[tkonecny]

Recently my XPS has slowed down considerably, posting very slow benchmarks on 3Dmark2001 and Aquamark3. Also, the cooling fans run all the time, even when just sitting idle at the desktop.
The real problem is that I can't play CS:S anymore, causing me great duress. I used to get 40fps or better, has dropped to 9fps, even off-line playing.
The HJT log file looks okay to me, but maybe someone better qualified could look and see if there is something running that shouldn't be. Much thanks in advance.

Stats:
Dell Inspiron XPS 3.4GHz HT
1GB ram
Windows XP Pro SP2 installed


Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 5:31:55 PM, on 8/1/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wltrysvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\bcmwltry.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\DVDLauncher.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WLTRAY.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\BCMSMMSG.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\BacsTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Distillr\acrotray.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\mozilla.org\Mozilla\mozilla.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Todd M Konecny\Desktop\Device Data\Web_Programs\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.co....aspx?ln=en-us
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DVDLauncher] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\DVDLauncher.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Dell Wireless Manager UI] C:\WINDOWS\system32\WLTRAY
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BCMSMMSG] BCMSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [bacstray] BacsTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIModeChange] Ati2mdxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Acrobat Assistant.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Distillr\acrotray.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...?1108764790359
O20 - Winlogon Notify: NavLogon - C:\WINDOWS\system32\NavLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus Definition Watcher (DefWatch) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service (iPodService) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Lexar SG20 (LxrSG20s) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\LxrSG20s.exe
O23 - Service: SAVRoam (SavRoam) - symantec - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\SavRoam.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe
O23 - Service: Dell Wireless WLAN Tray Service (wltrysvc) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\wltrysvc.exe

[Rollin' Rog]

There is no malware in the Scanlog causing this. And while I might be inclined to suggest terminating all processes with a User Name except Explorer and testing -- I doubt it is going to make much difference.

Fans on Desktops normally run all the time, but I can't vouch for all of yours which I think Dell installs a whole bunch of on these systems.

Does that system have a temperature monitor? The only 3rd party freebee I know of that gives real time monitoring is not compatible with most Dell motherboards.

However Everest Home Edition does have a temperature sensor that you can access from within the program and might give some clues as to whether the system is overheating for some reason:

http://www.lavalys.com/products/down...ng=en&pageid=3

Some questions it would help to know:

Is it slow from the git-go, or does it slow down more as the system is on and used intensively?

Is it slow to bootup or open programs?

Are any Task Manager processes normally consuming high cpu cycles other than "system idle process"?

And just a side note -- since Dell claims to offer "elite" support for these units -- have you contacted them?

[tkonecny]

Rollin Rog,
Thank you 10^6 for the response. It was pretty much what I was expecting.

The computer seems to be slow pretty much fromt he git, not slow like noticeable when running Excel or anything simple, but inexcusabley slow when running something intensive such as high res games. As far as the fans being on, I don't recall them being on all of the time in the past. I did the bios hardware diagnostics and everything came out fine. I have also tried a clean system boot with nothing running and, although it is a bit faster, it still is not fast as it once was. I didn't purchase the software coverage so I hesitate to ask Dell for sftwre support. I think at this point I will just reinstall WinXP and see if that does anything.

[tkonecny]

Is it slow from the git-go, or does it slow down more as the system is on and used intensively?

Is it slow to bootup or open programs?

>It does not appear to be slower than normal to boot or open programs.

Are any Task Manager processes normally consuming high cpu cycles other than "system idle process"?

>System Idle appears to draw 99% continuosly

And just a side note -- since Dell claims to offer "elite" support for these units -- have you contacted them?

>See previous post

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I suppose it is possible that there has been some sort of update to the Steam game that has caused this, but that seems to me to be far fetched. Others would complain and the PC should be posting close to standard benchmarks. I'm stumped.

[Rollin' Rog]

Well, the point is it isn't necessarily software. Can you get a read on the temperature before and after doing something intensive which causes it to slow down.

