Constant Hard Drive Corruption - Inspiron 6000

Question

Over the past three days, I have been trying to get my father's new 15' Dell Inspiron 6000 up and running. The specs: Dell BIOS A09 Intel Pentium M 750 Intel Alviso-G i915GM chipset Intel 915GM graphics controller Hynix 512MB (1x512) DDR2 SDRAM Hitachi 80GB Travelstar 5K100 HDD SigmaTel STAC9751 AC'97 audio controller Broadcom BCM4401 fast ethernet controller Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG controller Conexant D110 MDC modem I am not new to formatting, doing one almost every month. But I've never been so frustrated as with this notebook. With a slipstreamed XP SP2 Pro disc, I have reformatted/reinstalled the OS seven times because the file system always gets corrupted every time I install the latest video driver for the 915GM graphics controller. I have used the Dell driver ( here) as well as the Intel one ( here). Both screw up the machine whether I install it first or after all the other drivers, and whether I use the Setup program or INF installation. Everything goes haywire: DCOM+ errors, ntfs is corrupt and unusable in Event Log, nothing happens when you start a program, can't open Task Manager, disk check on every start. When I go to Command Prompt and dir \WINDOWS\system32, it lists all the files until dpnwsck.dll and then stops with 'File Not Found.' However, everything runs smoothly without any video driver at 1680x1050! memtest86+ 1.65 yields nothing after 20 passes. There are no viruses. File system corruption occurs only after I put in the video driver. What the heck is happening?

GreyMack · Answer

Did you install the chipset driver before the video driver? GM

sblive · Answer

New drivers aren't always good. I would go with one that came on the driver disc.

windsor3 · Answer

Yes, I have always put in the chipset drivers before installing the video ones. I have also tried installing the older versions of the video driver, to no avail. If the drivers from the web site don't even work, what can I do?   I'm stuck. Should I call Dell and try to return the notebook?

windsor3 · Answer

The other thing that was strange is that the chipset drivers don't seem to install anything. This is with the ones from the Dell and Intel sites. The install breezes past to the restart prompt. There is no entry in Add/Remove Programs.   I have just discovered the presence of the driver disc within the stack of CD's. I will give it a shot... there goes another two hours. :smileysad:

windsor3 · Answer

@Ed C wrote:

I suggest you use the Dell supplied OS CD to do the install and then load the chipset drivers and video drivers and see what happens. IF you don't have the problems you are now dealing with then it is something on that slipstreamed CD, along with the video drives, that is causing the problem. And in that case YES it is a SOFTWARE problem. Dell only supports the supplied OS.

Thanks for your reply. The Inspiron came pre-installed with Windows XP Home SP2, which is also one of the CDs they gave me. I was under the impression that the CD contains only the operating system, with no third-party drivers included. Is it not what the driver CD is for?

Nonetheless, I'll give it a shot. More time lost. But I already have a bad feeling about this. :smileysad:

If it turns out the problem exists after installing from the supplied OS CD, what are my options?

windsor3 · Answer

No luck. :smileysad: :smileysad:   Using the Device Driver CD, I first installed the chipset drivers and then the video ones. Interestingly, the chipset drivers were very old, R86238 (6.1.0.1008). The video ones were as new as the ones on the site, R112732 (6.14.10.4410). After rebooting, the notebook started croaking yet again. Start Menu wouldn't come up, some DLL error when loading the System control panel, can't right-click on the task bar, corrupted MSFT, etc. Argh!   So my last resort is to send it back to Dell? I don't even know what to say. The issue is amorphous enough for me to claim it's a hardware problem but not to Dell since it relates to Windows. I can't be stuck here with no recourse, right? Message Edited by windsor3 on 02-01-2006 06:17 AM

Ed C · Answer

If you are using a NON Dell OS CD to install the OS, which it sounds like you are since you said you slipstreamed SP2, then that could be the problem. Dell may have included certain changes in there supplied OS to work around a hardware issue.   I suggest you use the Dell supplied OS CD to do the install and then load the chipset drivers and video drivers and see what happens. IF you don't have the problems you are now dealing with then it is something on that slipstreamed CD, along with the video drives, that is causing the problem. And in that case YES it is a SOFTWARE problem. Dell only supports the supplied OS.

GreyMack · Answer

Many third-party drivers were certified by MS for use with XP and included in the Windows XP CD, but some are not, such as those available from the Dell Support site.   I neglected to inquire earlier about the slipstreamed CD, but much customization is possible. Windows components and drivers can be removed, drivers, utilities, and applications can be added, and the result may not be widely compatible.     GM

windsor3 · Answer

Holy cow, it worked. :smileyindifferent:   I installed Dell XP Home SP2 -> Chipset Drivers from CD -> NSS -> Video Drivers, and no more problems.   Does this mean that Dell has deliberately made it difficult for people to install another OS? Are there specific patches in Dell XP Home they are not making available online? Is the system locked to the XP Home CD key? Are they trying to push me to buy XP Pro directly from them?   It's always been easy before: reformat and install drivers on virtually any computer. Now I will likely never buy a Dell product again. All that trouble. All that time was lost.   Thanks very much for everyone's help.   Message Edited by windsor3 on 02-01-2006 08:43 AM

Ed C · Answer

Not true. What it does mean is YOUR slipstreamed CD has something wrong with it or has some drivers/software loaded with it that is incompatible with the i6000. I have found that all Dell supplied OS CD are the exact same as any other OEM CD.

windsor3 · Answer

@Ed C wrote:
Not true. What it does mean is YOUR slipstreamed CD has something wrong with it or has some drivers/software loaded with it that is incompatible with the i6000. I have found that all Dell supplied OS CD are the exact same as any other OEM CD.

That is unlikely because I have used this slipstreamed CD throughout the year without problems. It is based off the official XP Pro Gold CD. Also, if some file was damaged, it should have been detected by the installer's checksum mechanism.

Ed C · Answer

Yeah OK whatever.

windsor3 · Answer

@Ed C wrote: Yeah OK whatever. What?

Ed C · Answer

Well your assumption that your Slipstreamed CD is just perfect and that Dell has somehow changed/added/omitted something in the supplied CD and or made the notebook in a way that only a Dell supplied OS will install on it doesn't ring true. There are many people and companies that install different OS's, and or corporate images, on that same model notebook and do not have the problems you had.

That leads me to think the problem is with your Slipstreamed CD . Just my opinion.

windsor3 · Answer

@Ed C wrote:

Well your assumption that your Slipstreamed CD is just perfect and that Dell has somehow changed/added/omitted something in the supplied CD and or made the notebook in a way that only a Dell supplied OS will install on it doesn't ring true. There are many people and companies that install different OS's, and or corporate images, on that same model notebook and do not have the problems you had.

That leads me to think the problem is with your Slipstreamed CD . Just my opinion.

I didn't make any assumptions or conclusions. Did you notice all those questions marks at the end of sentences? I still don't know what happened here. The only way to find out is to make another slipstream or find another OEM CD. But since I have used the current CD several times before, I find it highly unlikely that it's the problem.

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