Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
23 Posts
0
49108
Dell Latitude D620 side USB ports
Hi, I have a D620, and I am using my PNY 256MB USB stick with it to transfer files around. Anyway, this stick was part of a pen so its a bit wider than your average stick. When using the side USB ports on a D620, it doesn't fit into the top one properly (it is further 'in' to the chassis), the light on the end comes on but Windows doesn't recognise the device as being plugged in. Anyway, if I try the lower side USB port, it is recognised when plugged in, but several times when pulling the stick out, I take it out and then the laptop screen just goes blank (off not black) and a manual shut down is required.
Interestingly, this happens sometimes on my Desktop which has a slot at the front you can open out to put Firewire/USB things into. When putting my USB camera cable in, I slipped and it went 'inside' of the computer, forcing it to shut down immediately. I'm thinking a similar thing might've happened here with my D620, the top port especially looks at a slightly odd angle (could be just the case) and it is causing my system to shut down (all though not fully, I still have the power & bluetooth light on).
Once, though, when this happened, I got a blue screen error, which unfortunately I did not write down but could try to recreate.
Any suggestions or anybody else had problems with the USB ports on a D620?
John
BTW The rear ports work fine, but its much handier if I can use the side ones - also my camera cable hasn't yet 'fouled' the side USB ports, only my memory stick.
fudgieguys
1.3K Posts
0
November 27th, 2006 14:00
berrypunch1
2 Posts
0
December 29th, 2007 00:00
I’m posting this reply not only to indicate that I too have noticed this issue with my Latitude D620 but also to tell other customers about my disaster with Dell’s Technical Support Service.
I purchased my Latitude D620 about one and a half years ago and noticed right away that the upper side USB port did not recognize certain USB memory sticks with wider plastic encasings and had an unstable connection with my SanDisk micro USB memory stick. (It would intermittently disconnect/reconnect if the memory stick was wiggled or if my arm accidentally brushed against the memory stick.)
I finally decided a week or two ago to ask Dell about this issue. (Of note, someone at Dell must have noticed this because the subsequent model’s, Latitude D630, chassis is modified such that the plastic around the side USB port is more inset.) I was informed that this was not supposed to happen and that the entire motherboard needed to be replaced.
Dell’s contracted provider to my area, QualXServe, contracted with a local manager who initially sent out an incompetent, rude, and unprofessional technician (who apparently had just been hired 2-3 weeks earlier). Not only was it clear that he didn’t know what he was doing, he handled my laptop roughly, and reassembled the computer such that (as it was eventually discovered) one of the wires was sticking out, the plastic covering on that wire was nicked, the top and bottom halves were not snapped back together, the screws were in the wrong locations, the DVD player was locked in with the wrong screw, the system bios was not reset, AND, the new motherboard was damaged.
In contacting Dell that same day for a re-repair service appointment, the tech determined that there was an issue with the motherboard, and I was advised to not use the computer. Two days later, another local (more senior) technician informed me that my computer was not going to serviced in yet another 1-2 days. After many phone calls insisting on timely service, the technician finally arrived to discover the damaged motherboard. However, because he did not have the replacement part, I would have to wait yet another 1-2 days.
Two days came and went. I finally called Dell and the technician to find out that that order had not EVEN been processed. (Apparently, no one had bothered to follow up on this or even notify the customer.) I was told another order for the part/service was being placed.
After two more days, I called Dell to find out that this next order was cancelled. The technician put in yet a third order for the part to ship that day, and I was to be informed if the part didn’t ship. Having learned my lesson, I called later that day to find out the part may not have shipped and that the local contracted service thought it was backordered. Finally, I insisted on talking to the manager, who turned out to be somewhat helpful, and the part, luckily, was shipped later that day.
So, after HOURS of lost work productivity spent talking to 6-7 different Dell technicians, QualXServ, the local manager, the local technician and getting multiple service visits, minor damage to my previously intact computer, and a massive headache, I ended up with nearly the same computer (another plastic part still needs to be replaced) with essentially the same initial problem.
A few things that I have learned:
1)There is no continuity in Dell’s technical support (especially since there are multiple parties involved) and no one follows up with the customer. You should take the initiative and call if you do not hear in a day or two (esp for NBD service). I was lucky to have a nice, understanding boss who let me waste loads of work hours. Apparently, arrangements for parts shipment and technician visits are done in the morning or early afternoon during work hours only. (Dell has yet to provide appropriate compensation for all my time and work lost.)
2)The next-business-day service you paid for may not be next-business-day. In my case, it was next-business-week with the potential for being next-business-month if things had not gone better towards the end.
I just wanted to inform others about my experience so that other Dell customers will not be as unfortunate as I was.
swilson317
20 Posts
0
January 23rd, 2008 18:00
swilson317
20 Posts
0
February 6th, 2008 21:00
berrypunch1
2 Posts
0
March 10th, 2008 05:00
Sorry to hear that. sadly changing the motherboard also did not fix my problem. i too thought that the top port was pushed in more. But, as was pointed out to me by the senior tech, the chassis is actually a bit wider at the top, which is why, even though the ports are actually evenly aligned on the motherboard (i didn't believe this until I saw the motherboard), the top port looks like it is set inside farther. I was still able use skinny USB drives or USB peripherals with slim connectors with the top port.
However, as a follow up to my ridiculous saga above, I recently ended up having to exchange my computer for a D630 because, as it turns out, additional parts were damaged in the repair process. Now, having used the two models, I think the issue with the D620 side ports is definitely a design issue because the D630 casing looks different around the side ports, and I don't have the same problems with the D630.