Grrrrr Laptops!!!!

[cpjitservices]

I do a bit of repair work after hours, little private jobs. I've had this laptop (Dell XT) in for about 2 months now.. luckily it belongs to a family member!!

 

I have never been so infuriated with such a device, NO matter what I do or what ever I try I can't get the touchscreen features to work. It came with them working!!!!!

 

When I got it, It was running Windows 8. This member of my family asked me if he could have Windows 7 on it, so I did just that and installed Windows 7 onto the laptop. The touchscreen worked perfect just as it did on Win 8. HOWEVER, upon installing the tools from Dell's website (Needed to calibrate the touch pen) as it needed doing, BAM!!! No more touch screen.

 

The screen however does rotate when you flip the screen down and spin it round... the auto-rotate is brilliant.

 

Several re-installs of Windows 7 later - and same issue!!!

 

If I could just get the touchscreen to work! - Thanks Dell.

 

Apparently the issue is, Once you install the tools from the Dell website, it also does a firmware update (without warning) on the chip that runs the touchscreen. The vendors (NTrigg) supply A rollback tool on the website in which you can run. Sounds Simple.... Nope! Rollback tool can't install drivers.

Installing the drivers would be such a simple task IF the installer actually found the hardware to install the drivers for!!!!

 

Once its working I never want to see it again!!! (If I can get it working)

 

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[cpjitservices]

I think I May actually give up - for the first time ever I've been beaten by a laptop!!!

[Sunnyknight]

I think I May actually give up - for the first time ever I've been beaten by a laptop!!!

 

This, this is exactly what the machines want!

[sted]

quick n dirty install on usb hdd drive of win 8 to flash it?

[cpjitservices]

I know, I might just give in! I don't know anything else to try!!

 

I Have re-installed Windows 8, and still the touchscreen is not working!

 

Trawled alot of forums on the net, and no one seems to have a solution!

[cpjitservices]

Hmmmmmm I like that Idea... but why would that make a difference ?

 

(On another note - weird little hard drive in this thing.. its the size of a matchbox)

 

quick n dirty install on usb hdd drive of win 8 to flash it?

[mac_shinobi]

1. Sounds Simple.... Nope! Rollback tool can't install drivers.

 

As in due to not running the rollback tool with admin / elevated rights ( right click run as admin or hold shift down and right click on util and run as other user and use a domain admin account ) ??

 

Or what error do you get or what happens when you try to run the rollback tool / util ?

 

2. Would using device manager and showing hidden devices etc help at all and install the driver etc through device manager wizards etc --> update or install driver --> select own driver etc etc ??

 

Although you do mention it being the firmware on a specific chip that does the touch screen so this will most likely not help and may need as mentioned above a flashing util such as winphlash or whatever it is called with the relevant img ( image file )

[cpjitservices]

I have tried the rollback tool with 'Run as Administrator' and didnt make a difference!

 

The error the tool gives me is "Driver installation failed...." and thats it the program closes - Have tried the tool under Vista, 7 and 8.

 

Tried through device manager, but cant see anything outstanding in there other than 'Unknown Hardware' and when I try the update driver bit (I have the extracted zip contents in a folder' the driver cannot be found.

 

I'll be honest never heard of Winphlash, I dont have an IMG file either just an exe installer with inf files.

 

... :@

1. Sounds Simple.... Nope! Rollback tool can't install drivers.

 

As in due to not running the rollback tool with admin / elevated rights ( right click run as admin or hold shift down and right click on util and run as other user and use a domain admin account ) ??

 

Or what error do you get or what happens when you try to run the rollback tool / util ?

 

2. Would using device manager and showing hidden devices etc help at all and install the driver etc through device manager wizards etc --> update or install driver --> select own driver etc etc ??

 

Although you do mention it being the firmware on a specific chip that does the touch screen so this will most likely not help and may need as mentioned above a flashing util such as winphlash or whatever it is called with the relevant img ( image file )

[mac_shinobi]

You able to extract or get the contents out of the exe file so as to get the image file whether iso , img or whatever file format out of the exe so you can use a tool such as winphlash / winflash or something like that to apply the firmware to this chip ?

 

Failing that - what model of laptop is it and any idea on the make / model of this chip ?

 

Maybe book a support call with that company (NTrigg) to see if they can provide you with the correct firmware and the relevant tool to apply it to said chip ?

 

edit - winflash /winphlash may be the wrong utility as this is generally for updating BIOSes etc - just thought of this util first due to it being related to flashing firmware etc

Edited October 14, 2013 by mac_shinobi

[cpjitservices]

Yeah, have got the zip file extracted with the files inside including the .exe, and the inf files. No IMG or ISO files though.

 

OK never used winphlash so I just load the .INF file into winphlash and tell it to fix it ???

 

All I know is its a Dell XT with Service Tag 3VM0N3J.

 

I think a support call to Dell / NTrigg is going to be a last resort.

