M6800 Owners' Thread

So I received my M6800, it had a "black screen" issue where it wasn't able to boot at all (no bios access) due to bad bios, I reflashed both 8MB and 4MB file with a dump founded on the web and it work.
I need to update the bios since it's only on the A06 bios, also I would like to know if there is any "unlocked" bios for the M6800 ? I was reading this thread but nothing more than a way to flash/read bios without external programmer : http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/guide-dell-precision-m6800-m4800-sbios-mod.788481/

What is the part number for nvidia gpu cooling ? Does a delta fan could help gpu temp on the M6800 ? I currently have delta fan for cpu and avc fan for cpu/gpu combo

 

I believe in this system the "large" fan is for cooling the GPU and the "small" fan is for cooling the CPU? (Backwards from M6700)
If you're going to put an NVIDIA GPU in then I wouldn't worry too much about it, or just go for whichever is quietest. When I had the P5000 I was not able to get it even close to thermal throttling. It would always hit the power limit first and stay below 80C.

 

Yes that's it, backwards from M6700, if I'm right, the nvidia heatsink is "K6D33" ?

 

Yes, that is the one.
Note that there are TWO VERSIONS of this heatsink (with the same part number). One of them has a protusion on the bottom side that prevents installation with a higher-than-Kepler NVIDIA GPU. So see if you can get a picture of what you're going to buy before you buy it. You want the one that is totally flat on the bottom. I'll see if I can find a comparison picture.

[Edit]
I'm pretty sure this is the one that you don't want.

Spoiler

At the bottom, the copper bit is where the VRMs go, and the center bit that sticks out will prevent installation with the VRM placement on newer NVIDIA GPUs. You have to find one that is flat in this area. Unfortunately those seem to be less common. (You could also just dremel off the bad part, people have had success with that.)

@DynamiteZerg had comparison pictures in this post but it seems that the images are now dead.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/graphics-card-upgrade-for-m6800.806352/page-17#post-10747809

[Edit 2]
Here are pictures of the good one. You can also tell from the top side of the heatsink. There is a solid "L" shaped copper piece.

Spoiler

 

Okay thanks, also I looked after upgrading the motherboard to eDP one and I found that this is the board I need :
https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/3300...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_7,searchweb201603_53
(might not try it since the actual motherboard work fine)

 

Do someone know what is the latest bios that doesn't include spectre and meltdown patch ?
I tried to update with A16 but I have the same issue as my previous M4700, from windows I'm executing the bios file, it reboot the computer and that's all, no bios update, it act like a regular reboot.. it's probably because I updated the bios the "hard way" (flashing dump file of the 4MB and 8MB chip), I still have my old dump but they caused my computer to not start.
Is there any way to "unlock" memory frequency ? it might be due to my old bios but I put 2 stick of 2133MHz cas 11 1.35v on the M6800 and they are running at 1866MHz cas 11 (instead of the 1866 cas 10 from jedec profile), so it seems to use latency from the highest memory profile and lower the frequency to 1866MHz..

 

Spectre/Meltdown was fixed in A23.
https://www.dell.com/support/articl...cve-2017-5754-impact-on-dell-products?lang=en

(Actually the version right before this was probably the "bad" version of the fix that was causing BSOD.)
Latest versions of Windows 10 also apply the same microcode patch so if you're hoping to avoid the performance hit, you will also need to stick on an old version of Windows.
Windows 10 1903 mostly alleviates the hit (but executables must be compiled with retpoline).

 

I have an M6800 with i7-4800MQ and NVIDIA Quadro K2200M + 32GB, up until this morning everything was working fine for the last 2 years or so but now when I power on I just get a BLACK SCREEN, no flashing LED's just normal power on with DVD sound etc, when I hold the power button down it switches off as expected, ie fans run fast for a moment before power off.

I tried powering on with the <fn> key pressed to go into diagnostics but all that happens is the Power LED steadily blinks but the diagnostics never appear.

Things I have tried:

Removed all non essentials such as DVD, HDD etc
LCD diagnostics powering on with D key pressed and that runs through the test ok.
Tested the RAM in another machine and it works
Tried 1 memory stick in slot A. (tried all 4 sticks in sot A)
Dismantled and reassembled all the way down to removing the CPU and GPU. (including re-seating all connectors and boards)
Tried with the MXM GPU removed.

None of the above makes any difference. I think it has to be 1 of 3 things, Motherboard, CPU, or possibly GPU although I still get the same issue with this removed.

Does anyone have any ideas and also what the flashing power LED means when trying diagnostics?

Thanks in advance.

 

https://www.dell.com/support/articl...le-diagnostic-indicators?lang=en#2011_to_2015
It doesn't look like a blinking "power" LED is a normal error code for this system.

I think that you can rule out the GPU. The system will boot with the GPU removed (Intel graphics only).
I suspect the motherboard, myself, those are more prone to failure than the GPU.

 

That was my thought too, the blinking power LED only happens after trying to enter diagnostics via <fn>+Power On and I couldn't find any documentation relating to it.

I wasn't sure about booting without the GPU, I had read somewhere in this thread that is should but you have confirmed my assumptions.

I guess that leaves the CPU or motherboard, hopefully its going to be the latter, I will look into getting a replacement and keep my fingers crossed.