E6530 owners thread

Hi all,

Just a quick question for other 6530 owners. Got the laptop and have tested it out, all good except even when the fan is on the lowest speed (it varies between off and low speed depending on use and ambient temperature) there is noticeable vibration transferred to the left side of the notebook when the fan is running. Meaning the left side of keyboard above fan, and also the palm rest on the left.

Most other laptops I haven't noticed vibration going from fan to chassis, is this the norm with this model, or should I think about getting a replacement fan (guess it could be not fastened tightly or have an unbalanced bearing).

 

Hi there i am new owner of e6530 and have two questions:
1. I have changed power plan to custom with 50 and 90 values but it seems that in Windows battery laptop keeps to charge battery after the 90%. How do i know that it stopped charging?Battery bar in Dell battery information says that battery is charging, and icon i taskbar sometimes shows charging and sometimes not charging?
2. Have anyone tried to install backlit keyboard to non backlit model?

 

I have sold first issue, now it works fine, it looks that i confused laptop with several charging profile changes.

Question two remains, i would like to buy backlit keyboard to improve this fantastic machine even more, is this easy swap or not? I see that Dell enhancement pack has application for Keyboard backlighting, and will it work without it?

 

WOO HOO! I just ordered my second 6530 with yes, FHD screen, from Dell Outlet! 32-bit Win 7 Pro, last one I could find! Cost was the same as purchased in January for my first 6530, when you add in the NINE CELL BATTERY that comes included with the second one. I just paid $95 for a nine-cell battery for my first 6530, at Amazon last week. So when you add that in, the price for my second 6530 WITH FHD is the same as I paid in January without FHD. Yes! So look: including taxes and shipping in January, $800.

Same as just yesterday, buying the second one (25% discount code came in the emails, good until 12/20, TXND054JRGQX47 ; free shipping until December 31). But I saw no other 32-bit Windows 7 Pro offerings, sorry!

Great for onscreen recordings for videomaking. If you use BibleWorks 9, it looks GREAT on this machine, better than on a regular monitor without FHD.

Crisp, clean, 16:9 aspect ratio, easy on the eyes. When you're older, these things matter. Some think the fonts need to be bigger. Actually, for an aging person (I'm almost 61), crispness matters more than size. I don't need my glasses for this screen. I do need it, for the others.

So now I got an FHD for a beloved 6510 and newly, 6530.

Okay, will shut up now. Thank you all for putting up with me.

 

Hi there,
I was curious about the Dell Data Protection Access utility.... Does anyone use it? Can you give me some info about how it works? I have the E6530 with fingerprint reader and TPM but without self encrypting hard drive. Can I use the utility anyway? Is it safer than standard Windows 7 account password? What's the difference? Can I use it with bitlocker? Oh, last question (!).... I discovered that now we can install the Dell Data Protection Security Tools. Is it a better version?

Thanks in advance!

 

The latest 6530 I bought also had these features. I spent a whopping 90 minutes on the phone trying to get a straight answer from the 'help' people, and finally got this email. I'm pasting it. It's gibberish or too difficult or too annoying to use, imo. But maybe you'll like it. Here's the email text I got last week:

"System Access Wizard

The System Access Wizard launches automatically the first time the Dell Data Protection |
Access application is launched. This wizard will walk you through setting up all aspects of the security on your system, including how (e.g., password only or fingerprint and password) and when (at Windows, pre-Windows or both) you want to login to the system. In addition, if your system has a self-encrypting drive you can configure it through this wizard.
​

Administrator Functions
​

Users who have been set up with Windows administrator privileges on the system have the rights
​

to perform the following functions in Dell Data Access | Protection, which standard users
​

cannot:
​

? Set / change System (Pre-Windows) password
​

? Set / change Hard Drive password
​

? Set / change Administrator Password
​

? Set / change TPM Owner password
​

? Set / change ControlVault Administrator password
​

? Reset system
​

? Archive and restore credentials
​

? Set / change smartcard Administrator PIN
​

? Clear / reset a smartcard
​

? Enable / disable Dell Secure Login to Windows
​

? Set Windows login policy
​

? Manage self-encrypting drives, including:
​

o Enable / disable self-encrypting drive locking
​

o Enable / disable Windows Password Synchronization (WPS)
​

o Enable / disable Single Sign On (SSO)
​

o Perform a cryptographic erase
​

Remote Management
​

Your organization can set up an environment in which the security functions of the Dell Data
Protection | Access application on multiple platforms is centrally managed (i.e. remote
​

management). In this case, the Windows security infrastructure, such as Active Directory, can be used to securely manage specific features of Dell Data Protection | Access.
​

