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Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

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Latest post 11/13/2007 12:47 PM by Wen1990. 3 replies.
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Joined on 11/13/2007
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Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

13 Nov 2007 12:47PM
Hey everybody -
I'm very much hoping somebody has some suggestions for me: My new Inspiron 1520 doesn't work properly with Vista. All processes "halt" for about a minute in changing intervalls (ca. 10-15 minutes), then everything keeps going just fine. Mouse keeps working  during this, but all actions are only followed after those 1-2 minutes. Taskmanager also doesn't open until afterwards.
Sometimes everything also freezes up and upon trying to open the taskmanager the screen goes black (sometimes with cursor, sometimes without) and shows error message after a while: "Error - Security options". Pressing "quit" nothing happens until (as described above) everything starts working again.
When updating (via microsoft) didn't work, I rebooted the whole thing from CD (without actually reinstalling) - now updates work, but the halting of the system has increased to every couple of minutes. Also, the pre-installed McAffee refused to work; have uninstalled it now (possible conflict with anything?) but no change with the halting.
CPU seems fine at around 7-10%.  I have 2GB ram, btw and Vista confirmed the system is well capable to manage (compatibility etc. was 4.something). Systemchecks during startup also brought no results.
 
Any ideas? I looked through the Dell-sites and googled. Is this a known problem? Due to Vista or maybe more likely hardware?
I very much appreciate your help, thanks a lot! - S
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3 Replies:

Joined on 10/28/2007
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

16 Nov 2007 05:01AM
Well, it seems there is an easy fix.
Boot your laptop and enter the bios change to ata turn off turbo memory.
Been runung laptop all day and not one freeze!!
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

16 Nov 2007 09:48AM
Seriously,  it's that banal? Well, I'll definitely try that as soon as I get back home.
You're such a big help, thanks once more!
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

16 Nov 2007 11:14PM
Yep, that easy. Been working perfectly since! No freezing, no ctrl-alt-delete's! I just hope they address the driver issue with intel.
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

17 Jan 2008 09:23AM
Hi,
 
I just bought an Inspiron 1520 (with Windows Vista Basic unfortunately) and I am facing the same above mentioned problems. Initially, I tried to shut down a few unwanted services and clean the startup list, but that didn't help. Tried to perform windows update, and that only intensified the problem.
Eventually, I came across this post yesterday and tried out the solution proposed by timewave (thank you!) and it worked. No more freezes after the time I disabled the Flash Cache module and set the SATA controller to ATA. But as mentioned in the post, this is a workaround and my hard disk would be working in compatibility mode.
I have tried to install the Intel Turbo Memory driver, but that was unsuccessful as it said that my computer did not have the necessary resources to install it (Please note, I couldn't find the Intel Matrix driver to be uninstalled so went ahead with the installation)

Could anyone suggest whether I'm missing something here or whether my laptop does not have the hardware to perform the above steps?

I was intending to try the solution proposed by -ESW-Robio376 s, but I wanted to make sure whether doing that would fix this issue. I have downloaded the necessary drivers, etc. as mentioned in  -ESW-Robio376's post. Would re-installing windows and the drivers anyways take me back to the same prior situation (freezing and hanging)? Kindly suggest.

Also, regarding the below reply :

-ESW-Robio376 wrote:
Well, it seems there is an easy fix.
Boot your laptop and enter the bios change to ata turn off turbo memory.
Been runung laptop all day and not one freeze!!

Is this the same what I have done as a temporary workaround? If yes, then did the re-installation process not fix this issue?

Any comment would be highly appreciated.

 

My Configuration:

Inspiron 1520, Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2.0GHz, 800Mhz 2M L2 Cache

2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 Dimm

256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT

160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Edition, English

 

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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

17 Jan 2008 02:50PM
Hey -
 
As I was reading your reply I wondered how many people out there might be having the same problem with their 1520s.
Anyway: You seem to have basically the same configuration as me (except for Vista Basic) and I've been working with mine pretty much flawlessly since I made the BIOS-change as Robert described it (the "easy", short version). I'd try that before going through that whole long process of reinstalling, drivers, etc.
Let us know if it's succesful, will ya?
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

17 Jan 2008 03:26PM
Hello
 
Well initially, when I'd received my notebook, I was wondering if it was a problem due to Vista Basic.
 
I did go with the 'easy' workaround involving the BIOS change and yes, it does resolve the freeze issue (well at least no annoying pauses encountered since yesterday). So no such performance hits due to Vista Basic I guess.
 
But then again as mentioned in the reply by timewave, changing the SATA mode to ATA would mean it's in compatibility mode (I'm assuming this means not utilizing the full functionality of SATA).
So hence, I tried to perform the next step mentioned in the same post (Installing Matrix drivers), but thats when the installation says "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements to install this software". I guess that means I do not have the necessary hardware for the drivers?
 
