E6430 Owners Thread

So I upraded wireless card Dell 1540 that my laptop originally had with Intel Advanced N 6205 and it really seems to be an upgrade (though the original Dell's card was OK).

After setting Intel's driver according to this article on Intel's web...
Wireless Networking — What are the recommended settings for 802.11n connectivity?
...I am getting stable 300 Mbps. Comparing to Dell's card (which also could get this speed after changing settings) Intel 6205 connects to Wifi faster, in 1-2 seconds comparing to 5-8 of Dell's card. Connection seems to be very stable (Dell 1540's was also stable).

I only have Wireless N router with 2 antennas, so it's no use for me to use Intel N 6300 that needs router with 3 antennas. I was considering getting some of Intel's 2013 wireless cards, but that would require upgrading of wifi router and I am OK with 300 Mbps.

 

Have a weird problem that maybe someone has seen in here.

Just received an e6430 laptop with Windows 8 Pro preinstalled. I took a new SSD (not the one it came with) and did a fresh install of Windows 7 Pro 64-bit on it. In order to boot from my Windows 7 USB install disk, I had to change the default UEFI boot of the e6430 to Legacy Boot mode (this allowed everything to work fine for the install). Now, everything installed correctly except this problem:

My wireless card (Intel Ultimate N-6300--the one the laptop came with) will not turn on. The light that shows 'wireless on or off' on the laptop bezel (right above the keyboard) will not turn on. Basically, the wireless card is non-existent as far as the computer is concerned. It is not a driver issue because there is not a wireless device to load a driver for. The interesting part is that when I boot from the HD that the latitude came with (with Windows 8 and UEFI boot) the card turns on and works. This is the best that I could do to focus the problem on...maybe the Legacy boot option?

Have updated the BIOS, and confirmed that the Wireless options are checked in BIOS as enabled.

Any ideas?

 

There is a wireless switch on the right side of the laptop, and if I remember right in Windows 8 that switch's behavior can be emulated via software driver communication but in earlier versions the physical switch must be used to switch the radios on and off. The BIOS allows you to assign certain hardware to that switch. I use Windows 8 and frankly I have no idea whether or not it's doing that. There's an airplane mode, maybe that's it I don't know. Back to your question, I'd make sure that switch is on and go to Device Manager (it's in Control Panel) and see if there's any unknown hardware ("Other devices") and check the Network adapters section as well. It sounds like you really don't know that it's not a driver issue.. yet. I'd get the latest drivers from Dell or if you don't want those then go with Intel's. Let us know what happens.

 

Thanks a lot.

It worked. The intel wireless driver (directly from their website), which usually works does not in this case (which was the one I was using as the one from Dell is over a year old). Had to use the Dell branded intel 6300 wireless driver to work.

Thanks again!

 

Bios A13 Released

Fixes :
1. Fixed issue where Admin password malfunction after exist from MEBX.
2. Fixed issue where CCTK requires additional reboot to enable TPM function.
3. Fixed issue where system may stop at Intel IRST entering option with Array disk and one Non-RAID ON disk installed.
4. Fixed issue where the Optimus is disabled after some AMT remote control actions.
5. Fixed issue where keyboard illumination option may not available.
6. Fixed issue where boot sequence for module bay is not correct while re-attach device.
7. Fixed issue where system record Power Events show incorrect event when the system exit BIOS setup menu.
8. Fixed issue where SSO not working on cold boot using DDPA 2.2.x when SED is present in system.
9. Fixed issue where no low/Critical Battery message appears after post while SUT attached low battery.
10. Fixed issue where SATA Controller to be added to SMBIOS type 0x29 when Legacy Option ROM is disable.

Enhancements :
1. Supported BIOS flash update under Windows 8.1.
2. Support new graphic ID of CPU.
3. Updated ALS string of Setup.
4. Updated to the 8.1.40.1416 version of the Intel management Engine firmware.


Download Here

 

Thanks for the update marlonxp.

I occasionally hear my hard drive click. It's like a brief squeaky click. Does anyone else ever hear anything like that?

 

If it is rare it may just be the head moving into a parked state due to lack of activity.

 

Thanks for the info. Do you know any way that I could test that theory? Is there some message sent to the OS when the head moves into a parked state?

 

Hello guys,
I'm looking for an adapter like this 2nd HDD SSD Hard Drive Caddy for Dell E Series E6430 E6530 E6330 with Bezel | eBay to add a SSD to my laptop.
Does someone have that installed? Does it worth? It's a cheap adapter from China, will I have slower speed?

Thanks!

 

As long as it fits the speed will be the same. It's just a caddy, the drive makes a connection to the SATA connection inside the machine. Unless you have something in between the motherboard and the drive, you'll get drive speed.