When a computer is remotely managed (e.g. "owned" by the remote administrator), local
​

administration of the Dell Data Protection | Access functionality will be disabled; the
​

management windows of the application will not be accessible locally. Management of the
​

following functions can be done remotely:
​

? Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
​

? ControlVault
​

? Pre-Windows login
​

? Reset System
​

? BIOS Passwords
​

? Windows Login policy
​

? Self-Encrypting Drives
​

? Fingerprint and Smartcard enrollment
​

To request more information on using Wave Systems' EMBASSY® Remote Administration
​

Server (ERAS) for remote management, please contact your Dell salesperson or go to dell.com.
​

Access Options
​

From the Access Options window, you can set up how you gain access to your system.
​

If you have any Dell Data Protection | Access options set up, these will be displayed on the home page with the available options (e.g., change password for Pre-Windows login). The
​

available options are shortcuts which, when clicked, take you to the appropriate window for
​

performing a specific task (e.g., changing your pre-Windows password or enrolling another
​

fingerprint).
​

General
​

First, you can specify when to log in (Windows, pre-Windows or both) and how (e.g. fingerprint and password) to log in. You can choose one or two options for how to login; these include combinations of fingerprint, smartcard, and password. The listed options are based on the login policies applied in your environment and what is supported on the platform.
​

Fingerprint
​

If your system contains a fingerprint reader, you can enroll or update fingerprints for use in logging in to your system. Once you have enrolled fingerprints, you can swipe the enrolled
​

User Fingerprints for more information. both (depending on what you have specified in the General Access Options). Refer to Enrolling finger(s) on your system's fingerprint reader to access your system at Windows, pre-Windows orPre-Windows Login If you have specified that users must log in pre-Windows, you must set up a System Password
​

(sometimes called the pre-Windows password) for pre-Windows access. Once this is set up, the administrator can change the password at any time.
​

You can also disable pre-Windows login from this screen; to do this you will need to enter your current System Password, verify that the password is correct, then click the Disable button.
​

Smartcard
​

If you have specified that users must use a smartcard to login, you must enroll one or more
​

traditional (contacted) or contactless smartcard(s).Click the Enroll another smartcard link to launch the smartcard enrollment wizard. Enrolling means setting up your smartcard for use in logging in. Once you have enrolled a smartcard, you can change $B!!(B
​

Pre-Windows Login
​

When pre-Windows login is set up, you must provide authentication (password, fingerprint or
​

smartcard) when the system is powered on, before Windows is loaded. The pre-Windows login functionality provides additional security to the system, keeping unauthorized users from compromising Windows and accessing the computer (e.g., when it has been stolen).
​

From the Pre-Windows Login window, administrators can set up pre-Windows login, or create or change a pre-Windows (System) password; if this password has already been set up, you can disable pre-Windows login from this window. Setting up pre-Windows login will launch a wizard which will do the following:
​

? System Password: Set up a System Password (also called a pre-Windows password) for
​

pre-Windows access. This password is also used as a backup in cases in which a user
​

has additional authentication factors (e.g., to gain access to the system if there is an issue
​

? Fingerprint or Smartcard: Set up a fingerprint or smartcard for use in pre-Windows login, with the fingerprint sensor). and specify whether this authentication factor will be used instead of, or in addition to, thepre-Windows password.
​

? Single Sign On: By default, your pre-Windows authentication (password, fingerprint or
​

smartcard) will be used to automatically sign you into Windows as well (this is called
​

"Single Sign On"). To disable this feature, select the "I want to login again at Windows"
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checkbox.
​

? If a BIOS Hard Drive password has been set in addition to a pre-Windows password, you
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will also have the option to change or disable the Hard Drive password.
​

reader is not compatible, you will be able to enroll fingerprints for Windows login only. To find out

NOTE: Not all fingerprint readers are enabled for use with pre-Windows authentication. If your if a specific fingerprint reader is compatible, contact your system administrator or go to support.dell.com for a list of supported fingerprint readers.
​

Disable Pre-Windows Login
​

You can also disable pre-Windows login from this window; to do this you will need to enter your current pre-Windows (System) password, verify that the password is correct, then click the Disable button. Note that when you$B!!(B
​

Enrolling / Removing Fingerprints
​

Users can register or update fingerprints which can be used to authenticate to the system either pre-Windows or for Windows login. In the Fingerprint tab, images of hands display which fingers have been enrolled, if any. Clicking the Enroll another link launches the Fingerprint Enrollment wizard, which guides you through the enrollment process. "Enrolling" means saving a fingerprint to be used for login. You must have a valid fingerprint reader properly installed and configured in order to enroll fingerprints.
​

$B!!(B
​

display if you attempt to enroll for pre-Windows with an incompatible reader. To find out if the NOTE: Not all fingerprint readers can be used for pre-Windows login. An error message willdevice is compatible, contact your system administrator or go to support.dell.com for a list of supported fingerprint readers.
​

