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Go to SolutionM3800 really slow performance
Hi all, been a while since I posted an issue on this forum which suggests I have generally been happy with my Dell products.
I recently had the anniversary update installed and felt a few months later that I should perform a clean install. Having done this, I just cannot get the laptop to perform like it should.
Before I go into the ins and outs of it, I feel like I have already had this issue with pre-anniversary update when I had done a clean install and gut feeling was that it was an install order or driver that resolved it but I failed to note down the solution and so here I am. (Reason I mention this is I do not think it's anni edition related).
So once the initial OS is installed and first boot occurs, you instantly notice it's not smooth. Windows open very choppy, even the start menu. This rules out any installed software such as antivirus or the likes as at this point, it's pure vanilla.
My driver installation order is as follows:
Chipset, (10.1.1.18), Serial ATA, Intel management engine (11.0.0.1158)
Intel thermal chipset 10605.221
Intel graphics: win64_154028.4501
Quadro graphics 375.3}
Audio 6.0.1.6098
Touchpad: 19.0.9.4
Bluetooth BT_19.10.1635_64_Win10
Wifi: Wireless_19.20.0_PROSet64_Win10
Motion: 4.11.67
Airplane switch: 1.4.1
Anything else required comes from the M3800-WIN10-A01-1Y8HP cab file Dell have provided.
I usually reboot once all are installed rather than on request but in this case I've rebooted on request. Done this several times with the same sort of result - a choppy, slow machine.
Spec: M3800, i7-4702HQ @ 2.20GHz 16GB Ram
Primary drive: Crucial CT480M500SSD3 SSD latest firmware and disk checks suggest it's fine including smart/error rates etc.
Secondary drive: LITEON LCS-512M6S SSD again on latest firmware, no errors.
Latest Bios already installed
Event viewer: No errors apart from the usual self-inflicted warnings.
Even just hitting start and typing in system, device manager or calc you can feel is really sluggish
So what have I missed?
Bad drivers? Bad order? Should I stick with the CAB file for drivers and rely on updates rather than getting the latest as I have done with video (direct from intel/nvid) and wireless for instance? Anyone had the same experience?
What is strange is once you start an operation, it's does not feel slow. For instance, loading up windows explorer will take ages, navigating around feels slow and sluggish but if you copy/paste a file, its lightning quick.
Task manager shows CPU at almost 0% and RAM at under 20% for the most part. Never peaks even during the pauses
And finally, I do believe it is software. Pre-formatting, it was fine - I just felt I wanted a clean start again as I had been doing a fair bit of testing outside of virtual machines and directly on the system.
Appreciate any advice!
Thanks for the reply - firstly the link sends me to Dell shop
Secondly, mines not an upgrade, its a fresh install.
Also it was running fine - something in the fresh install is not going right.
I did yet another fresh install last night and it seems to be working SLIGHTLY better but still no way near to what this .. well what was once known as a beast, should be running at.
Thanks, Link works but useless in terms of information
As mentioned, this is a fresh install.
Resource: I mentioned in the first thread resource is very minimal, cpu sometimes at 0 to 1% and memory is barely peaking.
System tray: again, fresh install, there are none but the basics windows 10 comes with
Startup program: None, fresh install
Animations: No difference but surely an i7 16GB machine should handle it ...just like it did before with w10.
Web-browser - none, fresh install. it's not browser related.
No malware/viruses found
Disk Space: Plenty.
Disk: Already optimised it but no difference
Reset PC - again, fresh install so no use there
hopefully you can see the pattern here - this is not an upgrade but a fresh install...multiple times and each time its the same issue
sGettiNSeriouS
7 Posts
5490
0
Posted August 7th, 2017 11:00
Hey aj84,
have you already updated it? Is it working on updated windows or not? I have the same problems.. It's really slow and lagging...
Best regards,
Jochen
Hey Jochen,
Yes and no is the answer. I use this laptop as a 24/7 machine whether it's basic word/excel to internet to a bit more intensive virtual machine usage and so to say I notice issues with performance is an understatement.
It did work for a bit but even before the update pushed through I noticed it just was not how it used to function even on W10.
Now I am not suggesting this one bit but part of my daily repairs has been a Toshiba laptop in for an unrelated issue. I noticed it was performing like my M3800 - so I did a full reinstall.
Same issue - it installed W10 fine, booted in fine, but you just know even on a blank install, something was not right.
I did a full scan of the drive, memory test the lot - no issues found.
Finally just as I was about to write the laptop off, I decided to replace the drive with exactly the same make/model and guess what? Problem solved.
While the drive still scans & full formats fine, I noticed on benchmarking it, the read/write was slower than anything remotely similar.
Why I mention this? Maybe my SSD is on it's way out or worse, the controller within the laptop.
Clearly it's not the OS as even before I pushed the update it was causing issues. It's not memory as I've replaced this two times with known working laptop memory. That leaves 3 things - the Dell Dock I use to output to two screens (unlikely), drive/s (possible) or the motherboard or a component on it (again, possible).
So thats where I am really. I deal with software and hardware on a daily basis for many people but my own...I cannot resolve the issue.
Future - I am already looking at now replacing it with either a Dell desktop or build my own. I am not using the laptop as a laptop and have not done in a number of years so it makes sense going for a full on desktop.
What have you tried so far?
aj84
1 Rookie
•
52 Posts
5490
1
Posted November 18th, 2016 00:00
This is now resolved.
I got no-where as expected with Dell support and the link provided was just a generic reply - I would hope the opening thread does show a level of competency on my part in terms of trouble-shooting but anyway...
The solution:
I formatted/reinstalled countless times since this thread opening changing orders of drivers to leaving it vanilla for a few days to see how it performed to letting windows update do drivers instead of manually. After 5 days of it, I gave up and was ready to chuck the precision away until last night...
I decided to grab the pre-anniversary edition of windows 10 and as I have done for many years, proceeded into installing the OS + Drivers in a specific manner - the same manner I did the anniversary edition on multiple events:
OS>Chipset drivers>Intel Thermal>Videox2>audio>wifi>bluetooth>motion>all others
Windows update
Dell update (should not expect any)
Intel update (should not expect any)
All above drivers are downloaded by the vendor if applicable otherwise Dell. This is how I've always done it on any machine and always worked.
The result? With pre-anniversary, it's running perfect. The speed/performance is how I expect it to be, no stuttering, VM's run properly..it's what I paid for when I bought this machine.
Even Dell Dock works properly whereas with anniversary despite the latest drivers, I just could not get it running without stuttering although most of the testing was done on laptop without the dock to ensure it was not the dock causing the issue
I have set defer on updates so I am hoping anniversary does not download anytime soon although the curious side of me wants to know what an upgrade is like compared to a fresh install which clearly does not work for the 3800.
I would love to know if others have had the same issue with the 3800 or maybe it's sister inspiron 15 model
For now, this is resolved.