Wow!  You are having some major issues.  I wish I would have read this post before I bought two XPS 13!  Guess what, I am having the sames issues.  BSOD during reboots, after reboot, during idle.  Not just on one of the latop tops, but both of them.  I tried the latest nVidia driver, but it won't install.

Both systems are Vista 64-bit with ALL the latest drivers from Dell installed in the correct order.  On one of the machines I did a fress install of Vista 64-bit Ultimate and I have had all the same issues.

Someone please point us in the right direction, otherwise, will be foreced to return these systems due to instability.  We are using these system for software development and one is being used by the President of our company.  So, time is of the essence.

If we do return these systems, does anyone have recommendations on simular spec systems that are stable and capabile of running Vista 64-bit (we opted for the 8gb of ram)?

Thanks,

Rob

Hi Rob,

I know why mine always give me BSOD. I've tried to take out my RAM (I have 6GB, 4GB + 1GB), and leave only one slot filled, and it shows me that the cause of my problem was faulty RAM. My 4GB Hynix RAM was faulty, and Dell today will come to my house to replace to the new one. My advise to you, try this. Maybe you have test your RAM by using the Dell Utilites (CD or boot up utilities, Fn+Pwr). Me too and it shows me no problem! Meaning that that utilities is useless.

Hi,

I have ran the Dell utilities as well, but no reports of any bad hardware. 

Did the new RAM fix your problem?

I will contact Dell in the next day or so so for either on site support or to return both.  I expect better quality from Dell than this.  I have a M90 Precision laptop that runs great.

Thanks for your response!

-Rob

Hi,

The problem still occur. I have email Dell that I want a new system. Currently, I have to use my old Presario M2000. But this is much more reliable that XPS 1340. My XPS 1340 have 4GB+2GB RAM, is this ok with Core 2 Duo platform? I am afraid that having pair of RAM that have same capacity is mandatory. I chose 4GB+2GB RAM based on the options available on Dell website during the online purchasing. 4GB + 4GB is too expensive thats why I chose 4GB + 2GB. From my 1 month experience using Dell XPS 1340, there are much different when using 4GB and 6GB RAM.

Sometimes I feel like this problem is because of the NVidia GPU. I don't know, I'm not sure. When I installed the driver, the BSOD happen, randomly. But when I remove the driver, everything was fine. I can complete my driver and other software installation. Aaargghhh !! What is wrong, Dell? This is my first Dell system. Before this, I've purchased 2 laptops for my friends, and they are all fine.

I told Dell that if the BSOD happen in my new system, I will use my right to get full refund, 989 GBP that I've spent. Is this possible?

-RiZUaN~

I'm involved in programming. That's why I chose Dell XPS 1340 with DDR3. Anyone have suggestion a notebook that run on DDR3 ? I've found Sony which is too expensive, Fujitsu (good option, non-attractive design and quite expensive too compared to Dell XPS 1340). Does anyone know if HP/Compaq have notebook with DDR3 and 13" screen ?

-RiZUaN~

Hello Rob,

Maybe you want to try use the A03, v.178.75 of nVidia GPU driver from Dell. It works fine with me without blue screen, just try it. Maybe we have the faulty GPU. We, including 2 of your system, thats mean 3. Wow, is this just a coincidence or Dell is truly having a bad product. But, there are many people that have a perfect XPS 1340.

-Rizuan~

Hi,

I'm involved in programming as well.  That is why I bought two of these systems with the following pertinent specs:

• Intel Core 2 Duo P9600 (2.66GHz/1066Mhz FSB/6M L2 Cache)
• 8GB, DDR3, 1066 MHz 2 Dimm
• 13.3 Inch Wide Screen WXGA WLED Backlit LCD with 1.3 MP Camera, XPS 1340
• NVIDIA GeForce NB9M-GE - 256MB
• 256GB Dell High Performance Solid State Hard Drive, 2.5M
• Microsoft Windows Vista with SP1 64-bit

We wanted systems that where small, fast, and reliable.  They are difinitly not reliable.  At least from what I have seen.  I am in contact with Dell to return them both.

They are nice systems when they are not blue screening.  I seem to think it is something with the video drivers.  I tried a clean install of Vista 32-bit thinking it was a 64-bit OS issue.  I was wrong, same problems.  The video cards showes up in device manager as two video cards.  One is enabled; one not enabled.  I tried the latest nVidia driver from Dell.  Maybe an older driver will work?  I don't know.  I let nVidia scan the system for drivers - they said to get them from Dell b/c Dell customized them for my system - not very well I guess.

I'm in the same boat as you - if not the XPS 1340 then what is a good system?  Another Dell?  Maybe one from the Precision line?

Please anyone with some good advice please post, please!!!

