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CarolineClegg
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September 17th, 2008 23:00
XPS 630i CD Autorun problem
Hi,
I recently took delivery of an XPS 630i (Win XP Pro SP3, PLDS DVD +/- RW DH16A6S, NVidia GeForce 9800 GT). From day 1, none of my installation CDs will autorun, and I am having problems installing some software (additional info and some solutions tried listed below). Having spent over 3 hours on the phone with Dell tech support, they seem to be no closer to solving this problem. At their insistence I downgraded Windows XP back to SP2 and uninstalled the McAfee anti-virus/security centre software. So far I have resisted their attempts to make me try a clean install.
I found a number of posts on this forum mentioning that other users have had similar problems caused by either the Cyberlink Power DVD software (pre-installed) or the NVidia performance facility (I'm not sure what this is). My symptoms seem eerily similar, but can anyone tell me the definitive answer to this problem? If it is the same, I can't believe that multiple users were experiencing the same problem back as far as March of this year, yet Dell tech support (at least 4 different technicians) didn't seem to have a clue!!
All assistance will be much appreciated.
Caroline
I checked the autoplay settings (all set to prompt) and the registry settings. I have also tried the Microsoft 'autoplay repair wizard' (without success - the wizard helpfully tells me I have a problem but can't determine the source or fix it).
If I manually click the setup.exe or install.exe files, some applications will install and some won't. Applications that do install tend to be what I would call 'one click' installation programs (typically simple printer or scanner drivers etc). Normally the CD would autorun, you click 'next' or 'install' and it just gets on with it with no further user intervention required. Applications that fail to install have more complex installation procedures involving an options screen (e.g. full, typical or custom install). If I manually run the setup, the initial options screen is displayed, but if I select something and click 'next', nothing happens.
Of those applications which are failing to install, all but one (to be investigated further) were successfully installed by running Windows in 'safe mode'. All the applications have continued to run quite happily when Windows is rebooted in normal mode.
Downgrading to Win Xp SP2 and uninstalling anti-virus software made no difference.
shdbcamping1
475 Posts
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Posted September 18th, 2008 15:00
goslin23,This problem, at least for me, was only fixable by keeping the NVidea performance uninstalled. Even after installing those games w/ performance removed, the games/ discs would not play if I reinstalled the Performance program. Age of the game/disc had nothing to do with it. The problem even affected my virtual drive's ability to play/install from ISO images. I have seen nothing saying that Dell knows what to do for it. It is a very rare problem though. I had two separate 630i's with different DVD drive manufacturers and both had the problem. I just hope this person (the OP) is not jerked around by Dell TS into relentless format/reinstall OS attempts as I was. It made no difference for my box... just a lot of extra work. If Dell tells anyone that "format/reinstall OS", they have no idea what to do but they want you off their Support log.If any of this sounds like your problem (for the OP), PM Chris_M And try to set up another 630i to be sent or return it for a refund. As I said, this is a very rare problem for the 630i. I just decided that, after being unlucky enough to get the problem with my replacement (and all of the other problems also), I would cut my losses (time spent Beta testing this new product for Dell)and return the 630i for a full refund. I ended up staying with Dell and purchasing an XPS420 as the 630i's replacement. I could not be happier with this 420. It lacks only very slightly in performance, but I was not going to SLI or XFire anyway. I have not had to call Dell TS once... no format/reinstalls... not even a hiccup to date (still crossing fingers and knnocking on every piece of wood that I Pass :smileyhappy: ).Oh, BTW there is no fan control (or at least there wasn't) without the Performance portion of NVidea control panel. It is (or at least was) integrated into the NVidea's other drivers, so Getting it off and back on was a torturously tedious ordeal. 4 months and this may still not be fixed???Sean- Caroline,
I had this precise problem.
I found that the process ntuneservice.exe was the culprit. It keeps autorun from operating correctly on some machines, as well as preventing some programs from installing. It can also keep the optical drives from otherwise operating properly, such as not burning CDs.
Enter Task Manager (control-alt-delete) and choose this process and close it. This should solve the problem.
This is only a temporary fix however. If this works on a per-boot basis but you have continued problems, removing the nTune program (add/remove programs) will resolve the issue. shdbcamping1
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Posted September 18th, 2008 15:00
Elk,
Just some additional info on my problem. There was never an NTune entry to uninstall in my Add/Remove programs. Nor did it show up with several 3rd party maintenance/utility/registry programs.
This leads me to agreeing with your returning the system for stability issues. I have been following the 630i as well since, I too, returned mine. IMHO, these sporatic recurrences of issues would lean towards HW or manufacturing shortcomings. This box is still in customer Beta Tesing or the whole idea should be canned and a new iterration should commense. Software will always play the same on the same HW...
Sean
EDIT: Dell needs to get out of their "Proprietary" mode if this is the best they can do. Unless they are trying to LOCK the customer into Delled upgrades. If one buys a computer, one should safely believe that they can put Retail HW in it and have it work... That is not an unrealistic consumer belief.
Message Edited by shdbcamping1 on 09-18-2008 12:57 PMMessage Edited by shdbcamping1 on 09-18-2008 02:13 PMshdbcamping1
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Posted September 18th, 2008 17:00
Elk,
Unless Dell changed it, it's Nvidea "Performance". There were 2 others but Performance took of my gaming/optical drive problem. Unfortunately at the expense of Fan Control.
Sean
shdbcamping1
475 Posts
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Posted September 18th, 2008 18:00
goslin23,
Am I correct in thinking part of the problem with this system is that Dell wanted to schmooze both ATI and nVidia by allowing both crossfire and SLI on the nVidia chipset? Or does that even matter?
My opinion is that that isn't the reason, cause if it is then they would have an even bigger black eye as XFire is creaping up as a problem now. I think they need to get the accountants out of the engineer's decision making process. Gamers will buy expensive stuff and will be happy when it works as advertised. Dell marketing seems to have a problem with the when it works as advertised in that statement. I am lost at why a tech OEM would deliberately disenable a system (seemingly all of them). Maybe it's a new race to see who can sell the most crippled systems given the components used????
Sean
Message Edited by shdbcamping1 on 09-18-2008 03:13 PM
shdbcamping1
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Posted September 18th, 2008 01:00
CarolineClegg,
Try this... go to Add/ remove programs in control panel. uninstall NVidea Performance. restart the machine and try to install one that does not work now. It's what I had to do months ago before I grew bored and sent it back to Dell.
Sean