Samsung 15" Series 9 NP900X4C with Ivy Bridge CPU

Woops, sorry about that. Yes, it is from the hinges. It's a small creak upon first movement, after that first movement its fine and it is soundless. After it rests, though, it will creak again if I move the screen again.

 

Here we go again. . . My laptop won't start. Ref; post nr, #1694. Exactely the same Symptoms as before (loose ram my )

I'll call them tomorrow again and send it off. I let the battery get completely dry out again (charging my phone thought the usb) . . . still the comp shouldn't die. In my opinion. I like this laptop less and less. . . . Oh well...

 

Yes. Stocks seem to be running down perhaps because the new M500 is imminent (I'm waiting for the 480GB version to arrive). If you have the Sandisk U100 SSD in your X4C then an SSD upgrade will improve performance as well as give you more space as explained in my review here. If you want to go the cloning route then one of these with a USB (preferably USB 3.0 2.5" enclosure) will be useful.

It seems that SW Update is now offering IRSTRT V2. If it doesn't come via that route then get it from Intel. It seems to work properly out of the box. There's no trace of Easy Settings V2 in SW Update so you will have to get it yourself.

That is abnormal. The hinges on both my X4C and X3B are silent. My only though is to check whether the seam along the back between the hinges is properly clipped together (ie no gap). If there's a gap then squeeze together with the computer closed.

The system should automatically cut charging when the battery gets close to empty (although a full battery should be capable of charging a dozen phones). Even so, there's something wrong if a full depleted battery can stop the computer from starting. Doing a battery calibration involves full depletion but the computer will restart afterwards.

John

 

I have had the machine for a few months now and am very happy with it.

One problem that I cannot seem to fix is I am unable to restore files from my NAS. Backup runs fine but when I try and recover, after the reboot the machine cannot see the network.
Booted to safe mode with networking and I have the same problem. In safe mode there are no drivers loaded for either the Ethernet or wifi cards.

Any ideas on how to get the drivers to load (I am assuming if I can get safe mode to work it will resolve the recovery problem)
Thanks
John

 

1. What backup software are you using? How are you running the restore? Inside or outside Windows?

2. I don't think Safe Mode will fix the problem. Safe Mode uses only drivers essential to get Windows limping along.

John

 

Now that my X4C is is 9 months old, I've run the battery calibration.

The result: 0% wear although the fully charged capacity, which used to be a little more than the design capacity, is now the same.

This looks promising: The battery hasn't had much heavy use but neither had the battery in the X3B which was recently replaced due to more than 25% wear within a year. It helps that the generous size of the X4C battery means that the Battery Life Extender can normally be enabled in the knowledge that even an 80% charged battery can meet most battery use needs.

John

 

1. What backup software are you using? How are you running the restore? Inside or outside Windows?

2. I don't think Safe Mode will fix the problem. Safe Mode uses only drivers essential to get Windows limping along.

John



1. Windows 7 pro backup.
2. Safe Mode with networking should load both the ethernet and wifi drivers.

 

Is this something I should be worried about? Or is it really minor and I'm being too sensitive? Because I don't really want to send in the laptop for 2 weeks being serviced if it's something minor.

Thanks John, appreciate the responses.

 

I would suggest that you try posting this problem in the Windows forum where's there more likelihood of it being spotted by someone who is using the same backup / restore arrangement. I don't think this problem is specific to Samsung.

I would watch / listen. The problem may disappear with time or it may get worse (and the reason more obvious). if the latter then get it fixed before the end of the warranty period. A challenge of trying to get a small problem fixed by the service centre is that they may not be able to detect the problem: We recently had a Series 9 owner who had a fan that was noisy at low speed. The service centre returned the computer unfixed (we reckon the workshop wasn't quiet enough). The owner bought a replacement fan and fitted it himself - noise gone.

John

 

Have you checked the BIOS settings? Do they look similar to the following attachment?

 

Engadget has a "WWYC" on the series 9 today, so go there if you have anythong to say. Samsung is watching and reading.

 

So I just pulled the trigger on a S9 and I am waiting for it to show up.. I am so happy to finally have a nice thin Ultrabook after a few monster thick computers..


