**Official Clevo W350ETQ / Sager NP6350 Owner's Lounge**

Funny you mention this because a few days ago I had an issue with my right trackpad button. I was going to create a post but I resolved it without too much trouble. I typically use a USB mouse so my trackpad and it's buttons get little use. I went to use the right button and I noticed it didn't click like the left side. I noticed the difference immediately and I started getting a little worried that I would have to open it up. The button still worked but it didn't register a click every time. It only clicked if I pressed the very outside of the button, but the closer I tried to the fingerprint reader it barely moved. I figured that some debris or dust made it's way beneath the button so I gently pushed down on the button and sprayed some compressed air into the recess around the edge. It worked and the button is now functioning as it should.

I contacted my reseller to get the scoop on accessing the button for a more thorough cleaning. Well they got back to me with some bad news, the computer has to sent in for service/repair if you don't manage to fix it the way I described. The problem with this model's design is the recessed groove that surrounds the rocker arm for the trackpad's buttons. This groove will only trap dust and debris and the only place for it to go is beneath the buttons eventually. I would suggest that owners clean it out temporarily by blowing it with compressed air and be conscientious of particles (or food). I noticed that this computer attracts dust and particles in general around the keys and the surrounding matte surface. Maybe it is just the color that makes them move visible, my last computer was a light metallic grey. I am routinely wiping and blowing all types of small specs and particles from the surface of the laptop.

 

Thanks to the two of you. BBP, What you describe is very similar if not identical to what I'm seeing. I'll try some air.

love the computer otherwise. Blazing fast with a ssd primary.

 

No worries, I hope you can fix yours as easily as I fixed mine. Like I said earlier I was surprised to see your post/problem on this forum. I searched for similar solutions (here and elsewhere) and found next to nothing. I found a few youtube videos but for different laptops with totally different setups. None of the solutions applied to our make or model. Just a few tips;

Press down on the button lightly or the same as you would normally, and hold it. Spray the compressed air lightly and not full force, and circle it around the entire perimeter of the button key. Then release and press it again, it should click now. If it doesn't try spraying it while pressing it in and out slowly. Mine came free after only a few presses/sprays. Let us know how you make out...

 

Thanks but it looks like my fix will be harder. What is weird is I'm noticing the left button doesn't work immediately then it improves as I use it. Then if I don't use it for 5 minutes it is back to being semi-functional. What on earth could cause that?

 

Sending the laptop in for a new touchpad. Turns out I got the Lenovo y500 before this one and had to return it because of the prevalent touchpad issue. Seems both use the Elan brand too - lol. Stunned at just how how fast this computer is. The start up is simply a joy. These SSDs really have changed the landscape.

 

That is a bummer GB, hope u get it back soon! I absolutely love this computer. It seems to have just the right balance of power and portability.

A question for other Sager owners or resellers; My bluetooth shuts off when I put the computer to sleep. Is there a way to disable this so it stays on like the wireless. I have checked power options and bluetooth options as well. I have been using a bluetooth keyboard since I have it hooked up to an external monitor and it is a hassle to have to activate bluetooth with the laptop keyboard. Any help would be appreciated.

 

You should be able to set bluetooth to power on at system start with the BIOS settings.

 

Thanks Derek, I will give that a try. I was hoping that you or another reseller would see my post. It is not a "problem" by any means, more of an annoyance. My old Sony Vaio had a switch on the front of the laptop that could be accessed while it was closed and it controlled both the wireless and bluetooth. I don't mind that they are separated but I would prefer that they stay put and only activate/deactivate when I choose. I admit that the bluetooth setting is an easy one to forget about and leave on all the time. I will take a look at the BIOS and see if it worth it. It might not be bad thing to just have to turn it on to use my keyboard. Thanks again!

 

One thing to keep in mind as well is that leaving your bluetooth on leaves you open to a slew of hacks that BT leaves you vulnerable to. I always have mine deactivated in every way possible until I have a need to use it. Your call though, but I always suggest leaving off when not being used.

 

That is good to know. Thanks!

