**D900F (Sager 9280) Owners Lounge**

Well great, I started experience period HD lock ups. My whole system freezes, then I look at notebook and the HD light is solid on. Now I am suspecting my SSD HD I ran a hdtune on it, please see attached, comparing it to one on my 500GBs.

I did not even complete the SSD test ... it was taking forever. What do you guys thing, bad SSD? Should I reformat it? Maybe create a boot partition on one of my 500Gb drives and put XP on there, then test the SSD HD outside Vista?

Is there even drivers associated with it that I need to check? I am pretty sure I installed all the notebooks drivers that came with it.




Thoughts?

 

can anyone guide me how to install window 7 RC on my sager np9280. I just got it this morning and it doesn't have an OS . I already burned the window 7 ISO to a DVD, but when I start my laptop, the disk does not run

 

Reorganize the boot priority so that the optical drive is first to boot.

 

i have successfully installed window 7 on my laptop, but my sound blaster x-fi card does't work when i plug it in, no sound.

 

Have you tried downloading the newest drivers from creative, or the ones from windows update? My x-fi xtreme audio notebook works just fine.

 

no, i haven't . The only thing i did was installing window 7 on it. Now you remind me, i have to update my drivers too ...

 

ran furmark for 30 min and I only got mine up to 76C.
1920x1080
16xMSAA

 

Hi guys. Is this the same laptop you were previously discussing in *THIS* thread?

 

yes it is.

 

Just wondering if anyone would recommend a backpack. I've been reading around the forums and so far there is the Targus XL, but it doesn't look like it has sternum straps. I do a lot of walking to and from work, and straps help a ton. I plan on returning to school, so most likely I'll be doing more walking, and carrying more.

Right now, I'm double bagging, using the default laptop case (that shoulder bag one) and my current backpack. I know, it's kind of silly It barely fits in my backpack.

 

does anyone know a good laptop cooler that fits the d900f? . I mostly use it on my bed. Any recommendation ?

 

The Targus has sternum straps.

 

I recommend Zalman ZM-NC2000.

... but using it on your bed will make the cooler not usable since it will be blocking the fans/vents on the bottom of the cooler.

however, if you use the notebook on the Zalman (even if its off), the notebook will be safe from overheating since the cooler will act as a trusted hard, flat, surface and won't block the fans/vents on the bottom of the notebook.

I think you should consider getting a lapdesk (under $20 at Barnes & Noble) ... or a "breakfast in bed" mini table.... then using the Zalman on one of those.

 

Zalman is 70 bucks, but worth it. Gophn is right that a bed will block the fans, but the aluminum surface is better than most.

 

I use a Zalman ZM-NC2000 myself it get the job done, I used it both for my older D901C and my D900F.

 

Oh? Didn't see them in the pics that I saw. Do they come off?

 

It might be a different model. I know the UK model of the targus xl ( http://www.targus.com/uk/product_details.asp?sku=TCB001EU ) has sternum straps though.

 

Got mine in today, after waiting for a bit for the RAM (3x4GB SODIMM's). I don't mean this to be a review, just some things I've noticed ... I've been comparing it side by side with my M6400 (signature). Build quality looks excellent; minimal flex in the keyboard, sturdy machine though it doesn't feel too heavy. I like the underside better for its higher feet (works great with the Zalman NC-2000 and a few external Thermaltake fans) - it gets a lot of air circulation and the temps are somewhat stable though still noticeably higher than the M6400 when it comes to the CPU. GPU temps are in line with with the M6400, usually hovering between 45 and 65 Celsius.

3dMarkVantage scores are higher for the NP9280, though the GPU's are somewhat close (no overclocking on the GPU's, I work in the Middle East and the heat is already tough to manage). The CPU scores a lot higher in the Sager, and that's without any of Gohpn's magic overclocking (can't wait for his review). For the M6400 I got P5831 with 4607-GPU and 28665-CPU. On the NP9280, I got P6541 with 5121-GPU and 38851-CPU. All of this is in a 3dMarkVantage Performance test with no changes to the default setup on the benchmark. Also, I've done minimal tweaking (turning off Aero, leaving the HD's alone (though they need to be defragmented apparently), stock drivers for the GPU, cleaning out the registry and using SP2). I'm not well-versed in benchmarking but I'll try some of the apps I've seen mentioned in this thread and see how they pan out.