-Rob

Hi Rob,

Yeap, no more if I use A03 version. But, I need the latest version since the latest could solve the heat issue. I am waiting for the email reply from Dell that I want a new system. I've wasted my time reformatting my system in many many times. I'm using 64-bit too. I've tried Home Premium and Business both are 64-bit. Both gave me the same BSOD problem. You should try download the latest BIOS. Dell has released A06 for BIOS. Me too think that this is because of bad GPU since I've replace my RAM. Or maybe faulty RAM slot or motherboard? Wooaa ... poor Dell.

U r welcome,

Rizuan

Hi Rizuan,

Dell killed my last post to this thread for some reason.  I did not use profantity or anything like that.  Mentioned M$ and and certain office product from M$ and a certain development enviornment from M$, but nothing they should have killed the thread over.  I guess it is Dell's progitive to kill threads if they want....

Edited Repost:

As a last resort I installed Vista 32-bit Ultimate and all of Dell's latest drivers in the recommended order.  I have 8 gb of RAM (2 dimms).  I removed 4gb (1 dimm) and am now waiting to see if the system crashed/BSOD.
Immediate results:

So far no blue screen.  Before RAM downgrade it would blue screen as soon as I logged into Vista.  I'm currently running the video in high performance mode.  I've a office product and am now syncing the email client.  After email client is synced and no blue screen.  I will install my development environment and see what happens.

I agree that is has to be memory issues and/or heat issues.  Both of the systems get very hot!  It has to be issue with the Video drivers and/or the Wireless card drivers corrupting memory and/or not able to handle more than 4 GB or memory.  Poor QA on Dell and/or driver vendors part that is wasting a lot of my time and my company's time.

I plan to send both systems back if I encounter any more blue screen.

How long have you had your system?  Over 21 days?  I think that is the return policy.  I bought mine throught Small Biz and when I talked to Dell tech he told me 21 day to return.

I will update this post later today with more memory downgrade test results.

I'm not a hardware guy, so if there is anyone out there who understands the results I have seen since downgrading the RAM to 4gb please post a reply.

-Rob

Well is it almost EOB here and no crashes and I did everything I could to make it blue screen.  Turned on Dream Scene in Vista did full HD scan and defrag.  Played a DVD while install OS updates.  Installed dev environment, service packs, and updates.

It is performing excellent as of now.

So, my feeling is that some of the drivers (either nVidia and/or Dell Wireless) are not compatible with Vista 32-bit or 64-bit when there is more than 4 GB of RAM.  I'm going to take the system home tonight and see if I can crash it while running VPN into office, Remote Desktop, and a certian M$ email client that is very resource intensive on the battery.

So, Dell please provide better drivers/bios to support Vista 64-bit and greater than 4 GB or RAM configs on this machine.

Hi Rob,

I've tried to run using 4GB and 2GB separately. 2GB runs well but not for the 4GB. That's why I request for RAM replacement before. After replacement, the problem still occured. I am totally have no idea. Whether the new RAM is faulty too, or I have a faulty DIMM slot. Too many assumptions I've been made including problematic nVidia driver. Tomorrow Dell engineer will call me. I hope I can get a new system. I've been used this notebook for more than 21 days. So, I can't get full refund. The only option that I have is continously bothering them in this 1 year warranty period.

Maybe you can try to use the other 4GB RAM that you have. If it is okay, that's mean Dell have a serious problem in Vista 64-bit with system that have more than 4GB RAM. Some other people faced the blue screen problem when switching from AC to DC (battery).

Hi Rob,

Dell will send their engineer tomorrow to replace my motherboard and harddrive. They suspect I have a faulty nVidia display adapter. Since it is soldered on to the motherboard, they will replace the motherboard too.

Will update to you here soon.

-Rizuan~

Man, I feel your pain!!!

The "remote office" testing went terrible with 4gb of RAM and Vista 32-bit once I started up VPN and the wireless connection.  Blue screens all over the place!  That was the end of the line for me.

This has been one of the most terrible purchasing experience I have ever had!!!  I hate to say never, but I will probably never purchase anything significant like this from Dell again.  Like I told my sales person...what if this was a mission critical server?  I would be in a whole heap of trouble!

Luckily I am able to return both of the machines I purchased for full credit.  Dell didn't even try to change my mind about returning them - not even a little.

I feel bad that you are not able to return your purchase.  Did you buy it on an AMEX card?  Maybe you can invoke the "lemon law" and sic AMEX on them?  If not AMEX maybe your credit card company has a similar policy.

At any rate, I wish you well.

-Rob

I have been having the same problem and Dell refused to issue me a full refund too. I'm going to try the A03 version of the video driver and see how it turns out. Thanks!