So, I always have always maxed out my RAM on my Laptops and I am thinking about doing the same with this one. I am just wondering what the configuration of the RAM is on the 01US version? It says 8GB so I would assume its 2x4GB sticks? So assuming that, I would want to go 2x8GB.. I couldnt imagine them doing just one 8GB stick in there..

The next thing is that I can survive on a 128GB SSD.. I decided against upgrading to a bigger SSD.. My though is that I shoot lots of photos and watch some movies, so I would like to have some storage off of the main SSD.. I have a DSLR and use SD cards all the time.. I could just buy a 64 or 128gb SD card and then keep that in the S9.. I just want to know, when an SD card is inserted, it sits flush in the computer and I assume the little door is just held open correct?

Other then that, I cant wait for mine to show up.. I have been computer-less for 3 weeks after someone tripped on my power cord and pulled my old laptop to the floor..

 

AFAIK, all the X4C / X4D are shipped with either one or two 4GB modules. However, before you rush to increase it 16GB I would note that the more RAM you have then the bigger the share of the small SSD that will get used for hibernation. What are you planning to run that needs more than 8GB RAM?

If the SSD you get is the Sandisk U100 then you may change your mind about not upgrading.

To answer your question about SD cards, the card in the slot sticks out about 3mm / 1/8". The slot is not spring loaded so the part of the card that sticks out has to be grasped for removal. I would also add that the slot itself is quite slow - I have measured better speeds using a card in a several year old USB adapter. Probably your best strategy for supplementary storage would be a USB 3.0 flash drive.

John

 

I do some photo and video work on occasion. I survived on a 120gb SSD with the full adobe suite on there On my last computer so the small SSD is not a big deal loosing a bit to the hibernation.

So it sounds like mine will probably come 2x4gb then. I'll hold off until it shows up just to make sure and then see if I really want to upgrade.

Bummer about the sd card. Oh well.. I have lots of external storage, just was looking for a clean sleek solution (along with an excuse to buy a new big capacity SD card for my camera. Ha)


Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

Here is a possible solution for the card sticking out of the slot. However, it won't fix the relatively low speed.

John

 

Dear all,

have you heard about the new HD4000 graphics driver from intel?
Is it possible to install on 900x4c?

I know that the Samsung drivers for Intel components are customized, but I wonder if it is compatible.

It is claimed to have an increase of 10% in performance and power consumption reduction-

Intel’s Latest HD 4000 Graphics Driver Improves Performance up to 10%, Reduces Power Consumption, Adds Features « Ultrabook News and the Ultrabook Database

BR,
RF.S

 

I've installed it. It doesn't seem to make a big improvement (if any at all) but then I don't play games on my X4C, and that is what this new driver seems optimized for.

 

Ok.

Have you noticed any compatibility issues?
I do not play games either, but I am interested in the power consumption optimization.

 

Nothing so far. I'm running Intel Rapid Start V2 and it works fine.

 

I've installed the new graphics driver on my X4C. There's no noticeable difference and WEI (never the best benchmark but has crept up slightly with previous driver upgrades) shows no increase on this occasion.

Note there is also an Intel WiFi driver dated 19 March which provides improved connection stability.

John

 

Is anyone else getting dropouts with their wireless connection? After seeing the thread below on the Intel website it appears many others are also having issues with the Intel 6235 wireless adapter.

https://communities.intel.com/thread/31090?start=0&tstart=0

The latest Intel 15.6.1.0 driver makes it even worse for me and I keep getting "The default gateway is not available" errors.

 

Strangely, while I have gone through the process of installing the 15.6.1 driver on both my Series 9s, Device Manager reports the driver as 15.4.1.1 dated 23rd January. I did see some improvement after the last update.

If you have the Intel ProSet software installed, remove it.

John

 

The 362MB wi-fi software? The PROset for Bluetooth? Should that be removed too?

I´m having trubble with my 900x4, that the computer don´t find my wireless network alot of times. Like yesterday. I created a new network with my ipad and my S9 found it. I typed in the correct password and it tried to connect, but said it coulden´t. After that, the network won´t show up in the lists of network. I´m toggeling wi-fi on/off and trubbleshoting and restarting everything. Meanwhile my android phone and my old HP laptop with W7, finds the ipad´s network all that time. I often have this problem, and had it on my 900x3 too!

