Only because sometimes problems of this nature arise from the simplest little things I ask:
What does your Windows Update scheme look like
Have you downloaded ALL available updates
are you scheduled to receive recommended updates the same way you receive critical updates
Have you made the jump to Microsoft Update (the option on the windows update page below the progress bar)
Once you install Microsoft Update it behaves the same way as Windows Update except that it's more thorough and covers some important hardware issues. Frequently this step will iron out some of the most obscure and difficult problems.
If this information was helpful please remember to hit the YES button and if you need further assistance don't hesitate to contact
Critical updates are applied automatically. We do not allow automatic installation of all recommended updates, because we don't want the installation of new programs (like Bing Desktop.)
However during my troubleshooting steps with individuals who have these machines, I have installed all optional updates that might be relevant, including any hardware-related updates, .NET platform updates, and any updates that are described as resolving a problem.
Hi NCHOSTMASTER, I am experiencing the exact symptoms on my e5420 - Wn 7 64 and have run out of any ideas. Only possible problem I suspect is that the cach must be giving problems??
Access your task manager and select the Processes tab. In the bottom of the Task manager with the Processes tab open click "View processes from all users." What is the CPU usage percentage (an average over 5 mins would be fine as long as it's when you're experiencing the problem. If you notice a particular process or set of processes tying up the system we can address them in a couple ways. Screenshots would be nice if you can post them. Here are a few ways to isolate a resource intensive process.
Selective startup: from the Start Menu in the Search Bar type MSCONFIG. and select the startup tab. this will allow you to manage which programs are set to start with windows.
Delay Start: From Administrative tools on the Services Tab you can right click on processes found to be resource intensive and change the startup type (Automatic, Delayed, Manual, Disabled)
Uninstall if unnecessary: In this scenario it is important to be certain of what program a process is running from and be careful to pay attention to shared processes. Windows does a fair job managing shared processes but it's best to keep an eye on that automatic feature.
For Programs that compile their own libraries from media and files already on the computer such as iTunes and Cyberlink PowerDVD, The "scan for media files can take a LONG time for expansive libraries and use a HIGH cpu priority to do so. DivX Media server (a feature of the DivX package) rus ALL THE TIME...so does Cyberlink PowerDVD and you can disable those from processes if you don't need them. If you require these resource intensive services it may be a good idea to run them from a dedicated machine, or a system with more resources / cpu overhead.
If you need help with any of these proceedures please let me know by providing the requested details and I'll be happy to assist.
Hello, We are having the same issue with our Dell computers, various models, mostly new, all Windows 7 64-bit. It started approximately April 17th. We have not found resolution yet and were curious if you had?
We do not allow automatic installation of all recommended updates, because we don't want the installation of new programs (like Bing Desktop.)
Recommended updates are separate from Optional Updates. Optional updates appear in a separate category and must be selected from that Window. They do not install automatically and there is no Windows Update Setting that allows this. So for things like Bing Bar I know exactly what you mean I hate that update and it unhides itself from time to time in my Optional updates. The Optional updates list is short enough to review every time they turn up so no worries there.
In the meantime I advise that you enable "Get Recommended Updates the same way I receive critical updates." Run Windows Update a few times and pay attention to those Optionals. Hardware Updates provided there should in the majority of cases just be installed. If you have reason to believe these updates will create HW/SW conflicts, talk to your IT proffessional about deploying an update strategy that accommodates those specific requirements. (I assume this is an office environment by use of the word "We" in your previous post.)
Thanks for joining this discussion. It prompted me to conduct a little more in-depth research on the problem at-large.
I do NOT have hands on capability with the E6 or E5 series Dell Lattitudes from 2011 but here's what I've discovered.
There was, at the time of E6 and E5 series' releases, apparently some performance issues with the Intel Chipsets supporting them. That said. I think it would be advantageous to UPDATE THE CHIPSET DRIVER. (see link below)
Optimally this is done immediately after a clean installation of Windows and before other drivers and updates are added. That is NOT to say that you won't benefit from an In-Place driver update. To the contrary you and the rest of the participants in this thread may find this is the cannonball that kills the fly.
