Dell E6400 durability

I missed this.

I hate to say it, but Dell's got nothing on the DuraFinish. The keys on my D830 were fairly shiny after just a single year of use, and I thought I took pretty good care of it. The keys on my E6400 aren't fairing all that much better.

On the other hand, my HP is about three and a half years old. For the past year and a half, I've been eating over it almost every weekday. The visible wear on the keys and touchpad is about equal to that on the keys of my D830 after a year. The wear on the palmrest is next to nothing. The DuraFinish is really impressive.

 

When I get some finger grease on my E6400 keyboard, I just tend to wipe it off. That so far has kept it relatively clean...

 

Nataz wrote:

I did notice it last evening. Only one screw though, one that holds plastic part covering Ethernet RJ-45 socket. Second near Displayport was ok. I did not look at other screws ... but I will.

 

Which particular screw is used for adjusting the hinge?

 

You have 2 screw per hinge.
The first one is the one you see on next to the display port and Ethernet.. it also hold the silver colored plate.

The second screw is at the bottom of the system beeing hidden by the silver colored plate.

To remove the silver plate, remove the screw talk about previously, and slide it like a remote battery cover.

When you want to screw the hinge, simple put a soft cloth on the table to protect your laptop from being scratch. Open the laptop screen 90 degrees, and have the laptop on flip-over, screen outside of the table, and keyboard on the cloth (in other word, the laptop is on the edge of the table, opened 90 degrees). MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HOLD THE SCREEN IN THE CASE IT SOMEHOW FALLS OUT - it should not happen, but better be safe than sorry. Now with one hand lift the laptop screen from the bottom, and tighten the each screw under both silver colors plate. Once done, you can remove the laptop from this awkward position and slide the silver plates back, and screw the back screws (don't force these screws as it might break the silver colors plates.)

Now the above, is not the official Dell instruction. This is just me, as I found to be the best way to have the hinge really tight up like if the hinges were new again.

Of course, do all the above at your OWN RISK. I won't be held responsible for anything what-so-ever.

 

I never had a problem with the hinges in the year that I owned the E6400, but I did get the pleasure of watching an E6400 crash to the floor a few days ago.

Dropped a few feet from a backpack, and it was perfectly fine though it had acquired a few new scratches.

 

The month where I had this thing, I had other problems which made Dell build a new system. It's been 9 months since the last build, and what I did with teh hinge was not required, ever.