Latitude E6400 Owner's Lounge

[c14rider]

I don't have any .dmp files on the hard drive. Searched for hidden and system files as well. Nor do I have a minidump folder under C:\Windows. The BSOD I get just flashes for half a second and is gone. It wouldn't have time to output much of a file.

[GKDesigns]

>>GK that is one awesome price you got.

Plus free shipping. Time will tell... sometimes I feel OEMs should pay us for our trouble!

Regarding backup, I recommend Cobian Backup. Free, logical, lean, and powerful.

GK

[GKDesigns]

Thanks, All, for the firewall recommendation... I will give Comodo another look if the Vista firewall proves too cumbersome. I think I will stick with F-Prot 64-bit for antivirus... F-Prot has served me well since DOS and I appreciate its 5-user license.

Here is a Vista 64-bit install plan for the E6400 that I will refine with experience:

o Note factory device and application installations (devices, driver versions in device manager and supporting applications).
o Dell Vista 64-bit CD is Vista only, no supporting drivers.
o Download latest device drivers from Dell to USB drive.
o Boot and install from Vista CD (format drive and create system partition).
o Install and confirm device drivers in device manager: motherboard/sata drivers, video, sound, then remainder.
o Run Windows Update and reboot liberally.
o Defrag HDD.
o Don't install anything else until you need it! For example, avoid Dell's remote assistance application if you will not use it and do not want it running its service.

>>Intel-provided versions of the chipset software rather than the dell-provided...

This I understand, but it begs to be vetted... the very least Dell can do is offer THE compatible chipset driver. And this must co-exist with THEIR BIOS and their other integrations, so... how sure can one prefer Intel's chipset driver over Dell's?

Usually when I choose the OEM's download over Dell's, it's when the Dell download is basically just the OEM's download rebranded, and Dell has stopped bothering to update it with the latest OEM version because it's just not worth their trouble to push out the latest greatest driver tweaks to a handful of power users. Perhaps this is also the case here regarding Intel's chipset driver, although chipset driver tweaks are not just for power users... this early in the product life cycle.

Are Roxio and Cyberlink worth installing? Perhaps Vista provides enough native support for basic usage such that one could live without Roxio and Cyberlink, knowing that if you ever need their enhancements, it may be time to install later versions or install alternate/better applications. For example, once WMP started playing DVDs, Cyberlink was not required (but perhaps Cyberlink is still required for burning DVDs?).

GK

[veritas72]

I don't have any .dmp files on the hard drive. Searched for hidden and system files as well. Nor do I have a minidump folder under C:\Windows. The BSOD I get just flashes for half a second and is gone. It wouldn't have time to output much of a file.

when the system recovers, does it say windows had a serious error, or whatever and give you any information? the technical details of the crash should show the dump output.

[c14rider]

The blue screen is only displayed for half a second or less, so no opportunity to even begin to read anything on the screen.

[Cape Consultant]

GKDesigns, how did you get such a good deal? I got a very similiar machine, except that I had to have the blue, which is unlike me as I usually want basic business black, but with this laptop, I really wanted to attract attenion for my business, which, is, at least partly, selling and setting up Dell laptops

I am begging for overnight shipping so that UPS does not have 5 days to mess up my machine. Build is below:

Quantity Item Number Description Unit Price

1 223-9335 Latitude E6400, Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, 2.40GHz, 1066MHz 3M L2 Cache, Dual Core $1370.00
1 311-8827 4.0GB, DDR2-800 SDRAM, 2 DIMM for Latitude $0.00
1 330-0841 Internal Backlit English Keyboard for Latitude E $0.00
1 330-1652 Documentation (English) Latitude E-Family/Mobile Precision $0.00
1 320-6972 NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M, 256MB With PC-Card, Latitude E6400 $0.00
1 341-6970 160GB Hard Drive 9.5MM,7200RPMFFS for Latitude E6X00 $0.00
1 311-8849 Internal Fingerprint Reader Latitude E6400 $0.00
1 320-6943 Regatta Blue Wide Screen WXGA+LCD for Latitude E6500 $0.00
1 467-5791 Vista Business 64-BIT Service Pack 1, with media, English Latitude $0.00
1 430-3090 Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth 2.1 Minicard for Latitude E/Mobile Precision $0.00
1 330-0876 90W 3-Pin, AC Adapter for Latitude E-Family $0.00
1 330-0879 US - 3-FT, 3-Pin Flat E-FamilyPower Cord for Latitude E-Family $0.00
1 313-6722 8X DVD+/-RW for Latitude E-Family $0.00
1 420-8010 Roxio Creator Dell Edition,9.0Dell Latitude/Mobile Precision $0.00
1 420-9184 Cyberlink Power DVD 8.1,with Media,Dell Latitude/Mobile Precision $0.00
1 313-6710 Integrated VGA webcam with single digital microphone Latitude E6400/MPWS M2400 $0.00
1 430-3086 Dell WLAN 1510 (802.11a/b/g/n 2X3) 1/2 MiniCard for LatitudeE/Mobile Precision $0.00
1 330-0884 No Intel vPro Technologys advanced management features for Latitude, Mobile Precision $0.00
1 330-0895 Resource DVD with Diagnostics and Drivers for Latitude E6400Notebook $0.00
1 312-0729 6-Cell/54-WHr Battery for Latitude E/Mobile Precision $0.00
1 989-1612 ProSupport for End Users: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response 2 Year Extended $0.00
1 989-4570 ProSupport for End Users: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response Initial Year $0.00
1 991-2948 Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Extended Year(s) $0.00
1 983-7572 ProSupport for End Users: 7x24 Technical Support and assistance for end-users, 2 Year Extended $0.00
1 989-3449 Thank you choosing Dell ProSupport. For tech support, visit http://support.dell.com/ProSupport or call 1-866-516-3115 $0.00
1 991-2947 Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Initial Year $0.00
1 984-3980 ProSupport for End Users: 7x24 Technical Support and assistance for end-users, Initial $0.00
1 900-9987 Standard On-Site Installation Declined $0.00
1 430-3092 Dell Wireless 5720 Mobile Broadband (EV-DO Rev A) Mini-Card for Verizon Wireless(w/ GPS), Latitude $125
1 313-6737 Latitude E6400 Color - RegattaBlue $0.00
1 313-6707 Blue Finish for WXGA+ Backlight, Latitude E6400 $0.00
1 313-6714 Integrated 0.3 megapixel VGA webcam with single digital mic for WXGA+ LCD, Latitude E6400 $0.00
1 313-6719 Dell Webcam Central Software for Dell Latitude $0.00
1 320-6945 14.1 inch Wide WXGA+ AntiglareScreen for Latitude E6400 $0.00
1 310-8319 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor $0.00
1 310-8758 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System $0.00
1 430-3096 E/Port Plus, Advanced Port Replicator for Latitude E-Family/Mobile Precision $199
1 310-8977 Info SKU-Software and Peripherals products and solutions catalog included in system boxes $0.00