 

Hi guys, have anyone noticed a noise from the AC adapter when the battery is full and the notebook switched off?
I have this issue since always and was wondering what could be

 

Yes, try to uninstall the bloated WiFi package and then install just the small driver. Re the Bluetooth, my system shows that it is installed but some people say that the basic Microsoft drivers are enough.

I have also noticed that my X4C is slower to connect to a network than my Samsung tablet and, if the signal is weak, the tablet gives better throughput.

Run InSSIDer on your X4C and see what signal strength you are getting for your router. It will also show if you have other competing signals on the same channel. If the signal strength is -30 to -50dB then you should get good performance, if -60 to -80dB (or even weaker) then the computer may struggle to connect.

Probably some vibrating components. The electronics works at high frequency. I've just put the PSU against my ear and can hear a whistling noise but it is otherwise inaudible.

If it really loud then you could ask Samsung for a replacement under warranty on the grounds there is risk of premature failure.

John

 

Hey guys,

I just bought a series 9 15 inch (512 Gb) and so far, so good!

However, as you guys mentioned already (several times) the screen colors could be slightly better.

I have been trying to download John's icc profile (zip file) but once I try to open it, it says it is corrupt.
Could one of you guys please share the profile using a different link or so.

(If by any chance there are some links already somewhere, I apologize in advance...)

I would truly appreciate it!
Cheers

 

I think default color scheme of series 9 is the best. However, you can use "setting" app to change display setting, default setting is "standard" which produces best results in most of the cases. I used some icc profile files uploaded in this forum, but concluded that original setting is the best.

 

Where are they selling the 512GB X4C?

Here's another link to my icc profile.

John

 

Clear-out pricing on the NP900X4C- A01UK. £750

John

 

And OF COURSE the prices will start to drop by massive amounts right after I bought my X3C On a happier note, it's finally in my city! It should arrive in no less than 6 hours, and I have to study for my exams. Still, I couldn't wait until after graduation to buy it

Mr. Mysterious

 

Oh wow that would help a lot deciding between the x4c and x3c... I need to contact someone I know in the UK!
So if I manage to get it at this price, I would consider getting a 256 GB SSD to replace the "bad one" they use. John I read your review on the Crucial m4 which seems very positive. I'm guessing I need a data transfer kit (I've never done anything like this), would you recommend the one that comes with the SSD (for £20 more)?

 

Here is a question. I have had the X4C eight months now. I am happy with every aspect of this laptop, except for the keyboard. Between the clackity noise the keys make to the many missed keystrokes due to either spacing or a nonresponsive key press when it's not pressed firmly in the middle, I am very annoyed with the keyboard. I am a touch typist. I am thinking of giving this laptop to the wife and buying something with a better keyboard. Where should I start looking for a slim laptop with a great keyboard? Lenovo? A google search leads to three year old articles on the subject. I realize this question may be a bit outside the realm of this thread, but I thought you guys would have some good answers. Thanks.

 

When I think keyboard, I think Lenovo. Have you considered looking at the X1 Carbon? I don't know how people rate their keyboards (it's such a subjective thing).

Notebook check seems to like them.

Mr. Mysterious

 

Yea, the ThinkPad keyboards are the top of the food chain. I'm not sure I'd endorse the X1 Carbon because I think it is over priced and the build quality isn't as good as it should be, but a reasonable alternative is the T430s. I am anxious to see the reviews on the ThinkPad T431s. That model should release this month.

 

Thanks, you two, for the response. I think i'll wait for the T431 review as well, in this case.

 

Since have a Dell U3014 external monitor connected to the X4C via HDMI, I get the "Device Disconnect" sound after the screens turns off.

This "Device Disconnect" sound repeats every 15 seconds, which makes it very annoying.

I have Windows 7 power options set to turn off the display(s) after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Any idea of how to fix this?

 

I bought the Mediabridge Micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable
Amazon.com: Mediabridge Micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable with Ethernet - (6 Feet) - FLEX Series High Speed: Electronics

Supports 3D Technology, 4K, Ethernet Channel, Audio Return Channel, 1440p and 1080p FullHD Resolution

and it still won't support 2560 x 1600 resolution with an external monitor (Dell U3011) - max resolution is 1920x1080.

