No Dell NSS for Win7?

Just wanted to confirm. I noticed there was no Notebook System Software download for Win7 for my E6400 and just wanted to confirm that that is correct?

According to this post from October:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5376218&highlight=NSS#post5376218

Also, can I forgo the Control Point software and just use the OS Hardware manager? Any of the varied DCP downloads absolutely required?

 

Correct, you don't need NSS for Win7, and in any case Dell doesn't offer it anyway, for that very reason. DO NOT try to install an NSS version for a different OS.

As for Control Point, if you have keyboard lighting, then you may want to install the DCP System Manager application to be able to modify its settings. Also, if you like to see on-screen displays for screen brightness and speaker volume settings you could install it. Other than that, the last few iterations of their Connection manager have been unmitigated disasters, with limited functionality, and causing nasty sound stuttering during startup. Their Security manager suite is mostly useless cr@p as well. My 2 cents...

 

Thanks, Pirx.

I'm just used to doing a clean OS install after getting my new machine in. Seeing the NSS was missing raised a warning flag for me.

As to the DCP:
I did like to see the little on-screen notifications, but not if it is going to cause issues as a result.

Anyone do a 'clean Win7 on Dell' install guide yet? I liked the one for Vista a lot. Used it for my two prior machines.

 

The System Manager alone does not seem to cause any significant issues, except maybe for one flicker or very brief blanking of the screen at logon, possibly dependent on the video driver. This is caused by the loading of DCP upon login. I found it annoying enough to disable the two startup items that System Manager creates. As a consequence, I don't have the on-screen notifications, but I can still modify my keyboard backlight settings if I want to.

 

I'm using DCP System Manager without a hitch. I don't install the DCP Connection Manager, as Windows handles networking just fine, and because I don't have a fingerprint reader, I don't install the Security Manager either, though I still install the Security Driver.

 

The NSS was primarily a roll-up of Microsoft patches which fix various issues that are not widespread enough to be included in Windows Update (such things as enabling SDHC support in Windows XP).

As for DCP, another thing the System Manager includes is some Dell-specific power management. The latest version of Win 7 system manager integrates the Dell power management within the Win 7 power management.

John

 

As for clean install of W7... I have tried it on my M4400 but not managed it yet (nor XP). See here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=460748. Please let us know how you do...

 

I'd agree with you there.....until I tried to connect to a Cisco AP and it refused to connect with the built in Windows 7 networking. Worked fine with DCP. Go figure.

 

I've loaded Windows 7 clean twice and my thought is this. Let Windows 7 install drivers for everything that it can and use them. If something doesn't work then see if Dell offers a dedicated driver/application (i.e. - IDT audio drivers on the M4400). If something still doesn't work then go to ControlPoint and only install portion that you need (Fingerprint Sensor only needs ControlPoint Security Application/Driver and nothing else).

Windows 7 drivers worked better than Dell Wireless application, Dell Touchpad drivers and as far as I can tell the Chipset drivers too. This is my opinion and for my situation and yours could very well be different.

 

I disagree about the TouchPad driver. My TouchPad is almost useless until I install the Dell Driver for it.

Plus I like to be able to tweak sensitivity and what not.

But for other, like chipset, I let Windows install. Mostly because I have to, as Dell hasn't posted Windows 7 specific chipset drivers for the Latitude E4300.