Lidl's laptop

Peter · 21-10-2003 3:57pm #1

I got one of Lidl's laptops a few weeks ago and I've noticed that occasionaly it freezes up and refuses to accept any keyboard or touchpad/mouse commands. It just happens all of a sudden and without warning. The only way to get it working again is to let the battery run out and then reboot. I was reading on some german boards that there may be a problem with the mouse that causes the laptop to freeze but the google translation wasn't the best. Anybody know what exactly might be causing it to freeze up like this or if there is any solution except sending it back to Germany?

Thanks in advance,
Peter

padraigmyers · 21-10-2003 4:08pm

Ahhhhh.....Windows......I've haven't had to boot to Windows since Christmas, always in Linux
now, so I've had no expierences like this for ages.

Just one thing, you don't have to wait for the battery to run out. You can just pull the battery
out, and then reboot. Thats standard Microsoft procedure

SickBoy · 21-10-2003 4:20pm

Also something to note when a system hangs and doesn't seem to respond to the power button been pressed to shut down. Try holding in the power button for 6 seconds. This will shut down the system without having to pull power/battery.
Just something that might come in handy....

j0e9o · 21-10-2003 4:59pm

Originally posted by padraigmyers
Thats standard Microsoft procedure

ROFL

Vorrtexx · 21-10-2003 8:23pm

I got one of these. I can't say I've had the same problem as you though. but I did upgrade it to Windows XP Professional.
have you run the latest service pack and updates on it?

Boston · 21-10-2003 8:26pm

I removed win XP home and installed win 2k pro sp 2 all grand here. but thinking back i think it did stall a couple of times when i first go it, quick format did the trick.

suppafly · 21-10-2003 10:23pm

it could be that its just dodgy. i saw that add for it when i was in there the other day. I buy all my groceries and stuff in there but i wouldn't be to confident about buying a laptop from them. I had a similar problem well not really problem. After u plugged in a mouse instead of using the touch pad, when u unplugged it and booted it up the next time, it didn't seem to work so u had to reboot and then it worked fine. Dunno is that whats wrong with yur comp though

Boston · 22-10-2003 9:02am

Originally posted by suppafly
it could be that its just dodgy. i saw that add for it when i was in there the other day. I buy all my groceries and stuff in there but i wouldn't be to confident about buying a laptop from them. I had a similar problem well not really problem. After u plugged in a mouse instead of using the touch pad, when u unplugged it and booted it up the next time, it didn't seem to work so u had to reboot and then it worked fine. Dunno is that whats wrong with yur comp though

Nothing wrong there, you switch on and off the touchpad in the bios, if your not going to go through the hassel of that, i'm not surprised it takes afew reboots for the thing to figure out which you want to use

Peter · 22-10-2003 9:36am

Thanks for the reply's everyone.

I'm getting a copy of XP professional from a m8 in a few days so I'll see if that helps. I'll do a format when I get home as well.

Re. the mouse problem I've noticed something similar as well. Sometimes when you boot up without the mouse the laptap will disable the 'advanced features' of the touchpad because it says it has detected another pointing device when in fact there is none. Other times it's fine.

thanks again,
Peter

madmoe · 22-10-2003 9:40am

Can you tell me how to get into BIOS on Lidl laptop? Tried F2 after boot up but no joy

Have had a few mouse/touchpad problems with it, does not bother me tooo much, just switch between them. Most times its the mouse that refuses to work rather than the pad. Kinda annoying but I don't know how to remedy it.

I put XP pro on straight away, have had a few freezes and the blue screen when memory dump etc. flicked up once or twice. Any ideas people? Apart from that I'm very happy with it.

popey21 · 22-10-2003 9:55am

sorry suppafly were did you see the add. which Lidl. I would if thought there all sold out.

RE*AC*TOR · 22-10-2003 10:14am

"Can you tell me how to get into BIOS on Lidl laptop? Tried F2 after boot up but no joy"

usualy you press delete to get into the bios - from my experience anyway. Try tapping it repeatedly after turning on your pc.

Also looking at those adds the laptop looks the shizzle - especially for gaming.

madmoe · 23-10-2003 9:04am

Have yet to play any proper games on it, only used emulators etc. and game quality is good!! Will have to get Unreal 2003 and a few more to put it through its paces!!

Delete key worked for getting into BIOS, sorted now, he he!!

Thanx

Korg · 23-10-2003 6:44pm

My boss bought one of the lidl laptops recently too, and he's had the same thing, for the first couple of days it was locking up at random, requiring a lengthy press of the power button. Looks like it's not an isolated incedent so. I started disabling stuff, and scince i stopped that panda virus checker thingy it hasn't locked up on him scince, so i replaced it with norton. Could be just coincidence, sure try it anyway

ixoy · 23-10-2003 7:09pm

My friend bought a DELL laptop but he's also had the same problem

It was more at the beginning though and doesn't seem to happen as much lately.

madmoe · 24-10-2003 8:39am

Lidl laptop froze TWICE last night, once while playing MP3 in media player and again when selecting songs in Explorer!! I am getting more and more impressed with this laptop by the minute!!

Also when I use 6 in one reader and put an MMC in it picks it up fine, I then safely remove MMC via system tray and try to insert another or same one and it will not pick it up :-( Only solution is to restart and then it will pick it up. In fairness this is a right pain!! What can I do? There must be some setting that is wrong or summit'??

elexes · 24-10-2003 10:21am

Originally posted by Boston
I removed win XP home and installed win 2k pro sp 2 all grand here. but thinking back i think it did stall a couple of times when i first go it, quick format did the trick.

what speed mhz is ur laptop running at now ?
i got one of there older models the one just b4 the one u bought and installed win 2k sp4 but the processor refused to run above 800 mhz when i installed win xp pro everything fixed itself

madmoe · 24-10-2003 10:52am

Can u recommend any apps I can use to check what speed CPU is running at?

Thanx

madmoe · 31-10-2003 10:41am

Removed damn E-trust anti virus from my lappy and no more freezing thank God!!

red vex · 31-10-2003 3:14pm

has anyone got linux running on the latest lidl laptop?

madmoe · 03-11-2003 12:34pm

No Linus I'm afraid. Put Unreal Tournament on last night and had MAJOR problems! Damn thing kept freezing! Was not impressed at all. Must get me the latest ATI drivers and see if that helps.

Anybody any ideas? Its a 64MB ATI Mobility Radeaon 9600 I have.

red vex · 26-11-2003 5:12pm

anybody find a solution yet?

po0k · 26-11-2003 7:46pm

Originally posted by madmoe
Lidl laptop froze TWICE last night, once while playing MP3 in media player and again when selecting songs in Explorer!! I am getting more and more impressed with this laptop by the minute!!

Also when I use 6 in one reader and put an MMC in it picks it up fine, I then safely remove MMC via system tray and try to insert another or same one and it will not pick it up :-( Only solution is to restart and then it will pick it up. In fairness this is a right pain!! What can I do? There must be some setting that is wrong or summit'??

You have to right click on tyhe tray icon and select "Stop Device" before you can remove it.

Lidl's laptop

Comments