Problem with Free Fall Sensor

Ralf,

Let me check this today. I know that the freefall sensor has been a problem in the past, but I haven't seen an issue with it recently with Windows 7.

Warren

I'm using R291837 from the E6420 CAB in the next version of the Combo Cab for Win7 Notebooks that I'm currently testing. It installs the accelerometer on the Exx10's just fine. Give that a try.

Warren

Hi Warren,

thanks for your respond.

I tried your suggestion. The driver has the same version like the one I extracted manual. Error is the same.

But what I forgot: I have recaptured the applied Windows 7 wim-file, it includes now service pack 1.

The device seems to be identified correct and the driver seems to be installed, but device manager reports an error.

After looking for the error in the device manager, i've seen that the translation to german from Microsoft concerning the message is terrible in windows 7.

The correct english message is (found here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771418(WS.10).aspx ):

The software for this device has been blocked from starting because it is known to have problems with Windows. Contact the hardware vendor for a new driver. (Code 48)

So I'm not sure if this problem occurs due to service pack 1.

But when I install the driver by calling setup.exe manual, the device is correctly installed in device manager.

What I don't understand: Why does the driver work when I install it by setup and don't work when installing driver only.

Perhaps do you have any further ideas or solutions ?

TIA and regards, Ralf

How are you applying your drivers? I would expect that you have an issue there since I am not seeing this issue in my testing on any versions of Windows 7.

Thanks,

Warren

We are doing OS deployment by pxe-boot with a task sequence. Installed ist Configuration Manager 2007 R2.

The task sequence is standard:

Rebooting Windows PE
Partition harddisk
Apply Operating System from wim image
Apply Windows settings
Apply network settings

Then we come to driver deployment:

We have a group which checks by WMI that the manufacturer is "Dell"

Then we apply the driver package for E4310 by WMI check, unsigned driver installation is allowed.

So we use model-specific driver packages, not "auto apply driver". But when I watch the deployment on the device, the correct drivers are applied.

Every device gets installed correct, but not the free fall sensor.

The driver package contains the correct driver:

Name: ST Micro Accelerometer
Provider: ST Microelectronics
Version: 1.0.0.15
Date: 12.10.2010

The task sequence doesn't show an error message.

Regards, Ralf

Hi,

I want to post an update concerning my last message:

Today I've deployed a Latitude E6410.

Due to an error during task sequence, I decided to change the driver deployment from model-specific driver packages to auto apply drivers.

Problem is still the same as before with model-specific driver packages and the E 4310.

Any ideas ?

TIA and regards, Ralf

"Hi,

I want to post an update concerning my last message:

Today I've deployed a Latitude E6410.

Due to an error during task sequence, I decided to change the driver deployment from model-specific driver packages to auto apply drivers.

Problem is still the same as before with model-specific driver packages and the E 4310.

Any ideas ?

TIA and regards, Ralf"

Warren,

We're seeing other problems with the Free Fall driver on our E6420 units just doing SysPrep and WAIK with the Autounattend.xml set to persistalldrivers = true in the PNP portion. It throws a "Error Handle" error upon completion of the MiniSetup every time. Free Fall driver laid down perfectly on all our other E series laptops doing it the quick and dirty way...

Warren / mweitsen - any update to this issue?

Any updates on this issue? I can do the manual install post deployment, but thats not really a soloution for us.

Just as an FYI, I'm having issues with the free fall sensor on my E6420/E6320. It is not all the time, but intermittent. Basically, Windows says that while this is a proper driver, there are known issues with this device and the hardware. Sometimes after imaging there are no errors reported in Device Manager. Others it is Unknown like the above poster mentioned with the Windows message I stated. Very odd behavior to say the least. This is Windows 7 x64 Enterprise.

Hey, when reinstalling the way I mentioned above, the 1.0.0.3 driver is installed. So there IS a problem with the 1.0.0.15 driver.

-edit- I downloaded the driver from the dell site (ftp.us.dell.com/app/DRVR_WIN_R294986.EXE). Installing via the setup.exe works perfectly. But using the PnP mechanism (first run setup.exe /v"extractdrivers=d:\accelerometer", then use the PnP add drivers wizard pointing to this folder (and subfolders) gives an error: The driver is not designed for this system.

We have exactly this same problem, on the Latitude E6510. The FreeFallSensor driver is installed (The driver version shows 1.0.0.15 in the device manager) but it cannot be started (Error code 39). Problem exist on x86 and x64 installations via SCCM/MDT.
It seems to me that the driver is only partly installed and not fully PnP. Pointing the "update Driver Wizard" to the driver sources on the network does not help. Competely removing the drivers and unistalling the device, and then trigger a PnP scan, moves the unknown device from "System Devices" to "Other Devices". Now a PnP driver installation works fine.
So it seems this is a problem with the driver: It is not fully PnP.

All,

Thanks for the extra information. I'll pass it along to the dev team to see if we can get some resolution to this issue.

Hello all,

I've done some extra testing. I disabled all available ST Microelectronic drivers in the ConfigMgr driver database. Also I added a TS step to install the driver/application. The installation (install /s or setup /s, tried both) but the installation failes (Erro 1603). When assigned via Software Distribution, install.exe /s does work (Exit code 3010, reboot required).

What can be the problem?

Hi there,

After some frustrasion about the driver I figured out how to get it to work.

* extract the drivers with "setup.exe /v"EXTRACTDRIVERS="
* create a seperate driver package in SCCM and append only those extracted drivers
AND NOW COMES THE TRICK...
-> assign the correct drivers to the correct OS
-> SCCM puts by default the R294986\production\Vista-x64\accelern driver for a Win7x64 OS what causes the problem in Win7x64
* set this package to run in sccm task list before "Apply Device Drivers (best matched).
* create a software package for the "setup.exe /APPLICATION /s" to run at the end of your task sequence.

Give it a try, it works here for the E6510 and E6520 with Win7x64