The very simplest way to conduct an in-place chipset driver update is by visiting the Intel Driver Update Utility page (click on my blue link) and authorize the installation of the Resource Labs applet so the utility can identify your configuration and recommend any updates or upgrades to a variety of Intel Core Components. Since you're there already, you might just install any updates the utility identifies as necessary unless otherwise indicated by your IT guy (if you have one) or system administrator (which in this case might be you.)
If this turns out to be "The cure for what ails ya" Please be kind enough to come back and verify the answer so I can edit the search tags and others will be able to easily find this thread and know that it's been resolved.
Hi, I have had my dell e6520 freezing for years. Freezing in the sense that keyboard, mouse don't work and screen still displays all open windows etc, requires hold of power button to turn off. As I am an Automation Engineer I have a lot of packages installed on My PC, was running Windows 7 32 bit. I thought upgrading to Windows 8.1 64 bit and installing an additional 4Mb of dell ram all would be good, (now have 8Gb). Alas I am still facing the same issue although now I use VM Ware so I don't have much installed on my PC, install all my Automation software on Virtual Machines. I don't use them much but now when my computer freezes it doesn't take as long to reboot. Computer will freeze randomly, with no prior warning, no common application running, just random. My colleague also has the same laptop and has the same problem.
I've been out on vacation, glad to see some discussion of this issue when I came back.
Regarding the recommended updates versus optional updates, my experience is that the Bing toolbar and various other updates were all categorized as "optional" so I did some tests.
If you turn on the "Give me recommended updates" option then it behaves as you describe, however if this option is turned off, then ALL of these updates are categorized as optional updates. An unfortunate decision on Microsoft's part to make this so confusing.
Since I've been burned before by the "optional/recommended" updates I'm reluctant to turn it on across our domain just as a test, however I have manually applied all recommended updates to a couple of the affected computers in our environment and I'm waiting for results.
Correct, as I said when you select "give me recommended updates the same way I receive critical updates." Recommended updates are handled by Window Update as if they were critical, which is a good idea. That means if you "Notify Me of Available Updates but let me choose which ones to download" the Recommended updates with be in that list. This applies to however you have Window Update set so long as that box is checked.
As for Optional updates some are actually secuity related and you can always click the Knowledge base link in the Update Description if you need more specifics, at which point you would decide if you need to deploy a particular Optional update on your network.
The real emphasis of my previous post was that Intel Chipset update that I linked. It's very user friendly and requires only that you navigate to the site, allow it to seach for versions and then expand the resluts and decide whether or not to click the "Download" button if they become available after the scan. all said and told it takes less than 5 minutes. I'll be looking forward to the results of your trial run with this and your new update settings.
I also have 5 late 2011 Dell E6520 laptops that have been getting very sluggish over time. I just ran the Intel Utility and updated as suggested but the same odd slow performance is still there. I have ran various benchmarks and have not yet pinpointed the issue over the last year. This is using either fresh or mature Windows 7 Enterprise installs with all updates.
On three of these I simply added 512GB SSD's and 16GB of ram. But still sometimes Firefox will stutter when typing things or MS Word will not launch for awhile.
It sometimes seems related to the graphics (Nvidia Optimus in use) as the fan in the laptiops will ramp up when the laptop is showing animation and at other times I think it could be the HDD controller hanging up. We use McAfee VirusScan Enterprise, it does make a noticeable diffrence on these machines more than the usual system but not to much.
I have experienced what seems like this issue on two E6520 laptops with i5 processors running the Linux Mint live image for installing Mint version 18 (booted off the USB port.) Both laptops running BIOS version A19, which is the latest version at this time. In my troubleshooting I found this issue continues to happen despite removing the hard drive, cdrom drive, and despite switching from a low quality USB 2.0 thumb drive as the boot device to a high quality USB 3.0 thumb drive.
