Precision M4500 Owner's Lounge

Device manager shows nothing regarding the webcam unfortunately. The auto sensor is off to the left of the left mic, I suppose the webcam is the eye in the middle of the mics. Mics and speaker work fine in Skype... just the webcam isn't registering. Perhaps I need to install a driver??

Edit: When I...
Click Start
Right-Click Computer
Click Properties
Click Device Manager on the left hand side...
'Imaging devices' isn't in the list.

Also, Dell Webcam Central isn't in my program list. But I may have a dead or non present webcam!! So I downloaded the Dell Webcam firmware (v A01, which is the only one compatible with Win7 64 bit) and when the driver was installed a popup said there is no integrated webcam.

So I have to conclude either the webcam is faulty or the lens is just a window. Bummer.

 

Did you use the webcam before reformatting? Even for Win7 32-bit there is no Dell Webcam Central program listed on the download page, so maybe it's in one of the ControlPoint options? Or perhaps the webcam just doesn't work with 64-bit. My last suggestion would be to look at the specs from your purchase and if it says you got a webcam give Dell a call.

Can anyone confirm their webcam works with Win7 64-bit?

 

I looked up the orig spec according to the service tag (I brought it 2nd hand as a Dell refurb, effectively never used) and Vista 32 bit was original. The spec showed "6WYNR LCD Bezel with Integrated 3.0 Mega Pixel Camera and Microphone ". So I suspect either the webcam doesn't work, or as you say, Win7 x64 doesn't find the camera.

 

I can confirm that the Dell Integrated Webcam _does_ work on the Precision M4500 running Win7 x64.

IIRC, the Webcam device itself was not recognized by Win7. My 4500's were ordered with the OS, driver, and application media; the Dell Integrated Webcam driver and application was supplied on a separate CDROM (or DVD) which contained only webcam software. The webcam setup program on the CDROM installed both the Webcam device driver for Win7x64 (or x86) and the Dell Webcam Central application. Both the device driver and Webcam Central app are not part of ControlPoint.

This post describes how to use Dell's built-in diagnostics to (partially) test the web cam device on the newer Latitude E and Precision Mobile laptops.

If the diagnostics does not detect the webcam hardware, most likely the device has failed.

HTH.

 

I'm upgrading my M4500's hard disk to a WD7500BPKT 750 gig.

Figured I'd do a fresh install using Win7 x64 with SP1 media, since it is available.

There are several new Dell Data Protection | Access downloads available now; driver, middleware, application, etc. These seem to replace Dell ControlPoint; a cursory look at the install notes suggest most of the ControlPoint drivers and apps must be uninstalled before Data Protection | Access is installed. I did update ControlVault to the latest firmware.

Anyone know what this Data Protection | Access software is all about? Is there a link to a good overview of the functionality/features?

If you are using this Data Protection | Access software, is it reliable and stable? This seems to be the first release...

Is there an update to the A02 v2.11 E-Family Re-Image Guide which comprehends the Dell Data Protection | Access software?

Thanks for any insight.

Edit: I did find this pdf: http://img.sg.dell.com/fileup/at.asp?fn=20112241650915172.pdf

 

Includes the finger print reader and probably other such miscellaneous devices.

GK

 

Hi,

Thought I'd share my experiences with upgrading the Samsung m800 (64 GB MiniSATA) to the Intel 310 (80 GB MiniSATA):

I'm in Aus and for a while I couldn't find any sellers that would ship here. I managed to find a couple of people selling them on eBay UK. They'd bought them in error and I got one to agree to ship to Aus.

I was loathe to do a reinstall of Win7 (64 bit Ultimate) and all of the productivity apps that I installed on the mSATA, so I decided to use imaging software to image the Samsung onto the Intel 310. I don't know how to connect a minicard other than through the dedicated minicard slot on the M4500 so I had to do it in 2 steps. First I imaged the Samsung to a 100 GB 2.5" hard drive (housed in a USB cradle) and then imaged that to the Intel 310. To do this I purchased the Acronis utilities stuff. The other option is to get a Linux DVD and boot from that and then use the Linux imaging stuff. I was too lazy to work out how to do that but it could save 65 bucks if you can get it to work. There was a problem with the procedure in that after imaging to the USB disk and trying to boot from the USB disk in order to start off the imaging process to image to the Intel 310, the boot failed (after getting into the Win7 splash screen) and it wouldn't even repair using the Win7 install disk (which is a joy to work with - NOT). Something about corrupot boot records. I was able to get around this by sticking the 2.5" drive into the 2.5" SATA slot inside the laptop (which I normally use to house my data drive). For some reason the Win7 worked fine when the drive was stuck directly into the M4500 as opposed to in a USB cradle.

The Win7 image on the Intel 310 works fine. I gained about 15.5 GB of space, which is good, because I was running out and that was causing lack of virtual memory problems when I was running lots of apps and stuff. It also seems to be even faster than the Samsung. I really noticed how much better the SSD is for the O/S and apps when I was booting from the 2.5" standard SATA disk (7200 RPM). That runs like a dog compared with the SSD.

To find the slot where the mSATA SSD goes, you need to unscrew the screw right in the middle of the main panel under the computer. On my M4500 this screw had a spring on it if that helps to id it Once the screw is out you need to gently prise the panel away from the edge that runs along the back end where the battery is. This exposes the mSATA, which is very easy to pull out and replace. Just take out the mounting screw and it comes in and out easily.

Taking this panel off also reveals the RAM. That's the next job - to upgrade the RAM. Do 8 GB dimms exist for the M4500????? I'd like to upgrade my current 2 * 4 GB to 2 * 8 GB.

 

DELL "DFEP" (Dell feature enhancement pack).

Looks like this was released on 4/15/11 and replaces DCP, indicators for volume, screen brightness, power modes, etc are all controlled by this now. One nice thing i've noticed is that my screen doesn't flicker black now when booting into windows like it did with DCP..

I think that I liked the on-screen displays better in the old DCP but all in all -
Nice job Dell!

 

Does anyone know if the AU OPTRONICS B156HW01 V.4 (95% gamut, matte, FHD) 15.6" LED is compatible or can be made to work with the M4500?

 

Did you solve this?

I have the same problem, same memory from crucial. Same pattern of behaviour. I have tested the memory, and it is fine, I have been on the phone to crucial and the spec of the RAM is correct, The BIOS recognises the RAM correctly. All of which would seem to indicated a problem with windows 7 64bit
I am perplexed.
I have tried the reinstall