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Inspiron N7110 issues
Hello Dell,
I'm having problems with an Inspiron N7110. My parents bought it for themselves about a month ago (Budapest, Hungary), the issue started right on the first day - the laptop switched off, I thought it was overheating. In the next days it kept randomly switching off, after about a week it was taken to the repair where they noted that the fan was not working at all. (That's right, no air coming out from it, no noise.)
After repairing we were told the motherboard was replaced - honestly, I doubt this, as a motherboard-replacement is not the favourite action of repairmen, but OK. Taking the laptop home, it still produced this random shutting off, despite having a cooling pad underneath. It was taken back to the repair, they replaced the CPU and the thermal unit - and the problem still exists, it shuts off randomly (sometimes it goes on well for long hours, other times it shuts off after like an hour), even though the repairmen tested it for 12 hours with no problems. The fan is working well now anyway.
So, my question is: had anyone seen an issue like this? Or is it just my parents, who are unable to use it properly? (They're only using it for internet browsing, built-in card games and a bit of Office.) My only idea was the overheating, I don't know about other things that can cause shutting off. Can it be some bad BIOS setting? No matter whether it's on battery or plugged in, the issue happens both ways.
(Also, there's an another problem that occured already twice. The laptop 'saw' the wireless networks nearby but could not connect to them, a message appeared for a few seconds like 'Intel wireless adapter not found'. After plugging the router and modem off and back in again, the connection was fine, but nothing else helped. The adapter was switched on, I checked everywhere I could. I downloaded the freshest driver, that still wasn't enough. What can cause this?)
Have a nice day and thanks in advance if anyone can give me an advice! :)
Specs:
Dell Inspiron N7110, 17.3" HD+, IntelCore i3-2310M 2.10GHz, 4096MB DD3 RAM (upgraded from 2048MB right when bought)
Windows 7 64-bit
ComputerDoc-Spt
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October 7th, 2011 22:00
zzora,
I just had the same problem with my N7110 that is only 3 weeks old. My CPU fan quit working and the CPU temps reached over 70C and the laptop kept cutting off after 4-5 minutes after powering up. A run of the Dell Diagnostics (F12 at the boot Dell logo screen) revealed an error code of 2000-0511 "Msg: The Processor Fan failed to respond correctly".
A Call to Dell Tech Support suggested a first fix of updating the BIOS to version A06 (came with A05). I am the owner of a computer service and repair business, so I know my way around a computer. I asked if this BIOS update contained a provision for running the CPU fan constantly and the answer was yes. We flashed the BIOS (quickly, after downloading it on another PC and transferring the file via flash drive to laptop), but that still didn't solve the problem, since the CPU fan was not running at all.
The tech's first suggestion was to have a repairman call under warranty. I asked what he would do. The answer was replace the fan and/or motherboard. That told me that the problem is most likely with the motherboard and the fan not running is only a symptom of a bigger problem. I asked if the replacement motherboard would be new or refurbished. He said it could be either.
I then asked for a replacement laptop, and the tech said OK. I asked if the replacement would be identical to the one I have and subject to the same overheating problems. He said it would be the same model but with a different "configuration", whatever that means. So, we'll see how the new replacement does.
BTW, the wireless not working reminds me of a similar problem in older laptops (HPs and Dells with nVidia graphic chip overheating problems 2-4 years ago). The first symptom that usually showed up was the wireless card stopped working, due to most likely to excess heat buildup. Then the video would go out, or the laptop would shut down. Finally, it wouldn't turn on, or turn on and right back off again. When I asked the tech if this current problem was a video chip problem, he said no.
So, you're not alone -- not much consolation. Might try lobbying for a new laptop.
zzora
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October 8th, 2011 04:00
Oh hello ComputerDoc-Sptbg,
sorry to hear this model causes problems to others too. At this moment ours seems to be working, it was taken to the repair to a third time again and then they replaced the RAM or the ROM (sorry, I don't remember now), since that the laptop hasn't switched off. Though thinking about how many problems had this thing already caused, I wouldn't dare to say yet it's totally working fine. I'll might run the Dell diagnostics anyway, just to be sure.
I hope your replacement will be better, if not, at least we'll know it for sure that this model is pretty much unusable. :/ I'm not happy about this fact, I was hoping more from Dell.
BTW, the laptop still shows this 'Intel MyWifi not available / wireless adapter not found'-like message pretty much every time after startup, but the wireless does work like nothing happened. The message is the same as it was when the wireless didn't want to connect.