Dell :: Looking For Input On M6400 Covet For A CAD Mobile Workstation
Feb 4, 2009
From all the specs listed on this machine it should be a CAD powerhouse, however it seems that there are a number of people on the net reporting lots of driver issues when trying to run CAD software.
I'll be running things like Solidworks and some other engineering aps that use some 3D modeling and am wondering if there is any kind of a consensus yet as to weather this machine is good to go or not. This machine will be used for work, so I don't want to mess around with something that will be crashing all the time.
Is it just the Dell bloatware that is causing the issues? If I reformat and reinstall the OS how difficult is it to find all the proper (stable!) drivers to get this machine up and running again?
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Dec 27, 2014
I have an M6300 Mobile Workstation that does not turn on. The green "On" indicator goes on and then the Cap Lock indicator just blinks. The screen never turns on and I never see the Dell opening splash screen when starting the computer. I have to hold the power button for over 20 seconds to turn the unit off.
What is going on with this computer especially what the blinking Cap Lock indicator means? Can I guess that it could be a hard drive problem because it tries to start, but never does and hangs with a blank screen, a Blinking Caps Lock indicator and the "On" indicator on steady?
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Jun 28, 2014
I had to reformat my laptop - i think i now need to install many drivers though HP website link to HP EliteBook 8540w Mobile Workstation (ENERGY STAR) does not work
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Jul 17, 2009
Yup me again, in my hunt to determine if M6400 is right for me as it costs just about as much as a used car, I want to make sure its a good investment before I buy it.
What is the main difference with the M6400 and the M6400 Covet?
I configured both with the same specs and the Covet is about $900 more in price?
Does orange paint really cost that much?
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May 13, 2010
I really like the new EliteBook 8450w and 8470w and I think it is time to replace my Thinkpad W500. Can anyone clue me in on how my experience might be different? I know plenty of people with consumer HP laptops but I don't expect it should be anything like that.
How is the noise (my Thinkpad is very quiet)?
How is the "feel"? The plastic body on my Thinkpad makes it feel cheep for what it is.
How are the hinges?
How is the keyboard? I absolutely love that they fit a num pad in the 15"
How is the trackpoint?
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Nov 3, 2008
Are they gonna have LED screens on the non covet m6400s? Or should I pull the trigger on the orange covet one?
Got a one time use 25% off coupon.
The orange looks kinda tacky, but maybe it looks better in person. Good deal or should I wait? ...
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Oct 22, 2008
in the M6400 owners thread I read about the fact that the normal version of M6400 is also available with this type of panel.
I don't see it at the configurator, so only a mistake or did I miss something?
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Nov 17, 2008
After a few weeks I have noticed a few problems with my M6400 Covet.
Here is an overview.
1.) Random hard-locks. My M6400 will sometimes hard-lock... it will completely freeze up. CTRL + ALT + DEL doesn't respond.. Caps Lock doesn't respond.. Everything simply freezes up. This is usually after I switch "off" the WiFi switch on the side of the covet.. or when connecting to a new WiFi network. I've updated the drivers to the ones on Dell's site.. It works for a while then does it again.
2.) Random video errors. My M6400's display will "freak out" every now and then. Seems to be completely random. Sometimes the machine is at idle, I come back and the screen has random artifacts on it.. sometimes it occurs when I'm working hard. It occurs when docked with an external monitor.. (however, it only affects the primary display on my docking station.. not the secondary display) and un-docked on the RGB LED E2E display. I think this is a driver error- but I've installed the drivers on Dell's website. Here is a screen-grab of the problem on the RGB LED E2E display. (Somehow I was *actually* able to prnt scrn it and save it in photoshop despite the horrible screen) My external monitor is fine and works fine with other computers.
3.) My WiFi/Bluetooth lights on the Covet don't always work. Sometimes i'm connected viai WiFi and the light isn't on. Strange. Are there supposed to be on-screen displays with the Covet? i.e. when you turn up /down the volume should there be an on-screen display? My old M90 did this.
Here are the vitals on my M6400 Covet:
Intel Core 2 Dual Extreme Edition QX9300 2.53GHz, 1067MHZ, 12M L2 CacheDual Core
8.0GB, DDR3-1066 SDRAM, 4 DIMMfor Mobile Precision
1GB NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M Mobile Precision M6400 Covet
Intel X25-M 80GB SSD (main disk)
160GB Hard Drive 9.5MM 7200RPM FFS (storage)
17 inch Wide Screen Edge 2 Edge WUXGA RGBLED LCD, Blood Orange, for Mobile Precision M6400
Vista Ultimate 64-BIT Service Pack 1, with media, English Mobile Precision
Integrated megapixel VGA webcam with single digital microphone, Mobile Precision M6400
Dell WLAN 1397 (802.11b/g) 1/2MiniCard for Latitude E/MobilePrecision
I did a clean-install on the Intel X25-M SSD
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Sep 10, 2009
I am about to buy a new anchor and have narrowed it down to the above two options. Quotes pasted below. Prices ommitted.. The Covet is about 100 bucks more then the w700 out the door.