This issue seems to be the same as what is discussed here:
My preliminary testing indicates that the solution may be as simple as ... choosing the option of "Load Defaults" in the BIOS. When you choose this option, you will also be asked if you want to allow the SATA Operation to be changed. I suggest selecting "NO" for the SATA Operation change. Then press "Apply" to confirm the "Load Defaults" command.
As far as I can tell, there is no specific setting or combination of settings in the BIOS which causes this issue. That is to say, I am so far not able to replicate this issue after choosing to "Load Defaults" despite the fact that I have set all the BIOS settings back to what they were before choosing to "Load Defaults." Therefore, I think that "Load Defaults" may be clearing up some corruption in the BIOS settings. If this is the case, then it is in theory possible that the BIOS corruption happened due to an upgrade of the BIOS, or a low NVRAM battery.
(It should be noted that in some architectures, it's normal for settings to be 'corrupt' after flashing to a new BIOS version, and therefore a "factory default reset" is recommended. I can't say if this might be the case with any Dell laptops or not.)
A low NVRAM battery can be tricky in some laptops because it may not cause problems until the main battery is removed from the laptop which leaves the NVRAM totally dependent on the NVRAM battery.
I have tested for several hours after loading defaults, with no further crashes. Before loading defaults, I would get at least a couple crashes per hour while doing nothing more than navigating the GUI.
I will update this comment if I find any new info or any info which contradicts my preliminary experience so far.
I noticed the E6520 drivers are not updated anymore so I downloaded the newest dell touchpad drivers for the latitude E7250. When i ran the setup i picked extract. In device manager I went to the allrteady installed driver , clicked on update. Then "let me pick from a list of devices on my computer' I browsed to the location of the newer extracted driver. Installed it and poof. Gone problems :-).
N7U
615 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2014 16:00
Hi NCHOSTMASTER,
Only because sometimes problems of this nature arise from the simplest little things I ask:
Once you install Microsoft Update it behaves the same way as Windows Update except that it's more thorough and covers some important hardware issues. Frequently this step will iron out some of the most obscure and difficult problems.
If this information was helpful please remember to hit the YES button and if you need further assistance don't hesitate to contact
NCHostMaster
1 Rookie
•
13 Posts
0
April 24th, 2014 08:00
We do use Microsoft Update.
Critical updates are applied automatically. We do not allow automatic installation of all recommended updates, because we don't want the installation of new programs (like Bing Desktop.)
However during my troubleshooting steps with individuals who have these machines, I have installed all optional updates that might be relevant, including any hardware-related updates, .NET platform updates, and any updates that are described as resolving a problem.
andrevh
1 Message
1
April 24th, 2014 13:00
Hi NCHOSTMASTER, I am experiencing the exact symptoms on my e5420 - Wn 7 64 and have run out of any ideas. Only possible problem I suspect is that the cach must be giving problems??
N7U
615 Posts
0
April 24th, 2014 15:00
Hi NCHOSTMASTER,
Sounds like you're managing your updates well.
Access your task manager and select the Processes tab. In the bottom of the Task manager with the Processes tab open click "View processes from all users." What is the CPU usage percentage (an average over 5 mins would be fine as long as it's when you're experiencing the problem. If you notice a particular process or set of processes tying up the system we can address them in a couple ways. Screenshots would be nice if you can post them. Here are a few ways to isolate a resource intensive process.
Selective startup: from the Start Menu in the Search Bar type MSCONFIG. and select the startup tab. this will allow you to manage which programs are set to start with windows.
Delay Start: From Administrative tools on the Services Tab you can right click on processes found to be resource intensive and change the startup type (Automatic, Delayed, Manual, Disabled)
Uninstall if unnecessary: In this scenario it is important to be certain of what program a process is running from and be careful to pay attention to shared processes. Windows does a fair job managing shared processes but it's best to keep an eye on that automatic feature.
