GTS system - sound issues, USB problems, Blue screen crashes twice daily

[tquinlan]

I’d appreciate your assistance with my GTS desktop, order number {number removed}. I’m trying to get technical support, but emails sent to Services@mesh... seem to bounce and I've had no response to this request when sent via the form on the main MESH website.

This is the text of the email originally sent on 22nd December. Crashes have continued at a rate of roughly three every 24 hours.


The problems on this machine appear to be getting worse. Specifically:

1. It has never accepted hard-wired Ethernet network connections from our router. Having replaced the router, believing it to be a fault with that machine, the problem continues with the Zyxel replacement. Instead we are resorting to a wireless connection via one of the USB ports at the back of the machine.
2. The wireless connection regularly disappears and the system can only then be re-connected by rebooting. This is irregular, with no fixed frequency, but rarely stays online for periods over 12 hours. (This is, however, not testable any more as the machine has deteriorated to the point of Blue Screen crashes more frequently.)
3. USB memory sticks and MP3 players (such as the Creative Muvo V200) are recognised by the system, but it is then unable to find device drivers. This includes after updating drivers and checking with Creative’s website – which explains that native support is applicable.
4. Parallel port and USB port access to the HP LaserJet 1300 has now stopped – and device drivers are being rejected in the process of updating. The only way to print seems to be through hardwiring the printer to my notebook and printing via the network that way – the exact reverse of what is required in our office.

The situation has now deteriorated significantly – blue screen crashes are taking place roughly twice a day. The last couple have been with the following error messages:
BAD_POOL_CALLER;
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT;
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL; (1531 this afternoon)
And one this evening without a message, but error code: 0x0...07E (1842 this evening);
Then later this evening 0x0...07f (around 2100 this evening)

In addition, in the past 72 hours I’ve lost all audio playback from the desktop and video from the media centre, which stops immediately. I’m seeing alerts come up, but with no audio to the speakers, although according to Device Manager there are no problems anywhere. It may be coincidence, but at least one application is reporting missing DLL files.

I’ve spent too much time trying to resolve these issues on a machine that I had expected to be fully functional and an improvement on my previous MESH desktop. I’ve also had to pay network engineers over £300 to try and resolve issues that now appear to stem from the PC itself.

Although your engineer who visited recently was friendly, he’d been working for almost 12 hours straight on a Sunday, covering most of the South of England on that shift, and effectively gave up on the issues with USB ports saying “tough – live with it.”

I’m open to suggestions of how to resolve these issues, but would like them resolved quickly – I’ve had three months of IT problems that made my old XP machine seem like a dream.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Best wishes

Tony Quinlan
Director

[Davey W]

Hi tquinlan,

Have you at any point gone through a clean installation of Windows?

A lot of the problems you report could easily be down to software or configuration which a re-installation of Windows would help either resolve or clarify if they were hardware issues.

Davey

[tquinlan]

Davey

Thanks for the suggestion. Dug out the Recovery disk this afternoon, only to find that the system had gone down and I can't seem to resurrect it.

I hear power coming on, a system beep and that's it. The beep repeats every 35-40 seconds, but nothing appears to be going to the screen, even the initial text check pages. I did manage to open the DVD drive, and insert the recovery disk, but that's as far as it goes.

There's obviously power around the machine - hence the drive opening/closing, but apparently no response otherwise.

Looks like a dead machine and no support over the weekend. That's the VAT accounts on hold until New Year's Eve then.

Next?

Tony

[tquinlan]

Just an update on progress.

Got a call from MESH tech support last Monday, following the posting on 22nd December. If you helped raise that, Davey, many thanks.

Promised a call from repairs on Monday/Wednesday to arrange visit. Called Friday, arranged visit for today.

Engineer arrived, but his new motherboard was also faulty so no progress. Promised a call to re-arrange the appointment.

I'll let you know what happens next.

[tquinlan]

And so it goes.

Engineer arrived on Friday afternoon (that's the fourth day I've now stayed in to get the PC fixed.) Installed the new motherboard. Proudly booted up, up comes the screen and some driver installation notices. Off he goes.

Driver installations call for reboot.

Reboot and it suddenly can't get Windows up and running. Dig out the Recovery Disk - and go through repairing Windows Startup until it eventually says it can't - Driver problems possibly because of new hardware installed.

[Davey W]

Hi tquinlan,

Did you just try a repair, or were you having similar problems with using the disc to re-install a fresh copy of Windows?

Davey

[tquinlan]

This is getting ridiculous now.

Lost another work day doing a clean install of Windows - system comes up.

Still no Media Center video, call to premium support line eventually (20 minutes of revenue-generating "hold" first) recommends reinstalling drivers for graphics card. Success - but still no audio.

Reinstalling programmes and getting updates. Other than audio problems, looks promising.

Windows Update goes off to get dozens of recommended updates. Still boots.

Then rebooted just now and suddenly all I get is a frozen MESH splash screen. No response to "DEL" or "TAB" buttons.

At this point, I'm not sure I still want this machine.

[tquinlan]

Right. Another 20 minutes on the 0871 number. Side panels off, cards out, CMOS battery removed, replaced. Reboot into Safe mode. Advised to reinstall Windows.

[tquinlan]

Tally to date:

3 clean Windows installs
6 days at home waiting for MESH engineer visits (2 no-shows, 1 non-functioning replacement motherboard)
100 hours of my time trying to get the system working
£400 in engineers as I no longer have the time to invest

Result:

One Quadcore, 4G, 1TB, 22" widescreen brick.

Since the last post:
did another clean install of Windows, downloaded old Nvidia drivers to override bad new ones. System came up in Safe Mode, but not in normal mode - display cuts out midway through rolling green bar in Windows startup.

Called supportline. Sent alternative drivers. Installed those. Still not working, and no sound in any mode at all.

Got my local engineer in to help. Resolved sound issues, but display problems persist. Diagnoses problem somewhere in graphics chain - cable/display/graphics card. Together we ring supportline.

They opt to book engineer to replace graphics card. When booking, I ask to check that the engineer will stay and ensure that system will be in working order before they leave. "No, they install the card and that's the limit of what we do." Date booked for Wednesday last week.

Engineer calls at noon on Wednesday - should be there in an hour. Rings back 20 minutes later - got order of calls wrong. First call in Surrey (I'm in Bedfordshire), so will be here 3-4pm, but may be slightly later. Eventually calls at 7pm, to say will be arriving at 9pm. Far too late - particularly when I've been waiting in all day and have a 6.30am flight to catch.

Just (Monday morning) had the call from Repairline. Next convenient date is Monday 18th February (in part due to my work commitments next week - I can't keep taking time off to be here!).

PC has been completely inoperable for over a month now, having been faulty for over six weeks before that. I've lost time and money already - what's the procedure for getting a replacement or a refund please?

I'd like to stay a MESH customer - the old desktop was excellent and I recognise that this is just a problem with one system and these things happen.

[Davey W]

Hi tquinlan,

I think we would be best having the system returned to our workshop for further examination to be honest. That way we would first be able to see the problem as you are seeing and secondly be able to do more than just replace parts we believe to be faulty as they will do during an onsite visit.

Davey