When enrolling fingerprints, you will be prompted to enter your Windows password to verify your identity. If your policy requires it, you will be prompted to enter your Pre-Windows (System) password as well. The Pre-Windows password can be used to gain access to the system if there is an issue with the fingerprint reader.
​

NOTES:
​

? It is recommended that you enroll at least two fingerprints during the enrollment process.
​

? You must ensure that fingerprints are properly enrolled before enabling fingerprint
​

authentication capabilities.
​

reader. Switching back and forth between two different fingerprint readers is not
recommended.
? If you change fingerprint readers on a system, you must re-enroll fingerprints with the new
​

? If you see repeated "sensor lost focus" messages when enrolling fingerprints, this may
​

mean that the computer is not recognizing the fingerprint reader. If the fingerprint reader is external, disconnecting and reconnecting the fingerprint reader often resolves this issue.
​

Clearing Enrolled Fingerprints
​

You can remove enrolled fingerprints by clicking the Remove fingerprint link or by clicking on (to de-select) an enrolled finger in the Fingerprint Enrollment wizard.
​

To remove a specific user who has enrolled fingerprints for pre-Windows authentication, the
​

administrator can de-select all fingerprints enrolled for that user.
​

NOTE: If you get any errors during the fingerprint
​

$B!!(B
​

Enrolling Smart Cards
​

Dell Data Protection | Access gives you the option of using a traditional (contacted) or
​

contactless smartcard for logging into your Windows account or for authentication at pre-
​

Windows. In the Smartcard tab, click the Enroll another smartcard link to launch the Smartcard Enrollment wizard, which guides you through the enrollment process. "Enrolling" means setting up your smartcard for use in login.
​

You must have a valid smartcard authentication device properly installed and configured in order to perform enrollment.
​

NOTE: To find out if a specific device is compatible, contact your system administrator or go to support.dell.com for a list of supported smartcards.
​

Enrollment
​

When enrolling a smartcard you will be prompted to enter your Windows password to verify your identity. If your policy requires it, you will be prompted to enter your Pre-Windows
​

(System) password as well. The Pre-Windows password can be used to gain access to the
​

system if there is an issue with the smartcard reader.
​

During enrollment, you will be prompted for the smartcard PIN, if one has been set. If your policy requires a PIN and one has not been set, you will be prompted to create one.
​

NOTES:
​

? Once a user is enrolled for smartcard use in pre-Windows, he/she cannot be removed.
​

? Standard users can change the user PIN on a smartcard, and the administrator can
​

change both the administrator PIN and the user PIN.
​

? The administrator can also reset a smartcard; once reset, the smartcard cannot be used
​

for authentication at Windows login or for pre-Windows until it is re-enrolled.
​

Microsoft Windows smartcard enrollment process. Administrators must select "Wave TCGEnabled
CSP" as the Cryptographic Service Provider in place of a Smartcard CSP for
compatibility with this application. In addition, Dell Secure login must be enabled with the
appropriate Authentication Type Policy for the client.
NOTE: For TPM certificate authentication, administrators can enroll TPM certificates through the
NOTE: If you get an error that states that the Smartcard Service is not running, you can start /restart this service by doing the following:
​

? Navigate to the Administrative Tools window from the Control Panel, select Service, then
​

right-click on Smartcard and select Start or Restart."
​

 

Thanks! Ok, so let's say that I want to keep data safe while travelling, in the event of stolen laptop, what do you think is the best solution? Pre boot password and bitlocker on selected folders?

 

I'd go for pre-boot password, as it's fastest and most comprehensive. Neither will actually protect your machine fully, but it's better than nothing. Computers are visible targets. There will always be some password- or bitlocker-busting software available, since frankly we who 'protect' stuff in this manner, frequently forget our passwords and need to then break what we protected. So a thief would have such software, too.

So when travelling, I'd INSTEAD keep any sensitive data on separate pen drives, and then would put the drives into a small pouch or something I wear very close to my body. They can be password-protected, too. And be sure to leave the passwords with someone you trust, in case something happens to you.

 

My Outlet E6530 came with the fingerprint reader, but no software installed to run it. Called ProSupport who walked me through downloading the drivers and installing/configuring it. Works fine, has a little Dell utility to make any changes (I have mine set for Windows logon, not for pre-boot). I know people want their computers to ship with as little garbage and bloatware as possible, but you'd think Dell would ship the darn thing with all the drivers and utilities installed for the hardware configuration we purchase, instead of leaving some things for non-IT people like me to figure out!

 

It is very easy to change keyboard, there are some youtube howto videos - find some for E6420, it is the same with E6530. The backlight will work also on machine that originally did not have backlit keyboard, the option will appear in both DEP and Bios. Make sure you get keyboard original from Dell, as there are also some imitations that might not be that good.


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