[bLuE_oMeGa]

Hi,

I'm currently investigating the boot-up problem known as a [ITHR] problem for my work.

ITHR refers to the Internal Thermal Probes on the CPU. These probes check the temperature of the CPU. When something's wrong with the probes (or when the system detects something wrong with the probes due to the possible problems below) the system stops booting and it just gives following errorscreen

"Alert! Previous attempts at booting this system have failed at checkpoint [Ithr].
For help in resolving this problem please note this checkpoint and contact Dell Technical Support"


What can cause this error?

Well, this is the problem since quite a variety of problems can trigger the error.

1: the bios can be malfunctioning (a bios reset or flash can give a solution)
2: the cpu can be malfunctioning (this requires a new cpu)
3: the cpu socket can be failing (this requires a new mb)
4: the problem can be with bad usb sockets
5: even a bad uplink to a usb hub can cause this error to appear.

I've already got quite some info on this error and possible solutions, but it would be great to learn more. Can anyone give some more info concerning this problem? Causes or solutions ... ? Anything is welcome. Thx in advance ...

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I was having the same problem and I changed the monitor and it started working. WEIRD!!! I have not called Dell on it yet because I hate calling there tech support. If anyone can tell me why changing the monitor would help I can avoiid calling them.

[duswalk]

I was having the same problem and I changed the monitor and it started working. WEIRD!!! I have not called Dell on it yet because I hate calling there tech support. If anyone can tell me why changing the monitor would help I can avoiid calling them.

[jeffw]

I found the problem to be USB related each time, i now tend to use the two usb sockets under the NIC rather than the other 3 for the usb keyboard and mouse.

[duswalk]

well so far changing the monitor is still the solution for my problem. I am using the monitor on my computer now with no problems. Guess this is one of those that cannot be explained. Thanks for the help guys.

Dustin Walker
PC Technician, Suwannee County School District

[jeffw]

Was it a flat panel monitor? Did you connect up it's USB ports to the pc??

Just curious :-)

[duswalk]

no I did not plug its USB ports into the PC. Hey I gave her my CRT and I took her LCD. I am not complaining!

[bLuE_oMeGa]

Hi guys,

Dell has offered me (thanks to my function) an direct telephonenumber of one of the main technical engineers with Dell. We held a meeting and they ran a series of tests parallell to my testing in order to find a cause and a solution.

Appearantly there is a flaw in the USB uplink to the tft screens (we're currently using the model 1703FP) This screen provides a internal USB hub, but this can give errors with the USB ports at the back of the GX280 computer. A workaround is connecting the USB uplink to the front USB ports of the computer. This of course isn't the handiest solution, but Dell is working at it to fix this problem.

For now, Dell suggested 3 workarounds:

1) we don't use the USB hub in the screens at all.
2) we connect the uplink to the front of the computer
3) we only connect the USB hub to the back ports after the system has completely booted.

Hope this provides you with a temp solution and I'm keeping you posted, guys.

[eM24NiNe]

Hi guys,

Dell has offered me (thanks to my function) an direct telephonenumber of one of the main technical engineers with Dell. We held a meeting and they ran a series of tests parallell to my testing in order to find a cause and a solution.

Appearantly there is a flaw in the USB uplink to the tft screens (we're currently using the model 1703FP) This screen provides a internal USB hub, but this can give errors with the USB ports at the back of the GX280 computer. A workaround is connecting the USB uplink to the front USB ports of the computer. This of course isn't the handiest solution, but Dell is working at it to fix this problem.

For now, Dell suggested 3 workarounds:

1) we don't use the USB hub in the screens at all.
2) we connect the uplink to the front of the computer
3) we only connect the USB hub to the back ports after the system has completely booted.

Hope this provides you with a temp solution and I'm keeping you posted, guys.

Great alternative solutions. I simply went into BIOS and disabled the Boot to USB devices and that stopped my problem. I had one machine that used that USB uplink and this machine was it. Seeing that prob i rmoved it to get rid of the prob then plugged it back in and havent had that issue anymore. I too hate calling Dell Support.

[bLuE_oMeGa]

Well, that's also a solution, but insufficient for our company. Glad it works for you, though ... I hope Dell can provide a decent solution asap. I've got a phoneconference meeting planned tomorrow afternoon. Let's hope they figured out some more details by then ... I'll keep this post up-to-date after the meeting. Cheers!

[duswalk]

Any solution to this problem yet. The one that I was having problems with stopped working again.

[bLuE_oMeGa]

Have you tried booting without any USB devices connected? That seems to do the trick every time. Dell still hasn't come up with a solution. Keeping you posted as soon as I receive any input from them.

[warpenhauer]

I had the dread Ihtr checkpoint failure message on a Dell. It didn't like the USB Bluetooth plugged into the front USB sockets one bit. Took the unit out - booted up without fuss. Haven't tried the Bluetooth in the back sockets yet, but the other stuff plugged into the rear sockets doesn't seem to cause any problems.

[corinnainblue]

Had the same problem with my GX280 after it got a new motherboard.
I use an ergonomic keybord with USB port (Kinesis) and system would not boot with it connected.
If I boot only with the original keyboard connected into one of the lower 2 USB ports on the back it boots fine (though with a flicker on the right side of the screen). As soon as it's booted I just plug in the ergonomic keyboard and it runs ok.
What also works is to connect the ergonomic keyboard to one of the usb ports in the front. Then it'll boot without problems.

Edited by corinnainblue, 07 October 2005 - 08:08 AM.

[bLuE_oMeGa]

The problem really is a pain in the [bleep]. Dell didn't suggest any more workarounds thusfar. What I've learned so far from my testings and this forum is that there's one consistent factor, namely the USB connections. That seems to be the weakest link in these machines. I just forwarded my findings the dell headquarters and I'm hoping that they reply with a definite solution asap ... and not as to buy another system ;-)

[jeffw]

I've so far only ever experienced this problem with the GX280 model. We now purchase the GX520/620 machines and touch wood, no problems so far.