Undock from XP problem: Dell Lattitude laptop

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

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

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hi,

Read the user manual for how to set contrast and brightness of the laptop.

Peter


----- Jim Macklin wrote: -----

This is a question for Dell.


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


"Todd R. Haverstock" <trhaverstock@yahoo.com> wrote in
message
news:9390905d.0404260541.72e5b8be@posting.google.com...
| 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

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware,alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

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.


"Todd R. Haverstock" <trhaverstock@yahoo.com> wrote in
message
news:9390905d.0404261138.4eff007@posting.google.com...
| 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??
|
| "Jim Macklin" <p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm> wrote
in message news:<#KvqIe5KEHA.2976@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl>...
| > This is a question for Dell.
| >
| > "Todd R. Haverstock" <trhaverstock@yahoo.com> wrote in
| > message
| > news:9390905d.0404260541.72e5b8be@posting.google.com...
| > | 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

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware,alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Brian C <noemail@noemailhere.com> wrote in message news:<m31r801ncre7n00i9vgb29qpg2g0mk5omk@4ax.com>...
> You could change it to docking state unknown. Reboot. This it shoud
> stay thier.
>
> Brian C.

How to you change docking state to unknown?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware,alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

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

Brian C <noemail@noemailhere.com> wrote in message news:<i0ut805dpgr82k96vfki5c8igguv7famvk@4ax.com>...
> 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
> "Todd R. Haverstock" <trhaverstock@yahoo.com> wrote in
> message news:9390905d.0404260541.72e5b8be@posting.google.com...
> 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

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware,alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

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.


"Todd R. Haverstock" <trhaverstock@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9390905d.0405111837.2aa43cbe@posting.google.com...
> Still lost if anyone has a good suggestion...
>
> trhaverstock@yahoo.com (Todd R. Haverstock) wrote in message
news:<9390905d.0405050524.3e4c8770@posting.google.com>...
> > 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
> >
> > Brian C <noemail@noemailhere.com> wrote in message
news:<i0ut805dpgr82k96vfki5c8igguv7famvk@4ax.com>...
> > > 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
> > > "Todd R. Haverstock" <trhaverstock@yahoo.com> wrote in
> > > message news:9390905d.0404260541.72e5b8be@posting.google.com...
> > > 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