I have always been a Dell guy, never had much experience with the IBM/Lenovo's. (Dropped my D630 in a pool so I get to finally get a dcent computer) I understand the raw spec differences in that I am getting more power all around with the Dell. What I don't know is that if the Covet is of the same build quality as the lower end business or consumer models (Not so great) as opposed to the Thinkpads which are wonderful.
Also, is the only difference between the LED RGB E2E and the non E2E the piece of glass? Is it identical except for that? I have a 2009 Macbook pro 17" with the matte screen and think it is beautiful, did not like the Apple Glossy (read, glare) option. Am I losing out on anyhing other then the Glare with the Non-E2E screen? ...
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Apr 30, 2009
Has anyone successfully calibrated the RGB LED screen on the M6400 Covet using a colorimeter?
I have a Pantone Huey Pro and I'm getting really bad results after calibration (washed out colors, greenish cast). After about 2 months of back and forth with Pantone they have told me that "maybe" my colorimeter doesn't have enough range for a screen with such a wide gamut.
The "maybe" part, which suggests they don't even know their own product, is what I find unbelievable
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Nov 20, 2008
Is anyone else having stability issues with the Covet?
How would I go about measuring heat on the CPU and GPU? I can't seem to find any utilities.
NTune crashes Vista 64 so that's out...
What I'm getting is normal fast operation for maybe an hour, and then fairly reliably the screens will all blank out for a second and then come back. Windows delivers a popup saying the NVidia drivers have stopped responding and then recovered.
Event logs show the message also: Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding.
I got the Quad Core Covet, and the Quadro 3700. I have it set in the High Performance power mode, plugged in to the wall on the (extremely large) factory charger. The system will run all day if I'm not using Maya.
Also ever since receiving this I have been getting a security audit failure:
Code:
Code integrity determined that the image hash of a file is not valid.
The file could be corrupt due to unauthorized modification or the invalid
hash could indicate a potential disk device error.
File Name:DeviceHarddiskVolume3WindowsSystem32drivers cpip.sys
Network works fine so I don't know what to think of that. Anyone have this too in Vista 64 Business or Ultimate?
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Oct 16, 2008
$3800 for the covet.
No LED LCD option for the normal version.
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Oct 16, 2008
No LED LCD option for the normal version.
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Jul 29, 2009
seems they can all be configured the same , surely they arent charging extra for that paint job , there must be more to it than that ?
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May 6, 2009
This is driving me crazy. The left rubber bumper on the keyboard deck of my m6400 keeps coming off. I called dell and they ended up replacing the entire deck just to replace this one little rubber piece and it just ended up coming off again.
I really don't want to call dell and set up a service call just to replace this one little piece. The last time I did the tech completely disassembled my laptop and it took him 3 reassembly attempts to get it to boot,
but I'm worried the my screen will get cracked if I don't (I have the covet with the glass screen). Seems like a really bad design.
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Dec 14, 2008
I've had my covet for arround less than a month now and i've now got serious issues with photoshop cs4 and all the cs4 suite.. like selecting actionscript in flash cs4s actionscript panel.. (major lag)
It must be the graphics drivers, but i have installed all the varieties i have read about on this forum both from nvidia & laptovideo2go to no availe.. after opening a few psd's and trying to move layers around from one to the other (via the tabs etc..) it really starts to become unusable.. it feals like there is a graphics card memeory leak or something, also when i open the nvidia control panel to see what's going on the 3d logo start to stutter when i move my mouse over it continiously...
is anybody else having issue with cs4..?
covet, quadcore, 8gb ram, 3700m + 320 hd..
about to install another 320 hd and was happy to see that i don;t have to reinstall everything.... via (ludicrus speed)
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Nov 22, 2008
***I should also note that some of the close screen shots are a little blurry. I wasnt using a camera stand and taking shots with no flash. So like in the sunset shot, dont compare resolution cause the m6400 pic looks blurrier than the 9100 pic. Just compare color and brightness. Sorry, I just noticed this hours later *
Ok, Ive taken some side by side pics.
Old laptop, Dell 9100 15" about 4.5 years old.
New Laptop - M6400 Covet
As you can see, for me at least, buying this 17" isnt much bigger than the
15" Im used to. Ok, yeah. I wish the power supply wasnt so big but I will still carry this daily with me to work.
I have a backpack by Spire that I LOVE. They make a sleeve that fits this laptop fine and though the backpack I bought isnt SUPPOSED to fit that big of a sleeve, it actually works.
I highly recommend Spire backpacks. My old one for the 9100 has been carried almost Daily for over 4 years with good weight in it and it still really seems like new esp in the strength department.
I am no expert in video card and monitor stuff as Im an audio guy, so I havent tweaked anything with these screens. They are just both set to highest brightness level and as they came. Im not sure how "fair" it is to compare these since one is an LED screen and one is not and right there, you should expect one to be "colder" and one "warmer".
The LED on the m6400 is definately more saturated with color and way brighter. In whites, my old one looks a bit yellowish though it doesnt really show on the pics.
