M6600 Owners Thread

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Switch SATA Operation Mode

 

The producer of this cheap controller is STlab, and for some reason they don't keep any software for this rather old model on their webpage anymore. However, there is plenty of other sources on the net that do (including Silicon Image - the chip manufacturer) - yet none works!

I'm hosed with my WD Studio II completely. I do understand that standards evolve rapidly with IT hardware, but "backward compatibility" has always been a priority (look at the USB 2.0 - it can still support the prehistoric USB 1.1 hardware!). Why would Dell chose to not support some 4 years old chip like the popular Sil3132 beats me :-(

And I'm afraid this is a hardware issue, as the M6600 doesn't see the controller at all - it should download and install drivers by itself automatically upon insertion (provided the machine is connected to the Internet), without a need for manual driver installation...

Here is the controller's specs on manufacturer site; clearly it should work under W7 x64 (but it's an ExpressCard I card - perhaps only EC II are supported on Precisions?)

PS What is even more weird is that the M6600 obviously doesn't like the Sil3132 - both hardware and software-wise. Here are the symptoms:

- when I insert the controller card, even though no driver is installed and there is no trace of it in Device Manager, the laptop will not shut down or boot up until I remove it

- I tried and installed the Sil3132 SATALink Management utility (from Silicon Image site), and when I launch it, my Nokia Ovi suite opens instead; also the utility was very difficult to remove from the system..

 

Updated to the new Intel Drivers on the Dell site dated Aug 5, 2011.

On reboot I only was able to get one of the monitors hooked up to the e-Port dock to work.

Clicked Extend Displays and it would just say unable to save changes.

Reinstalled the drivers, same thing.

Clicked Mirror Displays and the 2nd monitor fired up. Could then click Extend Displays. All is good now.

Never saw this on the older drivers, but then again these new drivers apparently fix a lot of the problems with screen flashes and graphical anomalies.

 

Posted by an Intel Employee on the Intel Community site July 27, 2011:

"Currently, port multipliers are supported on the chipset side, on Intel® ICH10R, controllers. However, the functionality has not been fully implemented to the Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (driver) yet. We expect a new version of the software will add full support for the feature. "

Yes, I know it says ICH10R which is a Southbridge chip that has now been replaced by the PCH (Platform Controller Hub) chip. But they were responding to a question about a Q67 desktop chipset.

Everything else from Intel going back to 2009 and the 4 series and 5 series chipsets says that the don't have software support Port Multipliers on their chipsets even though they have hardware support already there. You do see a lot of references to them deploying support for it through the Intel Matrix Storage Technology and the Intel Rapid Storage Technology software.

The only guaranteed way to get PMP support is to have an eSata card that has the SIL chip in it.

You can blame Dell for this all you want, but you should be blaming Intel. Lenovo and HP customers with the QM67 chipset are already posting questions on the Intel boards because they are in the same boat that we are.

You should be emailing and posting to Intel's Community boards asking them when the software support that they have been promising will be coming. In the mean time, keep watching for updates to Intel's Rapid Storage Technology.

 

Thanks Bokeh - you are the man

In the light of what you just stated :

"The only guaranteed way to get PMP support is to have an eSata card that has the SIL chip in it"


- what do you make of my observation here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/7803640-post1172.html

?

Cheers

Piotr

 

Thanks. Please give Intel board links so that we can .... on them!

On the other hand Dell is certifying their M series flagships, not Intel, and they have been doing so for many years (M6400, M6500, M6600) leaving Dell's high-end (internal RAID) customers with huge headaches as to why thier eSata ports don't work with mainstream external HD such as WD and Lacie.

 

"I am not within Intel but with USB3 giving similar functionality and perf. as e-sata2 + PMP it is not obvious that PMP becomes a priority."

I sure hope not because eSata has wider functionality than USB 3.

DQ67SW without SATA PMP on eSATA ports?: Intel Communities

 

So I got my M6600 yesterday, RAM and SSD delivered today.

Ripped off the keyboard to install new ram...done.

Pop off the back panel and go to install the SSD to update drivers. I remove the second hd cage and there are no mounting screws. Check the drive & packaging, no mounting screws. Anyone off hand know if there are extras mounting screws in with the M6600 if not what size screws will I need to order?

Kinda pissed about this.

Thanks,
JohnBoy

 

You can ask Dell CS to send you some. They came standard when the M6500 was for sale. I managed to keep my spare set when my M6500 got RMA'ed and Exchanged.

 

The primary hard drive is held in place with a quick release latch that locks with a screw and four normal screws. The secondary hard drive cage should have come screwed to the chassis, so there's your mounting screws for that part.

Take the four screws out of the primary hard drive (it's still held in place by the locking mechanism, and it snaps into the cage itself so those screws are just to hold it in the chassis) and use them to mount the secondary drive to its cage.