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Precision M4800 : Input lag at log in, Switchable graphics not functioning, GPU fan "chirping" when it starts up.
New Issues see latest posts
LAPTOP RETURNED FROM DELL on 9/29/2017
Had Loose screws inside laptop chassis that had to be totally taken apart to find before attempting to power on.
Multiple Screws are now Stripped or missing, including ones that secure daughter cards to the mother board, and the motherboard to the chassis, and the ones that secure the keyboard.
NEW display hinges "stick and pop" again See Video on last page. Display appears to have been replaced as an assembly with Lid, Bezel, screen and hinges.
MOUSE AND TRACK-POINT DO NOT FUNCTION IF USING DELL DRIVERS. Works in Bios/Ubuntu, and windows before installing Dell Drivers. This was listed as an issue when sent in, and was not addressed.
IF ANY DELL REP is reading this thread -> Can I please get some assistance that is not just replacing parts with other used parts? Others with this model were granted replacements. Why do I keep getting junk parts? I've Even asked to just exchange it for an OLDER model like a used m4700.
I get no help if i call the help line Which usually gets me round robinned until I get disconnected. I barely get help if using the online chat. The only thing that's been remotely helpful is this thread and personal assistance from Justin-C from dell who monitored this and has basically ordered all servicing on this laptop for me.
-> Display EPROM failure. No Dell Boot Logo, Cannot Access BIOS. Can Still Boot Windows and Ubuntu. If internal display is active, track pad gets disabled. Manifested after a (stupid) decision to heed DELL COMMAND | UPDATE For Bios A19.
Dell Dispatched a box to return the computer for diagnostics that is comically small (physically smaller than said laptop in x,y dimensions -- Appears to be for an 8-10 Inch tablet or notebook)
Running Failure Log So no one has to read 4 pages of me complaining every so often over the past 2 years:
DOA : Original Hinges, AMD FirePro M5100 stuttering, CPU/GPU Fans that Chirped
Replaced : Multiple Sets (at least 3) of CPU and GPU fans for Rattling, Chirping, Failure to spin.
Multiple Sets of display hinges - Laptop is primarily docked and uses an external display for weeks at a time. There is no reason they should fail - (i have never had a hinge failure on any other laptop, and have had some for 15+ years)
FirePro m5100 First Replacement, DOA, Exhibited Same Symptoms
Quadro K2100m : Replaced 2 FirePros after a year stopped reporting temps, killed GPU fan control. Assume to be related to Bios A19. Replaced with a FirePro Again in June 2017.
MainBoards : it has now had two REPLACEMENT main boards.
This is a complaint, here, not an out right failure. -> This M4800 is also the SLOWEST computer to access my SSD's they have been in. Despite them being in Raid0, it takes 10-15 seconds to open single page word documents with only text. It did it in about 2 seconds on my Lenovo T61p with only a single drive AND not true full speed support for the SATA3 drives, that this was purchased to replace. They open nearly instantly on my DELL E6230 with a cheap 100 buck SSD from a few years ago. All Run/ran windows 7 Pro, All have/had office 2010 Pro.
One or Two of the BIOS versions I complain about on the first page or two were pulled from the driver page for this laptop, presumably due to the same errors I got being experienced by a lot of people.
Original Post Follows:
I recently purchased a new M4800 with an i7 quad, and a Firepro m5100 GPU. So far i have been rather satisfied with the purchase as it does everything i need it to do. However there are some quirks that are preventing it from being 100% :
When I run the discrete only card, the windows 7 log in has lag such that unless i move the cursor the screen does not update : you can type things in and no ****** symbols display in the password box. If you move the mouse constantly when you type the ***** does display in real time ? its a really odd sort of lag i have never experienced before in my life.
This does not happen with the integrated card. HOWEVER, the computer will not dynamically switch between the Intel and the AMD gpu (amd Enduro/ power express) as advirtized. When running in switchable graphics mode the global settings dropdowns are 100% blank in the CCC panel.
