Latitude E6400 Owner's Lounge

I got rid of DCP no problem

 

My LG WXGA+ display washes out at full brightness, but you only need that brightness when working outside in the sun. I normally use it at around half brightness which is fine for indoor use and the contrast is good.

John

 

DCP is Dell Control Panel. It's 2 programs. First it's the onscreen notification for the volume, brightness, keyboard backlit, and ambient light sensor status. This one is very light application, well optimized from Dell. Congrats on Dell for that, I am surprised how light that application is, and how they used 1 application for every notification. Oh and also it makes all the FN keys works, so that you can enable/disable recharging, run Dell Control Panel, close the screen without closing the laptop lid (which will make the laptop go to sleep by default), it very useful to save battery.

The second application works with plug-ins.
It starts with the basic, which allows you to set the brightness of the keyboard backlit, also change the idle time you want it to close automatically, and also be able to enable advance battery feature by a press of a button. What it does is that it disables pretty much everything (Smart Card, optical drive, SD card reader, firewire, set the screen at 40Hz, set the screen at 16-bit and disable Aero. All that a press of a button. Press it again to put everything back as it was.

Then you have the plug-ins which I did not install as they don't concern me, and makes the application heavier. 2 plug-ins exists. The first is teh security manager, which allows you to make the smart card working apparently and/or finger reader. And the second one is an alternative to Windows wireless network manager... perhaps useful for Windows XP, totally useless for Vista/Win7 as it's all already included in the OS and already easy to access and manage your connections.

Sure. It's very simple. Open a descent recording software like Audacity or Free Audio Editor. In my case I use a software name Steinberg WaveLab. This one is a studio level recording software, which I don't really use it (as you need all the equipment to take full advantage of it). I won in a contest at university. But they all do the same. The big thing about mine is that you can record/edit in RAW, MP3, WMA, OGG and more. And you get all the equalizer and stuff to make a good recording, and rip audio CD's.

Anyway, use that program, and set it up to record on the laptop integrated microphone (if you have it, that is). And record! Sit close the professor and hit that record button and adjust the volume based form the equalizer. Don't put it too high as else everything will be distorted. Experiment and see.

Intel Matrix storage manager, allows you to organize the three movie, The Matrix, if you have them. j/k
This is the drivers for the SATA controller of the motherboard. You need it to allow the system to use the full potential of the SATA harddrive. It is important to have, as it will ensure that you don't have data loss, strange issues, and/or slower system.

For example: On my old system (Nforce 2, AMD AThlon XP 2500+, WinXP), if I don't install the SATA drivers, for some reason after my system is idle for some time, the D partition is unable to be accessed and applications can't run anymore. If you install the SATA drivers than the problem is solved at 100%.

 

Just ordering the E6400, Do I really need onsite 3 years warranty?
that extra $100 although i have 15% coupon.
Should I really say goodbye to Thinkpad??

 

Do it. I just came from a T43 and couldn't be happier.

 

Do I Need On Site Service Thats Extra $99....

 

On site service is totally worth it. Because you always to keep the machine. If a new machine is needed, you get to keep your system until you receive the new one, and return the broken one. Dell allows you to switch HDD between machines so that you don't do a re-install of everything. Shipping of parts or machine is paid both ways by Dell.
If anything go wrong, a technician from an a firm hired by Dell, comes to your place and fix your machine (I tried it and it's awesome!), starting the next buisness day, at the time you want at the day you want (business days only), no problem! Or you can do it yourself and return the part to Dell... again shipping paid both ways. Dell provided online a full service manual of the system. With that you can work at Dell factory and assemble your laptop , what I mean is nothing is left out in it.

If the technician damages or even scratch your machine, Dell covers it, even if you don't have accidental damage protection.

I think it's totally worth it! No need to ship your system to Dell and wait several days even week to get it back.


Talking about Dell service, your machine will come clean. Meaning all you will have is the drivers, Dell Control Point, Roxio and Power DVD (to play DVD's if you dont' have Home Premium or Ultimate as they don't come with 32/64-bit DVD playback codecs). That is all. No trial versions, no ads, no links to websites. And you do get Vista disk eith your system. No crappy image.

 

IF I dont have on-site service, will DELL send me the parts, and I replace it by myself?

 

Not from my understanding. You will need to send your system.
But I'll allow someone else with experience in this to answer it.

 

Lol, just paid the stuff....
, I have too many laptops now.
T42, T60, X61t, Thinkpad family
and one E6400 Dell member.
initially I was thinking about W500 or M4400.. god econ sucks now...