Windows 7 on Latitude E6400

[veritas72]

Guys, I was using my Latitude on Win7 for a while now but noticed it was slower then my sister's Inspiron.

I started digging up my E6400 to do a deep optimization, removing unecessary crap out of it. So I decided to go radical and format.

But I'm in doubt of what I should and shouldn't install on my note, I was wondering if you guys have a check-list of necessary stuff.

I was digging in this post in order to create a small check-list of things and so far I made this one, please correct me if its wrong:


Latitude E6400 Installation Steps:

1 - Install Windows 7 and let the Upgrade take most (if not all) of the drivers.

2 - Install Intel Matrix Raid from Intel site, not Dell's.

3 - Install Dell Control Point System Manager.


Optional Steps:

- If you want Webcam Central:
1 - Install Vista 64 drivers for the camera.
2 - Install Dell Webcam Central.
3 - Remove the drivers using the Device Manager.
4 - Reboot the machine.
5 - Reinstall the driver.

- If you want the IDT's Sound Application:
1 - Install IDT Sound Driver for more configuration options.

- If you want Dell Touchpad / Pointing Stick:
1 - Install Dell Touchpad drivers.


Is this steps right or am I missing something?

Another question, what are those Intel AMT HECI and Intel AMT SOL/LMS Drivers, should I install it?

looks right. you only need the AMT if you are using the dell vPro tech. if you don't know what it is, you don't need it.

and im not actually sure anymore about whether you need to use the IMSM from intel's site. it used to be necessary, but may not be.

[Haquin]

Great, thanks!

In my previous format I installed Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008, that and tons of Dell's bloatware. So my E6400 became a big hog slower then my sister's basic Inspiron, that pissed me off.

Now gonna try to keep the notebook prety clean and run all the heavy applications (SQL 2008 and VS2008) through Virtual Machines. I'll suffer a little with the VM's limitations but at least I don't make my pc slower all around.

I couldn't even play Warcraft 3 on it! That's just absurd!

My problem is that I do love most of Dell's bloatware. I can't live without Dell Dock, Webcam Central, IDT Sound Application (helpful if you use headsets or connect to a TV) and Dell touchpad software.

But I think what caused my pc to be slow was not installing Intel Matrix driver, SQL, VS and all of those Dell Control Point stuff.

Anyway, gonna try to filter some more fat out of my E6400.

[veritas72]

Great, thanks!

In my previous format I installed Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008, that and tons of Dell's bloatware. So my E6400 became a big hog slower then my sister's basic Inspiron, that pissed me off.

Now gonna try to keep the notebook prety clean and run all the heavy applications (SQL 2008 and VS2008) through Virtual Machines. I'll suffer a little with the VM's limitations but at least I don't make my pc slower all around.

I couldn't even play Warcraft 3 on it! That's just absurd!

My problem is that I do love most of Dell's bloatware. I can't live without Dell Dock, Webcam Central, IDT Sound Application (helpful if you use headsets or connect to a TV) and Dell touchpad software.

But I think what caused my pc to be slow was not installing Intel Matrix driver, SQL, VS and all of those Dell Control Point stuff.

Anyway, gonna try to filter some more fat out of my E6400.

im wondering if something more isn't going on. i have this thing chock full with every program you can think of and it runs smooth as butter.

[GoodBytes]

Fun fact: Dell Control Point panel, once installed, places 2 program on the startup list. The first one is the big bulky one with all the options, and the other is the light one with is the onscreen notification. What i did, is removed the big bulky one form startup, as you can start it up any time by doing Fn+F7 (2 times for the first time, the first time will run it, but start hidden, do it again, it will appear in front of you.. it does that as it thinks it's starting with Windows, so it hides) on your keyboard. Sure it will take a few seconds to load... but you load it only when you need it, and not EVERY time your computer starts.

[vivithemage]

We just got in a bunch of Dell E6400's for our techs, and we removed that Dell Control Point Panel right off the bat.

If anyone needs a set of recovery disks for the E6400, let me know..i've got plenty of sets for sale :

http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...13#post5674313

[veritas72]

GB -- really quick question -- do you find that sometimes DCP forgets that you have the extended battery life mode totally enabled -- and unchecks use windows 7 basic (no aero)?

or does anyone else?

[mvalpreda]

I have found that DCP writes to a file (SMManager.txt) in the \users\public\dell\UCM directory that never really lets searchindexer.exe settle down. As soon as I excluded \users\pubic\dell\UCM from indexing options, searchindexer.exe would chill out.

Looks like it's from the Dell Connection Manager portion of DCP.

Before I excluded that directory from indexing, my CPU would sit at 50% when idle and 20% when I was on the machine. Quite annoying.

[GoodBytes]

Go to the file properties of SMManager.txt, on teh "general" tab, click on "Advance", a panel will appear.
On that panel, you will notice there is an option "Allow to have this file indexed...." and "file is ready for archive"... uncheck both.

[le.gentleman]

Hi there, I got the E Port Plus and Monitor stand for my e6400 (with nvidia graphics). Now I want to connect this to my TV. I thought I would use a DVI dual link cable to HDMI and connect the EPort Plus DVI with the HDMI on my TV.
Any chance I will get sound and picture on my TV or just picture?

[GoodBytes]

DVI is Video only.
What you needed is Display port with audio support to HDMI adapter (some adapter exclude Display Port audio pin's).

What you can see to do, is if your TV support aux audio source with the HDMI plug, to connect a cable from the laptop headphone jack to the speakers of your sound system or TV.