**The Official Studio XPS 1645 Intel Core i7 "Owners Lounge"

Or try fdisk set that partition active.

 

Watch out. This might make your Windows not bootable because IIRC you can only set ONE partition active.

Obviously, then you can use the restore, but then it'll take some work trying to get back into your current Windows installation. Unless you just want to restore anyways.

~Ibrahim~

 

I now have a new BDROM drive fitted, another HL CA10N. All seems good, it doesn't make nasty noises and doesn't keep cycling when there's actually no disk in it. I tried a Blu-Ray move to test it fully (Night at the Museum 2) and it recognised it and needed to download an update. I updated and since then PowerDVD just sits in the "Loading..." screen, never does anything. I can access the BD ok with windows explorer. When I checked the firmware version of the CA10N, it's at A109, so I checked Dell drivers online as I though they must have released a newer firmware. But Dell is still showing A108 as the latest version (I'll ask them to update their drivers page!). I'm not prepared to downgrade my drive back to A108 as everything else seems to be ok with it so don't want to risk inducing another problem. I have a feeling that PowerDVD (v 8.3.5714) is the real problem here. I had a brief look around Dell forums etc. but didn't find a sure fix for this problem. Does anyone know a way to resolve it? I do get the impression that PowerDVD is a piece of junk and there are better alternatives, but of course these won't be free.

 

I read somewhere else on this forum, that changing the CCC setting to 'use application settings' would fix the PowerDVD loading problem.

Hillie

 

OK, got PowerDVD working with Blu-Ray eventually. Everything in CCC looked ok. I reinstalled PowerDVD DX 8.3 (from Dell downloads). Then when I tried to play the BD again I got a different message telling me I needed to update (different to the update message in PowerDVD menu, dark red background). I went to the cyberlink website and downloaded the update from there. The updater looks the same as the previous one that caused the problem. It also seems to be the same file downloaded. I did remove the BD and close PowerDVD during the update (not sure if this made any difference). Once update installed it all seemed to work ok. I hooked up to my 1080P LCD TV through HDMI and it worked ok on that (although I had to select the LCD display only, it won't let cloned displays play BD). I didn't notice any stuttering (on battery or AC), although I wasn't exactly watching the movie.

 

Hi,
Where did you find PowerDVD DX 8.3 on Dell downloads?

thanks

 

Go to http://www.mydelldownloads.com and register your service tag.. its will be available there

 

If you guys are curious about thermal paste...

For some reason, the first three times I put it on, my temps were higher than they were with Dell's crap paste. But this time I put a little more than I thought was necessary and it seemed to work well. I'm idling in the mid-40's, though it bounces a lot. And don't think your paste is messed up if core 4 is consistently hotter than the first three: for whatever reason, Windows puts a higher C0% on that one. However, even with P95 (which should stress all the cores at the same level), core 4 was hotter. I may attempt a sensor test: does that calibrate them, maybe?

Idle CPU: 45/45/45/51
Load CPU (P95; small FFTs): 78/79/75/85

However, the laptop didn't nearly feel as hot as it used to. I put paste on the GPU, too, but Furmark doesn't seem to kick in 3D clocks, so that's curious.

I'm going to try the sensor test tonight because, all in all, the laptop feels much cooler on my lap. I would say placebo, but it is definitely cooler. :/ The temperatures, however, don't lie. The load is about the same, idle is down a bit.

~Ibrahim~

 

Thanks how hard was it to do on the GPU, I know im being cheeky here but any chance of a step by step guide? Im crap at things like this and I did look on you tube.

Also what pastre did you use and how did you remove DELLs paste ?

 

If you log in to your account on dell website, on your home page you should see a link "Download Factory Installed Software (My Dell Downloads)". This takes you to another page specifically for your notebook (by service tag, you may need to register that first, if you haven't already). You should see a list of downloads, you're looking for "CyberLink Power DVD DX 8_3 (BD version)". You can download these apps up to three times.