If you set it manually per application basis : it either does one of two things :
1) most games seem to launch fine, though monitoring it with RTSS indicates its running on the intel HD GPU, and the performance decreases substantially in reflection of this...
or 2) launching professional software like Chief Architect x6, or SolidWorks2014 causes the display to hang, fans to cut off and the computer wont do anything till a hard reboot via the power button.
*I have disabled the integrated GPU in bios and only run the AMD card as a work around. Is there a fix for this other than to ignore the Intel card ? Googling around brings me to a dell resource that states disabling switchable graphics in the BIOS is the only work around. All the programs work fine this way, but sometimes say in travel or during a lecture class i dont see a reason to keep the amd GPU powered up.
Source for the work around www.dell.com/.../EN
Will this be fixed in a future bios or driver update ?
and Lastly : the computer is dead silent most of the time, even the fans are rather quiet. However when the GPU fan kicks on after being off for a long time there is sometimes a noise i can only describe as "electronic chirping/scraping" before the fan whirrs to life this affects it not at boot, but randomly as you use it on battery and on AC power. setting it to "max performance" thermal management to keep the fan on all the time to some degree eliminates the sound. Is this normal ? or is this an issue ?
lionsroar
54 Posts
0
November 20th, 2015 18:00
NEW UPDATE
Bios A15 has been released that is supposedly to fix the input lag that some users were experiencing.
I went ahead and figured what harm could it cause? Well i was completely wrong.
Upon installing A15 i have constant input lag, constantly windows stops responding (Ubuntu LTS also) any time disk usage is over about 2MB/s such as during program installation, update, or downloading. This is COMPLETELY unacceptable. I even re-imaged the computer assuming that it had corrupted, issue persisted.
Downgraded to A14, no more lagging, no more freezing everything is back to normal.
PLEASE PLEASE if any one of the team working on the precision notebooks : STOP pushing updates without testing them thoroughly. I should not have to "test" updates on a workstation computer : peoples jobs and day to day operations are dependent on these working without issue. I have had to spend hours now troubleshooting issues with drivers, missing components that are not on the driver page for the computer, drivers that are nonfunctional or crippled.
Maybe i have been doing something wrong, its totally possible, but i had an Inspiron 8600 for YEARS without these issues. I had a D630 with no issues either until the Quadro GPU failed. My Lenovo T61p worked too without issues other than Nividia G84 GPU failures (after 7 years of constant usage). This new dell has been a headache for roughly 5 months now.
Czagawara
11 Posts
1
December 5th, 2015 10:00
Did you contact Dell?
If yes, what was respond?
That's so frustrating!!!!
I bought this workstation to improve my workflow and overall experience.
I felt like I did opposite.
It must be a way to fix this, maybe graphic card doesn't have enough power supply ,since everything works fine as soon as I connect to the external monitor .
Czagawara
11 Posts
0
December 5th, 2015 10:00
Hi MADRIDFRAN
Did you contact Dell?
If yes, what was respond?
That's so frustrating!!!!
I bought this workstation to improve my workflow and overall experience.
I felt like I did opposite.
It must be a way to fix this, maybe graphic card doesn't have enough power supply ,since everything works fine as soon as I connect to the external monitor .
Hi MADRIDFRAN
Did you contact Dell?
If yes, what was respond?
That's so frustrating!!!!
I bought this workstation to improve my workflow and overall experience.
I felt like I did opposite.
It must be a way to fix this, maybe graphic card doesn't have enough power supply ,since everything works fine as soon as I connect to the external monitor .
Czagawara
11 Posts
1
December 5th, 2015 10:00
Hi all
I fell your pain !!!
Yesterday I received my laptop and I'm not very happy right now as a was when buying.
Ok so straight away I notes mouse cursor freezing every few minutes .freeze time is about 2-3 seconds.
My action taken so far -
Reinstall windows
Install drivers one by one
Run all possible diagnostic software
Install AMD drivers from website and dell website
Nothing listed above helped:-(
But.....
When I connect external monitor thrugh hdmi all problems are gone!!!
When I set booth screens viable all ok!!
When I set to see only laptop screen but still have external monitor connected is also ok!!
Even when I have hdmi plugged to laptop and its not plug to monitor everything, is ok!!
