Precision M4400 Owner's Lounge

You can use DDR3; but its an issue of $$. i wont pay double price for 2% more performance.

 

Yes it can.

 

The keyboard backlight can be toggled can be toggled between the following states by pressing "Fn + left key:

• Backlight on (turns off after an interval that you can specify via software)
• Backlight off
• Backlight on if the room is dark (turns off after an interval that you can specify via software)

The brightness of the backlight can be adjusted via software.

Buy it, in my opinion it's THE must-have item if you get an M4400. It greatly improves your writing experience even in bright lighting conditions. It feels better too, because its surface is different, like some kind of mix between silk and rubber.

 

Actually, you can't use DDR3. The motherboard does indeed support DDR3, but the slots only support DDR2. A conscious decision by Dell, probably due to price versus performance.

 

I sometimes hear a crunch noise (like a candy bar wrap being actually crushed) on the left side of my computer near the ventilation grid (where I suppose there is the HD, and the SD Card card and expansion slot). It does not seem to be Audio related as it happens in mute, with no audio driver, etc. It is not the fan. It happens every 5/10 minutes or so. It seems to be hardware related, but I am not 100% sure.

Sorry for the bad description, but someone have any clue to what it is? Thanks.

 

It looks like the HD. Try to download and apply last firmware for the hdd in the drivers' SATA section. The firmware actually addresses the clicking sounds issue.

Firmware DE17 fixes clicking noise on Seagate 2.5" 7200RPM HDD's Model #'s:

80G - ST980411ASG DP/N N528F
120G - ST9120411ASG DP/N M412F
160G - ST9160411ASG DP/N G970F
200G - ST9200423ASG DP/N J587F
250G - ST9250421ASG DP/N K850F
320G - ST9320421ASG DP/N N530F

 

I've never heard a hard drive making a candy wrapper crunching sound.

I would have thought more likely a speaker short or bad connection somewhere,even if it's muted/no sound driver,a bad wiring or circuit will still make noise through the speaker.....much like the noise you've said.

Either way,I'd still suggest you get dell to look at it.

 

Latest official Dell driver for the M4400 (as well as all the NVidia GPUs in the M2400/M6400 & E-series Latitudes).
x64 Vista version here - http://ftp.us.dell.com/video/R215954.EXE

 

Just got my M4400 in, work was able to allocate the funds for me to keep this for home and work use, here are the specs:

T9400, 4gb Ram, 250gb 7200rpm HD (will upgrade to 500 7200rpm next week) DVD Burner, 512mb FX7700, 15.4 WXGA+ LED

 

Thanks Maslic and Weegie. I was not notified about your posts. I will try and if it persist I'll call Dell.

PS: Was Ofelas suggesting that I try the Video driver? Or was it for another post?