Next Generation Dell Precision Mobile Workstations press release

I'm not sure if I'll keep the Dell installed Win10. I haven't really noticed a ton of bloatware, but I noticed in the event log a lot of errors and warnings. mostly errors. I have no clue what most of them are from and I have no interest to spend a lot of time figuring it out. I may just use the supplied USB Win10 recovery media. I'm not sure if that is a "clean" install media or if will also have crazy bloat. No BSOD so far. Other than the M5000M not working, and those event errors, it seems okay. I'll wait to give any serious judgment until after I've actually worked on it for a week continuous.



Those might be from the faulty card? who knows. But the three critical kernal crashes are no big deal . I think that was when I was struggling with the display not working and me shutting it down cold a few times

 

yeah, I remembered that other person when I was experiencing this too. It is weird.

 

Now I have good news! I booted the laptop this morning, with only change being that I set BIOS to Fast Boot...(not sure if that had anything to do with it)

and now the M5000M is visible from the OS. YAY!

I emailed my ProSupport contact that I will watch it closely and new parts may not be needed unless situation changes.



NVIDIA System Information report created on: 03/10/2016 10:24:51
System name: BENNYS7710

[Display]
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit
DirectX version: 12.0
GPU processor: Quadro M5000M
Driver version: 354.45
Direct3D API version: 12
Direct3D feature level: 12_1
CUDA Cores: 1536
Core clock: 962 MHz
Memory data rate: 5010 MHz
Memory interface: 256-bit
Memory bandwidth: 160.32 GB/s
Total available graphics memory: 40898 MB
Dedicated video memory: 8192 MB GDDR5
System video memory: 0 MB
Shared system memory: 32706 MB
Video BIOS version: 84.04.6D.00.08
IRQ: Not used
Bus: PCI Express x16 Gen3
Device Id: 10DE 13F8 06DA1028
Part Number: 2754 0503

[Components]

nvGameS.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server
nvGameSR.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server
NVSTRES.DLL 7.17.13.5445 NVIDIA 3D Vision Module
NVSTVIEW.EXE 7.17.13.5445 NVIDIA 3D Vision Photo Viewer
NVSTTEST.EXE 7.17.13.5445 NVIDIA 3D Vision Test Application
nvCplUI.exe 8.1.870.0 NVIDIA Control Panel
nvCplUIR.dll 8.1.870.0 NVIDIA Control Panel
NVCUDA.DLL 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA CUDA 7.5.23 driver
nvDispS.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA Display Server
nvDispSR.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA Display Server
NVMCTRAY.DLL 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA Media Center Library
PhysX 09.15.0428 NVIDIA PhysX
NvUpdt.dll 10.4.0.5 NVIDIA Update
NVCPL.DLL 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvui.dll 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdapix.dll 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdbat.dll 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdplcy.dll 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdsync.exe 8.17.13.5445 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvViTvS.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA Video Server
nvViTvSR.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA Video Server
nvWSS.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA Workstation Server
nvWSSR.dll 6.14.13.5445 NVIDIA Workstation Server



Now I'll reboot a few times just to make sure and then run some tests

 

If it is easy for you to get back in a situation where the Quadro is missing, I was wondering if you could check which external display connections are available when using the Intel GPU only. Mostly, just curious which ones are driven by the Intel GPU and which ones are driven by NVIDIA GPU only, with this generation, haven't gotten a clear answer on that yet. (Might be easy to check from the NVIDIA control panel with the Quadro available as well.)

 

Woohoo! I wonder if it is just a BIOS configuration issue then...
What are your overall impressions of the machine as far as build quality goes? Also, how do you like the screen? I'm thinking about ordering one with the 4k display as well, but I was a little concerned about how over saturated a 100% aRGB screen would look for regular desktop use.

 

I'm really praying it is just a BIOS config thing. I'd hate if it is flaky hardware connection.

My first impression as to layout of components, ease of access, etc: removing it from the cardboard box and seeing it on my desk, really classy looking. My first impressions when opening it up to access the CMOS coin batter, etc. Very nice layout and much on par with my m6500. The new precision has much easier access to fans, heat sinks etc. In my m6500 I had to remove EVERYTHING including display pannel and mobo just to change fans. The keyboard on previous gen precision is much easier to remove. The new precision keyboard was a bit more awkward to remove and reinstall, but not terrible. I don't particularly like the island keyboard layout or the use of ribbon cables that wrap to other side of mobo or the plastic overly grid that sits ontop of the keys(that sits ontop and lays between each of the keycaps). Typing on the keyboard is fine for me but like any new keyboard, takes some getting use to. I mostly use my mechanical external keyboard though. Quality first impression is that quality seems very good (we'll ignore the discreet GPU issue I had). I can't say alot else, I've only booted it, installed basic apps like dropbox, VMware, TourtiseSVN... basic stuff. I've yet to install anything that will take advantage of the GPU or display. I may fresh install windows later but for now I'm using as it came out of the box. First impression of display is it is very nice. I'm using it at 175% scaling for internal UHD display, native for my external 2560 display. Thumbs up so far.

 

Yeah, that is my next step after I get my VM guests installed, setup my folder structures and shares and stuff the way I like them,. THen I'll make a couple image backups

Then I'm going to try consistently replicate the issue I was having with the missing GPU. I'll see if I can do what you are requesting about which connections work with which GPU. Here is what Nvidia GPU Activity shows in notification area while connected to my external 1440 display via mini display port. *if my screenshot isn't working, it says "none" in the Nvidia notification..



according to NVIDIA documentation that is meant to show which displays and video are accelerated using the Nvidia GPU. It also is meant to show which connections are driven by the Nvidia GPU.

Elsewhere in the documentation it says "Programs and videos that launch on EXTERNAL displays that are driven by the NVIDIA GPU will alwways use the NVIDIA GPU rather than the integrated graphics, regardless of the preferred graphics processor selection."

I'll l need to install my editing software to test these conditions and which ports use which GPU or if either GPU can be used. I'll need more cables as I only have display port at the moment

 

Well, I've reset the BIOS back to original settings and the Quadro is still visible. It is still a mystery to me why it is visible now and was not yesterday. I've disabled/enabled FastBoot which was the last thing I had done before I noticed the OS seeing the Quadro. Maybe that had nothing to do with it, or maybe MS or Dell Command Update download updates to software without me being aware, and fixing it. I'll check their logs.

Here is snapshot showing the Nvidia GPU actually being used to display the control panel. It is functional.

 

Yes, I've used that window before, on my M6700 it definitely indicates that the HDMI/DVI/DisplayPorts use the NVIDIA GPU only. Also, the grey box immediately below indicates that the GPU is fully powered off, if it is on it appears sort of multi-colored. It is possible for the GPU to be on even when the GPU activity says "None", I've seen that in cases where a program running under a different user account is hanging onto the GPU.

One reason I am interested in which outputs use which GPU is, in the mixed mode I get on my M6700 and M4800 with Optimus and external monitors, when one program tries to span across multiple monitors driven by multiple GPUs, strange things happen. For example, if I try to use Remote Desktop to connect to another box and configure the Remote Desktop client to use all of my monitors, it tries to extend to all of the monitors but I can only see stuff on the monitors driven by the Intel GPU. Hoping on the new systems, that all displays can be driven by the Intel GPU.

 

we can control which GPU to be used based on profiles and/or based on individual programs.



I'm not sure how to use the Set PhysX config but could that be used to specify which GPU for a particular display?