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224902
October 13th, 2011 09:00
M4600 random power down
We have a group of M4600's experiencing random power shutdowns. These shutdowns do not generate BIOS logs, or logs in the event viewer. Diagnostics run cleanly. We've eliminated heat issues, and there are no thermal logs in the BIOS. We sometimes see graphics distortion prior to power downs. Having Optimus on or off doesn't seem to affect the power offs. But we notice that the PCs shutdown more often when the USB ports are in use. We've deployed 20+ M4600's all using a coporate image of Win7x64 Enterprise. Only about 7 of these are experiencing these random shutdowns/power offs. These affected PCs will run for a couple days without issues, then have a random shutdown(s).
Any suggestions on how to resolve this issue would be appreciated.
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veristead
3 Posts
0
October 14th, 2012 11:00
Thanks :-)... I will be calling Dell ASAP. I sent my laptop in the day after I bought it, because I accidentally dropped it down a flight of stairs and caused some pretty bad body damage. They replaced the LCD top cover, the palm rest, and the bottom case. They assured me everything else was fine. I was without my laptop for nearly 3 weeks when I shipped it to them and I plan on having a tech come out this time.
I have a quick question about the palm rest and perhaps since you are an M4600 owner you can help me. I was under the impression that the palm rest was made out of a metal alloy (magnesium alloy???). Does your M4600 have a metalic palm-rest (if so what color is it)? The one they replaced mine with is a plastic black palm rest and they are insisting that it is the only part they have for this model. I am quite sure it felt and looked different when I sent it in. I have a friend who says it's suppose to be a metallic palm-rest. I remember the palm rest matching the color of the top LCD cover and even had a similar feel. The Dell tech support told me that the part may have been finished differently but it is the same part number as what they shipped me and therefore should be the same as the one the replaced it with.
Also, one last thing, the top part of the palm rest where the volume button and power button is if you open the screen/ I can see the display ports on the back of the machine through the space where the palm rest meets the LCD screen. Can you see this gap on yours? I have a feeling that the palm rest may not have been installed correctly or possibly isn't even the correct palm rest for this machine. Can you confirm what yours looks like??
PKlammer
2 Posts
0
March 18th, 2013 09:00
Wireless! Me too: I've been running docked on wired ethernet for a couple months with occaisional wireless undocked meetings, but just traveled and needed remote desktop ("WebEx"/"LiveMeeting" etc.) and BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Instant surprise sudden abrupt shutdown, just immediate blackout and hard-drive head retraction, no BSOD no warning. It happened four times in an hour, running on charger, on WiFi. For some reason I decided to plug into wall CAT5 RJ45 wired eithernet, and never again for five more days. Then it happed two more times back at hotel, on WiFi -- and again, quit happening when I turned off wireless slide-switch. M4600, W7; Device Manager shows "Intel(R) Centrino(R) Ultimate-N 6300 AGN". Perhaps sudden power demand or current surge causes sudden "crowbar" power supply collapse?
At lease one time, the only USB device attached was one wireless mouse adapter; other times all had several USB devices.
[My reply is also posted under topic "E6510 Sudden reboot with latest BIOS".]
veristead
3 Posts
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March 18th, 2013 10:00
Well my problem has seemingly gone away. Every few months or so I re image my laptop from the factory image. I back all my files up to my network and to the cloud every night so I don't lose anything.
Well, about a month ago I decided to just format my drive and reinstall EVERYTHING. After downloading all the new drivers and new BIOS it seemingly stopped happening. I'm not sure exactly what exactly fixed it. If you don't want to lose everything see if there is a BIOS update for your model machine and try that first. Otherwise see if you can reinstall all the drivers one by one.
Just a thought!!
newM4600
1 Message
0
April 3rd, 2013 09:00
3 days after i received new M4600, it started to shut down randomly. Sometime once every few hours. Very frustrating. I have tried everything i found by googling -- turn off WWAN, disable intel AMT, change memory etc. Nothing solved my problem. Called Dell support and opened a case with them. They cannot ping down where the problem is, asking me to run safe mode. Finally on a hunch, i uninstalled Logitech wireless usb mouse driver. Reinstall the mouse as a generic HID mouse. It stopped shutting down after that (4 days now).
lent85
2 Posts
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April 20th, 2013 09:00
Got my M4600 on Sep 2012, i7-2760QM + M2000 and an Intel SSD, random shutdown about 1-2 times a week, several mouse + keyboard freeze; have to setup every programs to auto save every 10 minutes.Tried everything, install new driver, but end up with setup below. Error seem happens more when using USB 3 on the right side.
The experience less shutdown after reinstall Windows, but got Nvidia driver flicks sometimes - but restart by Windows just fine, so cause no problem when working (by now 1 times in 3 weeks, but I don't install new driver, just keep using the one come with Windows, because the new driver seems cause error happens more often, also don't install any driver update from Dell, no driver update for Intel as well - all default drivers when install Windows) - the system has been up for 3 weeks without random shutdown; don't have any problems when using Ubuntu at all. May be some drivers from Dell just bad or defective.
grexos
1 Message
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June 21st, 2013 08:00
On Fedora 17 same random shutdown problem :/
lent85
2 Posts
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August 12th, 2013 14:00
Ok, so my battery just dies. Order new battery comes in next 2 weeks. And the random shutdown is happening daily now. I'm quite upset with this machine now, will send to warranty or throw it to IT guy when I'm come back from business trip abroad (I guess the warranty period expired when I come back). I recommend my company never buy any workstation from Dell anymore.
flowglow
1 Message
0
January 7th, 2014 12:00
I had the same issue: rendom shutdowns when wifi is on. So, after few days I found in the BIOS log "ASF2 force off" line. I googled it, and finally update BIOS version from A13 to A15. For half of hour I don't have any power shutdowns.
Mr_unL33T
1 Message
0
August 28th, 2015 15:00
I currently have the same issue. Laptop will go for weeks and then suddenly shut off. Sometimes it's while sitting idle over night. Other times it's while I'm in the middle of using the thing.
Never had this problem and then I burned up the video card a year or two ago. They replaced the computer and I've had the problem ever since. BIOS updates seem to have made it less frequent but it still happens.