The keyboard is a bit less accessible (smaller and further up the body of the computer) with a smaller number pad than the Dell, but the contact area where the wrist rests is a lot more comfortable. No backlit keyboard that I could find and the BIOS is a little bit less extensive (though you may attribute that to Dell having to put in a lot of functions to handle their bloatware features ... *shudder* Dell ControlPoint *shudder*.

The screen is quite glossy. I ordered directly from sagernotebook and they sent me two bags for some reason, one of which is too small for the computer; they also sent a secondary power brick. No troubles with the Blue-Ray drive. I haven't looked into updating the drivers for the computer as I'm not sure if that's necessary at this point. The four USB hubs with a separate ESATA port are an upgrade over the M6400 as are the DVI and HDMI ports (as compared to VGA and DisplayPort on the Dell).

No dead pixels, though I did have some trouble doing the Windows Updates, had to install them in blocks of 5-7 otherwise I'd get into the revolving circle "Updates were not configured correctly, Windows will revert back and restart" (paraphrase). I like the mousepad on the NP9280 better - the rough surface gives better contact and the scroll bar on the right of the pad is a time-saver. The mouse buttons could have a little more give (reminiscent of the Inspiron buttons) but you get used to it.

I was going to install Windows 7 RC but with General Availability in October I don't know if it's worth it. I'm assuming the upgrade from Vista to Win7 is the same as XP to Vista in that settings and files are transferred during the upgrade process, so I'm not sure whether to replace Vista now, go multi-boot OS' or just wait.

I have an external OCZ SSD in a hard-drive dock (ESATA) that I'm trying to get to work (IMSM recognizes the drive but it doesn't show up in My Computer and Disk Management doesn't seem to want to format it (though hot-swapping an ESATA external HD worked just fine)). Other than that, it works just fine. No BSOD's, no freeze-ups, no TCP/IP buffer stack overflows.

I'll have to check on the CPU temps as they seem a bit high (55-70 Celsius), but overall it's powerful, well constructed and stable. I'll be very interested to hear the NP9850 reviews as I was considering the M17X at one point. Might get it as a gaming machine, though this one certainly seems up to the task. The only game I've installed is Prototype, and even at full settings there is no stuttering or tearing (I don't know how intensive Prototype is though). I'll try COD WAW tomorrow ...

 

Just noticed something odd in a variety of places. The GPU comes up listed as a GTX 180M (see attached) in Device Manager, CCleaner, Everest, GPU-Z and 3dMarkVantage System Info, yet comes up as the GTX 280M in HWMonitor. I'm assuming that the GTX 180M doesn't have 1GB of memory - is the GTX 280M just two GTX 180M cards, or is this this like the CPU being mislabeled in CPU-Z (happened with my QX9300)? Also seem to have a malfunctioning driver (second attachment) - have to see what I can do about that.

 

The 280M's were originally going to be called 180M's by nvidia, but they changed the name just before release, so some software still calls it by the original name.

 

What do you think about the NZXT Cryo-LX? It should be perfect with the 9280, esepcially with the 3x 120mm fans that go with it.

 

I was contemplating between the Zalman or NZXT cooler but finally went with the latter.

Main reason is that the NZXT three 120cm fans are located in the back half which directly pumps cool air into the air inflow vents of the NP9280. I also love how the NZXT gives you that extra base to the laptop so the screen lines up perfectly with my eyesight where as before I had to look down. Overall very happy with product.

 

We are still looking forward to your review, promising to be a masterpiece!

 

I picked one up myself and replaced all 3 stock fans with the Noctua NF-S12 1200 RPM 120mm fans.