Should I stick to using SATA in compatibility mode while waiting for dell to fix their drivers, or to try out the tedious re-installation process as mentioned by Robert?
 
Cheers.
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

17 Jan 2008 03:42PM
Sorry I got you wrong there.
Well, I'm not that savvy with all this stuff but as mentioned above, I've stuck with the ATA mode and haven't had functionality problems of any sort as far as I can tell. Then again i'm just greatful when everything works and so I generally don't like to risk making it worse again - especially since I'm pretty dependent on the notebook working well.
Maybe you should wait and see if Robert's still got the thread subscribed - he's very helpful and definitely much more savvy than I am. Until then (if you need it to function properly) I'd make the BIOS change.
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

17 Jan 2008 04:12PM
Hey,
 
Thanks for the advice. Yes, I guess I shall go with the ATA BIOS change for now.
Will wait for a reply from Robert for a while as well. I don't mind going through the ordeal if it fixes this issue and also lets me use my hardware to its potential.
 
Cheers!
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

21 Jan 2008 07:30AM
hey just wanted you guys to know i had the same problem with a brand new one like you all tryed restoring everything still frozze like crazy thensearching forever read through your post and i think iv got it going good now..
 
i went into bios disabled flash cache module then changed the sata op to ata
 
is that what you guys did? only been back on for 20 mins so still mite have the problem dont know yet, i couldnt find where to turn off turbo memory where would i find that? you guys are amazing  uuuummmm idonno
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

21 Jan 2008 02:26PM
Hey - yes, that's exactly what we did, I didn't turn of turbo memory though; glad we could help you, though it really was Robert who got the idea (wherever from, I wouldn't know...) in the first place, so all our praise should go to him.
I'm still not sure that's "the" way to deal with it - we really should be able to use SATA to its full advantages with our new notebook. Maybe another solution will come along - good to know this thread still keeps going.
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

22 Jan 2008 12:41AM
There is way to take full advantage of your sata drive, but it requires a new reinstall from the Vista DVD. You have to go in the bios and set your hard drive back to SATA and turn on the flash cache module (Turbo memory). When you reboot from the Vista DVD you have to have the intel matrix memory module driver and the sata drivers on a thumbdrive. Vista will ask you if you want load any drivers, then you load tthem from your thumbdrive, sata first, then the turbo memory driver. Then continue with the install. I did not post the link to intels drivers because the are updated quite often. I cannot take credit for this as I have read it somewhere before and had a friend test with a 1520 and he has had no problems for 8 days. I have not tested it personally but will when a reinstall is necessary. But for know my 1520 has been just fine and not a crash yet with it set to ata and flash cache module disabled. I've read that the performance increase isn't even noticable enough to worry about it.
Robert
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

08 Feb 2008 04:20AM
I have these constant hangs and can't even get a task manager to display so I can't find any task or process hangs. The only thing that seems to help is to kill everything thats running that I can find otherwise when in  dought reboot.
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

25 Mar 2008 09:47PM

Hi Guys,

 

I've got the same problem over here in the UK but Dell don't want to know.  The laptop is only 3 months old.  They are booked to come and collect it due to it also not finding the hard drive when booting up.  Let's hope Dell have read this thread as well.

 

Thanks again

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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

26 Mar 2008 04:56AM
s_kiwi wrote:
Hey - yes, that's exactly what we did, I didn't turn of turbo memory though; glad we could help you, though it really was Robert who got the idea (wherever from, I wouldn't know...) in the first place, so all our praise should go to him.
I'm still not sure that's "the" way to deal with it - we really should be able to use SATA to its full advantages with our new notebook. Maybe another solution will come along - good to know this thread still keeps going.
Hello there kiwi,
I was going through this thread again and I realized that you hadn't turned off the turbo memory. I wanted to know whether that is causing any freezes. I'm assuming then that only changing the mode to ATA would be sufficient to mitigate the issue for the time being.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I have been working with the system having done the workaround proposed by Robert, and I've not faced any problems after that. Although, I had doubts about the effects of turning off turbo memory on the overall performance of the system. Would this affect my graphics display or other areas of operation? My system does have a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT card.
Cheers.
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Re: Inspiron 1520 and Vista - Constant hanging and freezing

27 Mar 2008 03:08PM

I just bought an Inspiron 1520 and had the same problem but found a much easier fix. Make sure you have the latest video driver from Dell and disable the TMM service. It works! Thanks to Dell support fo that one.

 

The full instructions are here http://mariamagic.com/science-technology/Display-driver-nvlddmkm-stopped-responding-and-has-successfully-recovered-FIX.html

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