E6410 Owner's Thread

Very close to purchasing the following refurb for $749, though can't find an active outlet coupon at the moment:

* Latitude E6410 Laptop
* Processor: Intel Core i5-520M Processor
* Genuine Windows 7 Professional
* 250 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
* 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz (2 DIMMs)
* 8X DVD +/- RW Drive
* Intel HD Graphics with ExpressCard
14.1 inch UltraSharp WXGA+ (1440x900) LED Display
Back-lit Keyboard
Windows 7 Professional 32-Bit Operating System DVD
Regal Red

I like all the specs, including the screen, backlit keyboard, and the color red. My only concern is the 32-bit rather than the 64-bit Windows 7. While my computing needs are modest, I want this to last for many years so believe a 64-bit OS would be an advantage. I'm not savvy enough to confidently do a clean install of Windows (after reading GKDesigns info and other posts on doing this) and would have to purchase the Windows 64-bit disks separately at retail cost. I also read of the SandyBridge problems so no longer consider waiting for new SB models to be an option.

Any further pros or cons about this system as configured? And is it a real advantage to have 64-bit Windows in a laptop which is to be used for many (5+) years? As 32-bit Win7 seems to be the only option for an outlet e6410, this could push me towards spending lots more money on a new e6410.
thanks once again.
Bob

 

If you use a 32-bit OS, then you won't be able to address your 4GB of RAM, but rather 3.7 to 3.5GB depending on your graphic solution. What you can do, which was reported to work, is that once you have your system, you call Dell technical support, and say that your system is busted, as you can't address your full 4GB of RAM, which you need. They will send you the 64-bit disk.
Of course, don't put your stuff inside as you'll be re-installing Windows. Anything you do, expect it to disappear the day you will re-install Windows permanently.

Install Windows 7, is a peace of cake.
You can find many step-by-step guides on the internet.
Here is one: Windows 7 Install Guide

As you can quickly seem, it's almost like installing any program on your computer. The ONLY difference, is that you must click on Drive options > format button on the screen where it asks you which drive/partition you want Windows 7 to be installed (to remove the old one) .
This step:
Black Viper's: Windows 7 Install Guide - Image 2.3

Once done, follow the driver installation guide of your choice (the one of GKDesigns for example). Driver order installation, does not reaally matter in reality. But following GKDesign guide, you are sure you won't miss something, which might make one of the device not power efficient as possible, or not work.

Windows 7 installation time can take the way up to 35min, depending on your computer speed, optical drive.
I know you won't do it, but just for personal knowledge. If you make an ISO image disk of Windows, and use Microsoft Windows 7 USB/DVD free tool (http://store.microsoft.com/help/iso-tool), to put the Windows 7 ISO that you have onto a USB key, and boot form the USB key instead of the disk. You can install Win7 down to 7 minutes if you have a really fast USB 2.0 memory key. (that's how I do it with this USB key: http://www.patriotmem.com/products/detailp.jsp?prodline=7&catid=77&prodgroupid=181&id=979&type=11)

 

thanks GoodBytes for your very informative reply.
So, if Dell would agree to send me a 64-bit OS disk, the Windows installation guide you cite does seem pretty straightforward, except:
--step 8. would I select a particular HD driver from a Windows drop-down list; which one? Or, as GKDesigns seems to say, from drivers downloaded from Dell?
-- 9. do you recommend I ignore 'advanced options' assuming the default is a single partition on the C drive?
-- 24. is 'public network' preferred even if the laptop is almost always (90%) in our home?

Regarding GKDesigns notes:
--Dell drivers are first downloaded onto a USB from Dell Support, with the 'SATA AHCI drivers' selection obvious? or can drivers already installed on the computer be copied somehow, say, from Device Manager?
--how do I (and is it necessary to) 'Flash BIOS and any device firmware'? Though I have reset a few BIOS settings in the past, this sounds like something they warn people like me away from!

Though you don't directly say so, I'm assuming you do think the 64-bit Win7 has real advantage over the 32-bit OS given I want to use this computer 5+ years?

again, I appreciate your detailed response.

 

Your hardware spec is very similar to my E6400 (link below to my review).