Lots of air movement now and it's really really silent. Can't wait to get my NP9280 and see how much it will lower the temperature(s).

 

Ok last minute change to my order: The Intel X25-M SSD proved to be too irresistable. So it will be the 80Gb version of that along with an extra 250Gb 7200 rpm HDD. I have a LaCie 1Tb external allready.
Can't wait to speed through... everything

 

I just received my NP9280 from XoticPc and I'm really happy with it. I'd just like to know if it happens to any of you that the fan seems the "burst" every now and then?? For exemple: I'm surfing the internet (so no big heating up) and the fans speed up for half a second and slows down to normal.


Also, is there any way to control the fan speed. I tried SpeedFan but it doesn't seems to recongnize the fan.

Thanks in advance

 

thats normal, the fans will turn on when a component reaches a certain temp... then runs off when its cooled down to certain lower temp.

you can use the Fan Toggle (Fn+1) to switch all fans to Max Speed or Auto Speed.

I just have it running at full speed... no loud at all (quiet compared to my D900K).

 

Fn+F1 to switch between auto and full blast.

 

Does it remember that it is on full speed? I.e do you have to turn it on full blast every time you start it up?

 

its Fn+1 .... not F1

 

you toggle it every time.

by default it will be on Auto Speed when you turn it on.

 

Oh, my bad.

 

Wow thanks a lot for the quick replies !!! I tried the full speed and it's not even close of being as loud as my MacBook Pro, which I sold to get this real computer.

 

Any chance of a user's review, Warped? Let's see if you can beat Gophn to it

 

Real computer Good one

 

I highly doubt it Unless he doesn't post it in the next decade, because I don't have much time for now and english isn't my primary language so it can get difficult to make a review understandable to everyone.

 

Np. Gophn is going deep, by the looks of it - so watch this space ;-)

 

I have taken it apart and put it all back together about 3 times now.
... enough pics to literally make a service manual... LOL.

Tested thermal compound for the CPU and GPU.
- suggested redesigns to Sager to relay to Clevo.

the CPU seems to be a hot one for sure... the Core i7 975.

the GPU is ice-cold.... never exceeds 70C at full load (for hours) even with 1920x1200 @ Max AF Max AA (16xCSAA)

I have been benchmarking it with everything... not just synthetic ones.

 

Lappyporn ! Drool!

 

Yeah, with fans to max, the GPU stays ridiculously cool.

Under heavy load (OCCT), the CPU will throttle down occasionally unless you give it a little more breathing room (~.5-1") on the bottom and that shaves 3-5 degrees off the temps and then it is rock solid and stays around ~85 on avg and ran for an hour no problem.

I wonder why they did away with the extra fan over the CPU like a traditional HSF combo. That would seem to really reduce the temps that extra bit.

But overall, giving it that extra elevation, the fact this thing can keep a 3.33ghz i7 Extreme rock solid through Prime95 (max heat) AND OCCT is wicked for conditions that aren't typical everyday use.

 

I'm still trying to figure out what model I am going to buy. So here's a comment and questions :

I leave my notebook on more than 8 -10 hours a day - Sometimes running raids for 3-4 hours at a time, meaning it's stressed in 25 man Ulduar.
Will this core I7 920 be appropriate or become too hot ? Are the fans loud? Will it bother others watching TV in the living room sitting next to me, type of thing?

Or, do I look into the 9850 ( 18.4 is a plus for me) with a p9700 and SLI - How big a difference is there between the I7 and p9700 at 2.86 ?

Lastly -- about the aesthetics of the chassis -- I have only owned wedge-style notebooks - Does the boxy nature of Sager's take getting use to, in your opinion?
WoW does not use SLI or quad core but is highly CPU dependent by comparison to other games.
Thanks in advance ~

 

I am experiencing the same. The fan picks up speed for maybe 0.5 a second then slows down again, seems random. My temps seem the same as other people have been reporting, so I its not like its trying to kick in to cool it off. Personally I don't want to run it at full fan speed if I don't have to ... never had to do it with my D901C.



