E6520 Owner's Thread

I believe there are absolutely multi-monitor docking issues with this laptop.

I've expressed issues when using the dock and 2 2410U monitors via DisplayPort: here.

This is an issue that did not exist with my e6410 and is very frustrating. The only thing that has changed in my configuration is the laptop...so i know it's the problem. grr.

 

See pic from the previous post.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the whole configuration swaps around when it sees that third monitor (ie: the laptop LCD "disappears" when the lid is closed, and "reappears" when it's open).

What version of drivers did you have? I am currently using:
Intel 8.15.10.2347 <= not the latest, Dell calls this A07.
nVidia 8.17.12.6696 <= shows as this under drivers, shows as ForceWare 266.96 elsewhere, Dell calls this A01.

As far as the restore disk, are these official Dell disks or just a DVD-R backup that the system asks you to do when you run Windows for the first time?

The eSATA Combo port on the right side has both USB and eSATA on it. If you already have eSATA devices, you can plug straight to it and power your device in the usual fashion. If you have eSATA Combo or eSATAp devices (or whatever they want to call it) like the Seagate GoFlex laptop disks (with the eSATA option), you can plug it straight and it will power the drive as well.

As far as the modular HDD:
- from what I'm told, the old E6x10-series modules are not compatible with the E6x20-series modular bay, and
- Dell only sells the modular HDD bay with a 320GB 7mm laptop HDD (or at least when I ordered). Other HDDs might not fit if you try to swap it out (some people here have tried, you will want to search this subforum). There's a third-party which sells their own caddy for the modular bay that supposedly fits regular 9mm laptop HDDs, though I have not ordered one yet:

2nd Hard Drive Caddy DELL E6520, E6420, E6320 E-Module Bay [DELL-2BAY-E6520] - $48.95 : NewmodeUS, Hard Drive Caddys for Notebooks

I'm using the two DisplayPort connectors on my E-Port Plus. I don't think either E6420 or E6520 have DisplayPort connectors onboard (the new Precision does, though), only HDMI and VGA. If you have a regular E-Port (not E-Port Plus), you will have only one DisplayPort connector, ie:

DELL Simple E-Port Replicator with 130-Watt Power Adapter Cord for Select Dell Latitude Laptops / Precision Mobile WorkStations : Laptop Accessories | Dell
DELL E-Port Plus Replicator with 130-Watt Power Adapter Cord for Select Dell Latitude Laptops / Precision Mobile WorkStations : Laptop Accessories | Dell

I was saying if you wanted to test the multi-monitor driver theory, you could plug the DVI and VGA directly to the laptop to try to eliminate the dock as being a problem factor (and you'd need a DVI to HDMI adapter if you wanted to plug that way unless the monitor has HDMI).

 

I am running A08 and A02 respectively, where can I get the older drivers?

 

Do a search for these on the Dell site:

R297609
R300875

 

Hey ooawilliams,

May have same story here: e6520, Win7/64, works fine undocked.
In dock with 2xDVI Dell monitors and 1xVGA, BSOD all over the place.

Experiment showed that *NONE* of the following made any difference
* disabling optimus
* uninstalling nVidia (I know: won't drive multiple monitors when docked. But still BSOD. This was just an experiment)
* updating to new (or old) nVidia or Intel drivers
* changing physical dock

However, it is just possible (just did the update today, so too early to tell) that a BIOS update done today to revision A06 fixed the issue.

At least since the BIOS update I have no BSOD.

Worth a try. Go chase Dell for the new BIOS.

 

24 hours since A06 BIOS applied.

No BSOD.

That's the first 24-hour-crash-free period I've had, so looking good.

 

Dells site still shows A05, cant hunt down A06, any link for that bios?

 

It's brand new, we got it from local support and perhaps it's not on official release yet (Dell told us it was "pre-release" or some such)

Release date stamp on it according to System Info is 11th July.

You better not get it from me (you know better than to install strange BIOSes from randomers off the internet )

But chase your Dell support contact for it.

Regards
Liam

 

Nope, 'nuther BSOD crash today, after applying A06 BIOS yesterday.
30 hrs since the last one.
A personal record for this e6520 ...

 

Three questions.

1) Has anyone got Speedfan, or another fan speed tool to work? My laptop gets TOASTY!

2) When I mess with the NVIDIA GPU, it seems to sometimes turn the screen all black, and sometimes I can't shut down properly. I believe it started after I installed optimus, even though I run without Optimus most of the time...Anyone else had and solved the issues?

3) My WIFI does not reconnect on wake-up, and needs to have the adapter reset. Idea?

thanks.