M6600 Owners Thread

As for incremental backup, I use Oops backup. Works just like OS X's Time Machine.

 

Microsoft needs a time machine to go back to when they used to make good help files.

The built-in backup works good for me.

What gets at me is that I've used computers since 1989 - this business of re-inventing the wheel, er, computer, over and over, is so 1990! Tape back-ups back then worked really good and easy.

 

I had an M6600 briefly, until it literally smoked and then they replaced it with an M6700. I started out this journey with an m6500 which the m6600 replaced. Is it just me, or are these Precision having an abnormal amount of hardware problems? Now my warranty is up in two weeks and I'm afraid 'not' to renew it for 417 bux!

 

What are the chances? I don't think that you can buy a typewriter for 417.
I'd pay immediately and without hesitation.

 

I lost my R m8900. Left it on over night and it hung. Hung so strangely that fan was still on low RPMs and components were still very hot. dVGA got tosted as I could tell shortly. Can't even think what the heck happened, but it got worse. Called a technician in and appeared my daughter spilt something over my lap and was to afraid to tell me (yep, I would yell). This way I had no chance to clean it all before the service and technician noticed some traces of dry juice inside while he opened it. It was no biggie, little under SD reader, but enough for them to refuse the service. Disaster ...
Anyway, being stuck with no card and working on HD3000 ain't a pleasure indeed.
Just lost a chance to buy used m8900 (postponed making offer and missed it) for good money, but looks like I still can get R6970m or R6990m by Dell.
Prices are very friendly (about 100Eur, each) and would go for 6970 if only the seller had better feedback...
My questions are:
1. how much of a fuss would it be to install R6990 in it?
2. What potential problems I can expect (higher temps than m8900, unknown device in BIOS, ETC...)
3. What else would you recommend, keeping in mind that I am a bit reluctant to spend rather huge money on 7970m while I can get the mentioned ones so cheap.

 

Not too hard, just follow the manual.

660m, which should run way cooler and more battery life, I mean MORE. but the only reported attempt failed though reason is not exactly known.
670m similar performance, reported to work fine.

You need to add a bit for the heatsink but you get optimus if you don't have a IPS. Not sure about the price of cards though ~~ 570m/670m should be similar to 6970m.

 

670m is actually twice that expensive as 6970m and offers less performance. Optimus is nice thing to have but will not be priority. Lower temps are tempting but going this way I could easily start including 7970m back in equation...

Is it really bad idea to consider fitting 6990m in it?

 

I didn't mean that, it "should" work just like a 6970m.

 

7970m is plug and play at least in my m6600. All I had was adjust the height of the thermal pads.

 

I've ordered m6600 and it arived to my friend in USA. He played some games on it and its working as it should. I'll receive it at the end of the march. Only downside is that i've ordered a refurb without WiFi module. But for the price of 1030$ with taxes was more than a bargain for me. (i7 quad, 8gb, 750gb, m8900, fhd not-ips)

Does Dell have any whitelists for WiFi modules in bios and will any WiFi module work in it? And by any WiFi module i mean any, regardles of its OEM, from a list that notebook was shipped with in the first place (intel 6300, dell 1501)

Can i put any random wifi full size module into WWAN slot? Asking that cos i have few old fullsize wifi modules laying around from my old HPs and Acer. I could just use them and get it over with.

Couldnt find this information elswhere so hence my posting here.

EDIT: Also is there an option in bios to completely disable m8900 so while on battery i can run only integrated gpu. I know enduro dosent work. From the information i have now that is not possible, but asking again if anyone has any newer info.

EDIT2: While looking trough various fan control options I've noticed that there is Dell provided software with build in various fan speed options. Is there any way of regulating the fans manually?

On my old nc8430 I've managed to control fans tru editing APCI tables in registry, also this was possible on my current 8530p. Is there anything like this feasable on m6600?

I will most likely oc m8900 when it arrives to me but i dont not like to see temps going past 80c, willing to trade some fan noise while gaming on it. So in the end i might end up undervolting gpu and leave it at stock clocks. Time will tell

Can someone measure few things for me?
I need lengths marked by red lines on the picture bellow.


Since my current home-made cooling pad for 8530p is too small for my future notebook I'm gonna make my own custom made cooling pad for use when i finally find time for gaming. Got few leftover 140mm and 120mm fans from my desktop rig and also few oak panels so I need those dimensions to know where and what to cut to make fans blow at exact spots where i think its needed the most.