Precision M6400 Owner's Lounge

Has anyone bought this sleeve from Dell?

Neo Premium Sleeve - Fits Laptops of Size 17-inch for Dell Precision Mobile WorkStation M6400
Manufacturer Part# FN983
Dell Part# 330-1850

 

The slim 210W AC adaptor is not showing up under Dell accessories.
Has anyone bought it by itself (not with system purchase)?

Any news on pending availability of coolslice for M6400?

 

I am trying to price out an M6400 on Dell's website. It gives me the following option for OS:

• Genuine Windows Vista® Business Downgrade, XP Professional SP3 Install,E add $0
• Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate Downgrade, XP Professional SP3 Install,E [add $45]
• Genuine Windows Vista® Business SP1, With media [Included in Price]
• Dell Recommended - Includes Windows Vista Business Assurance
• Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate SP1, With media [add $45]

Note that they don't specify 32-bit or 64-bit. I have to assume they are all 32-bit since I can only configure up to 4GB RAM:

• 1.0GB, DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM, 1 DIMM [Included in Price]
• 2.0GB, DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM, 2 DIMMS [add $36]
• 4.0GB, DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM, 4 DIMMS [add $171]
• 4.0GB, DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM, 2 DIMMS [add $189]

Am I doing something wrong? I see that other people have much more than 4GB RAM.

Also, I was wondering about the difference between these two LED screens:

• 17" UltraSharp™ WUXGA (1920x1200) RGB LED Display [Included in Price]
• 17" UltraSharp™ Wide Screen WUXGA (1920x1200)RGB LED Edge 2 Edge Disply [add $270]

Is the second one the same screen behind edge-to-edge glass? Seems a little steep if that is the only difference.


EDIT: I found a link to the 64 bit version of the M6400...it was kind of hidden...had to filter all laptops by "64-bit OS"....wonder why they do it that way....anyway, that resolves the RAM issue, still wondering about the screen though.

 

I managed to get from DELL a OEM Vista x64 DVD for free (i originally owned only the Vista x86 one).
I reinstalled my OS and apps and then bought a LACIE 750Gb eSATA disk as a backup complement for my M6400.

I'm pretty satisfied with the eSATA disk, i managed to install Vista x64 on it in a seperate partition and it's booting and working fine.
Disk I/O is good, speed is 40-50% better than M6400 internal disk (WDD320BEKT), around 120Mb/sec. peak.
I can easily choose which disk to boot through pressing the F12 key (forget about Vista clumsy boot manager!).
All in all eSata seems to be a cheap solution for data backup and/or to host a fully operative backup OS.

So far i'm liking 64bit Vista more than 32bit: it's more stable to me, even at the price of a slightly slower performance.

 

The reason I ask is that I did buy the 17" and over a two month period Dell sent the same incorrect 15" version THREE times. Finally I was told 17" is not available.

The 15" version is very nice.

 

The M6400 will not have a coolslice available for it from Dell.

 

There is a 17" version of the sleeve available. I have one.

 

Do you have insider Dell knowledge that they are not going to develop/release a coolslice for the M6400?

Thanks.

 

It is dark brown, one zip, with soft corduroy inner fabric, and external handle?

Does your order have the following:
Manufacturer Part# FN983
Dell Part# 330-1850

Thanks.

 

I did a clean Install to get rid of the CI.DLL BSOD i've got in nearly every boot, and followed the suggested driver installation Order. For 2 Days it seems that also solved the problem i've got that after the BIOS Screen i had to hit F1 to boot the system. Today it stops again after the BIOS Screen.
So far the BSODs are gone (hopefully they did not com back).

regards Christopher