Dell says STAY AWAY from A12!!!

My Axim x51v is draining power like crazy. To the rate of one percent every three minutes.

There are no programs running. I turn it on and just keep watching the today's screen with brightness dimmed to the lowest possible. No Wifi, No Bluetooth and beam turned off as well.

It is draining power even with the device turned off. (even when I turn it off completely down using the power button. I had it with about 40% by noon time and four hours later it is on critical battery alert)

I also keep getting an alert that the backup battery is low, what is weird since the X51v has NO BACKUP battery!!?!?!?

I tested the battery with an Axim x50v and the battery works just fine, so I know is in the device.
I got a compact flash and a SD connected, but both tested flawless on the X50v as well.

I'm running the latest rom update (A12).

So I contact tech support about the issue and after explain all above, this is what follows:

*********************************



Limbo: "I was just reading online the Aximsite message board"

Limbo: "It seems that this battery drainage problem is related to the new rom A12"

Limbo: "do you have any information on this?"

Dell Agent: "I would suggest you please do not upgrade the ROM to A12. Most of our customers have faces problems with the unit after the upgrade by letting it not to work at all."

Dell Agent: "We are researching for the patch update to resolve the issue."

Limbo: "Oh, I see."

Dell Agent: "You can go for the upgrade after the patch is released not now at all."

Limbo: "well, I did upgade mine"

Dell Agent: "Please do not do so with the next unit that you are going to receive."

Limbo: "I did upgrade to A12 before anything else, as a matter of fact"

Limbo: "so is this exchange still necessary?"

Dell Agent: "Yes else the unit will not work at all."

Limbo: "will it fix if I just downgrade?"

Dell Agent: "No the downgrade does not work too. The upgrade makes the unit almost useless."

Limbo: "oh my god :D"

Limbo: "I will not upgrade it this time then"

Limbo: "thank you for the advice"

Dell Agent: "Thank you."

Dell Agent: "Is there any other DELL hardware related issue that I may assist you with?"

************************************

So they are sending me another X51v by mail... O_________o

[dvmed]

Thanks for the warning :approve:

I Just Got A Refurb, With A06, And I Updated Yesterday To A12,, Do I Need To Get Another One Sent??

[MarcusA78]

It surprises me that so many people have problems with the A12 upgrade. I have none of the problems reported on Aximsite relative to the A12 ROM. At all, the upgrade was really worthwhile oneself for me.

[Frenchy]

Mine doesn't do this actually yesterday, I started the Axim took the train and walk to a bike shop, stop at the dentist, go pick up the bike. and ride home. So I left work at 2:45PM and got home at 5:50. The Axim ran all the time with a dimed screen. When I got home the battery was showing 42% left. I have ROM A12

Today, I sat in a two hour meeting w/ my PDA on, display lighted and bluetooth keyboard active typing notes into my x51V. The battery dropped....maybe 20%. A12 works well for me.

[Frenchy]

Today, I sat in a two hour meeting w/ my PDA on, display lighted and bluetooth keyboard active typing notes into my x51V. The battery dropped....maybe 20%. A12 works well for me.

Ditto look at my post above yours

[jamesbe2759]

My Axim x51v is draining power like crazy. To the rate of one percent every three minutes.

There are no programs running. I turn it on and just keep watching the today's screen with brightness dimmed to the lowest possible. No Wifi, No Bluetooth and beam turned off as well.

It is draining power even with the device turned off. (even when I turn it off completely down using the power button. I had it with about 40% by noon time and four hours later it is on critical battery alert)

I also keep getting an alert that the backup battery is low, what is weird since the X51v has NO BACKUP battery!!?!?!?

I tested the battery with an Axim x50v and the battery works just fine, so I know is in the device.
I got a compact flash and a SD connected, but both tested flawless on the X50v as well.

I'm running the latest rom update (A12).

So I contact tech support about the issue and after explain all above, this is what follows:

*********************************



Limbo: "I was just reading online the Aximsite message board"

Limbo: "It seems that this battery drainage problem is related to the new rom A12"

Limbo: "do you have any information on this?"

Dell Agent: "I would suggest you please do not upgrade the ROM to A12. Most of our customers have faces problems with the unit after the upgrade by letting it not to work at all."

Dell Agent: "We are researching for the patch update to resolve the issue."

Limbo: "Oh, I see."

Dell Agent: "You can go for the upgrade after the patch is released not now at all."

Limbo: "well, I did upgade mine"

Dell Agent: "Please do not do so with the next unit that you are going to receive."

Limbo: "I did upgrade to A12 before anything else, as a matter of fact"

Limbo: "so is this exchange still necessary?"

Dell Agent: "Yes else the unit will not work at all."

Limbo: "will it fix if I just downgrade?"

Dell Agent: "No the downgrade does not work too. The upgrade makes the unit almost useless."

Limbo: "oh my god :D"

Limbo: "I will not upgrade it this time then"

Limbo: "thank you for the advice"

Dell Agent: "Thank you."

Dell Agent: "Is there any other DELL hardware related issue that I may assist you with?"

************************************

So they are sending me another X51v by mail... O_________o

WHY does anyone listen to those Dell idiot tech support people? They don't know Jack. If you want better advice just ask the next guy/girl you meet on the street.

WHY does anyone listen to those Dell idiot tech support people? They don't know Jack. If you want better advice just ask the next guy/girl you meet on the street.

If Igo to A12 can you reverse back to A06???????

[JNDSDA]

If Igo to A12 can you reverse back to A06???????

Maybe you could downgrade, but:

"Limbo: "will it fix if I just downgrade?"

Dell Agent: "No the downgrade does not work too. The upgrade makes the unit almost useless."

[Frenchy]

If you backup the ROM prior to as prompt during the upgrade, you will be able to.

[dvmed]

I think the CS rep is referring to the cases wherein the axim gets bricked. Obviously successful upgrades are definitely not useless.

[MarcusA78]

You can't downgrade. The only way is to flash the ROM with the SD Image Loader but you need the ROM File in .nb0 format. There is no way to extract this file from the upgradefiles from Dell so far.

[ikehiker]

The download is still on Dell's website. Does anyone seriously think even Dell would be idiotic enough to leave a ROM image available if it "makes the unit almost useless?"

jamesbe2759's assessment is right on.

Have the people having the problems done the fake server trick? Rapid power drains was one of the issues with the X51 this solved.

[Patrick Y.]

No problem here.