Windows8 Dell USB 3.0 Dock freezes mouse, monitor, ethernet

[Ruud]

Originally Posted by uboel

Hi,

Some time ago, I bought a Kensignton USB 3.0 Docking Station with Dual DVI/HDMI/VGA Video (sd3500v) and tested it on my Dell Vostro 5650 for a complete month without any kind of trouble.

Happy with the product, I bought another one for my boss when ordering his Dell XPS 13...but with his computer I ran into the same problems some other users encountered (black screens, network disconnections, usb disconnections).

UBoel: did you use the ethernet-port on the docking station at the time you tested it on the Dell Vostro 5650? My XPS doesn't have a normal ethernet port so i'm forced to use the one on the docking station..

[Ruud]

See Logfiles I sent for details.
I just ahd another blaockt-out and I believe yesterday as well (which I didn't make seperate logfiles for)
Any luck finding the cause of this? (and possibly a solution?)

[Ruud]

Hi Wim and James,

The last hour I suffered 3 black-outs in a row. This was highly annoying since I had to finish some work before the week-end.

Between these crashes I did not close/restart any programs and the black-outs are repeatedly happening when my system (8Gb) is using a lot of memory (around 4Gb)

Do you want me to turn on the more precise logging information???

Please help, i'm getting a bit frustrated.

[JamesH]

Hi,

This may well be a hardware issue - I'd suggest checking you have the latest USB 3.0 hub firmware for your dock (from the manufacturer's website).

Are you able to try the dock connected to a USB 2.0 port on your notebook?

If neither of the above is an option then you may need to return the dock.

Thanks,
James

[Ruud]

Hi James,

I looked at the dell.nl site for an USB dock driver/firmware update, but there is none. The driver update (10/5) is probably your latest updated driver? I cannot install that one because the zip file is giving extraction errors..

Also my system reports it has the latest chipset drivers, I installed the recommended Dell update drivers for it.

So.. i do not now if i have an USB2.0 port on my laptop, nor do i want to use that, because I like to have proper bandwidth for my gigabit ethernet and dual display?

I can send you 2 more blackouts I experienced in the meantime.. is there nothing in them you can use to fix your drivers somehow?

Best regards
Ruud

[JamesH]

Hi,

The firmware for your dock is one and the same as that for the ACP70 which can be found here: http://www.targus.com/us/download.as...7&sku=ACP70USZ

Thanks,
James

[Ruud]

Hi James,

Thanks for the heads-up and the link. My model-number is the ACP075EU version. Do you think that the firmware update for the ACP070USZ is compatible with my model?
Does the firmware installer show which version is currently used and does it allow me to save that firmware (so I can put it back when it doesn't work..)
I just don't want to end up with a bricked device

[uboel]

Originally Posted by Ruud

UBoel: did you use the ethernet-port on the docking station at the time you tested it on the Dell Vostro 5650? My XPS doesn't have a normal ethernet port so i'm forced to use the one on the docking station..

Yes I did (and still does as I bought another dock for my Vostro), the purpose being to connect as less cables as possible when arriving at the office!

As explained the same dock behaves quite differently when attached to the Vostro or the XPS...

Since installing the 7.2M1 version of the drivers on my Vostro I encounter a little issue...but nothing I can't live with...I now have to unplug the USB cable between the dock and the computer before shutting down Windows...if I don't, Windows never finish the shutdown procedure. I didn't find any message in the event viewer telling me what is happening in this case...strange...

Cheers,

Ulric

[Ruud]

Hi Ulric,

So at least based on your experience it seems to be related to the specific hardware in the XPS13 or driver version for that hardware.

Thanks for the heads up.
Ruud

[JamesH]

Hi,

I've followed up with Dell and you should already have the latest firmware loaded on your Dell dock.

Some further thoughts:

Do you see this with other browsers or just when using Chrome?

If it is Chrome specific can you try these steps?

Click on the Customize and Control Google Chrome button > Settings
Scroll down and click on "Show Advanced settings"
In the Privacy section, uncheck "Predict network actions to improve page load performance".

Thanks,
James