirely. I have tried all of the suggestions re: loose video card, bad memory sticks, full hardware and Bios tests at F2 and F12 prompts, turned off all Windows 7 fancy graphics, am up-t-date on all Windows updates and drivers, and have tried other diagnostics I can't even remember. It does not have any viruses.

Is the XPS 8300 a lemon machine? Is Windows 7 just really slow and buggie?

Any help appreciated.

no you shouldnt install xp on your machine which came with 7 hp it should run fine ,i have similar setup i purchased with 8gb ram and amd hd 5770card not having any issues whatsover..did you open the taskmanager and see whats processes  racing in there from your problems id guess cpu its running 100pcnt

Haven't seen CPU get above 25% and generally it runs under 10%, Physical Memory usually between 40 and 50%. Thinking of calling in an exorcist.

i think you should continue with contacting dell support ,youve paid your money for a great computer and your curently not getting that when you should be and dell need to fix it for you ,i was worried after i ordered mine then found the xps8300 constantly locking up topics infact i prob wouldnt have ordered mine  if i was aware the problems some have had ,but im glad i did as its great computer