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2 Posts
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37720
August 21st, 2012 14:00
Weird remote desktop problem Optiplex 790
Hello there!
I've got a weird problem over here. I will try to explain the whole situation and sum up all the things I've tried to fix it.
Whenever one of my colleagues wants to work at home (Win7 ultimate) and tries to take over her Dell Optiplex 790 (XP pro SP3) at work through Remote Desktop, her pc goes black after logging in or unlocking the pc (so first she gets to see the login screen).
The pc can't get out of the black screen mode after that, whether I try it through Remote Desktop or behind the pc itself so I have to hard-reset the pc every time.
Now I've tried a lot to fix this problem. I've changed the network cable and plugged it into another network port. Then I thought it could be the settings of my colleagues' home computer, so I played a bit with the resolution, RDP resolution and settings and the Microsoft firewall, but that didn't work.
At the O790 I installed every Microsoft Update and updated all the drivers (also the video driver).
The weird thing is, that when I try to take over the computer, I get the same problem of the black screen at this pc('s), while I take over various pc's at work all the time without any problems.
Then I already got a bit tired of it and tried some more drastic solutions. I replaced the Optiplex 790 with another O790 and for some reason the exact same problem occurred.
I am sure it's not a firewall thing because she (and I) can take over any other type of pc without getting the black screen. Just having the trouble with the Optiplex 790's.
Did anybody have the same problem or does anybody know a solution? I am out of idea's here :(
AceyMan
3 Posts
0
December 15th, 2012 10:00
I have the same issue with my Optiplex 790. I just recently figured out what was going on. We cloned the stock HDD to a SSD so for a week or two I was having standby issues with the new drive.
In that case would go into 'idle' mode = not spinning, but since SSD's don't spin the system couldn't wake it back up. Changing power settings in Win 7 ended up fixing that but then when I would get to work in the morning the unlock screen interface would be waiting for me -- as soon as I hit C-A-D and then entered my password the system would go dark and nothing would bring it up but a hard power button restart.
I finally figured out it was only happening on mornings when I had VPNed and remote desktop to my own machine the evening before. Aparently the nVidia driver doesn't handle the fact that the virtual desktop sets a different 'native' resolution when RDP session is used, and then when the local console is used next it has to refresh on the local native (monitor determined) resolution - that's when it bombs and hangs. Nothing is going into the event log.
I've got the very latest driver from nVidia with all the crap turned off and still have the issue. We have many of these systems ready to roll out at work (I'm one of the first adopters) so we need to get this fixed before we "upgrade" users out on the floor. I'll be opening a case with Dell on this this week. I'm very busy and don't have time to isolate or trouble shoot further.
At least you know you are not crazy -- I wish I had more to help you with.
I'll follow this up if I get a valid fix.
Cheers,
AceyMan
AceyMan
3 Posts
0
December 17th, 2012 18:00
I have a fix now FTW. (update - FAIL - see added comments)
It turns out you cannot use any of the recent nVidia drivers with this card as-is. I used the last two WHQL release and had this same issue. However, a partial fix is to just let Windows 7 detect the video card and leave it at that. It will install a driver dated 2012-03-22 (or so) which seems to work OK (I don't need 3D acceleration, etc) -- at least it fixes the 'crash when login after a remote desktop session' issue.
The full fix is to flash the card BIOS-- Dell and nVidia have no tool for this, but HP does (bless them). Update the video card BIOS (reboot) - install the nVidia driver of choice (reboot) - and you're good. I've done this now and I can remote to my box from a non native resolution - disconnect - go to my physical console -- login locally -- no BSOD.
Search the web for: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 295 Video BIOS (ROM) and Flash Utilities , one of the HP links will give you the tool you need.
UPDATE - Well, despite a couple of sucsessful tests, the BIOS fix doesn't do it. When I came in this morning after having remoted to my workstation from home the night before, same bad thing happened - unlock screen, enter credentials and BOOM, blank screen which requires a hard power reset. When I login after the reset the OS reports 'system has recovered from a serious error' box with some key values from the crash.
I'm rolling back to the generic Microsoft driver as I'd initially tried.
Cheers,
Acey
Spoodoo
2 Posts
0
December 18th, 2012 23:00
Too bad :( When I saw your post yesterday, I almost ran to an O790 to try it out, but then realized we don't have nVidia cards in those pc's. We are using the stock onboard Intel graphic cards.
Unfortunately I gave up. I have tried everything that came up in my mind but nothing helped. I now gave the people that were experiencing the problem an older O780.