 

Is it still true that it's best to take out the battery while being connected to a wall outlet for a longer time? As far as battery life/condition is concerned. I've had my notebook since October last year, reported battery wear has increased from 0.7% to 5.3% in roughly three months. Are these normal values?

 

I always suggest keeping the battery in, it works like a UPS for a desktop incase you have any sudden power fluctuations.

That wear level does sound normal, it will depend on how often you use it on battery.

 

That is a good point! I had read about that a few weeks ago in an article about computer security weak points. Maybe it would be a better idea to just buy a USB keyboard and plug it in while using my monitor. Thanks for all of the knowledge and insight!

I was wondering about this a week ago when the snow storm (Nimo) hit NE. My power didn't go out, but the lights dimmed and flickered a few times. Both my entertainment systems in my home (LCD TV, PS3, DVR, and sound system) have all components hooked into an APC battery backup device. In the summer when I have several air conditioners going the power (amps) fluctuates when they kick on and off, so I bought the APC units to protect my electronics. Unfortunately I don't have my Sager adapter plugged into either.

I know the battery and adapter both act as a buffer (sort of like the APC units) and protect your power supply from spikes and fluctuations, but only to an extent. So if lightning strikes your home the adapter won't save your laptop or battery. I think I might have to invest in another small APC backup unit for my desk.

 

Glad my ill gained knowledge can be put to use for the sake of good!

 

Hello,

I have a new xmg a522 laptop (Clevo W350ET) and I'd like to know how to make the vga button (top right of the keyboard) working ?

It's always colored in orange, and nothing happens when i press it (I tried to double press it, press it long, everything).

I've tried to download drivers but I don't think there are drivers for this thing. The button next to it (wlan) is working fine.

I believe this vga button is there to switch between hd4000 gpu and (for my case) the gtx 660m.

Nvidia optimus is working.

Oh and I'm running windows 8.

Thank you guys

 

I haven't looked around yet but has anyone priced out sources for an extra battery and power supply?

 

Initially I didnt understand this, and I still dont see a real purpose for it. It enables optimus but it doesnt actually change between the two, it does that automatically (for power saving). So changing it to green disables the use of the GTX 660M, and leaving it orange enables it.

You can go into the Nvidia control panel and set which GPU you want to use with each program installed on your laptop. For example Steam and other games are set to Nvidia graphics and basic programs are set to default integrated graphics. Im not sure if a program like photoshop which is set to integrated graphics would switch to nvidia if it needed to (or was under hefty graphics load). I prefer to leave it on integrated because accelerated graphics chew through battery level pretty fast. I learned this when I forgot to close Steam once and I got the battery low notification.

 

well ok, but I just can't have it on green ! I can press it, launch any application / games I want, it's always colored in orange (I'm talking about the VGA "physic" button, top right of keyboard just to make sure)

so yeah, I don't know

 

Prema Bios Mod for this model updated to v2.1

 

Yes, the button right next to the WLAN button at the top right of the machine. So when you press it, it doesn't change to green (or off)? I never turn it off, but I routinely keep an eye on which GPU is being used. The real indicator lights to look at are the two in the middle of the speaker grille, one that has an icon that looks like a battery with a leaf growing out of it (green light), and the other that looks like a tachometer (orange light). These will tell you which GPU is being used, regardless of whether you have Optimus on or off.

This is why I said above that I still don't really see a purpose for the VGA button on this notebook. Maybe if you were on a plane and wanted to ensure that the dedicated GPU wouldn't kick on, then I could see changing it to green for a little while. But because every program can (and should) be programed manually in the Nvidia control panel, it really has no or little use, besides to confuse people!

 

"So when you press it, it doesn't change to green (or off)? I never turn it off, but I routinely keep an eye on which GPU is being used. The real indicator lights to look at are the two in the middle of the speaker grille, one that has an icon that looks like a battery with a leaf growing out of it (green light), and the other that looks like a tachometer (orange light). These will tell you which GPU is being used, regardless of whether you have Optimus on or off. "

yes, exactly. And the "real indicator" are working.

