Undock from XP problem: Dell Lattitude laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter Todd R. Haverstock
  • Start date Start date
T

Todd R. Haverstock

I have a Dell Latitude P3 laptop with Windows XP. It has been
recently wiped clean and has a 1 month old copy of XP on it. In other
words, not years and years of junk overlayed.

When I use the Windows undock on the start menu, 75% of the time when
I try to use the laptop the screen is so dim it is barely readable.
It's not consistent as sometimes it does work fine. Either Windows or
the laptop is confused that it's still docked when it's not. I have
squinted to shutdown and reboot to no avail. When I dock again, all
is fine.

Is there a way to tell Windows it's not docked when it thinks it is?
Or a way to permanently fix this? Help!

Todd
 
This is a question for Dell.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


message
| I have a Dell Latitude P3 laptop with Windows XP. It has
been
| recently wiped clean and has a 1 month old copy of XP on
it. In other
| words, not years and years of junk overlayed.
|
| When I use the Windows undock on the start menu, 75% of
the time when
| I try to use the laptop the screen is so dim it is barely
readable.
| It's not consistent as sometimes it does work fine.
Either Windows or
| the laptop is confused that it's still docked when it's
not. I have
| squinted to shutdown and reboot to no avail. When I dock
again, all
| is fine.
|
| Is there a way to tell Windows it's not docked when it
thinks it is?
| Or a way to permanently fix this? Help!
|
| Todd
 
Sometimes the bios screen is viewable and the screen is fine until the
Windows logo comes on, other times not.

Anyone in the Dell group I am cross-posting to??
 
Try a phone call to Dell's toll-free support number.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


message
| Sometimes the bios screen is viewable and the screen is
fine until the
| Windows logo comes on, other times not.
|
| Anyone in the Dell group I am cross-posting to??
|
in message | > This is a question for Dell.
| >
| > message
| > | > | I have a Dell Latitude P3 laptop with Windows XP. It
has
| > been
| > | recently wiped clean and has a 1 month old copy of XP
on
| > it. In other
| > | words, not years and years of junk overlayed.
| > |
| > | When I use the Windows undock on the start menu, 75%
of
| > the time when
| > | I try to use the laptop the screen is so dim it is
barely
| > readable.
| > | It's not consistent as sometimes it does work fine.
| > Either Windows or
| > | the laptop is confused that it's still docked when
it's
| > not. I have
| > | squinted to shutdown and reboot to no avail. When I
dock
| > again, all
| > | is fine.
| > |
| > | Is there a way to tell Windows it's not docked when it
| > thinks it is?
| > | Or a way to permanently fix this? Help!
| > |
| > | Todd
 
You could change it to docking state unknown. Reboot. This it shoud
stay thier.

Brian C.
 
Control pannel-System.
Click on the Hardware Tab.
Click on Hardware Profiles
Click on Properties
Check "This is a portable computer"
Check "the docking state is unknown" if needed.
Reboot if needed or asked.

This may or may not solve your problem
Brian C
 
After taking some of the great advice here, I have uncovered
additional info that makes me think this is a WINDOWS problem not a
hardware issue. Windows seems to be somehow confused this laptop is
docked.

I removed extra docking profiles found so that there was only one
docked and one undocked profile. I forced choice of one at bootup.

Consistently the laptop screen is viewable fine for 1 use (one
hibernate/stand by/reboot) after using Start|Undock then is too dim to
view until the laptop gets docked again. However, if I reboot and use
SAFE MODE in XP, the screen is viewable fine every time (except the
fact that it's 640 x 480 res and not resettable).

So what gives with Windows thinking this is docked when I explicitly
say it's not at bootup? I plugged in a CRT and the dock profile sez
it's undocked but something else thinks otherwise.

What do you think?
-Todd
 
Still lost if anyone has a good suggestion...

After taking some of the great advice here, I have uncovered
additional info that makes me think this is a WINDOWS problem not a
hardware issue. Windows seems to be somehow confused this laptop is
docked.

I removed extra docking profiles found so that there was only one
docked and one undocked profile. I forced choice of one at bootup.

Consistently the laptop screen is viewable fine for 1 use (one
hibernate/stand by/reboot) after using Start|Undock then is too dim to
view until the laptop gets docked again. However, if I reboot and use
SAFE MODE in XP, the screen is viewable fine every time (except the
fact that it's 640 x 480 res and not resettable).

So what gives with Windows thinking this is docked when I explicitly
say it's not at bootup? I plugged in a CRT and the dock profile sez
it's undocked but something else thinks otherwise.

What do you think?
-Todd
Click to expand...
 
Are you docking and undocking "hot"? is the system on when you dock and
undock the system? don't do that. that can easily fry the motherboard. if
you talk to an anal retentive at tech support and tell them you did that,
they won't necessarily cover the repair.
 
I don't believe I'm undocking hot.
1. Start Menu->Undock from within XP
2. Physically remove from dock
3. Boot up from standby screen is viewable fine
4. Shut down and reboot, screen is unreadable dim.
5. If I reboot in XP safe mode works great every time.
 
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