M6600 Owners Thread

If i recall correctly, the M6600 had switchable with nVidia so if you put a quadro in it, you should get switchable.

Aaron is right, no switchable with AMD on the M6700 either, but the battery life is better even with the AMD GPU, i get a solid 5 hours out of mine on the Internet.

 

This system has never been registered with MDD. I logged into my Dell account, clicked Download Factory Installed Software (My Dell Downloads) and it took me directly to the selection screen and I downloaded the last version on the list. It needed to download the Dell downloader which I did first from my standard account with no prompts.
Make sure you have allowed dell.com in your browser privacy and popup blocker settings.

Software

Title Version Release Date Downloads Remaining Size Estimated Download Time Download
Cyberlink PowerDVD (DVD Version) 9.5 07/07/2010 3 104,821 KB 13 minutes
PowerDVD 9.5.1.3426 01/11/2011 3 105,564 KB 14 minutes
Roxio Creator Starter 12.1.0.439 12/01/2010 1 636,644 KB 1.5 hours
PowerDVD 9.5.1.3426 03/16/2011 3 105,564 KB 14 minutes
PowerDVD 9.5.1.4822 04/05/2011 3 320,130 KB 42 minutes
PowerDVD 9.5.1.5425 07/31/2012 2 107,306 KB 14 minutes

 

Re: My Dell Downloads

It might be that the system needs to be added to your My Products and Services on the support pages. That would be the only other thing that could be not registering.

 

Here's what I did.

- Go to support.dell.com.
- Click on "My Account".
- Click on "Download Factory Installed Software (My Dell Downloads)".
- At this point it wants to register a system. This requires using IE so it can run a tool to read the service tag.
- During the registration process it comes up with the error: "The service tag is not supported"

 

Like Aaron44126 said, the best (most proper way) to automatically enable the Optimus feature in the BIOS is to replace the AMD card with an nVidia card and you will be good to go. The 4000M is a great option and will handle anything you throw at it without breaking the bank.

Scott-

 

been looking to own a precision but not sure if its worth the offer i got.
would really appreciate expert in this forum to share some thoughts. the unit offer was a used set but in very good condition. but its already ended warranty from dell.

Q1) is the price worth it for the spec?
Q2) would it be possible to further buy n extend warranty from dell
Q3) what are the stuff/things need to check/inspect the M6600 when buying a used set.

would really appreciate some guides and idea on this. Thanks a bunch.

USD 1.7k for the spec below:
below are the spec:
Processors: Intel Core i7-2820QM
Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Pro 64 bit
Displays: 17.3'' FHD(1920x1080) Anti-glare LED Display
Memory: 16GB(4x4GB) DDR3 SDRAM
Storage : 128GB SSD
Graphics Cards: NVIDIA Quadro 4000M
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300(802.11 a/b/g/n) Half Mini Card and Dell Wireless 375 Bluetooth Module
Slot-In 8X DVDRW
Integrated FHD camera
210W Power Adapter (3 Pin)
9-Cell (87WHr) Li-Ion Primary Battery

 

Q1) is the price worth it for the spec?
Nice system, but without the warranty, he is asking a little too much.

Q2) would it be possible to further buy n extend warranty from dell
It is possible depending on the country you live in. Dell USA often offers extended warranties even if the original has recently expired.

Q3) what are the stuff/things need to check/inspect the M6600 when buying a used set.
A. Screen (brightness, dead pixels, and viewing angles). You can also have him install HWiNFO64 so you can confirm the screen model and any other system spec. (including the battery wear level)

B. Remove the battery and see if the (2) bottom plate screws have been removed and/or are stripped. If so, ask to "see under the hood" so you can view if anyone has worked on the system and if everything is proper/complete.

C. Confirm if the SSD is factory or aftermarket/third party purchased. Likewise, ask to check it with any SSD life utility to see its true age and wear level along with how many, if any, cells have been retired (marked as no longer useable).

D. Confirm the brand/speed of the DDR memory.

E. Ask why the warranty is no longer valid. The M6600 typically comes with a standard (3) year warranty and the 6600 series has only been on the market for 17 months.

F. Ask why is he selling it?

G. Confirm the power plug is somewhat snug when inserted in to the rear of the system. A small amount of wiggle is normal, but it should not be flopping around or falling out easily.

H. Test the USB ports and the SD card port to insure good connections and function with little/no wiggle.

I. Does the unit have a backlit or standard keyboard?


===
The above should cover the major items to inspect. Again, he is still asking a little too much. The 4000M is very nice, but the 2820QM is not as valuable as it used to be. Likewise, small things like the backlit keyboard and specific model of the screen can affect the value.

In my opinion, the system would be worth in the $1,450-$1,550 range without the warranty and $1,650-$1,800 with at least a (1) year Dell warranty. My opinion could change if more specifics are known, but $1,700 seems like it is too much on the surface.

Scott-

 

Thanks for the quick and accurate reply guys. I am not at all adverse to throwing a 4000M in my Precision. I just have a few remaining questions.

1. Where do I get the 4000M from? I have tried doing Google searches with no luck. Is this something I can call Dell for and pay to have installed in my laptop by a tech?

2. Is it as simple as putting the card in and then installing the drivers? Is there anything else that I would need to do like get a new heat sink?

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

Ah, if you already have the laptop, you can still swap out the card. eBay is the most likely place to get it from (there are lots on there). You can probably get one from Dell but it will cost more. There are directions in the manual on the Dell support site for performing an actual GPU replacement.

The heatsink and X-brace are different between AMD and NVIDIA cards... Hopefully someone who has done such a replacement will chime in with more info about what other parts you might need or not. (The info is earlier in this thread... somewhere...)

 

I have done the swap and the heatsink is the same for both the AMD and nVidia options. The needed X-bracket, which is slightly different between the two, should be included with the GPU card. Just confirm it is with the seller.

eBay is the best place to look and the HP flavor of the 4000M will work fine too.

Scott