I'm just wondering why the vga button is "not working". really, ALWAYS colored in orange, so yeah, I don't know

 

Huh, that is weird but as we have come to realize, it really doesn't do anything. Just make sure that all of your programs are set to work with their correct GPUs and you should be all set. I imagine that Clevo will phase this button out in the near future or change how it works. Since you can't just switch GPUs on the fly yet (or while a program is running) it doesn't do anything. I read in another model's Clevo forum that the VGA button accesses the Nvidia control panel, I suppose that would make sense too.

 

i think the vga button is only for disabling the nvidia card. i've found that if the nvidia card is in use when i press the button the light will not change. seems it will not force-disable the nvidia card.

 

No, I can confirm that it wont. I have gotten a dialogue box saying to exit the program that uses the dGPU first, before switching the graphic settings. While disabled (or green colored) I can also confirm that it will try to launch a game with the integrated graphics. I tried this with Medieval 2 Total War, and it worked. It launched the game, and it ran, although somewhat slow. This in basically when I discovered how to use the Nvidia control panel. I havent turned the VGA mode off since then, and have all of my programs set to work with either card in the CP.

So the only function of the button is to force the computer to use integrated graphics and not kick into dedicated. I suppose it would be useful for older games or programs that might switch between the two. Dedicated graphics enabled runs through battery power pretty fast. But if you are plugged in most of the time then there is probably no reason to use the button.

 

Hello,

I'm getting a new pc for 3D modeling and simulation (Abaqus) and i'm considering the W350ET with the i7-3630, 500HD 7200 RPM, 120GB SSD, 8/16 GB Corsair.

Is this a good option? How does these laptops compare to Asus/Toshiba/HP etc of same price range in terms of performance, fiability and durability?
The PC will work most of the "hard job" from 9h to 18h , after that is used for videos, foruns, etc.. it will not be for gaming.

Any inputs are welcome,

Thank you.

Regards,
Bruno

 

Abaqus does look like it takes advantage of Nvidia CUDA for GPU acceleration. If you can jump up to to NP9130 the GTX 670MX in there has 934 CUDA cores vs the GTX 660M in the W350ET having 384 CUDA cores. You'll get faster performance if you can bump up to the next model.

 

Thank you for the input.

The next model is already too expensive.. everything was running on a laptop from 2010 (HP G62), not that fast but was ok for the simulations i wanted to run.

I have to see if the extra performance is worth the money for now.

Thanks you.

PS: Previous laptop (Ok, some simulations took some time, but i can live with that).

Processor 2.1 GHz AMD Athlon II Dual-Core Processor P320
Microprocessor Cache Level 2 cache 1 MB
Memory 3 GB DDR3 (1 x 1024 MB + 1 x 2048 MB)
Memory Max Supports up to 4 GB DDR3 memory
Video Graphics ATI Mobility Radeon HD 545v Graphics
Video Memory up to 1789 MB total graphics memory with 512 MB DDR3 dedicated
Hard Drive 320 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm

It was not meant to simulate (was for multimedia and internet), however due to professional reasons it started to be.

 

Has anyone tried out prema 2.1 yet?

 

I found one with these characteristics:

Clevo P151EM1 (3GB GTX-670MX)
Intel Core i7 Quad Core 3630QM
Intel HM77 Express Chipset (is this correct or it uses HM76) ?
16 GB DDR3 1600 MHz
Western Digital Black HDD 750GB Black 2.5" 16mb cache SATA 7200 RPM
Drive DVDRW 8x SATA
Nvidia GeForce GTX 670MX 3GB GDDR5
10/100/1000Mb Best-TX Ethernet LAN
INTEL® N135 802.11N (150Mbps) + BLUETOOTH (Got to change this to a 6235 (300 Mbps)
15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) LED

Price : 1048€.

The same configuration on the W350TQ costs 973€.

It's worth the difference?

 

That looks like its worth it to me. The P151EM1 is the same chassis as the NP9130 I was originally mentioning, they are just calling it by the Clevo name instead.
HM77 is correct that means it supports RAID while the HM76 does not.
For the slight price difference I'd go for it.

