Latitude E6400 Owner's Lounge, Part 2

Not normal, have it replaced. I know what you mean I got that on my first E6400... it was hit.. probably during transport or boxing.

display cover not well made... have your system replaced.

Now, THAT is normal, it's to protect the screen form the keyboard, and prevent the screen from rubbing on the side of the laptop.

 

i guess i should... i love the machine but i saw in a pic once that you can slide a credit card between the screen and base

just to be extra safe, i added a 10 sec pic
the top circle is where the bottom lcd bezel is scraping on the top part of the bottom base
there is no gap in the middle

the bottom circle is the only place that has contact when the lid is close
the left corner and right corner do not make contact with base

and in the middle of the lcd cover where the hook and webcam is placed teh screen is not straight and is wavy

 

All of this, is totally not normal, except for: "the left corner and right corner do not make contact with base"... well at leats you got 1 thing right

Call Dell Customer Service to have your system re-build (Dell will provide you instruction to return the broken one to them completely free of charged). I know I know.. it really sucks that you have to return a great system that you just got. I had the same feeling, happens in life. However, having a right system, is definitely better.

 

As I've heard, the 1 year warranty extension for the nVidia defect does not apply where I live, as there is no official Dell office, only two Authorised Service Partners.

Maybe I expressed myself a little chaotically. There is no paint wear because the case isnt painted. I have very oily hands and only some keys of the keyboard have developed a shine.

Very reassuring to hear

My D630 doesn't wiggle (mainly because of its elaborate locking mechanism) and the vastly inferior barebone laptops I work with daily, 75% of which use the exact same battery and locking mechanisms sure don't wiggle also.

D630 has more pads but they tend to leave marks on the palmrest as well, especially the lower corner and middle pads. No keyboard marks on the screen for me.

Sure will, thanks.

 

The keyboard plastic looks by eye and touch the same as the latest MacBook Pro (if you want something you can see), and like it, it will develop a shine, and you will see finger grease as well.

I haven't seen a keyboard that doesn't have this problem, other than:
- The keys are already glossy
- Thicker texture like the Lenovo's, or the old HP's (before they went glossy madness), and the Studio's (I don't know about the Studio XPS). However, I know it's doable, as my desktop keyboard does show finger grease.. harder, and hardly gets shinny after a year of usage in comparison. Oh, my desktop keyboard is a illuminated keyboard (Logitech Illuminated keyboard). I wish Logitech made laptop keyboards for OEM's... oh well.

Ok, just to be clear.. same for the E6400 - no problem. If you do.. something is wrong.

 

On the subject of display wobble, my E6400 had very little wobble when new (August 2008) but it is gradually getting worse. The wobble only occurs when the display is approximately vertical - there is none if I pull it forwards to about 45 degrees.

I have tried the screw tightening fix but it did nothing. I think the looseness is within the hinge mechanism and not that the hinges themselves are loose where fixed to the computer.

John

 

Did you try to tight the screws, the way I mentioned. Because if you do it while the lid is close, or not 90C.. you don't be able to tight the screw properly.

 

thanks... i guess i'll call up dell today...

 

Yes, I carefully followed your instructions and I used a big screwdriver.

John

 

So why hasnt Dell released higher versions of the nVidia driver for XP yet? Yes yes yes, I know XP is bad and the work of the devil and blah blah blah, but it is what I was given and until my workplace has a SoE for Win7, I wont be migrating anytime soon. So why is the latest nVidia drivers for XP on Dells site is 179.68 but for Vista/Win7 it is 186.21........... I dont see why Dell cant just let us install the standard nVidia drivers, and not be so bloody controlling

I have tried in the past to install drivers with the modified inf from laptopdriverstogo, but never was successful.