I see that there is an updated Bios available now A10. I am seeing that this problem is evident on several other Dell Laptops also. I do not buy that the problem lies within the XP OS. It appears that Dell is the only manufacturer having these issues. I think that Dell needs to step up to the plate and address this issue. If I were a gambler I would bet on either bios or chipset problems.
Just updated the bios to A10 undocked. Still had no affect on the issue at hand. I just hope that one day I can use the port replicator as I had intended.
i have the exact same problem. everytime when i undock the laptop gets to sleep and when i wake up it hangs or gets so slow that you have to restart. and when i undock it says sometime that the system was unable to undock, because the device was in use and could not bee detached
Strange isn't it? It amazes me that I have called Dell on several occasions about this issue and have been told that the problem is in the operating system (Windows XP Pro). I contend that if indeed it was then other manufacturers would be having the same issues putting it to sleep and returning from that state. But alas they are not. Dell in my opinion is attempting to sweep this under the rug. Also had a tech support guy tell me that the simple fix to this is to not use the "undock" button and shutdown the laptop every time I want to undock. Well this totally defeats the reason I bought the port replicator in the first place. When used as it is designed it offers a way to quickly transend from a docked state to an undocked state. Shutting down and powering back up is not nearly as quick.
Silly me to expect something that I have paid for to function as intended.
Thank you for your posting. I have recently encountered this same issue and am becoming extremely frustrated. The I8200 was purchased at the beginning of this year and the undock feature had been functioning properly until back in April the laptop had a hard drive failure and Dell sent a replacement drive. I install the new hard drive and reloaded Windows XP, and since then the laptop does not come out of Stand By mode (locks up) while docked or after undocking. I have spent many hours on the phone with Dell, speaking with at least five different technicians, trying to resolve this issue but have not yet been successful.
Here is what I have tried: the most recent flash BIOS update, disabling everything on Startup in msconfig, running a repair of the OS (chkdsk /r), restoring the Last Known Good Configuration, completely reinstalling a fresh copy of Windows XP, and finally running a complete hardware diagnostic test (everything tested good).
I agree that the issue is definitely not with the Windows XP. Unfortunately, I do not have an answer, however I hope collectively we can come up with a solution in the near future.
I too have followed the exact same path you have. I haven't metioned it (at least I don't think I have), but I am an MCSE and I support a large number of users. Many with laptops and port replicators (IBM ThinkPads mainly) all using either Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Never have we had problems like this. If we did my job would be so much harder because like the consumer market, end users expect their hardware to function as designed. I have done fresh installs and documented what programs I have installed. After each install I would attempt to undock. I have had it fail from a fresh install with no other programs installed. I even went as far as installing a copy of Windows 2000 and had the same result. That is the reason that I contend that the OS theory does not hold water. I am beginning to feel that Dell has no intention of addressing the issue. I have quit calling tech support over the issue as I either get a different answer or am told it is a problem with the OS. Also I have been told on several occasions that the they are going to research the problem and will get back to me. I am still waiting to hear from any one of them. In my opinion a manufacturer is only as good as the post sale support. Nothing is perfect so effective support is so very vital. I am very happy with the performance of the machine but this port replicator issue appears to be its achillies heel.
Hopefully this issue has been solved. Your last post was quite sometime ago, if not maybe my experience will help solve the problem. I recently purchased a port replicator on E-bay. When I started to use my machine with the replicator it would hang when idle. I posted a few questions on the forum but none of the suggestions worked. Eventually this hanging problem became more severe and the system would hang almost immediately. Having decided I needed a new drive I got on Hitachi's web site. While on the site I saw a note about problems with hibernating laptop hard drives over thirty gigs. It said the problem was with XP and there was a patch on the Microsoft's site. The info came to late to save the data on my 48gig Travelstar. It became so unstable I could not use the machine. So I bought a new 60gig 7200rpm Hitachi and began reloading all my software. With nearly everything reloaded the patch seems to have cured all the problems with the machine hanging. I can now undock the machine and it will hibernate properly. Maybe you are suffering from the same problem? Let us know if it works.
Well no luck so far. I have just stopped looking as I just get frustrated. Where did you find the patch you talked about on the Microsoft site? I would be interested in trying it. Heck, at this point I will try anything.
what external hardware do you use? If you unplug all of them before undocking does it work? What if you remove all devices, delete both hardware profiles, and reboot? Don't plug in the devices yet- let it create the docked profile. Now, shutdown, undock, and boot undocked. Let it make that HW profile too. Now boot docked, and try undocked (all without adding any devices)
I suspect some 3rd party driver is hanging the suspend process.
Did you try the patch? It has cured my problem as long as there is no disk in my DVD drive. I think I have to change the BIOS boot order to correct that. Just discovered that problem today. Only time it has locked up since installing the patch.
Doc_X36
29 Posts
0
May 17th, 2003 16:00
You wouldn't happen to be using Kerio Personal Firewall would you?
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
May 17th, 2003 20:00
No I'm not. I am behind a hardware firewall and only use a software firewall while out on projects. When I do it is Zone Alarm Pro.
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
July 18th, 2003 03:00
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
July 22nd, 2003 23:00
Just updated the bios to A10 undocked. Still had no affect on the issue at hand. I just hope that one day I can use the port replicator as I had intended.