 

You able to extract or get the contents out of the exe file so as to get the image file whether iso , img or whatever file format out of the exe so you can use a tool such as winphlash / winflash or something like that to apply the firmware to this chip ?

 

Failing that - what model of laptop is it and any idea on the make / model of this chip ?

 

Maybe book a support call with that company (NTrigg) to see if they can provide you with the correct firmware and the relevant tool to apply it to said chip ?

[yugo]

You tried the 64 bit and 32 bit rollbacks?

[cpjitservices]

Yeah, tried both OS's and the tool on both.

 

What would be nice, is if I knew someone with an XT and I can make an image of the Hard Drive and copy that onto the XT I have here that may fix the issue!!

 

But I know of no-one!

 

During the week.. I will try and get in touch with Dell Support.

[yugo]

When you re installed windows 8 was this from the restore partition or is it gone?

[cpjitservices]

Windows 8 was already installed when it was brought to me, but it didnt have any restore partitions etc.

 

So the restore partition was gone before i got hold of it! (I had thought of that).

 

One will be made though once this is working!!!

[mac_shinobi]

By the sounds of it - after installing that update from the dell website ( that updates or re programs the firmware for that chip ) without prompting etc, I would be very surprised if re imaging the laptop with an OS ( whether 7 or 8 etc ) is going to make any difference as I am guessing it requires that chip to be working with the correct firmware to make the touch screen work

 

That is my guess anyway

[mac_shinobi]

On some models for the Dell touch screen ( maybe the desktop units ) it advises to connect a USB cable from the base to the screen

 

I know that is a daft thing but does the screen have a usb connection so as to allow you to connect a usb cable between the base unit and the screen

[cpjitservices]

No, theres nothing like that on the screen, except for rotate buttons on the front.

 

Even connected to the dock I cant get it working!!!

 

GRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

And yes by the way @mac_shinobi you guessed it right on the previous page, thats exactly how it is. Until the right firmware is on the chip its not going to work regardless of the OS, simply put, I changed the OS back to Vista as the rollback tool was apparently made for Vista but it didnt work anyway same error.

[mac_shinobi]

Under the Vista 32 section on downloads / drivers there is :

 

N-Trig HID Tablet Digitizer, v.1.44, A02

(Driver)

 

Optional

28/03/2008

 

1.44, A02 Previous Versions

 

Description

N-Trig Digitizer Driver / Application Bundle for Vista 32

 

When I changed this to windows 7 it vanishes etc - wondering if this would make any difference or is this the tool that was installed orginally that borked it ?

 

 

EDIT :

Just wondering if there is any info on what tool / utility that re programs / over writes that chip ( as wondering if it writes or creates a backup image of that chip before it overwrites it )

 

As with the Lenovo laptops there is a bios utility that runs to update the BIOS Version and that utility creates a backup of the original BIOS before it writes the new version.

 

That being the case - may be able to get the original firmware that was on that chip and then just need to find out what utility we can use to program the original firmware back onto that chip

Edited October 14, 2013 by mac_shinobi

[cpjitservices]

I have no idea whether there is such a tool!!

 

Im at a loss with it.

 

The toucscreen worked out of the box with Windows 8 but upon installing Windows 7 it didnt, the vista drivers dont seem to work on 7 either!

 

Im beginning to loose all hope!! BY the way the BIOS version is 'A09' I have noticed that some of the drivers have A02 on them etc but not sure what its in regards to.

 

 

Under the Vista 32 section on downloads / drivers there is :

 

N-Trig HID Tablet Digitizer, v.1.44, A02

(Driver)

 

Optional

28/03/2008

 

1.44, A02 Previous Versions

 

Description

N-Trig Digitizer Driver / Application Bundle for Vista 32

 

When I changed this to windows 7 it vanishes etc - wondering if this would make any difference or is this the tool that was installed orginally that borked it ?

 

 

EDIT :

Just wondering if there is any info on what tool / utility that re programs / over writes that chip ( as wondering if it writes or creates a backup image of that chip before it overwrites it )

 

As with the Lenovo laptops there is a bios utility that runs to update the BIOS Version and that utility creates a backup of the original BIOS before it writes the new version.

 

That being the case - may be able to get the original firmware that was on that chip and then just need to find out what utility we can use to program the original firmware back onto that chip

[mac_shinobi]

Did just find this which is for windows 7 ( does this help at all ) - if not then may have to wait until you can book a call with either or both ( dell / ntrig )

 

Driver Details | Dell UK

 

Edited October 14, 2013 by mac_shinobi

[cpjitservices]

I think I may of tried that one as I did stumble upon some NTrigg drivers for Windows 7, Ill try them this evening and let you know the outcome!

 

Thanks!

 

Did just find this which is for windows 7 ( does this help at all ) - if not then may have to wait until you can book a call with either or both ( dell / ntrig )

 

Driver Details | Dell UK