Some questions to the happy owners of the Precission M4600 Notebooks

Sure, if you don't need more than 256 GB in the box, you'll be fine. For me, the combination of a 128 GB SSD with OS, Programs and the essential data with a 500GB or 750GB disk for Archives like my image bank, maps etc. is the best thing since sliced bread. It boots up blindingly fast, yet I have everything and the kitchen sink with me

Joe

 

The WWAN is not selected. I can select for the primary disk:
250/320/500 GB HDD or 256GB SSD or 128GB miniSSD or 320GB FIPS HDD
For the secondary:
250/320/500 GB HDD or 256GB SSD

If I select any of the second drives, as primary only the miniSSD can be selected. So I don't understand how two identical drives can be selected.

OK, but in my current notebook the fan is active even if no program is running. In the beginning the fan was relatively quiet. After a year it is beginning to become more noisy. Because of this I am very interested in the question if the M4600 fan stopped or not when the system is idle.

I have a lot of external drives. So disk size is not that critical. 256GB should be enough.

I am looking for a very basic configuration that I can upgrade later. I also thought about the 128GB mSATA SSD alone, but this is not possible in the shop. Why? Is it an technical issue or does dell just don't want to sell it with the miniSSD alone?

Is the optical drive standard slim line or dell specific? In other words: Can I buy the drive somewhere else? For example the BT10N Slim from LG.

Is the function implemented that the GPU can be switched off and the one in the CPU is used?

 

Ahh i see, i remembered that hdd thing. However I did not configure online, i choose what i want through phone order, the sales person will make it work. During that time M5950 is not listed in the website but through the sales person I am getting it.

At the end the msata ssd will be listed as primary hdd and the normal size hdd become the 2ndary, that doesn't matter Dell system takes it that way. I did not accept that quotation because i need the WWAN card, so the sales person requote with msata ssd removed.

Try cleaning the cooling fan and the copper fins. Dirt might have been blocking the air flow. I clean it every 3 months. m4600 fan power pin is very delicate looking at the tiny wires, not sure if i can always take it off for regular cleaning.

 

there is no need to pull out the power connector of the fan
just block it with something like toothsticks

 

I can answer this question for you. The function is called Optimus and yes it does work with the Quadro 2000M in the M4600. It will probably also work with the 1000M but not with the FirePro card.

EDIT:

I might also be able to answer this, although not right now.

I see no reason why it should not work. I don't have the miniSSD from Dell, but I have a Intel 310 SSD which is essentially the same thing. I will try taking out my hard drive later today and see what happens.

 

Usually I clean the heat sink every six months. I know that I should do in shorter intervals but the heat sink is difficult to access.

The notebook was still on warranty, when the fan started to become noisy. So I sent it in. The support told me that the bearing was broken and that they have to change it.

Now after some time it is getting noisy again. When I cleaned it the last time this did not help. Might be the fan turns slower but the creaking noise is still there.

Hm, that makes it difficult again. My decision to take the FirePro was almost done. Why are you sure that it is not working with the FirePro? Is it not implemented on the chip?

Thank you!

Sounds if I have to call dell to find out weather they sell it to me this way or not.

 

Seems like Optimus doesn't work with the IPS screen either, so if you were getting the IPS, you should just stick with the Firepro.

 

Now I am absolutely confused.
In the shop I can select the IPS-Screen only with the Quadro 2000M. Is this again a shop "feature" and can only ordered by phone?

However, it is more likely that I will take the WLED Display because it is brighter and much cheaper.

 

Sorry that took so long. I didn't get a chance to really play with the laptop again until this morning. I removed the hard drive and the laptop would not boot. I played around with the BIOS settings and I still could not get the laptop to boot. I guess it does need the hard drive. You can't just run off the miniSSD.

 

Ok thank you for this information!
But the OS is installed on the miniSSD, isn't it?

Can you see whether the optical drive is GBAS standard? Or do you see any possibility to build in another drive?


Meanwhile I am quite sure that I will buy a M4600. The main open questions to me are which processor to take (2,7GHz Dualcore or 2,2GHz Quadcore) and which GPU (FirePro or Quadro 1000M)...