 

They lowered the prices by $400 for the i7 cpus. i5 prices are still the same. Are they being phased out?

 

haha almost considering buying a second one lol

Just wanted to post this here aswell;

How man of you guys with the i7 processor are having your laptop become warm NOT really hot around the mouse pad area and bottom left of your screen. Is this a common thing ? Like I said its not that hot that I can place myt hands on it but it is not cool.

Thanks guys.

 

Yeah, mine gets warm in those areas, maybe a little more on one side than the other (don't remember which, I'm not on that computer at the moment). The bottom gets hot if I do any gaming, but that's to be expected since it only has the one fan. Other than that it's not uncomfortable or anything, just warm.

On another note... has anyone had issues with the sound card? Sometimes when I start my SXPS16, the card won't fully load correctly or something and I will have no sound until I restart my computer. In this situation, the volume mixer will crash should I open it, and the little overlay doesn't come up on the screen telling me my volume level (the thing from the dell quickset). All I ever have to do is restart the computer and then it'll always work perfectly the second time, but it's kind of annoying... it probably does this about one out of every 5-6 startups. I tried installing the latest driver for the sound card from the Dell site, but I still have the same problem. Does anyone have any idea if this might be software (hopefully...) or hardware (hopefully not)?

 

GPU was a bit harder since the actual chip is quite a bit smaller than the CPU, but still do-able. I used Tuniq's MX-2. Very thick. I'd recommend something a bit less viscous.

Haha, it's not too hard:

1. Remove the battery and then the base cover (the bottom panel).
2. Unplug the fan (4-pin header)
3. Unscrew the four screws around the GPU
4. Unscrew the three screws around the CPU
5. Unscrew the single screw for the chipset
6. Unscrew the two screws on the fan
7. Remove the side cover thing, the thing with all the vents. Slide it to the right (where the battery used to be) and it should pull off.
8. Tilt the wireless card up and pull it out.
9. Find the the three wires that come out of the wireless card. They should lead to a single black wire. Tease this black wire out of the little trench it's in and keep going until you reach the bottom-left corner of the laptop (flipped over).
10. Pull the whole assembly off: heatsink, fan, heatpipe, all of it.
11. Use some alcohol swabs to wipe off the copper squares on the heatsink and then GENTLY use another alcohol swab to wipe off the gunk on the CPU/GPU. The chipset doesn't have any.
12. Put a dot of thermal paste on the CPU. Or the heatsink (the rectangular one is the CPU's). It's your choice. Some people spread it around, other's just leave the dot and use pressure to spread it out. I spread mine around myself by putting a finger inside a zip-lock bag and smearing it around in a decently thin layer.
13. The GPU core is tiny. Best idea is to just dab the little thermal pate oozing out of your syrine from squirting it on the CPU. Don't try and actually put more on the GPU: any amount is almost too much. Just wipe off the tip of the syringe and you should have enough. Or put it on the heatsink (GPU has a rectangular copper thing on the assembly). Follow same instructions as for the CPU.
14. Put the assembly back. Screw the chipset (1 screw), CPU (3), GPU (4), and fan (2). PLUG THE FAN HEADER BACK IN.
15. Did you plug the fan header in?
16. Check again. Maybe you forgot the fan header
17. Check one more time.
18. All right, fine. Plug the wireless card back in (make sure all three wires are still securely in; if they fall out, just push them back in). Then tease the black wire (that the three turn into) back inside it's little trench.
19. Put the side cover back on. Come in through the battery compartment and slide it right-to-left.
20. Replace the base cover, however many screws that is.
21. Turn 'er on!

If enough people ask, I might make a YouTube video for it, but definitely consult the Dell Studio XPS 16's Service Manual.

 

Got it. Thanks for the help

 

@ikjadoon: Thanks for the help I really appreciate it.

 

Good luck.

