Dell Latitude E7240 issues

We are having issues as well with the Latitude E7240 and e-port express docking stations.  I have NEVER had problems with Dell docks in the past 6 years until we recently received this combination of e7240 laptops and e-port express docking stations.  Our problem is intermittently losing multi-monitor displays when our users re-dock the laptop.  We also have a problem where sometimes if a user docks the laptop in a certain way it will cause the laptop to lock up.  We've also found if you tap the right side of the dock with your finger that it will cause the screens to go black and sometimes the laptop will lock up.  We have more than 10 of these combos deployed and another 10-20 getting ready to be deployed so it's making me nervous.  This has shattered my notion that Dell's laptop/dock combos were nearly bulletproof.

I'm glad I'm not the only one having issues (somewhat)! 

So I've been working with Dell's Pro Support team on this issue.  The first issues that we saw was the USB devices that were plugged into the docking station stopped working after an undock/dock (but not all the time).  The other thing that was really bad/annoying was that when the laptop was docked the laptop lid was always closed (she just had 1 monitor).  If you even touched the laptop (the lid) to lift the lid up the monitor would go out and the power light(s) on the docking station would go out/flicker.  The monitor would not come back and you'd be forced to undock/dock and hope the USB devices come back.

After some back and forth, we had a technician come out and replace the motherboard.  That did seem to help with the laptop sensitivity issues; the monitor comes back and the docking station power light(s) don't flicker or go out when you open the lid while it's docked.  Unfortunately, like I said earlier the USB device issue has crept up again.  :(

The Pro Support tech gave me a few things to check and do...and they are as follows:

1. Please run the Command Prompt as an Administrator and run the command Powercfg /energy. This should create a HTML document/report on what might be causing the problem.  This file is created in C:\Windows\System32\
2. Also please try shutting down in safe mode and let me know how that works.

3.  Install the latest BIOS driver/software found here:

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/DriverDetails/Product/latitude-e7240-ultrabook?driverId=Y8XXV&osCode=W764&fileId=3333164760&languageCode=EN&categoryId=BI

Hopefully you may get some insight into the issue.  I'm not able to get to the E7240 laptop at any time I want to since it's the company's president's laptop.  :|  heh

Well...finally got some time to run the powercfg /energy commands as well as updating the BIOS on her laptop today.

Still having the issues though. :(  

Hi. Here in CL we are having the same situation, we buy 125 Latitude E7240 and all have the same.

Put in to dock, power up, and....

1. Doesn't detect the power supply, so, "the battery atached to this ...blablabla" (not always)
2. When undock and used in a metting or something like and re-dock, the laptop show BSOD (not always)
3. Blackscreen when re-dock

We did the same, powercfg, latest bios, other OS but we have the same.

Hopefully when we install Dell Power Manager, update drivers and BIOS A08 this issue down a lot, but still happen.

What will be the problem?... I think is a problem with the design of this....

Hugs!

(Sorry my english):emotion-3:

I'm facing the same porblem:

Laptop: Dell e7240

Monitor: Dell S2309W

Docking Station: E-Port Plus Port Replicator with USB 3.0 from Dell

When I connect the monitor and the laptop to the Docking Station (via the VGA cable), the monitor flickers and doesn't work. It works fine when connected to the laptop via a VGA-to-DVI adapter (since the laptop doesn't have a VGA port).

Same problem here. Did a bios update to A08. Cannot use docking station with this laptop.

Sad to say but we are encountering the same issues. and Mother Board was replaced but still having the same issue.

