Powered USB not the same as PowerShare/always-on?

Kandyman · 05-10-2010, 05:59 PM

I received my E6410 a few days ago and was quite dismayed to find out that I cannot charge peripherals on the powered USB port when the latop is off/hybernated/stand-by *and* the power cable is plugged in. The specs say that the latop has a powered USB port (the one above the e-sata port), and I had assumed that powered USB was the same as always-on. Is that not the case?
I checked a colleagues E6400 today and noticed that the same USB port has a lightning symbol, but that symbol is not on the E6410. The E6400 BIOS also has a setting for "USB PowerShare" which selects whether or not USB charging can be done when the computer is off or hybernated. No such setting in the E6410 BIOS..... Did Dell remove that feature in the E6410?

John Ratsey · 05-11-2010, 12:09 AM

On the E6400 I need to remove and plug in again the device you want to charge when you turn off or hibernate the computer.

This signals to the BIOS that you want to charge it and it is not something that you have just left plugged in when you turned the computer off (and could unintentionally drain the battery if the PSU is not plugged in).

I would hope that Dell have not downgraded this useful facility.

John

Kandyman · 05-11-2010, 07:14 AM

Tried that already. It still won't charge.

John Ratsey · 05-11-2010, 11:40 AM

What is also interesting is that the datasheet for the E6510 doesn't mention a powered USB port.

I have to start wondering whether Dell left the charging facility off the new models. If that is correct then my interest in upgrading to the E6410 takes a step backwards. Or maybe it is there but not yet configured in the BIOS.

John

Robin24k · 05-11-2010, 11:49 AM

I think the feature's probably gone by the sound of it. I wonder how much power it uses, having to monitor the USB port for devices being plugged in. I have a feeling Dell might have removed it due to decreased battery life?

John Ratsey · 05-11-2010, 12:16 PM

I've not seen any significant battery drain on my E6400 due to port monitoring when the computer is off / hibernating and nothing plugged in.

John

Kandyman · 05-11-2010, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Ratsey

What is also interesting is that the datasheet for the E6510 doesn't mention a powered USB port.

The spec sheet for the E6410 doesn't mention powered USB either, but this document does. Label 9 on page 2:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...s/sfits_en.pdf

Kandyman · 05-17-2010, 05:27 PM

After a few email exchanges with Dell support including an escalation, the final answer is that powered USB is not the same as PowerShare, and the 6410 does *not* support PowerShare.