Thanks,
rhubschmid
1 Message
0
July 28th, 2003 14:00
Hi
i have the exact same problem. everytime when i undock the laptop gets to sleep and when i wake up it hangs or gets so slow that you have to restart. and when i undock it says sometime that the system was unable to undock, because the device was in use and could not bee detached
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
July 28th, 2003 16:00
Strange isn't it? It amazes me that I have called Dell on several occasions about this issue and have been told that the problem is in the operating system (Windows XP Pro). I contend that if indeed it was then other manufacturers would be having the same issues putting it to sleep and returning from that state. But alas they are not. Dell in my opinion is attempting to sweep this under the rug. Also had a tech support guy tell me that the simple fix to this is to not use the "undock" button and shutdown the laptop every time I want to undock. Well this totally defeats the reason I bought the port replicator in the first place. When used as it is designed it offers a way to quickly transend from a docked state to an undocked state. Shutting down and powering back up is not nearly as quick.
Silly me to expect something that I have paid for to function as intended.
hurkuski
1 Message
0
August 1st, 2003 15:00
Thank you for your posting. I have recently encountered this same issue and am becoming extremely frustrated. The I8200 was purchased at the beginning of this year and the undock feature had been functioning properly until back in April the laptop had a hard drive failure and Dell sent a replacement drive. I install the new hard drive and reloaded Windows XP, and since then the laptop does not come out of Stand By mode (locks up) while docked or after undocking. I have spent many hours on the phone with Dell, speaking with at least five different technicians, trying to resolve this issue but have not yet been successful.
Here is what I have tried: the most recent flash BIOS update, disabling everything on Startup in msconfig, running a repair of the OS (chkdsk /r), restoring the Last Known Good Configuration, completely reinstalling a fresh copy of Windows XP, and finally running a complete hardware diagnostic test (everything tested good).
I agree that the issue is definitely not with the Windows XP. Unfortunately, I do not have an answer, however I hope collectively we can come up with a solution in the near future.
Heather
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
August 1st, 2003 16:00
Thanks for your post Heather.
I too have followed the exact same path you have. I haven't metioned it (at least I don't think I have), but I am an MCSE and I support a large number of users. Many with laptops and port replicators (IBM ThinkPads mainly) all using either Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Never have we had problems like this. If we did my job would be so much harder because like the consumer market, end users expect their hardware to function as designed. I have done fresh installs and documented what programs I have installed. After each install I would attempt to undock. I have had it fail from a fresh install with no other programs installed. I even went as far as installing a copy of Windows 2000 and had the same result. That is the reason that I contend that the OS theory does not hold water. I am beginning to feel that Dell has no intention of addressing the issue. I have quit calling tech support over the issue as I either get a different answer or am told it is a problem with the OS. Also I have been told on several occasions that the they are going to research the problem and will get back to me. I am still waiting to hear from any one of them. In my opinion a manufacturer is only as good as the post sale support. Nothing is perfect so effective support is so very vital. I am very happy with the performance of the machine but this port replicator issue appears to be its achillies heel.
Eat
15 Posts
0
August 30th, 2003 02:00
Hopefully this issue has been solved. Your last post was quite sometime ago, if not maybe my experience will help solve the problem. I recently purchased a port replicator on E-bay. When I started to use my machine with the replicator it would hang when idle. I posted a few questions on the forum but none of the suggestions worked. Eventually this hanging problem became more severe and the system would hang almost immediately. Having decided I needed a new drive I got on Hitachi's web site. While on the site I saw a note about problems with hibernating laptop hard drives over thirty gigs. It said the problem was with XP and there was a patch on the Microsoft's site. The info came to late to save the data on my 48gig Travelstar. It became so unstable I could not use the machine. So I bought a new 60gig 7200rpm Hitachi and began reloading all my software. With nearly everything reloaded the patch seems to have cured all the problems with the machine hanging. I can now undock the machine and it will hibernate properly. Maybe you are suffering from the same problem? Let us know if it works.
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
August 30th, 2003 04:00
Hi Ed,
Well no luck so far. I have just stopped looking as I just get frustrated. Where did you find the patch you talked about on the Microsoft site? I would be interested in trying it. Heck, at this point I will try anything.
Cheers,
Eat
15 Posts
0
August 30th, 2003 12:00
Here is the address http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];331958. Check it out.
ryri
2 Intern
•
360 Posts
0
August 31st, 2003 05:00
Todd-
what external hardware do you use? If you unplug all of them before undocking does it work? What if you remove all devices, delete both hardware profiles, and reboot? Don't plug in the devices yet- let it create the docked profile. Now, shutdown, undock, and boot undocked. Let it make that HW profile too. Now boot docked, and try undocked (all without adding any devices)
I suspect some 3rd party driver is hanging the suspend process.
Eat
15 Posts
0
September 9th, 2003 02:00
Any luck with your machine?
Eat
15 Posts
0
September 9th, 2003 03:00
Did you try the patch? It has cured my problem as long as there is no disk in my DVD drive. I think I have to change the BIOS boot order to correct that. Just discovered that problem today. Only time it has locked up since installing the patch.
Message Edited by Eat on 09-08-2003 11:57 PM
n9xrg
8 Posts
0
September 9th, 2003 03:00