Solved! Dell XPS 702X High DPC Latency

[Synexus]

I've been having a nagging problem ever since I originally bought this laptop.

I bought a Dell XPS L702X last month, and it's been suffering from severe audio distortion and general slow down at random intervals. I've tried using process explorer to isolate what exactly is doing it, but I have the feeling that I don't actually know how to use process explorer. I've tried reinstalling each of my drivers individually, starting with my WLAN driver, and then I even tried disabling the ACPI driver.

However, I'm consistently getting the audio distortion, and though I'd like to avoid a fresh install of 7, I'm afraid that even if I do rollback the OS that it won't fix anything.

Dell's update system isn't helping, either, as it will often recommend drivers that for some reason aren't compatible with my system. So I used the initial disc that came with the laptop to rollback the drivers, and it's still plagued by the same issue. I updated the BIOS through Dell's website, and when it restarted, my computer blue screened because of a power state failure (at least that's what the error said) with a driver, and then proceeded to flash the BIOS.

At this point, I have no idea what to actually do to fix this, but if I have to Google another website with a vague, or poorly written answer, I may have to kill myself.

If there is any sort of diagnostic tool that I need to use to give you guys more information, I'll be glad to.

 

[WR2]

Hello Synexus;

Have you run across the DPC Latency Checker utility program yet?
Also check the "Background information: Why drop-outs occur" section.

 

[Synexus]

Hello Synexus;

Have you run across the DPC Latency Checker utility program yet?
Also check the "Background information: Why drop-outs occur" section.

Yeah, I've used DPC latency checker before, but my only problem with it is that it wouldn't exactly tell me what was causing the latency to spike, meaning the specific driver.
I know what causes DPC latency spikes, but I'm having a terrible time isolating what driver is responsible for it... I used process explorer because I was hoping that I could trace the process back to the service ran by whatever driver was responsible for it, but to no avail.

I suppose the best advice I *could* get would be a list of potential drivers that cause this. Perhaps I can install a different version that the ones that came with my disc when I re installed them, I suppose.

 

[solleeh]

I'm having the same issue with the same laptop, the Dell xps 17 l702x and also haven't found the problem yet.
With the DPC latency checker i get enormous spikes up to 100000us!.. This problem is killing me
Obviously i get the sound distortion from this.

A fresh installation did not change anything. I also updated the bios to a12 and since i did a fresh installation of windows, I had to reinstall all the drivers but after all this the problem still isn't solved.

I'm beginning to think this is a hardware issue and the motherboard is "broke" in some kind of way...
I've searched a lot in google for this issue and in most of these the motherboard is presumed to be the problem.

example:
http/www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/247210-12-audio-latency-problem-ds3r


Also, most of the time these glitches come when I am surfing the web. Somehow this creates the most pressure on the latency.

I also called Dell support and they recommended the reinstallation, which I was already planning, but i was not a familiar problem.
I'm afraid I will have to send the laptop back so please help!

 

[WR2]

I'm beginning to think this is a hardware issue and the motherboard is "broke" in some kind of way...
I've searched a lot in google for this issue and in most of these the motherboard is presumed to be the problem.

There is a piece of software that sits between the hardware and operating system. That's the driver and it would be my #1 suspect as culprit.

 

[icon31337]

I have a Dell L702X and the problem I found with mine is the wifi driver. If you listen to music and videos off of your hdd turn off your wifi connection and connect an ethernet cable. I used DPC Latencey Checker. I have been having the same issues with my laptop just as many of you are. I have got to hand it to Dell for making the worst XPS laptop ever.

 

[icon31337]

Depending on your Wifi adapter you should try disabling the wifi driver.
I threw down a wopping grand on this stupid computer. I should not be having issues like these. Dell better find a way to fix this or else I will never buy a Dell again.