Dell Latitude E4200 Info

Thanks, how do I check the history of Windows Updates in Win XP?

On another note, based on some tips I found googling, I tried the following:

* From console, ran "powercfg -devicequery wake_armed" and it says "Intel 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection")

* So then went to Network connection - Local Area Connection - Properties - Configure - Power Management (Intel 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection)
- "Wake on LAN" options included:
- "Wake on Directed Packet" - CHECKED - "Enables this device to bring the computer out of standby or hibernation when a packet is sent directly to the adapter. For example, any attempt to remotely access files stored on the computer will wake it."
- "Wake on Magic Packet" - CHECKED - "Enables a management station to bring the computer out of standby or hibernation when a Magic Packet is sent directly to the adapter."
- "Wake on Magic Packet from power off state" - CHECKED - "Allows the adapter to wake an Advanced Power Management (APM) enabled system from a power-off (S5) state. ACPI systems can wake from an S5 state if the system's BIOS supports it."
- "Wake on Link" - UNCHECKED - "Allows the adapter to wake an Advanced Power Management (APM) enabled system from a power-off (S5) state when the network connection establishes link. ACPI systems can wake from standby (S3) or Hibernate (S4). If the system's BIOS supports it, ACPI systems can wake from an S5 state. Note: Link must be lost before the system enters an S5 state in order to wake the system with a link up event.e: Link must be lost before the system enters an S5 state in order to wake the system with a link up event."
-- I just UNCHECKED them all.

Maybe this is the culprit? When docked, the laptop obviously has the gigabit LAN cable connected to it. Though it has also woken up on its own when untethered -- i.e. just the laptop, plugged into a power adapter.

Will report back if this change to the Intel LAN card settings makes a difference.

 

All of that should be unchecked, yes this could be it though if the LAN isn't connected, the updates are more likely. Also, check the BIOS because there are a whole bunch of options that could wake the laptop up aside from Wake-on-LAN. You should be able to see when the updates were installed by clicking Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel and clicking the option for 'Show Windows Updates', sorry I don't have a XP image handy at the moment or I would have guided you in a more exact manner.

 

Looking at Dell's E4200 featured systems pages,
I notice that Latitude On Reader no longer shows
up as an option. Instead, the color package mentions
some FP Reader. I wonder what's up with that...

-John

 

You are right. Looks like my prescient foretelling has finally come to pass. There will never be LatitudeON. That sucks. I wonder how or if Dell plans to compensate customers who were expecting this. Some early corporate customers were even told the modules will be shipped for free when available.

 

thanks, ok:

* Checked Windows Updates in the control panel. The last updates were installed mid-April. However, when I was shutting down to check the BIOS, I got the dreaded "install and shutdown" without the Windows Update icon in the system tray so I couldn't look at what it was installing (I hate that!). Now looking back at the Control Panel, it doesn't show anything having been installed today, so I don't know what it was. Ok, I just brought up update.microsoft.com and it shows a better update history. 5/12/09 installed Malicious S/W removal tool. 4/23/09 IE7 security update. 4/17/09 and earlier - numerous updates.

* Checked BIOS settings, all of the "wake" options were already disabled.

A little stumped, hopefully it was the Intel LAN settings (though I don't know what would have been triggering it). I'd never experienced unexplained wake ups before, even with auto windows update downloads enabled on other machines.

Will see if it wakes up again tonight after I go to sleep...

 

Just tried Windows 7 XP mode. Works fine. You have to enable VT and only the first option under bios. For some reason if I enable them all VT is still locked.

 

I'm considering buying a E4200 for on the road. I have two questions.

1) How is the screen? (very narrow viewing angle?, colors)

2) Is it true that the 4 cell battery (the one that sits flush) lasts 3:30 hours max? ( light use, surfing the net on wifi, brightness low, bt disabled.)

Thanks in advance.

 

I like my screen quite a bit but I have the Samsung which is supposedly better. The horizontal viewing angles are pretty good, in fact I have a privacy filter from 3M on mine because they are that visible from the side. The vertical angles aren't as good but unless you are the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, you won't be looking at it from that far up anyway. I never understand this obsession with vertical viewing angles, heck even horizontal ones. Who uses a laptop if not directly in front of the darned screen?

The time for the 4 cell sounds about right. My 6-cell battery lasts about 5 hours with everything on but brightness at the lowest settings. In fact, it's too bright for me at anything but the lowest two settings, and again, this is with the dark privacy filter on it. Phil, you could probably eek out four hours with real good power management using ControlPoint which allows you to shut down the USB, eSATA and other ports etc.

 

I'll explain you

I owned the Alu Macbook with 9C89 screen, LG Philips. If I would move my head as little as 5 centimeters up, the blacks and grey would invert making letters unreadable. I either had to move my head down or tilt the screen.

Or another example: when looking at the top of the screen it would look good, but the bottom would not.

This is a very narrow vertical viewing angle, and I can tell you it's very annoying!

Thanks!

So I guess you are still happy with yours?

 

Nah, the text is very readable in that way. However, I will admit, most of my reading is on an external monitor. And this is being typed on a 120" projector screen. I am lazy.