Port Replicator Problems

Texasgw,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Please explain exactly what is happening.  You might want to try recreating the docked profile by removing it when the system is undocked.  When you replace the system in the docking station, the docked profile will be recreated from the undocked profile.

I have performed the steps you suggest with no success. At this time there is no docking profile in the hardware profiles even though the 8500 is docked. The problem is that I have no mouse and no keyboard control when these are connected to the APR. The keyboard works when connected to the APR when in the Setup screen (one techs requested test). I do have video to the external monitor from the APR. The mouse and keyboard work on other computers. I have the latest BIOS A05. This problem started a week ago for no apparent reason. I have had five emails from Dell with various suggestions, the latest being to reinstall drivers from the Resource CD that came with the 8500. After reading all the problems in this Forum, I want to find out if there is a definitive fix instead of this shotgun approach.

GW

the other apr thread became a flame war - so I guess it's time we actually continue the discussion of the faulty APR in a new thread.

So - in case anyone wasn't paying attention to the other one - I have an 8500 and a Dell APR.  I don't want any Dell auditors to think that all of our problems went away when the thread disappeared.

The following peripherials do not work when connected via USB to the port replicator - but they work fine when connected to the Inspiron directly.  Symptoms include complete lack of functionality or very erratic and limited functionality.

1) Wacom Tablet : Intuos 2 XD 0912 8x12

2) IBM Usb mouse... works fine with a USB to ps/2 adaptor (where I can now plug the mouse in as a  ps/2 device when plugged into the APR, but it doesn't work when plugged into the usb slot.

3) Sony PEG TG 50 Clie Handheld.  (the handheld sych's via a docking cradle)

oddly, my Sony PEG TJ 35 Clie works without a hitch... but the TJ35 does not have a synch cradle - just a synch cable.

All of the fore-mentioned devices worked fine with my Inspiron 8000 and the Port Replicator for the 8000.

One fix is to use an angled USB connector to allow access to the Inspiron's built in USB ports even though the unit is docked.  I do not wish to try this alternative.  I have tried just about everything else to fix my issue (I don't want to reformat my computer).

I had seen your posts as well as ShortBus Rider who evidently started a long discussion. And when ShortBusRider got the problem solved with a new motherboard, I thought I would see if anyone else had that kind of luck and if it would be the best resolution for the problem.

GW

Not sure what your problems are, but the motherboard swap only addresses IRQ issues, not USB-related problems.

I also experienced the D/Port problems with my I8500. After several service calls and part replacements, I was eventually contacted by Dell and asked if I would be interested in allowing tech support to "capture" my system in order to facilitate their troubleshooting of the issue. Basically, they offered to replace my system with an equivalent refurbished system. As my original system was also refurbished, I figured "what the heck?" I ended up with and I8600, and so far, I have not experienced any USB - D/Port problems.

regards.

Dell is sending me a new APR after going through several troubleshooting sessions, I am not sure that this will fix the problem but it would be nice if it does. I really do not want to go through the process of having to transfer the software that was put on by my company in the UK. But if it still has problems, I guess a refurbed 8600 would be better than an halfway working 8500. I will advise upon receipt of the new APR.

GW

I have been having almost the same problems as you, and I have the same system (Inspiron 8500), except with me it is my USB and my sound... I am not able to use the sound jack on the APR itself, so I have to plug in my sound into the actual laptop unit (via the port on the left-hand side). I, too, have requested help from Dell, stating that maybe my APR had gone bad. They sent me a new one. I installed that one to find that I was having the same problems. I have been without USB since the middle of February. I have poked around my laptop, including deleting USB entries under device manager for the system to maybe "re-recognize" my USB, but that has not helped. I have not yet tested whether my USB works on the actual laptop unit, as I mainly use USB at home on the docking station.

Amazingly, everything else works on the APR.

After reading all the messages about the APR/8500 problems , which I am having also, and have gone through all the same trial and errors suggested by techs, spend almost 3 hours on the phone, the only fix I have seen is a new motherboard. This 8500 was shipped July 14, 2003, same time as a lot of the problem 8500's seem to come from. Now, how do I get a new motherboard.

 

Dave

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@mrdave000 wrote:

After reading all the messages about the APR/8500 problems , which I am having also, and have gone through all the same trial and errors suggested by techs, spend almost 3 hours on the phone, the only fix I have seen is a new motherboard. This 8500 was shipped July 14, 2003, same time as a lot of the problem 8500's seem to come from. Now, how do I get a new motherboard.

Dave

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Dave,

There is no reason to post the same question twice.

Typically, you would run the Dell diagnostic test on the questionable component and if a failure occurs then Dell will respond by replacing that component.

Tor,

I received a new APR but it did not fix any problems. I am going to try one last thing, a complete system restore and then see what happens.

Texasgw

Hi,

Did all of the motherboard changes / refurbished models / new docking stations solve anything?

Seems like people are leaving the forum once their problems are solved.

None of USB devices are working properly. My intuos 2 wacom tablet and my palm tungsten are taken out.

Well not really, since my tablet are working somewhere between 1- 5 min. - enough to provide hope but not long enough to work with.

A new port replicator is on it's way, since the last one obviously didn't work.

But that doesn't sound like it's going to solve my problem...

Any more forum help to get?

Thanks in advance,

Tor Christensen

Denmark

Mine hasn't been resolved as of yet because I haven't had the time to look into it further. I don't believe a new apr will work in my case.

I seem to be having the same problems.  I have an Inspiron 8600 and a D/Port APR.  When docked, the USB mouse and keyboard do not work, and my network connection is also ignored.  But my second screen works OK and the power supply is also recognised. 

I don't know if its worth deleting my docked profile as this doesn't seem to have worked for any one else. 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

Poor Little Guy

Ah - finally usefull news.

Or at least news.

After endless hours on the phone, bugging as many techs (wannabees or real) as possible, at conclusion has arrived. First it took at least 2-3 supporters to admit that this was a known problem. After that - a few more to tell the reason.

As it seems the APR and WindowsXP aren't as good friends as they should be, according to both the danish and the sweedis h tech support. So currently Dell pushed both the responesebility and the work over to Microsoft. So Microsoft should currently be working out a patch for XP, making our APRs usefull.

So don't try to get a new one. It probably works allready.

Alas, the time window is still unknown. So when this is going to be solved is up to Microsoft. So let's start bugging Microsoft instead of Dell.

I haven't confirmed this with Microsoft DK yet.

 

Anyone out there running anything else than XP? I'm using a home edition.

 

Cheers.