To update from my previous post here is where we currently stand:

We have around 30 Latitude e7240's deployed with e/port express docks and have had issues since the beginning of the deployment.  We get frequent calls that one of the monitors stopped connecting to the dock.  The users have had to either reboot the laptop or remove the battery or a combination of both and powering down the dock to get it back to working.  We currently have a computer that we've tried the following on:

• Installed new Synaptics MST DP hub IC firmware update
• Installed newest Display driver as of last week
• Upgraded BIOS from A07 to A08
• Replaced the dock
• Replaced the monitors

This user has claimed her laptop is possessed because the monitors will sometimes randomly go black and not come back unless she redocks her laptop and reboots a bunch of times.  Right now no matter what we've tried we cannot get both P2213 monitors to be enabled.  When you connect one of the two monitors it works but when both monitors are connected they both say that they aren't receiving a display signal.  In Windows it says that both monitors are connected but for whatever reason the monitors aren't receiving a signal.  I've tried hooking them up with a DP->DVI adapter and running a DP->DP cable in conjuction with a dvi->dvi cable.  No matter how the monitors are connected when the two are connected as extended monitors they both say there is no signal.

We have a dell tech onsite today to replace the motherboard and I really hope that fixes this issue.  It's like one day the laptop or dock decided to stop connecting to the two external screens.

I'm starting to agree that this line of laptops is cursed with a bad dock connector design or some firmware issue that isn't quite right yet.

We have had similar issues with the e7240's, including:

• USB ports not working after waking from sleep
• Battery error message after POST
• Laptop loses connection to the dock if it's moved slightly
• Random shutdowns
• Laptop screen never comes back after sleep/closing lid, have to force a shutdown

So, there are two different issues at play here.  First, Dell has identified (and then retracted) an issue surrounding the E-port on the bottom of the machine.  Apparently there was an alignment issue at the factory causing the first three problems I listed.  We're currently in the process of getting 8 machines replaced.  

The other two issues haven't been resolved yet.  Numerous driver updates have been released (see the post above) and none of them fix the problem.  I've been fighting this issue for nearly 6 months and keep running in circles.  I've spoke with Dell and they're investigating it.  

My latest theory is that it's an incompatibility with Computrace and/or Symantec PGP encryption.  Is anyone else using either of these products?   

Hi,

I've got precision M3800 and XPS15 which obviously won't have the connector for the previous dell E plus docking station. I'm alright with connecting power to the laptop since signal to Dell Super Speed 3.0 for the monitors is sent via the USB cable and ethernet signal back through the same USB cable. I understand the workaround with the OS with choosing "Do nothing" when you close the lid, it's acceptable minding is a USB connection and was probably difficult for the drivers to change this OS setting automatically. I'm fine, however, I have one question - how do you switch On the laptop in the morning without opening the lid and press the button since there's no power button to press on the docking station and I doubt displaylink dev. can write code to power On the laptop via USB port - since that's the only connection you have. It's a too low level for bios to even send Wake on Lan packets to your ethernet port since power On signal still needs to come through USB cable.

Anyone has got this sorted?

Appreciate your replies.

Thank you.

Regards,

I am switching out a Dell E6430S to Dell E7240 using 2 external monitors via docking station.

When powering up, got message:

The battery currently attached to the system will not supply enough power to dock for it to function.  Please attach AC power to the dock for it to function normally

F1 - continue

F2- change setup options

Looks like the new power cord does not have enough juice - was not a problem when using the old power cord while new laptop was in the docking station.  Hope this helps

Hi every body and I've detected similar problems with my LATITUDE E7240 and his dock station. Every time I re-insert the laptop into the dock station some dock station hardware has problems (Monitor, Keyboard, mouse, USB and/or also LAN).

I've checked for updates for any driver but every one is the last version.

My current solution is switch off the computer before re-insert it into the dock and switch it on inserted on the dock.

If any one has a solution ...

Kind regards,

Marceli 

Hello All,

Anyone have a solid solution for this issue? I also have a client who is experiencing issues while docking. I am working on testing/replicating the issue, but seems many others have similar problems. It looks like A10 is out so I am going to install that, I may also try out Dell Pro Support to see what they have to say.

We are having the same issues. All our E7240 and E7440 are having the same issues. The LAN port on the docking station stops working. We are also getting "Your Power Adapter does not supply enough power to run the attached docking station". We had dell replace a few motherboards and it works for a few days and the problem comes backs. We also had a new laptop E7440 2 weeks old already given the power error message.

Dell please fix this problem, it's driving us nuts.. Anyone know a fix?

thanks