Dell: The laptop from hell - Dell Vostro 1710
3 computers to date
by solitairedaxel - 7/13/09 10:04 AM In reply to: Bargepole. by R. Proffitt
I've had 3 computers in the past 9 years - a Toshiba, a HP and now a Dell.
The problems vary.
I did try VLC player for the music but it can't read my playlists. I nearly always play music from playlists.
Previously (before XP reinstall) had iTunes on there, which was just as bad as WMP but took about 24 hours longer to import the library.
Re hangs
by solitairedaxel - 7/13/09 10:06 AM In reply to: About WMP. by R. Proffitt
If it was one particular track, playlist, artist etc that was causing a problem, I'd remove it.
So far it's shown up on no fewer than 4 different artists, 3 playlists and multiple tracks.
I am going to assume that for some totally obscure reason, this laptop hates WMP and/or vice versa.
I'll have a look at alternative players. I need to be able to listen to things without the player causing the computer to hang.
WMP and I.
by R. Proffitt - 7/13/09 12:10 PM
In reply to: Re hangs by solitairedaxel
Have a long history. I learned years ago to avoid this item as MSFT continued to add more and more baggage. Somewhere at 6.4 the poor thing would task the CPU of just about any machine so it had to find a replacement.
If I need playlists I use Winamp and iTunes. Yes, iTunes had some issues here and there but nothing like WMP's history.
Oh, and no matter which one you use ALWAYS be on the lookout for any "rename and rearrange my files for me" setting. You can believe this one has too many people asking "Where are my files?"
Bob
PS. In closing go look at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=codec+sniper I've found that foreign codecs can wreck havoc on WMP.
Duly noted
by solitairedaxel - 7/13/09 2:38 PM In reply to: WMP and I. by R. Proffitt
Am checking the link and I'll try WinAmp.
WinAMP did the trick
by solitairedaxel - 7/20/09 9:26 PM In reply to: WMP and I. by R. Proffitt
However my media buttons don't work with it.
As the Vostro had hysterics because I was asking it to have two problems open while the anti-virus was updating, it ended up being unable to boot into Windows and actually stay unhung in Windows for longer than a couple of minutes. The only way to do it was boot in safe mode. Obviously, it's impractical to permanently run a computer in safe mode.
I consulted with Dell support and they said to run the diagnostics, which I did and it said I was imagining things and the Vostro was working fine.
So I went with a complete format (which is a joke, as when I try to completely format the slow way, it gets to 36% and then hangs). After doing the quick format, I reinstalled Windows and everything was okay. At first.
Installed Dell drivers, updated, installed security software, did the scans etc. No problem.
I then installed the mouse driver (the Dell driver disc supplies two; not sure why but one powers the mouse and the other lets you adjust the settings) and set up Windows Media Player, and made a minor change to the fingerprint software.
A few minutes later, I'm copying files in the background and I start editing a Word document. Big mistake.
Two hangs later, here I am again.
Apparently this Vostro cannot multitask. At all. You can't even play music and read a Word document at the same time.
I have pretty well summed this all up in my email to the Dell support person I was "chatting" to on Friday. Sounds like they don't have a clue what's wrong with it either, as their advice was to reinstall Windows!
The sad thing is, my dad's 11-year-old Toshiba, even with its habit of cutting out whenever it overheats, is actually more reliable and better at multitasking than this Vostro. It can actually have three programs open plus play music.
This has seriously put me off the Dell XPS M1730, which was the one I originally wanted. I'm now looking at other manufacturers. It might be that this is the only Dell laptop ever made that can't multitask, but I'm not taking any chances.
If anyone has any suggestions - I'm after at least 2.0GHz, 2GB memory, 17" screen and a number pad. I'd prefer a fingerprint scanner but it isn't a necessity. I'd also prefer it if the headphone jack wasn't at the front.
", it gets to 36% and then hangs)."
by R. Proffitt - 7/21/09 4:52 AM
In reply to: WinAMP did the trick by solitairedaxel
That's a clue. Not conclusive but can point to bad hard disk or heat issues. How long since this unit has been to the shop?
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