My screen saver is off...my power settings are stand by after 45 minutes (hibernates after 1hr) in batteries...stand by after 1 hour and hibernates after 6 (plugged in)...I had no problems since last night when I turned the SS off...Regarding the updates..I just had the modem drivers in the Hardware category (the intel was not there - I did a custom installation) which makes me think that I already have the fix you got...but I'll try to turn the SS on again tomorrow, so I can see what's going on after the new updates I downloaded..cheers..
PS: last time I had a crash...after the MS report I was told to download the windiag.iso to check the disk..I never did cos' I don't have the floppy for the start up...I'll try to do it tomorrow with an external floppy...I'll let you know..
Did you go to custom update instead of express? Then go into the Hardware category. It may look like this in the left margin: "Hardware (2)"
One was the Conexant modem download the the second was the Intel one.
Can you tell me what your power settings and screensaver settings are so that I can do the same to see if I still have the problem? So far, I turned on screensaver and nothing so far.
"I think it's ridiculous and suspicious that a mediator at Dell have never shown here to give everybody a way out of this problem...and Outrageous to fix the problem by deactivating screen savers (why spare Dell the aggravation ?...they have an obligation to replace what's broken or give solutions for problems like these..."
mboeira,
These forums are "user to user" (please read the
TOS) and are not moderated by Dell technical support. From time to time the moderators will chip in with a suggestion, but the design of the forums is for users to help each other. In the case of this problem, it worked well. It will now be up to the Dell engineers to find a permanent fix and post it on the support site.
Unfortunately, that's the way it is - and the way it has been since I started visiting these forums in 1998. I might add that many of the long time members here are lightyears better at technical support than any official Dell technical support.
That being said, I was merely pointing out why you should not hold your breath waiting for or complaining about the lack of technical support from Dell in these forums.
We can be sure that this is a software problem. I had dell support out yesterday - the technician quickly replaced the motherboard, lcd and all the included video hardware. I reset all the power and screensaver settings and went out to a movie. I returned to the eerie red glow with blue horizontal striping at the top of the screen. I'll switch the screensaver off - I hope I'll have the same result.
My settings:
Screensaver: set to slideshow after 5 minutes and resume on password protect.
Turn Off Monitor: After 5 minutes.
Turn Off HardDisk: After 10 minutes.
System Standby: After 15 minutes.
I've been using the above settings for both Plugged and on batteries. So, far, I haven't had the problem, and I think it is because of the RESUME ON PASSWORD PROTECT. Those of you who still have a problem, try setting a password and then chose resume on password protect.
Now, here's what happened last night. Same settings. I fell asleep. Computer went into Standby. I woke up this afternoon - 12 hours later, Computer is hot still, not cold nor room temperature. I press power button and nothing happens. It does NOT come out of standby. I press a few times. Nothing. I HAD TO HOLD DOWN THE BUTTON FOR A FEW SECONDS TO POWER DOWN/SHUTDOWN.
Same problem here when I tried to set the SS again yesterday...while working, no problems reported, computer would come and go out of Stand by..however...after being idle for 5 hrs It crashed just like eddie's...needed to hold power button as well to come out of the crash. There has to be a fix for this problem somewhere, but I wasn't able to find it yet..
It did it again today even with the screen saver set to "none". So even if turning the screen saver off reduces the frequency of the problem, the problem is still there at least for me. Even before seeing the graphics problem today, it's been locking up after about 24 hours of hibernating and standy. I have to press the on/off button to restart, so the effect is the same as the graphics problem. It occured today while browsing a web page.
Same problem as Zawy. I was in IE, typing an email, and it went blank again. Started blinking this time, the whole screen was red. I had to keep the power button pressed to restart. I have the screensaver turned off, and hadnt experienced this problme ever since, until a few minutes ago. So like zawy said, turning the screensaver off only seems to reduce the frequency of the problem, but the problem remains.
Given the experience of other list members, one of who had the problem even after the 700M was replaced, I am doubtful that a replacement will do any good. I am skeptical about sending it back to Dell for a repair. If any one has faced a similar problem (screen blinking and locking up even after turning the screensaver off, and locking up while working on it), do mail in.
I think there are 2 different problems here...one is the flick the other one is the crash (freeze black screen w/ blue line on the top..need to turn off holding power button) while coming out of or going in stand by..am I right ?
But both related to the screen saver...in my case I've turned it off and nothing happened ever since. Have a regular power setting for the past 3 days w/ ss off.