I'm sure this is a Pentium processor, since that is all Dell ships, and those processors do ramp down when getting hot.

It might even be a display adapter problem -- those things can overheat too, but I don't know of any monitors for them.

Have you ensured that your game settings are the same as originally? And if you reinstalled or updated any Display drivers, it's possible that the driver settings may have changed from their Dell defaults as well.

By the way, I have a question about these systems: Is Dell supplying a Microsoft OEM system CD with these models, or are they putting everything on a hidden partition now?

[tkonecny]

Can you get a read on the temperature before and after doing something intensive which causes it to slow down.

>I will try to do so in the next couple hours, it might be nothing more than guessing the T using my hand, but...

I'm sure this is a Pentium processor, since that is all Dell ships, and those processors do ramp down when getting hot.

>It is a Pentium, and if you think that it could be related to T, I will open the fans and clean them, they are pumping out very warm air. I just played the game and it seemed to start okay-ish and then def got worse over time.

It might even be a display adapter problem -- those things can overheat too, but I don't know of any monitors for them.

>I'm guessing that the disp adapter is on the motherboard? The heat dissipation scheme for this laptop appears to be based on thermal transfer via a metal bar to the actual sinks that the fans are blowing directly across.

Have you ensured that your game settings are the same as originally? And if you reinstalled or updated any Display drivers, it's possible that the driver settings may have changed from their Dell defaults as well.

>It recommends to use an updated display driver (ATi Radeon 9700 Pro 128MB), but the ATi site says NOT to change drivers unless you are experiencing one the listed problems, which I'm not so I didn't update.

By the way, I have a question about these systems: Is Dell supplying a Microsoft OEM system CD with these models, or are they putting everything on a hidden partition now?[/quote]

>My system came with a CD and I have reinstalled XP almost from the git (after which things worked better than delivered). To me, this appears to be a fantastic machine with many great things that it can do. i got mine through the refurbished Dell site, so I don't know for a fact that spankin new ones come with a CD or not. Thanks again for the reply. Do you bike?

[Rollin' Rog]

Aha, I wasn't aware that it was a laptop. And of course the display adapter would have to be integrated on the mobo. I didn't know they could put a Radeon 9700 pro there -- that's what I have on my Dimension 8200.

What is the current driver version your Radeon is using? The thing is ATI creates new drivers about once a month. They tend to optimize them for the latest games and correct some bugs on the older ones. Sometimes newer drivers work better than older ones for what you play, sometimes not.

The last time I updated was to Catalyst 4.6 -- which works well enough for my offline play -- mostly UT2004.

Anyway, as I mentioned that freebee Everest program is a gem if you want to install it -- it is a much better system information utility than msinfo32 -- and it will take the system temp for you -- check the "Computer > Sensor" section.

There are some "laptop coolers" you can buy -- I have no idea whether they are really effective, but the laptop sits on them and they are supposed to provide some additional thermal convection or cooling.

Bike, you bet. Haven't owned a car since 83

As Mark Twain said: "Ride a bike, if you live -- you'll never regret it!"

[tkonecny]

Well, you got me thinking about the temperature thing, and I flipped over the laptop, pulled off the covers and cleaned out a fair amount of blockage from the fan egresses. And I have to say that things are pretty much back to normal, but, not as fast as I would like (~22fps, when some people claim to be getting >60fps). SO, I'm going to take a chance with the driver updates, and if that doesn't satisfy, I might try to get the 256MB card for the XPS. Do you think that will make the difference between 22 and 60fps or so? Thanks again for the help.
I spent 5 days two weeks ago mtbiking in Flagstaff, Az, unbelievable, then a weekend in Breckinridge, then last weekend in Crested Butte, the latter being the best singletrack I've ever been on, what a beautiful place that is.

Mr. Twain also said, "When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Kentucky, they're ten years behind the times anyways..."