I tried to so some comparison glossy vs matte (9100) screen. Yep, the Covet is glossy as it IS glass after all, but nope, it doesnt bother me a bit. My first glossy screen too.
I tried to show the screen at angles but both these screens seem to have a wide angle range for viewing.
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Jan 30, 2009
So yeah I wasn't exactly handling the thing with utmost care, was holding the open laptop one-handed by the left front corner, heard a plastic snap sound... I press down on the flat black plastic area where your left palm would rest, just above the PC card slot.. it's a bit squishy. Does it flex for yours too, am I paranoid? Its not a problem just wondering...
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Dec 8, 2008
Dell is finally starting to help me out as far as the screen glossiness and some other issues I've been having.
Before I tell them what parts I need in a replacement, I need to know if the M6400 RGBLED screen (not the Covet) is matte finish?
I'd really appreciate it - I can't trust their sales staff to actually know. My gut instinct would be that the E2E RGBLED screen is glossy, while the other is matte... but I don't want to replace my glossy with another glossy!
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Jan 30, 2009
Whenever I'm copying files over the network to/from my M6400 Covet, I lose network connection.
I get the 'Limited Connectivity' message in Vista 64. It seems to happen for larger files transfers only.
I have the latest software from Dell already. My solution is to restart the laptop.
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Dec 16, 2008
I've been a diehard thinkpad fan for years and I'm looking to upgrade from my T60p. I love the build quality, but I've been reading too many issues with the FireGL V5700 in the new W500 series. Moreover, I've read good things about overclocking the Quadro M770 to get closer to the M1700 speeds. So I'm now looking at the Dell M4400, normally I abhor the chassis construction of Dells, but the all magnesium casing of the 4400 series looks very good.
First, coming from a thinkpad, will I be satisfied with the build quality of the Dell?
Second, I'll be primarily using autocad, rhino and 3ds Max and have a question about the effect of screen resolution on the acceleration of the viewport displays in the various programs. Normally, I'd get the highest resolution screen possible, but will there be significant performance degradation from sxga+ (1440x900) to the wuxga (1920x1280) display when using these viewport accelerated programs due to the more demanding resolution?
Third, considering that the system uses DD2 memory, will I be able to upgrade the cpu to other Core2 ES chips that you can find on ebay? It looks like these chips use pins, I haven't been keeping up to date with the new mobile intel chips, are they all pga rather than bga format now?
And finally, when can i except some sort of deal on these systems on either the Canadian or American sites? I've been seeing a lot of 30% deals on inspirons and xps systems, but not on the precisions.
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Nov 7, 2014
PRECISION T3600 restarts automatically while using the workstation. We replaced mother board, graphic card and hard drive but still issue is same.
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Feb 10, 2013
I cannot install any OS on my M6500 wether from USB or DVD.
I keep getting the error "Required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing" whenever i select to install windows.
I have my 2x 250gb drives in Raid 0 but i keep getting this error all the time, any kink to a driver ?
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Nov 18, 2014
I own a Dell Precision M4800 Workstation running Windows 8.1 64-bit and the problem is that when I type text, no matter where (address bar, Office, iTunes, etc), and go to move my cursor immediately after, it takes about 3-4 seconds of me swiping on the touchpad to get it to move.
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Jan 30, 2009
I'm going to be getting a new laptop soon. I will be using Solidworks 64-bit mostly and also using some other engineering software that has 3D modeling involved.
Searching through threads it seems like a lot of people are reporting problems. Should I look at another laptop? Or has Dell worked out all the bugs with this machine?
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Dec 20, 2008
How black is your RGBLED screen? If you look at the black screen (say, black desktop background) in a completely dark room, is the screen uniformly black? Mine has some slightly brighter "shadows" (well, it's actually the opposite of a shadow) towards the middle of the screen. Granted, this is a tough test for a laptop LCD, but for that kind of money I would have expected more. My M90 certainly does better in that regard, but I do seem to recall that the screen on that laptop had a similar issue, and did improve over time.
So, is what I am seeing normal, or should I get them to give me a new LCD?
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May 15, 2014
Is it possible to add a second 24" monitor for use with my laptop, which is connected through a workstation. If so, what is required?
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Sep 6, 2014
Using Defender Offline "Beta" as instructed on MS website for Windows8.1. Created the media on a USB drive, then on a CD. Manually selected boot device on the boot sequence page. Followed all the instructions to the letter, but the Defender Offline media won't boot on this new W540, either on USB flash drive, or on the CD drive.
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Apr 21, 2009
i came across the fact that you can only monitor audio if you install the sigmatel audio drivers with XP SP2 compatibility, but now that i wanted to plug my XPS via HDMI to my flatscreen, lo and behold... no HDMI audio as it used to be.
is it possible to have both scenarios or does one cancel the other?
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Aug 7, 2009
I can't get the audio input jack to work using either an MP3 or a microphone. This is a new Inspirion and when I call Dell, they send me overseas to someone that
keeps telling me it's a problem with the three MP3's I have tried and the microphone so they send me to "Pro Support"
that wants a credit card number. Anybody have an idea if this is a software issue or a defective input jack?
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