Dell Precision 5510 Owner's Lounge

Some thoughts:
1. 10 seconds might not be long enough to clear the NVRAM.
2. Bad RAM can stop the machine going into the BIOS setup (which has to load into the RAM).
3. A sick storage drive can also sometimes cause problems if it confuses the initial BIOS hardware problem.

I'll be interested to know what the service technician finds.

John

 

Hello.

Just bought DELL Precision 5510 with Windows 7 Pro pre-installed and Windows 10 Pro license sitting inside BIOS. And also got Windows 10 Pro DVD media shipped together with the laptop.
Laptop is having the following components:

619-AIKP : Windows 7 Professional English , French, Spanish 64bit (Inclu des Windows 10 Pro License)
620-AAYW : Windows 10 Pro OS Recovery 64b it - DVD

Well there is no dvd tray in the laptop, he-he, but anyway - has anyone tried to downgrade their Windows 10 Pro to Windows 8.1 Pro? I tried to follow this weird trail today...
1. Spoke with DELL rep about downgrade - guy told me that the only option with DELL is to send laptop back and to re-order one with Windows 8.1 pro. Not an option for me.
2. Okay also DELL rep told me to call Microsoft and also I found the following page that states that we all have right to downgrade: https://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx
3. So, I made a Windows 8.1 pro installation USB directly with the tool from Microsoft web site, but I'm stuck at the page with a prompt to enter a product key for Windows 8.1 pro during the installation.
4. The above page says that I have to use the Windows 10 pro key to go, but Windows 8.1 pro installation won't accept Windows 10 pro key.
5. I also found the following page: http://www.groovypost.com/howto/downgrade-windows-10-to-windows-7-windows-81/2/
but if I will follow that instruction, it will mean that I will get activation for someone's else key. Which is not an option.
6. Finally spent two (!) hours on the phone with MS and they told me that they are not providing the production key for Windows 8.1 pro by the phone nor they willing to help me with the passing thru the Windows 8.1 pro product key dialog using Windows 10 pro key.
7. I started to tell them, okay - confirm me that I have right to downgrade and if so, please help me to do so. The guy dropped the call and I was so tired to continue talking with him today, that I just ended up writing this post. Still thinking of contacting MS by the phone.
7. I haven't tried to install Windows 10 pro nor tried to activate it using that laptop. But I'm sure that will NOT help Windows 8.1 pro to recognize the key during the installation.

So how to realize my right to downgrade? Has anyone tried to downgrade their Windows 10 pro license to Windows 8.1 pro?

 

Hi guys.
Thinking about buying a 4K+bigger battery version from the dell UK outlet.
I read back 10-20 pages, and it seems for me, that there is not a single real, overall problem with the device. Can you guys confirm this ? If not, what are the things to look out for, what are the issues ?

@TechCritic: Well, I also like to tinker, this is why I supported one of the smartphone makers who provided open bootloader. However, word on the street is: Google will really make hard the life for custom rom and recovery makers. It makes sense from their perspective, as the trend is to use smartphones more and more for payments and authentication processes

 

Hi John,
After 10s and also tried 60s. No difference. It could be bad ram, bad ssd, bad bios firmware upgrade, it is going back to Dell. Will post results when its fixed. I just hope that I don't have to reinstall all the software. The update was my last step before a harddrive mirroring.

 

I have the same issue with my 1 week old Precision 5510. There's a loud whirring noise that isn't exactly like the noise a fan makes nor is it similar to the sounds a HDD makes. However, because this noise isn't completely constant, it stops for a millisecond every now and then, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the HDD. Anyhow, I called Dell Tech support and they have apparently had many such complaints about this model and they have determined it's a fault with the motherboard. They will be sending out an Engineer with a new motherboard in a couple of days. Fingers crossed it will solve the problem, because apart from this fault, everything else is just great with this laptop.

 

I have the same problem with 1.02.10, then call dell and ask for 1.02.00, downgrade solved my problem. It's true.

 

The tech has replaced the motherboard and power cable as a good measure. Works now. Good service I experienced so far.

 

any reason the Dell Thunderbolt Dock shouldn't work with this machine? here is what I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Thunder...id=1469808930&sr=8-4&keywords=dell+usb-c+dock

I updated every possible driver including bios and thunderbolt, but it simply will not drive three monitors when the laptop screen is down. even driving two is unreliable as the second screen flickers frequently.

anyone had better luck before I return this? it s nifty to just plug in the usb-c cord and have everything work, or would be...if it worked.

 

Is it supposed to be able to drive three monitors? As I understand it, you're limited by the displayport signal over the Thunderbolt; it does fine with me for two monitors but haven't tried a third.

 

What resolution monitors? The description on that Amazon web page says "creating the ability to connect three FHD displays or two 4K displays at 60Hz".

I get the impression that Thunderbolt is still work in progress. My own complaint is that plugging anything into the USB-C port immediately triggers about 3W increase in power consumption. Not a good thing if running off battery. [I see that there's yet another Thunderbolt update, dated 29 July plus a dock firmware update dated 28th July.]

John