 

hey there in my 1645 too the temp for 4th core is slightly higher (just by 1-2 degrees) and not as extremely high as yours.. see the hardware monitor screenshots i posted sometime back..

 

How do you feel your eyes after using the RGBLED display ?

 

I can not understand mine. Sometimes it is:

Idle CPU: ~48 for all cores

and sometimes like now it is

Idle CPU: 54/53/56/53

Go figure. I can see that core 3 is always a bit warmer. The machine is sitting over a Zalman NC-2000, but turned off. Do you highly recommend replacing Dell's original thermal paste?

Nikolay

 

mines the same range.. its ok i guess..

 

HEAVENLY....!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have had absolutely no probs with my RGBLED display and moreover i have access to WLED 1080p to compare.. and the RGBLED blows the WLED off... the colour contrast and colour output is simply "SCINTILLATING"

 

OHHHHH man I can't wait for Tuesday to come around! I wanna see what you guys are talking about.

 

Also agree, the RGBLED is by a long way the best screen I have had the pleasure to use. Far superior to the WLED. The colours are dynamic and alive.

 

I had the same problem with the mixer. First let me ask, are you experiencing apparently random hard lockups of the computer (where it locks up tight, no cursor movement or anything and you can only reboot it)? In the random lockup thread, someone suggested uninstalling the SB X-Fi MB software. When I did that, the lockups I'd been experiencing for two months stopped. I believe this also fixed my problem with the mixer (although I don't use it much). My lockups were happening after notification sounds played, and the mixer plays a notification sound when the volume level is changed, so it might be related.

Regarding the lack of sound. For a few days, my computer thought headphones were connected, so I wasn't getting any sound through the main speakers. When your computer is not playing sounds, check to see if the IDT control panel reports that headphones are connected. My problem eventually went away (I'm not sure why) but others have suggested disabling the "Audio Service" service.

 

Haha, glad to hear that. Well, I can not share the same opinion. Honestly my eyes hurt a little since I got mine. I am using it 8-10 hours at least every day.

But in addition I experience the popular already flickers issue. Perhaps my display is faulty and I am waiting to see if we can arrange a replacement with Dell representatives here.

Just a thought, but I think that this machine is performing well better on battery than on adapter . It is cooler and performance is better. But for sure this is the well known throttling problem. Something in the design when plugged in is not right.

Nikolay

 

I SECOND THIS! RGBLED screen is superb, I mentioned before, my brother has the exact same system but with the WLED screen, and my laptop is clearly the superior! I'm yet to see a laptop with a better screen really!

 

See, the temperatures aren't that much different. Maybe I'm just applying it wrong. I'm going to try one more time today, this time putting it on the heatsink and NOT the CPU/GPU themselves.

However, I did notice that when Dell originally put the paste on, they put on way too much, so much that it was leaking off the die (the CPU doesn't have an IHS) near the little capacitor things:



This isn't an i7 CPU (obviously): the i7 is rectangular and only has one die. But the Dell gunk was leaking all over, onto those caps. Not sure what that means like electrically, but I'm a bit afraid to try and clean them off.

~Ibrahim~

 

I ordered one about last week, and I am anxiously waiting its arrival! I had one question, I am not a huge audiophile or anything, but how is the sound, and the loudness of the speakers and such?

 

OK, I cured/fixed the 4th core overheating.

I just put a dab on the heatsink (NOT ON THE CHIP) and inserted the assembly on an angle. Now all my cores are within a few C.

Idle: 48/45C/47/49C

Load (P95 + small FFTs): 64/63/63/69C

OH YEAH! Huge reduction; didn't even break 70C. Same conditions as the last test: five-minute run.

Definitely recommend it: but put paste on the assembly, NOT the chips.

~Ibrahim~

 

Hi so you reccomment wiping down the chip and cleaning oof DELL thermal paste ? and then instead of applying directly to chip apply to heatsink ? I dont know what assembly is sorry

Secodnly what do you mean by inserting on an angle ?