Either way, the period fan that picks up for .5 a second does not bug me much really.

What does bug me is that ALL my 3 power bricks emit a high pitched electronic sound. Its not very loud, but loud enough that I can hear it ... this is maybe the thing that bugs me the most. The D901C never had this issue. When I try any of these 3 power bricks on my D901C, they are dead quite. My guess is that its the extra power drawn or somehow related to the 975 model. Maybe my hearing is a bit touchy ... but I really don't like the background sound.

Also, I had sent back my bad SSD HD. I should have it back in a couple days. Sager and Xotic-PC service was nothing but excellent for the record. Opening up the D900F is as much a pleasure as the the D901C was, and still one of my main reasons for getting the notebook again.

Apart from my squealing power supply I am simply loving the D900F. Its downright scary how I can run a Vista 64 host, 2x Centos LINX VMs, and a XP VM all at the same time and the D900F does even seem to be breaking a sweat.

It would be interesting to "feel" the the difference when I swap back from the 7200 HD to the SSDs again. I really found my HD was my main bottleneck on my D901C.

I'm seriously loving the new notebook, just wished the power brick did not sequel

 

What makes a power brick squeal ? That would drive me batty like having tinnitus of the ear or something. I've never heard of a power source emitting sounds, unless it's on an industrial level! Does it get too hot to touch ?

 

I have 3 power bricks ... I travel allot so I like leaving them where I work etc. All of them do the same thing. The bricks get warm, but not allot warmer than they were with my D901C. As they all do it, I don't think it's really a defect of any a single brick. Also I'd add that is not very loud, but its audible, and since it's inevitable that it's close to the notebook (since its plugged into it) ... I can hear it. Just enough to bug me.

In a much earlier thread someone else confirm they also experience it, and I had read one other person saying they don't, both also having the 975 CPU ... so who knows. Its maybe just a case of me being full of crap. As I seem to be the only one complaining about it.

If I put my notebook fans to full speed, it drowns it out. But I don't care to do that.

It's really not that loud, but its annoying for me. It would be interesting to know if I am the only getting annoyed by it, or experiencing it.

Either way, I am loving the notebook enough to over look it.

 

I've found plugging the Power brick directly into an outlet vs. a power strip type device eliminates the squeal.

It was driving me batty too till I realized there was no noise when I took it to Atlantic City with me last week and the only difference was I forgot
my power strip / surge protector.

When I returned home, I tested it in three outlets and three power strips. Each time, when plugged into a power strip, the noise returned. Connected directly to the wall, it disappeared.

This was tested while running OCCT for max power consumption.

 

Thanks for confirming its not just me being full of it I'll give it a go at home later this week.

On the road though I am at their mercy of my client as to where I plug it in.

... just loud enough to bug me Grr

 

Hmm. What type of power supply is it? A regular one, or one of those new switch mode or "digital" ones?

 

No, the noise is definitely there, especially when the load picks up. Like a crackling/screeching noise. I just happen on it accidentally while staying at the Showboat a few days last week and the noise wasn't there. I even played some WoW (checked my auctions and did a few dailies), and the noise wasn't there. So the only difference I could ascertain was the lack of a powerstrip. Upon returning home, I was able to duplicate the results.

I do have two additional PSUs coming in this week, so I'll test those too to see if maybe some are more sensitive to line/surge noise/distortions than others.

 

make sure your power bricks are plugged into a grounded AC outlet... or better yet a good surge protector or UPS.

I have no issues with PSU sounds... for both of my D900 in front of me.

I even swapped them a few times... the bricks are identical from 2006.

 

Yes, grounding, that could be it.
I remember I had problems with my stereo amp power supply making noise - it stopped after I plugged it into a grounded outlet.
Too bad I have no grounded ac outlet near where my machine is going to sit. But I can hope that our 50Hz system will take care of it, you americans are on 60Hz, I believe.