studio 1537 media panel problems

I am having the same problem with my Media Console as well.  The Up Volume stays light and it is causing boot problems and volume problems.  The Media Console issue affects the Studio 15 and Studio 17 line.  I am starting the RMA process to get a refund as I find this unacceptable. 

For users of these models who would like to keep using their laptops I would suggest you by pass the Media Console by unplugging the cable from the motherboard.  The technical manual can be found via your favorite search engine and I suggest only experienced technicians do the work as you can damage the laptop if you are not careful.

Dell should address this common defect.  Who knows if this is a cable connector problem on the motherboard or a software problem. 

It is a shame that Dell is shipping these defective units to their customers.  As an IT professional I have traditionally recommended Dell products.  I will not recommend the Studio line.

I am thinking of asking a dell xps instead of a refund. But as far as i know, XPS also has this media panel. Does anyone have any related problems with xps? Do you know if XPS has this kind of problem. A friend of mine who has an XPS 1530 has not mentioned anything like this. It is very difficult to get your money back. Anyway, thanks for your comment

So far everyone that has a studio 15 or 17 has experienced this defect. Dell has been unable to resolve this problem. Quite frankly, it is VERY annoying especially when you're working in the early morning and a simple audio sound becomes a roar because the volume is automatically maxed out (and refuses to mute or lower) due to the defective panel.

So far everyone that has a studio 15 or 17 has experienced this defect. Dell has been unable to resolve this problem. Quite frankly, it is VERY annoying especially when you're working in the early morning and a simple audio sound becomes a roar because the volume is automatically maxed out (and refuses to mute or lower) due to the defective panel.

After examining the media center cable on the system board end, noticed a couple of the gold leads have actually been pulled away from the cable.  It seem that Dell has used the cheapest ribbon cable avail for this part...

I bought an XPS M1530 right before Thanksgiving and I too am having problems with the media buttons. The eject button comes on by itself with no disk in the drive or with a disk in the drive. The volume buttons come on and off by themselves. All the buttons take turns coming on at different times, one after the other. Sometimes if the button is lit up and I push it, it turns off. They are the touch sensitive buttons along the top of the keyboard. It's been going on for the last couple weeks and is very annoying!

I also experience the same issue with my fortnight old 1537.

Seems that the problems is being over looked by Dell.

On contacting the support, they shamelessly guide us to opening and setting it up correctly. cant the aassembly line not take care of the issue correctly?

I am asking dell for a replacement.

I am facing the similar issues..

I returned my first set , and got a replacement, which again is behaving the same way.. and now Dell refuses to return the system...as it has crossed 21 days.  Any solution to this??

So after experiencing this same problem and reading this thread, I contact Dell Support to begin the process of getting a new media panel so I can go on with my life.  The "technician" follows his script and takes over the computer.  He wants to flash a BIOS upgrade which I let him do... doesn't help.  Then he wants to uninstall QuickSet which I let him do.  On re-boot from the uninstall of Quick Set, I get a Windows Recovery Error.  Four hours later Dell still can provide me with the instructions to boot the machine.  Now they are telling me that I need to re-install Windows and loose all the data on my machine.  I ask him if he needs the address to send the check to for pulling the data off the hard drive and he says that Dell will not be paying for it since it is my problem and that Dell is not responsible.  I gave them control of the machine, they performed the actions, and corupted the windows installation, and now it is MY problem.  All I wanted was to get the media panel fixed!  I have a house and business full of Dell computers, I will be purchasing from a different manufacturer from now on.  If you experience this problem, just tell the Dell technician to send you the replacement media panel, do not let them go through their script as your data may not make it out alive.

I don' t really think this is a media panel issue. there must be a pressing issue underneath media panel, or an electricity issue. i noticed that my panel got stuck 1. after using the battery, 2. after switching on my computer from all night connected on power supply, 3. after entering from sleep mode.

changing media panel usually doesn' t solve the problem.

In that case is there a way to get it resolved???

You should try going for the refund.

I ordered two times two 1737 where there were several issues. One was media bar, which Dell could easily fix by putting some tape on the media bar electonics, but for some reason they stick to this faulty design.
But Studio Notebooks main problem is the plastics case and hinges. The design is not at all notebook compatible, as too many features were put in cheap design. You should go for a magnesium case like XPS, Vostro or Latitude. You should ask for a senior sales/support agent for an exchange. I decided to go for Latitude.

It's not a hardware issue though, because the media panel gets PMS only on cold boots. It doesn't do it after the 5-10 minutes and the panel functions properly afterwards. It is a hardware/firmware issue, possibly solved via a BIOS upgrade. The reason I say it is NOT software/OS related is that I experienced this phenomenon while in the BIOS.

I would like a Dell-Liaison to reply to this lengthy thread. So many of the Studio Lines are having problems.  Can't this thread be brought to someone's attention that can really help with these problems.  Customers should not have to deal with defective-out of the box products. 

Unfortunately I had not come across this link before I ordered my 1537 almost three weeks ago. After a couple of days of no problem use, you guessed it, on came the volume up. Then the disk eject. Then no functionality. Then all fine. I have had no crashing or booting problems but what I read here and elsewhere about this problem made me want to get it fixed. Not to mention the fact that it seems fair enough to expect an expensive and technologically advanced purchase to work flawlessly.

So on to Dell support and through the formulaic process of BIOS update and hinge cover reseat. And the similarly formulaic result of no improvement. I received an as promised phone check up from the service agent where I reported the continuing problems. He authorised a dispatch of replacement hinge cover which arrived first thing the next day. After reports posted here I was sure this would cure the problem. Part numbers matched with supposed failsafe parts and for two hours all seemed well. But the problems soon returned as bad and random as ever.

Interestingly, on day 20 of use I can now not get a reply from the direct email to the previously very helpful service agent. Nor could I get an answer from the helpline.

After reseating and replacing the hinge cover I was undaunted by the brute force approach to physically disconnecting the ribbon cable and this has allowed the machine to function without interruption all evening. I now think that, considering the problem only manifested itself as an inconvenience, this might be less of a problem than continuing to deal with Dell customer service. Even those who have received replacement machines continue to report the same problems. There is obviously something significant and inherently wrong with the Studio machines. So much so that Dell are unable to cure the problem. Hence their continuance of the same ineffective approach to solving it and now their reluctance to even answer my enquiries.

However the laptop is an otherwise great machine which I purchased for a great price. I am tempted to keep it in its disabled but otherwise working state now I have logged the problem here. But this laptop was an expensive purchase and is less than three weeks old so should a major manufacturer like Dell be allowed to continue flogging a defective product? I am curious to hear whether anyone has or knows of a Studio machine that is working with none of these media key issues?

Any help, updates or thoughts would be appreciated. Including what I could purchase of similar spec for similar money if I were to get a refund?

In the meantime, anyone who is coming here after researching for a possible purchase avoid the Studio range of laptops if you want to avoid malfunctions, frustrating then non existant customer support and the constant fear of what other horrors might lurk inside an obviously substandard machine you should be feeling proud and happy with.