For Programs that compile their own libraries from media and files already on the computer such as iTunes and Cyberlink PowerDVD, The "scan for media files can take a LONG time for expansive libraries and use a HIGH cpu priority to do so. DivX Media server (a feature of the DivX package) rus ALL THE TIME...so does Cyberlink PowerDVD and you can disable those from processes if you don't need them. If you require these resource intensive services it may be a good idea to run them from a dedicated machine, or a system with more resources / cpu overhead.
If you need help with any of these proceedures please let me know by providing the requested details and I'll be happy to assist.
compsos
1 Rookie
•
18 Posts
0
May 1st, 2014 09:00
N7U
615 Posts
0
May 1st, 2014 19:00
Correction. Same problem different intended thread. but all else but the IT Guy recommendation is the same. Sorry for the confusion.
N7U
615 Posts
0
May 1st, 2014 19:00
Recommended updates are separate from Optional Updates. Optional updates appear in a separate category and must be selected from that Window. They do not install automatically and there is no Windows Update Setting that allows this. So for things like Bing Bar I know exactly what you mean I hate that update and it unhides itself from time to time in my Optional updates. The Optional updates list is short enough to review every time they turn up so no worries there.
In the meantime I advise that you enable "Get Recommended Updates the same way I receive critical updates." Run Windows Update a few times and pay attention to those Optionals. Hardware Updates provided there should in the majority of cases just be installed. If you have reason to believe these updates will create HW/SW conflicts, talk to your IT proffessional about deploying an update strategy that accommodates those specific requirements. (I assume this is an office environment by use of the word "We" in your previous post.)
N7U
615 Posts
0
May 1st, 2014 21:00
Hi SLOWMAN621,
Thanks for joining this discussion. It prompted me to conduct a little more in-depth research on the problem at-large.
I do NOT have hands on capability with the E6 or E5 series Dell Lattitudes from 2011 but here's what I've discovered.
There was, at the time of E6 and E5 series' releases, apparently some performance issues with the Intel Chipsets supporting them. That said. I think it would be advantageous to UPDATE THE CHIPSET DRIVER. (see link below)
Optimally this is done immediately after a clean installation of Windows and before other drivers and updates are added. That is NOT to say that you won't benefit from an In-Place driver update. To the contrary you and the rest of the participants in this thread may find this is the cannonball that kills the fly.
The very simplest way to conduct an in-place chipset driver update is by visiting the Intel Driver Update Utility page (click on my blue link) and authorize the installation of the Resource Labs applet so the utility can identify your configuration and recommend any updates or upgrades to a variety of Intel Core Components. Since you're there already, you might just install any updates the utility identifies as necessary unless otherwise indicated by your IT guy (if you have one) or system administrator (which in this case might be you.)
If this turns out to be "The cure for what ails ya" Please be kind enough to come back and verify the answer so I can edit the search tags and others will be able to easily find this thread and know that it's been resolved.
SlowMan621
1 Message
0
May 1st, 2014 21:00
NCHostMaster
1 Rookie
•
13 Posts
0
May 8th, 2014 10:00
I've been out on vacation, glad to see some discussion of this issue when I came back.
Regarding the recommended updates versus optional updates, my experience is that the Bing toolbar and various other updates were all categorized as "optional" so I did some tests.
If you turn on the "Give me recommended updates" option then it behaves as you describe, however if this option is turned off, then ALL of these updates are categorized as optional updates. An unfortunate decision on Microsoft's part to make this so confusing.
Since I've been burned before by the "optional/recommended" updates I'm reluctant to turn it on across our domain just as a test, however I have manually applied all recommended updates to a couple of the affected computers in our environment and I'm waiting for results.
N7U
615 Posts
0
May 8th, 2014 11:00
Hi NCHostMaster,
Hope you had a pleasant vacation.