And did you end up cleaning it all of or did you leave the bits that spilled over.

This is much appreciated!

 

You have to wipe off the Dell gunk before you can put any paste down at all. Yeah, apply to the copper blocks. Right: sorry, heatsink = assembly = the thing with the copper blocks, heat fins, and fan. It's one big thing. The copper blocks are where the assembly touch the chips. You'll see them, there will be residual paste on them.

Insert on an angle: if you apply to the heatsink and just put the assembly back on completely flat (i.e straight vertical motion down), you might get air bubbles which are bad. If you come down at an angle, you have a better chance of smoothing those out. Simply put: put the assembly down the way a plane lands (at an angle), not the way a helicopter lands.

I cleaned the chips off completely. I tried getting some of the gunk off the edges, but thought better of it. There is some "glue", though. Don't confuse the glue with the gunk, though: that glue is meant to be there. They're different colors and the glue won't come off nearly as easily as the gunk will.

No problem.

 

Thanks yet again another clear informative post. Ty

 

Recently, a dell technician was at my place to replace my laptop's motherboard. I saw him cleaning the heatsink and CPU/GPU. He used Isopronanol (it probably was concentrated, no water mixed) and tissue (almost like some good quality kitchen tissue) to clean off the existing thermal paste. After cleaning carefully, he applied some thermal paste on the center of the CPU/GPU, carefully repositioned the heatsink and tightened the screws.

 

Interesting. I had a motherboard replacement a few days ago and the technician definitely didn't replace the paste. :/

Right: the more concentrated the alcohol, the better.

Interesting how he put it directly on the chip. All the times I tried that I got higher temperatures and core temp. variability on the 4th core. Maybe I just kept doing it wrong.

~Ibrahim~

 

I assume it would be too much to ask for some photos . Anyways, I want to ask which is the best thermal paste for that.

In addition, what do you use to wipe it before placing the new one.

Nikolay

 

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article/2009/04/07/thermal_paste_shootout_q209/4

 

what did u get it replaced for?

 

Haha, it might be too much, but if there's enough people asking, I could but as of now my time is a little limited.

Alcohol wipes.

@tenknics

Had a BSOD during a BIOS upgraded. But the new mobo the tech was DOA, so he put the old one back in: it's working all right, but boot is slower than usual.

 

I raised a complain for laptop overheating/freezing. They presumed it to be a motherboard and fan issue and replaced the same. But I guess the issue is software related. After removing the X-Fi software, the laptop stopped crashing. But the heating issue still remains. I guess its normal with such a powerhouse!

 

Thanks. It is pity, though, that we have to replace the thermal paste. Is it so hard for Dell engineers to do it right from the first place . Shame

Nikolay

 

I am on hold at this time, to tell Dell they haven't taken the money out of my account for the lappy. But fed ex has a tracking number and its on its way to me. Should I keep my mouth shut?

 

May I ask you for something. Please, set your background to black and see the left side of your display. Is it quite brighter ? If so, is it something normal?

Thanks,
Nikolay

 

Dont worry they will take it out one way or another

 

Have you considered a youtube video on " Thermal paste for dummies" ?? Seriously some, including me, might need this video as a guide.

 

Did the same thing to me mate, they will credit you later. I think mine was a day before it arrived.

 

Yeah I thought the rep had screwed up and I got to keep 2000 dollars I was unsure if I should call them or keep my mouth shut, I checked my statement the morning it was supposed to be delivered and sure enough my money was gone. :cry:
Don't worry about Dell they'll get their money, and even if they don't for selling this thing I'm not sure they deserve it.

 

I will officially be an owner soon, Hopefully within the next 2 days.

 

How did you get the blu ray in your spec ? are they offering it again ?

 

No, they replaced my 1640 with a 1645, So they had to give me the bluray drive.