Dell Precision M6700 Owners Thread

Can we assume you've confirmed that card you're using is functional? In any event, what has changed since it last worked? Updates, software, damage, etc.? Anything?

 

Has anyone ever tried to install a clean HDD or SSD drive in a Precision M6x00 using only the OS and resource DVDs (i.e. without cloning the original drive)?

I've tried to do this, but have only been able to install the operating system (both Windows 7 Pro SP1 and Windows 8 Pro).

Is it possible to also get the 'factory restore' partition back on the drive, so that you can use the F11 hotkey at boot to start a factory restore?

In case of a drive failure, it would be nice to be able to do this.

 

You would need to clone the restore partition on the drive, the rest for the clean install should be standard procedure. You can use clonezilla to make an exact copy of the recovery partition.

 

It may no longer be applicable today, but I remember an article from many years ago about the complexities of re-creating a restore partition on Dells in order for CTRL+F11 to work and it may well be more complex than just cloning one partition across. The issue is no doubt complicated by the use of GPT formatted drives today vs old MBR format drives from yesteryear. Anyway, here is the article....

Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition

Unless anyone knows better it might indeed be necessary to perform a full drive clone rather than individual partitions.

 

Well, you could still do a full drive clone then wipe the OS partition I guess. Personally, I just tucked away the original drive safe somewhere so that I can pop it back in should the need arise.

 

I've been using an E6410 for a long time now and bought a E-Port Plus docking station (PR02X) for it. I've also got a M6700 as work laptop now and want to check if I can easily use the same docking station for this laptop? My main concern is the power adapter, as the E6410 had a much smaller adapter than the M6700. Is this worry justified, or can I simply use the M6700 adapter on this docking station as well, and plug in my M6700 and be happy with the docking station goodness?

 

The M6700 will not be able to run at full speed on a smaller adapter IIRC, but it will be fine for "office" work. There is nothing preventing you from getting a spare 240W adapter for your dock, the Latitude will take that without a problem.

 

Unfortunately, the article only describes how to get the Ctrl+F11 to work if it is broken, not to get the Dell restore partition back. But thanks for the link anyway.

I guess cloning the Dell restore partition would suffice, provided the imaging tool used is able to put the partition back in the exact same location on the disc.

That was my first thought too, but I was hoping there was a way to recreate the Dell restore partition using the restore DVDs.

I've restored a lot of HP laptops over the last 15 years or so. The HP supplied restore CDs/DVDs were all you needed to setup a blank HDD in the exact same state as the original HDD left the factory.

No idea why Dell doesn't provide its customers with this same option. I guess they want you to call Dell Support in case of a total drive failure, instead of replacing the drive yourself.

 

Are you sure there is even anything in that restore partition? How big is it?

I'm mentioning this because I had a few machines come to me that had that partition and nothing was in them to be restored; 780MB only.

The recovery DVDs don't have the original restore partition backup on them unless they've started doing that with the 6700. But I don't think they ever did previously either.

The factory image isn't always very good with the OEM/MBR setups.

Personally I clean the disk when I receive the machine, reinstall windows and add all the drivers then create a windows system image.

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EDIT: Just remembered, talking to a tech one time about this, if the system was ordered with the recovery DVDs there wouldn't be anything in the recovery partition. Double check that partition size.

 

I'm using the PR02X on the M6700 without any trouble. I just use a M6700 power adapter. (I bought the dock used and it did not come with its own power adapter.)