This is very strange behavior
I would appreciate if someone can help
I'm seriously angry, that is professional workstation and things like that should be happening
Mark
madridfran
18 Posts
1
December 5th, 2015 10:00
It is very very bad workstation!! I bought 5 month ago I still with the lags
lionsroar
54 Posts
0
December 6th, 2015 06:00
Another Update
After dealing with the following issues :
I have finally called dell. I assumed the hinges would just "loosen" up overtime, but the more and more I use it the worse it gets. I assume there is something inside the hinge broken, or a manufacturing defect. The M4700 I used that prompted me to pick the M4800 has buttery smooth almost apple like hinges that only need one finger to open.
Both CPU and GPU fan will also be replaced as they have continued to "chirp" anytime the computer goes into, or comes out of sleep, or even idle (so it will chirp randomly while typing word documents, emails, etc. It took me a while to realize it was the fans on the laptop, not a smoke detector's low battery chirp) Highly aggravating to say the least.
Hoping that this fixes both of these issues. Will follow up with the results after dell has serviced the laptop. Also mildly amazing that at work they can send me parts and I can replace them on my own. But for my personal laptop, I'm not allowed to just get the parts and put them in at my convenience, a tech must come out and do it.
balthazar0280
8 Posts
1
February 1st, 2016 16:00
Hi all,
For those with the 4K screen. I have found a workaround that may work for others. I have dropped the resolution from 4K (3840 x 2160) to QHD+ (3800 x 1800) and it seems to be behaving itself. You may have to increase scaling a bit. It is as though the video card does not refresh properly under 4K resolution.
So far a whole day with no mouse lag.
madridfran
18 Posts
0
February 2nd, 2016 00:00
I will try that!.. really it is the very bad machine!..
strongchai
5 Posts
0
February 4th, 2016 17:00
I have the same machine and met the same issue as you! Still didn't find any solution to solve it.
toddondell
6 Posts
0
February 5th, 2016 06:00
Dell has an apparent issue with the m4800 with the Firepro 5100 graphics processor and the 4K display. The issue is noticeable as soon as you try to enter your password at boot and the keystrokes don't seem to take until you jog your mouse. I replaced my Firepro with the nVidia K1100 and no more mouse lag issues. I would encourage you to contact Dell.
strongchai
5 Posts
0
February 5th, 2016 07:00
I have restored my bios from A16 to A14, it seems that the chance I met the mouse cursor lag and freezing is reduced, but it still happen to come across this problem some time, although not that often. So I think, maybe the problem is related to the bios?
madridfran
18 Posts
0
February 5th, 2016 10:00
Thank for you post!!! Let me ask a couple of question. Is it easy replace for yourself? Dell replace for you for free? Or you bought and replace? Also can you use display port? If you can tell to us the model I will try that!! Also I get problems with maxx audio wave drivers in win 10
madridfran
18 Posts
0
February 5th, 2016 11:00
I will try to scale to dell support because it is imposible work with that problem. Also I tryed a thousand setting, drivers, win 7 and win 10.. and always get the same problem. In fact a lost a lot of hour in this problem!! Thank for all. Meaby they only need remove my graphics card and install the nvidia one.. meaby they dont need replace the workstation.
toddondell
6 Posts
0
February 5th, 2016 13:00
Yes, I too lost an enormous amount of time to this issue. ENORMOUS amount. I would think just swapping out the graphics card for a different make/model should work, provided of course it has the appropriate specifications. The nVidia K1100 seems to do the job.
I will tell you that I was able to pretty well correct the lag issue with the Firepro by going to the AMD website and running their auto-detect. It does NOT detect the graphics card as the 5100, but rather as an R9. Now it is not an R9. But the R9 driver did resolve the lag. That said, I do NOT think this is a good resolution as it could bring on other issues. In the short term though, you may want to try that. Good luck. :)
madridfran
18 Posts
0
February 5th, 2016 14:00
Yes .. amount of time and frustrating so much!! Dell should be contact with the customer with M4800 4k and AMD Like us and offert the change of the graphics card. I move now to Spain .. but I moved my warranties to Spain too. I will update the threat with next events. I am happy that you enjoy you M4800