Well, I appear to be afflicted by this as well. I turned off my screen saver, and left my notebook on at my desk at work all day. No programs running... I look over after a couple hours and see the flicker. This makes me so angry!
I think the white-black screen flicker, all black, and black with various colored bars at the top are all the same lock-up. I get all 3 with screen saver off and various power setttings. It takes about a day on average for it to occur. I might also try it with IE always shut off. Twice it has tried to occur while using IE and shutting IE down solved the problem. Just a wild shot in the dark theory here: maybe when we turn off screen saver, we are less likely to leave applications open so it happens less.
I am looking into upgrading the video driver though and have found the following. Following the instructions in Intel's readme file with the driver it instructs you to locate the display adapters in the Device Manager. When I do so, I see "Intel(R) 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller" listed twice - one line on top of another. Is this normal? Maybe this is part of the problem(2 drivers installed or something, conflicting?). Anyhow, which do I select to update?
mboeira
16 Posts
0
August 29th, 2005 03:00
My screen saver is off...my power settings are stand by after 45 minutes (hibernates after 1hr) in batteries...stand by after 1 hour and hibernates after 6 (plugged in)...I had no problems since last night when I turned the SS off...Regarding the updates..I just had the modem drivers in the Hardware category (the intel was not there - I did a custom installation) which makes me think that I already have the fix you got...but I'll try to turn the SS on again tomorrow, so I can see what's going on after the new updates I downloaded..cheers..
PS: last time I had a crash...after the MS report I was told to download the windiag.iso to check the disk..I never did cos' I don't have the floppy for the start up...I'll try to do it tomorrow with an external floppy...I'll let you know..
Message Edited by mboeira on 08-28-2005 11:40 PM
eddie700m
9 Posts
0
August 29th, 2005 03:00
One was the Conexant modem download the the second was the Intel one.
Can you tell me what your power settings and screensaver settings are so that I can do the same to see if I still have the problem? So far, I turned on screensaver and nothing so far.
markkelm
191 Posts
0
August 29th, 2005 12:00
Message Edited by markkelm on 08-29-2005 08:42 AM
mboeira
16 Posts
0
August 29th, 2005 17:00
Message Edited by mboeira on 08-29-2005 09:24 PM
markkelm
191 Posts
0
August 30th, 2005 01:00
Unfortunately, that's the way it is - and the way it has been since I started visiting these forums in 1998. I might add that many of the long time members here are lightyears better at technical support than any official Dell technical support.
That being said, I was merely pointing out why you should not hold your breath waiting for or complaining about the lack of technical support from Dell in these forums.
Bye.
brdrg
4 Posts
0
August 30th, 2005 12:00
eddie700m
9 Posts
0
August 30th, 2005 17:00
My settings:
Screensaver: set to slideshow after 5 minutes and resume on password protect.
Turn Off Monitor: After 5 minutes.
Turn Off HardDisk: After 10 minutes.
System Standby: After 15 minutes.
I've been using the above settings for both Plugged and on batteries. So, far, I haven't had the problem, and I think it is because of the RESUME ON PASSWORD PROTECT. Those of you who still have a problem, try setting a password and then chose resume on password protect.
Now, here's what happened last night. Same settings. I fell asleep. Computer went into Standby. I woke up this afternoon - 12 hours later, Computer is hot still, not cold nor room temperature. I press power button and nothing happens. It does NOT come out of standby. I press a few times. Nothing. I HAD TO HOLD DOWN THE BUTTON FOR A FEW SECONDS TO POWER DOWN/SHUTDOWN.
I'm guessing it locked up?
Eddie
mboeira
16 Posts
0
August 30th, 2005 18:00
zawy
43 Posts
0
August 31st, 2005 01:00
shansingh
8 Posts
0
August 31st, 2005 22:00
mboeira
16 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2005 02:00
I think there are 2 different problems here...one is the flick the other one is the crash (freeze black screen w/ blue line on the top..need to turn off holding power button) while coming out of or going in stand by..am I right ?
But both related to the screen saver...in my case I've turned it off and nothing happened ever since. Have a regular power setting for the past 3 days w/ ss off.
Redhed97
20 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2005 02:00
zawy
43 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2005 02:00
With screen saver off and only monitor set to shut down, it still does it.
With screen saver off and only standby set to shut down, it still does it.
With screen saver off and only standby with 1200x768, it still does it.
With screen saver on and all power settings=never, it still does it.
I am now testing the video acceleration set to one click below max and "enable write combining" unchecked and hibernate only with screen saver off.
zawy
43 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2005 04:00
Redhed97
20 Posts
0
September 2nd, 2005 14:00