Correct, as I said when you select "give me recommended updates the same way I receive critical updates." Recommended updates are handled by Window Update as if they were critical, which is a good idea. That means if you "Notify Me of Available Updates but let me choose which ones to download" the Recommended updates with be in that list. This applies to however you have Window Update set so long as that box is checked.
As for Optional updates some are actually secuity related and you can always click the Knowledge base link in the Update Description if you need more specifics, at which point you would decide if you need to deploy a particular Optional update on your network.
The real emphasis of my previous post was that Intel Chipset update that I linked. It's very user friendly and requires only that you navigate to the site, allow it to seach for versions and then expand the resluts and decide whether or not to click the "Download" button if they become available after the scan. all said and told it takes less than 5 minutes. I'll be looking forward to the results of your trial run with this and your new update settings.
hotdogah
1 Message
0
May 28th, 2014 17:00
I also have 5 late 2011 Dell E6520 laptops that have been getting very sluggish over time. I just ran the Intel Utility and updated as suggested but the same odd slow performance is still there. I have ran various benchmarks and have not yet pinpointed the issue over the last year. This is using either fresh or mature Windows 7 Enterprise installs with all updates.
On three of these I simply added 512GB SSD's and 16GB of ram. But still sometimes Firefox will stutter when typing things or MS Word will not launch for awhile.
It sometimes seems related to the graphics (Nvidia Optimus in use) as the fan in the laptiops will ramp up when the laptop is showing animation and at other times I think it could be the HDD controller hanging up. We use McAfee VirusScan Enterprise, it does make a noticeable diffrence on these machines more than the usual system but not to much.
x84
1 Message
2
January 15th, 2017 21:00
[solved?]
Hello,
I have experienced what seems like this issue on two E6520 laptops with i5 processors running the Linux Mint live image for installing Mint version 18 (booted off the USB port.) Both laptops running BIOS version A19, which is the latest version at this time. In my troubleshooting I found this issue continues to happen despite removing the hard drive, cdrom drive, and despite switching from a low quality USB 2.0 thumb drive as the boot device to a high quality USB 3.0 thumb drive.
This issue seems to be the same as what is discussed here:
bugs.launchpad.net/.../1580692
My preliminary testing indicates that the solution may be as simple as ... choosing the option of "Load Defaults" in the BIOS. When you choose this option, you will also be asked if you want to allow the SATA Operation to be changed. I suggest selecting "NO" for the SATA Operation change. Then press "Apply" to confirm the "Load Defaults" command.
As far as I can tell, there is no specific setting or combination of settings in the BIOS which causes this issue. That is to say, I am so far not able to replicate this issue after choosing to "Load Defaults" despite the fact that I have set all the BIOS settings back to what they were before choosing to "Load Defaults." Therefore, I think that "Load Defaults" may be clearing up some corruption in the BIOS settings. If this is the case, then it is in theory possible that the BIOS corruption happened due to an upgrade of the BIOS, or a low NVRAM battery.
(It should be noted that in some architectures, it's normal for settings to be 'corrupt' after flashing to a new BIOS version, and therefore a "factory default reset" is recommended. I can't say if this might be the case with any Dell laptops or not.)
A low NVRAM battery can be tricky in some laptops because it may not cause problems until the main battery is removed from the laptop which leaves the NVRAM totally dependent on the NVRAM battery.
I have tested for several hours after loading defaults, with no further crashes. Before loading defaults, I would get at least a couple crashes per hour while doing nothing more than navigating the GUI.
I will update this comment if I find any new info or any info which contradicts my preliminary experience so far.
x84
Johan_Aelbrecht
1 Message
1
March 18th, 2017 05:00
My solution after updating bios etc etc.
I noticed the E6520 drivers are not updated anymore so I downloaded the newest dell touchpad drivers for the latitude E7250. When i ran the setup i picked extract. In device manager I went to the allrteady installed driver , clicked on update. Then "let me pick from a list of devices on my computer' I browsed to the location of the newer extracted driver. Installed it and poof. Gone problems :-).