I upgraded my E6400 to 64 bit and 8GB RAM because I sometimes use some software which ran out of memory with only 4GB on board. However, unless and until you discover that you can't run your favourite programs with only the ~3.5GB RAM that 32 bit Windows provides then I wouldn't recommend that you worry about 64 bit. Leave it (with more RAM) as a future upgrade option if you discover you need it. One of the downsides of 64 bit Windows is compatibility problems with some programs. The fix for this is then to install the XP Mode virtual PC but this uses up a chunk of HDD space and needs about 1GB of RAM.

John

 

You have 1 Hard drive with 2 partition. One hidden (you won't see it in Windows, but you will see it on the setup), which is the recovery partition, and the other is your C:\ drive. The recovery partition is too small for Windows 7. So it won't work (it will inform you that you don't have enough space). So you pick the larger one.. the C:\ partition.
So basically you can't go wrong.

You need to remove the old Windows on your system. You need to hit the Format button. As the recovery partition is totally useless (as you have Windows 7 disk, let alone 64-bit and your system 32-bit), you can: format (hit format button) that partition as well, hit delete, and then pick the C:\ drive (the bigger one), and hit on extend, to merge both sections into 1, if you choose.

As you have 0 data on it.. feel free to play around. You can't break thing or lose things.. as you have nothing on the system... other than Windows 32-bit. In other words, it's a good time to discover if you want to.

At every network connection you connect too for the first time, Windows 7 will ask you the same message. Windows 7 support multiple network environments. So at home, wired or wireless, you want to pick "Home". When you go to you favorite coffee place, and decide to connect to there wireless network. Windows 7 will ask you which type of network it is: Home, Business and Public. In such case, you pick Public.
Now EVERYTIME, you connect to the coffee place network, the system will follow Public type, and as soon as you got back home, Windows 7 will switch to Home type. It won't ask you again.

Of course, if you pick the wrong one by mistake, you can change it any time later on easily. Start > type: Network > pick in the search result: Network and Sharing Center. A panel will open. On it, you see a section called View your active networks, right bellow it, you see a blue link-text saying either "Home Network", "Business Network" or "Public Network". This is network type you picked last time. Click on it, and you will the same 3 type network question panel, so you can change it.

You want to pick the correct option, as this will decide how to setup your computer network settings. Under Public, it follows a maximum security criteria, where all sharing folder are no longer shared, HomeGroup is disabled, printer sharing is disabled, and the computer goes into incognito mode, where it can't be detected by someone else.

Since Vista, Windows fully support natively SATA controllers. In addition, unlike XP, drivers are no longer tied to the kernel (the core) of Windows. Meaning you can install them anytime. Windows will have no problem detecting your hard drive at the setup. Everything will work like a breeze.
On desktop environment you don't really care about the SATA drivers, as Windows update will take care of it, if you need it. But for laptop, to ensure that your computer sleeps properly, and be power efficient as possible, it's best to get the SATA controller drivers from Dell web site. Just download it, and install it, like you do any program under Windows.

With Dell, it's really easy:
After you download the latest BIOS from Dell web site. It will be like any program on your computer, essential. You will see an executable file (.exe - if you set Windows to show file extensions), double click on it, to run it, and a nice little panel will appear. It will you the current BIOS you have, and which version it will install. Click on "start" (if I remember correctly), and the BIOS will be updated. Once done, it will ask you to restart your computer (or I think it will do it automatically).
Be sure to have all your programs closed, and not doing anything behind before starting the BIOS update, just to ensure success.

Yes, of course.
First of all, 64-bit is the way to go. Not only you can run 64-bit programs, which will run faster than the 32-bit version, without changing your hardware (it's like a free computer upgrade), due to the longer instruction support, and new operation code that exists for the processor.

But, in addition, the simple fact of having Windows in 64-bit, will benefit you in term of performance for you 32-bit programs. Nothing major, but whatever helps a bit.. well helps.

On my computer, I have installed Microsoft Security Essential. This is Microsoft excellent anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-malware software, which is free. It's available in 64-bit!
If you don't know it: when you install it, you don't feel that you have anti-virus. It doesn't slow anything down, it's very light, scans really fast (especially the 64-bit version), and doesn't bug you unless it's really important. This software has excellent reviews, and won several awards.

In addition on my computer, I installed 64-bit video codecs, and use Windows Media Player 12 64-bit to play my videos to take advantage of the 64-bit codecs. I have noticed that I can play move movies on battery than if I used the 32-bit codecs.

