Latitude E6510 Owner's Lounge

I am not sure what it came set to in the bios, I will reboot and check. I was asking because this came with Win7 Pro 32bit installed. They sent me the 64bit disk, but I have no installed yet, because a system exchange is on its way to me, and I didnt want to waste the time on a system I was returning. What I was trying to understand was if there was some advantage to making the change you are talking about, or if it is needed to go from 32 to 64bit, or if its just to install an SSD (which I have not). I only have the 250GB 7200HD and 4GB 1333 RAM.

Thx

 

Let me try to re-explain what GKDesign explained.

Ok, so we know that a computer that we use everyday doesn't do much without its: software and user. As it's essentially just wires and processors.
Software allows the user to control the computer, and do what you want to do. But software by it self (let's say Firefox web browser), doesn't do much by itself. It needs help.. it needs help to allow it to function, to provide security at many levels for the user and itself. And also, there is something that many user wants, multi-tasking. But let's not forget, that your software, in this case Firefox, wants things that it request be done properly... when you print a page that you see in Firefox with it, you don't the page to be outputted to your computer speakers, but rather your printer.. and the correct printer if you have many of them.

This is why we use an Operating System. Such as Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS. Operating System does what the name says.. it operates the system, to allow software to be able to run on your system, with, as mentioned, security to the user and itself (when I mean itself, I don't mean hackers or malware per say.... a simple software can simply write over some other software in storage or memory, or even your data, innocently as it doesn't know what it's doing. Essentially, an Operating System or O.S, is a regroupment of several technologies and algorithms (components, if you prefer) that are tied to together.
Some of it components includes:
- Memory Management
- File Management
- Device Management
- Hardware Management (parts of device management)
- Font Management
- All sorts of security system for all of it's components
- Deadlock prevention system (so that your computer doesn't get itself stuck somewhere, like: printer waits for scanner, scanner waits for printer)
- last but not least a pretty interface for the user to be able to use the computer with greater ease. (Basically 10% of an O.S). As you can see, an Operating System is extremely complex software, that makes a computer form being paper weight, to a usage system. And that the pretty interface that we all interact with it, is really a small part of an Operating System, and hence why it take several thousands of programmers, computer scientist and software engineer (don't forget optimization for everything) to make one, hence why it's usually expensive. Once you really looked into details of an Operating System you really start appreciating it, even if you don't know anything about computer, and that small interface bug, can wait to be fixed, and that having a system crash, or BSOD on you, is not stupidity per say from some programmer, or tester somewhere.. but it's a far more complex puzzle that needs to be fixed.

Now what does it have to do with AHCI? I am getting there. Don't worry.

Software (including Operating System, as it is a software by itself), and your data is all stored in what is called Secondary Storage or if you prefer your hard disk drive (HDD), or soon Solid State Drive (SSD), for example. These device needs a controller to be used. There controllers in the computers we use everyday can use different technology to properly use the storage. Commonly, we have IDE which we have been using them for many years, which is the same as the name of it's data transfer cable - IDE.
SATA which is what is replacing IDE, as it solves several problems that IDE had, more optimized, and is faster. SATA has 3 modes the controller can go:
AHCI, IRRT, and legacy (or also called Compatibility, or IDE)

"Hang on!" you say, "before we continue, why secondary storage is called "secondary", why not "primary" ?".
Primary storage is memory that the processor has accessed first (and in fact the only memory it can access -simplifying things here), the memory, or if you prefer the real name RAM (Random Access Memory). For the processor to access data from the secondary storage such as your optical drive (CD, DVD), or diskette drive (if you still have one), memory card, or as mentioned HDD or SSD (all of which uses a controller to manage, such as IDE or SATA or some cases USB (your USB memory stick for example). It actually can't access it directly. The Operating System takes the program, put it into your main memory (RAM), so that your processor can run the program.. it's a get a bit complicated so I won't go in.

Ok back to what we where, so we have different controllers that manages our data (USB, SATA and IDE.) IDE is discontinued, USB is more than just data transfer, but also allows peripherals to be connected to the system.. (Jack of all trades, Master at none). And what we use inside SATA (like IDE, specially optimized for data transfer). And, as mentioned, it just happens that SATA has 3 modes to pick: AHCI, IRRT and Legacy (or also called Management or IDE).
As your hard drive (secondary storage) contains the Operating System, which manages to some extent your data, and transfer data/software to the RAM so that the main processors (CPU - Central Processor Unit) can do it's magic, and allows you to use all the software you use, it needs to know what controller you have and what mode it is in (for the case of SATA), so that your Operating System (Windows, for instance), knows how access, manipulate, and manage the secondary storage device. Windows knows this when you install Windows on your system. Others O.S will be first run.

So that is why you need to set this option BEFORE you install Windows.

WOW, that was long! But a good computer lesson never hurts

Ok so, what is AHCI, IRRT, and Legacy for the SATA controller. Why 3 modes?
Ok first IRRT is Intel versions of things.. it's essentially a tweak AHCI, where it's AHCI with some crappy recovery system, which no one cares about because it creates more problem then helps. So let's, like everyone, forget about it. Also it's only available on select Intel processor compatible systems... so it's not even widely used or known.

When SATA appeared onto the market, there was no Operating System that supported it out of the box. So there was some tricks to kinda make it in use, by installing drivers BEFORE Windows (or any other Operating System) is actually installed on your computer. So to simplify things, you can set your SATA controller in the BIOS as Legacy (or also called (will now mention all the names that is usually used): IDE, Compatibility, SafeMode)
Where it emulates the old IDE, so that your Operating System knows it and can use your system properly. However, going legacy has drawback, you don't get to be able to use AHCI new feature (which I'll mention), and have reduce speed in data transfer (back down to IDE).