[BooksForumuser]

Okay, I'd like to do some in-depth testing on my Latitude. To that end:

(1) Do you guys have any recommended programs for deep reading of the system and its components?
(2) Is there some utility which I can use to monitor which application is accessing the hard disk (so I can track down the "flashing LED" conundrum?
(3) Also, since I don't have a fingerprint reader (although -- apparently -- the original Dell installation is loading the Broadcom Sensor and the Smart Card reader), can I uninstall and reinstall the Dell ControlPoint software and choose only the modules I'll need?
(4) Finally, since I've become increasingly enamored with the backlit keyboard, is this driven through ControlPoint or somewhere else? In other words, what breaks with what, if you know what I mean.

Thanks.

[GoodBytes]

(1) Do you guys have any recommended programs for deep reading of the system and its components?

Yes, check out Lavalys Everest. On my review of the E6400 Laptop I generated benchmarks and full details of the machine. It's pretty big text HTML document (you don't want to print this )
Review: Dell Latitude E6400 - User review
Details: http://www.helpweaver.com/reviews/LatE6400/report.html (about 70 pages)
Benchmarks: http://www.helpweaver.com/reviews/La...benchmark.html

(2) Is there some utility which I can use to monitor which application is accessing the hard disk (so I can track down the "flashing LED" conundrum?

Not very useful information, as some activity is done done by OS itself, or the HDD itself in doing maintenance tasks, especially Vista (doesn't do it when you are in battery mode). This is done to keep your system at high performance all the time, unlike previous version of Windows, were performance degrade after few month despite defragmenting with proper tools. Although I can tell you that if you have Windows Vista, after you installed all your application and put your files in, you will see your HDD a lot at work as it's indexing everything. Just leave the machine plug-in until it's done. (I just left it over night, and did a defrag at the same time. Once I wake up the system is totally ready)

(3) Also, since I don't have a fingerprint reader (although -- apparently -- the original Dell installation is loading the Broadcom Sensor and the Smart Card reader), can I uninstall and reinstall the Dell ControlPoint software and choose only the modules I'll need?

I think it comes all together... I can't remember,

(4) Finally, since I've become increasingly enamored with the backlit keyboard, is this driven through ControlPoint or somewhere else? In other words, what breaks with what, if you know what I mean.

The backlight is hardware controlled, you can turn in/off even in the BIOS. They are 3 modes to selected from:
- Off
- Turn On automatically under low light condition
- Turn On.

Using the Control Point software you do can stuff like "Turn off backlit keyboard after XX number of seconds/minutes of inactivity by the keyboard only/keyboard and mouse", also it shows the on-screen information on the mode it's set onto, and it's dragable anywhere on the screen. Control Point loads pretty quickly compared to other laptop systems, so I would just leave it, personally. You have the CPU power and RAM so such minor thing won't do anything.

[SpeedyMods]

The only thing that ControlPoint can do with the backlit keyboard that the BIOS can't is display the notifications on the screen and adjust the brightness of the keyboard.

Whoever posted about Cyberlink and Roxio, you need Roxio to copy disks, and without Cyberlink, you can't play DVDs, since Vista and earlier Windows do not have a DVD codec installed. You don't even have to ever open the program, but installing it gives you the DVD codec which allows you to play DVD's in practically any application.

Greg

[orjan]

...
(3) Also, since I don't have a fingerprint reader (although -- apparently -- the original Dell installation is loading the Broadcom Sensor and the Smart Card reader), can I uninstall and reinstall the Dell ControlPoint software and choose only the modules I'll need?
...

Yes, you can choose only the modules you want.

I have only installed ControlPoint System Manager with the "Screen" module and "Power" module (don't know the exact names in the English version).

I have not installed anything from the Connection Manager since it just looks like a bloated piece of software. And yet it wasn't even able to control my Intel WiFi card.

From the Security Manager I only installed the drivers for the Broadcom USH device and the Smart Card reader. I then uninstalled the Security Manager drivers and just updated the devices manually with the drivers I previously extracted. This works as intended: No yellow exclamation marks in device manager for devices without drivers but without the overhead of the driver package (e.g. services I don't need). I don't intend to use the builtin security features anyway.

With this setup my laptop is fast!

Örjan