I use Shark007 (free) codec pack. The only codec pack that is specifically designed for Vista and Windows 7. It doesn't conflict or override Windows excellent built-in codecs, and fully support Windows Media Center and Player 32 and 64-bit. Shark007's FREE Codec solutions - Windows 7 codecs

Note: Do not install RealPlayer, DivX, or any other codec pack, as this will create conflicts. If you have any of them installed, uninstall them.

If you are interested, you need to install the 32-bit version first, and then the 64-bit after.
32-bit: Shark007.net - Windows 7 Codecs - WMP12 Codecs
64-bit: Shark007.net - Windows 7 x64 Codecs - WMP12 Codecs

Once done, go to the Start menu > All programs > Shark007 Codecs, and right-click on Settings Application x64, and pick Run as Administrator. You will be prompted with the usually dialog box of Windows, saying if you want to allow this program to run as Admin, click on Yes. The panel will open. In it, go to the Config tab, and click on set 64-bit player. This will change all Windows Media Player 12 shortcuts from the 32-bit version to the 64-bit version, exept for the one on your task bar.. you need to remove it (unpin), go to the start menu, right-click on the Windows Media Player shortcut, and select pin to the task bar, to re add-it.

Once done, go to the Help tab, and click on Windows Filetype Associations button. A dialog box will appear, and finally click on Yes.
This will change all file association that was set to the 32-bit Windows Media Player to the 64-bit version. Your done!

Other advantages of going 64-bit, is potentially increase battery life. As certain things,including Windows will be easier on the CPU due to their 64-bit nature, you potentially (depending on what you do) some battery life.

Also, you PAID for a 64-bit CPU, why not use it?

 

He paid for 4GB of RAM.. use it! If if he doesn't need it, it's for principal. I don't go at a store, by stuff, and leave it in my storage room for "just in case". I buy it, I use it.

Also, I doubt our friend here has any 16-bit DOS programs that he still uses, or a printer or device that is ages old. So there is no worries.

 

No, you cannot copy existing installed drivers. Also, those received on a Dell Resource CD may not be up-to-date. Collect up all the latest sanctioned drivers from Dell.com for your OS. If your system is getting old and Dell has stopped updating its drivers, or you are trying to solve a particular issue, consider sourcing latest drivers from other OEM websites.

If Dell.com lists BIOS or firmware updates for your system/devices, then you should review them to decide if they are important to you. BIOS updates are common and fairly easy to apply... and usually fix problems. Device firmware updates are much less frequent and may only fix obscure issues... and may be less straightforward to apply... at least you can know and decide whether or not to mess with them... or know to come back later if the particular defect affects your system use.

The move to 64-bit computing is well under way. Your system is built for it. Unless you have some obscure legacy application or a hardware device driver that will not run on Win7 x64, move to 64-bit computing now... imo. If you have a compatiblility issue, chances are very good that you can abandon the old whatever and live without it... if not now, then when?

GK

 

John: already familiar with your review of the e6410; actually, it helped shape my decision to buy one (and now have also read your e6400 review).

GKDesigns: appreciate your clarifications. I would plan to update drivers from Dell's website, probably also the BIOS (at least with a refurb), but the firmware only if I encounter any problem.

GoodBytes: helpful comments again; I'm more comfortable with the prospect of installing the 64-bit OS with your very specific clarifications here. also appreciate the other recommendations you added (and had been thinking of using MS Security Essentials; though have used Avast Free without problem in recent years).

I know that I will need to upgrade a few programs for Win7, whether 32- or 64-bit, and may need to replace or find a work-around for a reliable but old HP printer (no Win7 drivers available). I will try to upgrade to the 64-bit OS, at least if Dell will provide me with the disk. If not, I'll likely be satisfied with the 32-bit OS for at least a few years. Now, just waiting for Dell outlet to release one of those 20 or 25% off coupons!

 

For your printer, if your printer has Vista 64-bit drivers, it will work, as there are no differences in the OS architecture related to printers.
I have the HP Laserjet 1012 and using Vista 64-bit drivers. works perfectly.

 

Windows legacy support for HP printers has been good, although x86 vs. x64 can make or break it. I have an HP LaserJet 4P circa ~1992 that the Win7 Compatibility Center claims is not compatible with x86 and x64, but there is a default Win7 x86 driver that runs it just fine. Could also consider an old XP desktop or other networked print server solution to eek out a few more years of service... if more convenient than buying a new printer.

A Win7 Pro x64 OEM system builder DVD can be had on sale for under $140... less if you can catch a sale.

GK