So, what does AHCI have compared to IDE, other than faster transfer speed:
- NCQ technology (or Native Command Queue), to put simply, a method on how the secondary storage executes it's received commends (read, write, seek, access), which provides more performance when using your secondary storage device. It's like a free speed boost.
Today, only SATA HDD's and SSD's supports NCQ. Your optical drive (CD, DVD, Blu-ray drive), even if it's on SATA doesn't support this technology.

- Hot-swappable technology, which allows a secondary storage device to be removed from the system while it is turned on. Like a USB memory stick. this allows for the proper usage of the eSATA port on the side of your laptop. This ports is to attach a SATA HDD or SSD outside your computer (a supported drive enclosure is needed, as you need power to operate, as unlike USB, it doesn't pass power in the eSATA or SATA port only data), so that you can plug and unplug your drive like a USB, all by enjoying the very same speed as if your HDD or SSD was inside your computer.

- TRIM technology support (Win7 or newer Windows (when they will be out)), this is technology reserved for Solid State Drives (SSD's) so that it doesn't loose performance over time.

So it is advantageous to set your SATA controller to AHCI, and why it is important to do it before you install Windows (if you do it after, Windows will start, you will get a BSOD instead). Especially, that secondary storage devices are the slowest computer component (even the fastest SSD's outside it was to slow for the computer, and it still the component that slows down the most your computer), anything that can help, greatly helps.

OOOUUU almost took me 30 min to type this.. oh well, I hope you learned something.

 

Dell ships the BIOS SATA set to IRRT... just in case you want to use IRRT for disaster recovery.

You should clean install Win7 x64... your system is built for 64-bits, it runs great, and it's time to move to 64-bits.

Before you re-image, switch the BIOS SATA mode to AHCI. Then pre-OS install the Intel driver for your system at the beginning of the OS install. You can extract the drivers from the driver-only packaged offered by dell.com or intel.com... for your system chipset and OS. Since you will be running in AHCI mode, you do not need to install the IRST app... it is only for RAID and IRRT usage... it is only in the full IRST package.

The advantage of AHCI mode vs. IRRT mode is that your system will shed all overhead associated with running IRRT hardware devices, firmware, and IRST application software you don't need nor use.

SSD is just another drive that uses the same SATA storage controller technology of both AHCI and IRRT modes.

GK

 

GK and Goodbytes,
thank you for the info... I like the idea of not wasting processor or memory bandwidth on IRRT and when my new "exchange" system arrives in a few days I will try your bios change.
when you say to "extract the drivers from the driver only package" taken from your quote below

Then pre-OS install the Intel driver for your system at the beginning of the OS install. You can extract the drivers from the driver-only packaged offered by dell.com or intel.com... for your system chipset and OS.

where do I find this? is it on the Dell OS disk? or online?

Not sure about how to pre-OS install ..

 

Dell.com support provides downloads for your system and OS. You can maintain an account and/or find downloads for your service tag or your model number E6510. BE SURE TO SELECT THE CORRECT OS BEFORE DOWNLOADING. You will find Intel IRST downloads under SATA Drives... the drivers-only package for pre-OS installation should just extract to a folder which you then use. The drivers and IRST application package will auto-install the driver and the IRST application (not desired when using AHCI mode). Don't expect to find everything clearly labeled... you must know what you are looking for and agree to see it when you find it because, 'that must be it, there are no other choices'.

Ditto on Intel.com except you do not search by Dell identifiers... you search by Intel identifiers i.e. chipset name/number which you can lookup under 'specs' in a Dell.com online manual for your system. Also, Intel.com may list more/older versions further down their list so be sure to stop near the top when searching for the latest... read the download notes.

Generally, you never use drivers/software off a CD because they are already out-of-date.

Dell.com or Intel.com (or any other OEM.com)? This choice is a fine art... it depends on a lot of variables. But in this instance, the IRST software is the same on both sites because it is Intel's product, a core system product, and Dell doesn't mess with it... only uses it to build notebooks. Intel's IRST will be the latest and the greatest version, Dell's BIOS is reasonably updated to work with it, so I would use Intel.com's download and expect no issues.

(If it was a brand new platform with BIOS A00, I'd stick with the Dell.com download since Dell has tested it out... it's the safe choice nearterm.)

Extract the drivers-only package to a thumb drive, start the Win7 install (boot F12 from DVD), select the option to load a driver (storage driver), point to the thumb drive, and Win7 will load the driver, enable the SATA AHCI storage controller, and then you can proceed to wipe any existing partitions, create a new partition, and install Win7.

GK

 

Thanks GK, will do. I have the i720QM so I am sure it will be easy to find. everything else seems to be pretty standard on these e6510's

 

Question about Intel HD Graphics and FHD screen?

Original configuration:

Win 7 64 bits.
4 GB RAM
Intel HD Graphics
HD Screen 1366X768

My question is: If I have to get the screen upgraded to FHD 1920X1080 then apart from screen what else would I need to upgrade? Would I need a new motherboard as well?

Thanks!

 

The Intel HD graphics is capable of handling more than FHD (2560 x 1600 is mentioned here). As far as I know, there is only one version of the motherboard for all the display options.

John

 

I did some searches within this thread and didn't find the answer to my question.

Does the E6510 overheat / throttle like the E6400? I have one of those and I keep having to run throttlestop just to do normal tasks. Is the E6510 any better?

 

I don't recall any throttling problems being reported for the E6510 but I recall one report for the E6410. Does your E6500 have the Intel or Nvidia graphics? The Intel graphics on the new models is part of the CPU package so it doesn't need a separate heatsink (one of the possible causes of throttling on the previous models). However, the CPU and GPU share the 35W design power and components may downclock in order to stay within the power limit.

John