[Rollin' Rog]

I would expect the extra memory to help -- but I'm no expert in this area -- I didn't even know you could do that with a laptop. Do you install it in the pcmcia slot or direct to the motherboard?

I wouldn't necessarily believe what others are claiming. In any case they are probably not running from a laptop which is always going to be a bit more heat challenged than a desktop.

With the few Ati driver updates that I've done I've never had a problem, but if you don't like the results you can "roll back" the driver using the properties page in the Device Manger. You don't have to uninstall and reinstall or use System Restore. Although I'm not sure whether this method replaces the "Control Panel" application ATI uses and that might have to be reverted separately.

Good quote from Twain, you can always count on him for some droll humor

PS: I was just looking in the Gaming forum -- and you might be right about "Steam":

http://forums.techguy.org:80/showthr...28#post2829528

[sapuddy]

This is a heat issue. The long short of it is the processor in the gen 1 is a prescott running at 20c hotter than the original Northwood processor. It is causing the fans to run on high constantly. They then pack the heat sinks solid with lint and dust. When the machine gets too hot the video goes to heck, along with the rest of the machine. Remove the two fan covers at the bottom rear of the machine. Very simple to do. Once the fans are removed, use canned air to blow through the rear slot on the back of the computer. This will blow the dust out of the machine.(do this outside). Replace the fans and your immediate problem should be solved. Note, Dell will tell you removing the fans will void the warrenty. Go to the above forum and read. I did. It was very insiteful.

There is a community forum you can visit that will be very helpful. Unfortunatly it won't post since I am new to this site. E-mail me and I will send you the link.

jprutzman@satx.rr.com

[tkonecny]

Thank you for the reply! That is exactly what the problem was. I didn't think to check the sinks right off because I haven't used the laptop in a dusty environment, but, yes, I opened the fan covers and there was blockage across the front of the cooling fins. It leaves me to wonder if the overall speed of the processor is compromised by the cooling arrangement... Makes me want to make some kind of add on heat sink that the laptop body sits on to aid in cooling. I already keep the power supply (about the size of a brick) on an anodized heatsink to help it out heat wise. The laptop is fast, but I think that it should be faster based on its specs.

[sapuddy]

Go to the dell web site. Type in XPS Inspiron Video Lag. There is a 26 page community forum all about this. There is a problem with the Prescott processor. Many people have this problem. There is talk of a law suite.

[sapuddy]

For those of you who might be following the XPS lag problem, I have been kicked off of the Dell forum for suggesting that Dell have a recall. I also posted the website for lawyers who are looking into Dells lack of interest in solving the problems of 9100/XPS gen 1 owners. Dells service is the pits. I hope anyone else having these problems can help all of us to get this resolved.

[phactory]

Originally Posted by sapuddy

Go to the dell web site. Type in XPS Inspiron Video Lag. There is a 26 page community forum all about this. There is a problem with the Prescott processor. Many people have this problem. There is talk of a law suite.

I was not able to find any referance to "XPS Inspiron Video Lag" on the dell site at all.

I have an XPS Inspiron P4 3.4 gHz, with the ATI 256MB video, a gig of ram and my P3 runs as fast with half the ram! It seemed to run fin the first month, but when I started to install software on it it would just slow to a halt. I offten get less than 1 FPS in doom3 when there are lots of action and my WoW cralls to a halt. If I try to reboot it does nothing at all so I assume it's heat related. When it does finnaly boot up after about 5 minutes, I get the error code:M1004.

I have the latest drivers, bios A06 and am at my wits end. I'd hate to waste a day or two with dell tech support. They are the worst of any tech support I've had to deal with except maybe AOL's.


What is the about a class action suit and where can I get more info about this?

Thanks in advance!

[sapuddy]

Here is the thread line. If you google Dell Inspiron XPS Problems, you will also find a link.

And here is the link:
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor...ending&page=32

Here is the thread line:

Forum Home > Home and Home Office Systems > Inspiron > Video > XPS Lag problems

sapuddy