7720R SE problem

Hi all,

Yesterday I received my new 7720R SE, it is the 3D version with back-lit keyboard.
Powered the system on to see if it was functioning, it started it first time logon routine and i seen enough it was working, powered it down again.
Picked up my screwdriver and opened the backside to swap one of the 750GB HD's for a 128GB SSD (samsung 830) also pulled out the Centrino 2230 and replaced it for a 6230 (same specs except its dual band 2.4/5GHZ)

This all went fine, powered on the system again, it was crying about the MSATA raid, but i just deleted the configured raid setting and was able to install windows 7 ultimate sp1.
After installation I needed to install the intel SRT drivers to get the 32GB msata working again with the 750 HD, put them in a raid together for acceleration (caching mode)
Then got me the right intel driver for the 6230 and went about install all other drivers from the product site from DELL.

When i installed everything i noticed 2 things, first there was no way i was able to turn the back-lit keyboard on/off/dim the option just was not available in the quickbutton menu, and using the FN/key combo didn't do anything either... Broken ? or am I doing something wrong/missing files ?

Then i noticed i only had the nvidia displaycard/driver and not the Intel HD graphics.. so i tried installing it from Dell (not listed under my config) but was found under the all 17R se configurations. So i used that one, but it gave me the message or something like it "configuration not supported" so i tried the one i was able to download from intel direct.... same result....
Now wondering is this by design ? when you have the 3D version this just isn't available or again am I doing something wrong... Also checked the Bios but didn't see any options there to turn it on or off (intel graphics)

Thanks.

 

3D and Optimus do not work. Someone should have told you that before purchase if you wanted both.

About keyboard, it should work even without drivers. Just to be on the safe side and see if there is something wrong, boot from USB using some Linux. You did see the keyboard working at least once, right? If not, maybe you do not have one. But do that Linux.

 

Thanks for the fast response, shame they don't work together. Didn't know that, now i'm gonna think about if ill just return it and maybe get the one without 3D specs don't differ that much.
One thing i'm curious about, i noticed my battery drain to be huge as in during the driver installation and configuration it only lasted 60 min from full to 3%..
Will this be different when using the intel graphics will at at least get me to 2 hours.

As for the keyboard, it never worked with or without drivers/ OS re-installation.
And i do have the button on my keyboard so think its either broken or they forgot to install/connect it.

Also about the 3d screen, dell site show it as a special screen etc. but when i check my device config i notice it is installed as a generic screen... And no driver on the dell site for it.
And within device config i also noticed PCI Simple Communication Controller, windows can't make out what it is, it shows it below other devices. It's connected to the PCI bus 0, device 22, function 0. As far as i can tell i already installed all Dell drivers and have no clue what device is missing or not installed correct.

 

For a non 3D screen. Under heavy load the battery lasts about 1h.

But driver install is hardly a heavy usage.

Under normal usage, HD4000 should give you around +3h of battery and 650M about -2h. Under low loads, with Optimus you might hit a +4h. All these with brightness at a level towards low. The screen is extremly bright anyway.

For the 3D, you should have an option under driver install and then under nVidia control panel to enable it when needed.

If you never saw the keyboard, then it could be defective. Make sure you should have one in the first place. I just saw another guy in here missing the second SATA connector, that is something extremly strange, so I expect anything from Dell at this point. Double check the config to be sure you have everything you paid for.

About the PCI I can tell you nothing. Try to find hardware ID under Device Manager and see where that goes with Google.

 

The one that was missing the 2nd sata port only bought a 17R and not 17SE... You only have 2 Sata with 17SE.

 

Oh, OK then. But is that normal? I mean, is that really normal?

 

According to Dell, if you want dual hard drives you need to get the 17SE, not the 17R

 

Or buy something else

 

Yes, or buy something else... i think Alienware M17x or M18x support dual hard drives, along with many other brands of laptop... not the same price range, but there are other options.

 

There are always options.

One SSD inside, external HDD in a caddy on USB, easy to carry around.

 

keyboard problem solved, pulled out my keyboard and checked if it had the led lights. When I popped open the hood, i noticed a lose wire not connected to anything, so i figured out where it need to be connected and connected it. Also judging from the wire state it was never connected at all, no twisted and turns in it.
Now it all works fine.

 

Glad to hear it's all OK. I don't think I would have had the courage to do that under warranty.

 

do you have to just to open the back for changing the w-lan modul? or also the keyboard?

edit: just looked in the manual online. it is really that easy...

 

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i have the 3D.True life screen.........to update your driver (which i absolutely not would do. DELLs stock driver working Fantastic) just enable auto update and Nvidia do it for you

i use DELL nVIDIA ForceWare 96.37

or go to laptopvideo2go and bring GPU driver

 

Yes, you only have to unscrew 2 screws and remove the panel to access the 2 hard drive bays, the memory and wlan module... it's that easy.

 

Yes replacing parts is indeed really that easy

Yeah i noticed that, 3D is working.
The thing I was referring to, is the monitor driver within device manager, that shows as a generic pnp monitor. I'm used that for dell monitors (stand alone ones) it's has a specific device driver from dell, using the right color etc settings.