Does anyone know why?

 

I bought a 900x4c in the UK but now that my country changed the plug I have to use an adapter from UK to european plug, and from the european to our new plug, so... the plug + 2 adapters is bigger than the adapter. I have another power cord with the same numbers written (2.5A 250V~) but with a different plug. Anyone nows if there is anything else to check or can I just change the cable?

 

If the notification is in the notification area then you should be able to hide it. Alternatively, go into the Sound settings in Control Panel and turn off the sound there.

It's the specification for the micro-HDMI connector - "up to 1080p".

There's nothing to worry about. The adapters are universal and the AC cables are interchangeable.

John

 

Thanks, John!

Damn, my cooler started to make some noises when in low speed (incresead if a hold the base leaning), a kind of "tec-tec-tec" instead of the natural spin noise. I need to shake the laptop to make it stop .

 

Next time it does that try to work out if the fan is actually spinning. Something may be causing it to stick in which case the electrical pulses that should keep the fan spinning result in a ticking noise. I've encountered a similar effect in electric clocks when the battery voltage gets too low. Once you are sure what the problem is and that it is consistent then you could ask Samsung for service under warranty (but the problem needs to be big enough that the service technician can confirm it an take action).

John

 

Ahh. Just like the new Toskiba KIRAbook, which has a 2,560x1,440-pixel-resolution display, but can only output 1080p : Toshiba's "Retina-like" Kirabook limited to 1080p video output | PCWorld

 

Hey guys,

I'm a web designer, so I'm wondering how bad the screen quality really is. I mean, for this money, you could even get a MBP with RETINA...

Also a question I have: has someone connected 2 external monitors? Can you verify it works well?

Also, what's up with the ethernet?

 

Difference between NP900X4C-A01US and A04US or the AO3US

Dear John and All,

What is the exact difference between NP900X4C-A01US and the NP900X4C-A04US (or the A03US) other than the size of the SSD? On the Samsung site it seems to imply that the A01-US has one FEWER USB port and is otherwise hardware deficient.

Is that the case? I thought the only differences between any of these in the X4C series was the size of the RAM, SSD and the version of the OS

Please help as I am ready to buy the NP900X4C-A01US but I don't want it if it is missing any hardware.

IMAGE BELOW. Click to Enlarge(from the compare on the Samsung.com site. A01 is on the left, A03 is on the right)




Cheers!

Engineer

 

The missing USB port is a mistake by whoever put the info into the website. Perhaps they copied from the X3C specs.

John

 

Situation normal for Samsung.

 

Has anyone found a way to get the 6235 wifi card to work at any sort of acceptable speed?

It has always been slow but after the last upgrade it is almost unusable. Just ran some tests, speedtest on an iPhone on the same network get ~25mbps, Ethernet connection on the laptop gets 30mbps, the 6235 gets 5mbps.

For file copies from a NAS, Ethernet is 60MB/s and wifi is 244kbps (yes that is Kilobytes.)

I have tried reverting to some of the older drivers with no significant improvement.

There is a 25 page thread over at intel about the problems with this card just curious if anyone here had found a way to make it work.

Sporadic but recurring connection dropouts on an Intel 6235 wireless adapter

 

So, my fan is making noise. I'm going to take the back off later and see what I see. It's a horrendous noise.

 

I updated to the most recent intel 6235 driver (15.4.1.1) via the intel website: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/default.aspx

My laptop wireless connnection on speedtest.com screams at 24mb/s, you sure you got the most up to date driver?

 

The Intel driver update of a month ago improved connectivity. I can get >30MB/s when in the same room as the router but it drops off to a few MB/s with distance.

First I suggest you check the signal strength and competing channels using InSSIDer. Stronger than -50dB should give very good performance. Weaker than -70dB will give a slow connection. Antenna location at the back of the chassis and surrounded by a lot of metal doesn't help WiFi performance.

Either this or this threads contains some recommended driver settings although someone recently reported that they had substantially improved their WiFi performance by disabling n mode.

John