 

Any of you guys update your Nvidia 660M drivers to version 314.14 yet? I am running Windows 7 and the Nvidia installer fails to install Physx update and Nvidia Update and only reports that the driver updated. I did manage to separately download the Physx Update and install it without a problem. The weird thing is that in the Nvidia Control Panel it says I have the 1.12.12.0 update, although it claims that it failed. So if the same thing happens to any of you just check in the Nvidia control panel under system settings, and double check that it did indeed install everything, although it reports that it didn't.

I have been playing Fallout NV, and Shogun 2 without any problems. Just wanted to see if the same had happened to any of you guys, or give you a heads up of what to possibly expect when you install the latest driver...

 

I did. Works like a charm (overclocking to for 3720QM+ models).

 

Have you OCed the GTX 660M, or just the CPU? I am about to update his BIOS and am curious what settings you are using. At the moment I havent had a need to OC the GPU, but I (like many) want to know this machine's limits or strength.

 

Just finished installing Prema v2.1 BIOS on this model and it is amazing. My windows experience index went from a 5.9 to a 7.3 and I didnt adjust much of anything in the BIOS. I highly recommend it to an owner of this model, or any other model supported. I wish I hadnt put it off this long.

 

Laptop back with a new trackpad. Perfect so far. Now back to test driving this beaut. Amazing how quickly you get used to the fast start up with the SSD. I hate my work computer now.

 

Wow, how long were you deprived of your laptop? I remember you reporting that problem a few months ago. Well glad that everything is worked out. I wouldn't want to be without my notebook for more than a few days at most.

 

I waited a couple of weeks to send it back (used external mouse instead) until I could do without. Then 1 week transit back to cyberpower, 2 weeks with them (I believe they sent it for repair rather than do it in house?) and then 4 days back. They handled the rma very well. I'd do business with them again for sure. Hopefully my bad trackpad luck is over as I had the lenovo y500 issue too. Thankfully returned that instead of going through multiple back and forths with rmas like some people did. Lenovo lost my business forever.

 

Good to hear GB12345, when I had my issue I contacted LPC Digital and they wanted to send me an RMA instantly. They also advised that I only attempt to remedy it externally, and that if the problem was internal that it would have to be sent in. I fortunately fixed the issue shortly after, and haven't had a problem since.

For anyone interested in using the Prema BIOS, I have set up a few overclock performance settings to use periodically. I use Nvidia Inspector and setup shortcuts for the default settings (which reset anyways upon shut down or restart), and two different performance settings. Without the BIOS mod you will be limited to how far it can be overclocked. I get really low temps with these settings and the GPU never exceeds 62º C (with the laptop elevated on my custom pad). I currently have the base clock set at +200 MHz for a total of 1150 MHz (vs the default 850 MHZ). The turbo boost adds an extra 100 MHz so that is why the math doesn't add up. Then I have the memory set at +300 for a total of 2800 MHz (vs the default 2500 MHz). The max voltage is 1.1V vs the stock 0.93V.

These settings are very stable and I haven't experienced any artifacts or crashes. I am sure it can go higher, but I feel good with this setup. I actually haven't had the need to overclock the 660M, but I just wanted to see what it was capable of. The Prema Mod is great and has a bunch of options and tweaks. It also allows you to enable or disable turbo mode, and overclock the integrated graphics card. Let me know what settings you guys use if you decide to OC, or if you already have.

 

Prema just released the OV Edition of his v 2.1 BIOS for this model. I have updated and it works great. It slightly boosts the GTX660M and doesn't raise temps at all. It is a good choice for those of you who don't want to mess with manual overclocking. Check it out on his blog.

 

Hello,

Yesterday and today i had a blue screen on my W350ETQ..I was just seeing some websites and caput..
I've been using it for 2/3 weeks and no problems.
Currently i have W7 pro, can it be something related to the SO or a hardware incompatibility?
I also get problems on Tomb Raider now, it just says "Tomb raider is not responding" in the middle of the game..

 

I am running Windows 7 Home Premium and I never seen a error message having to do with my OS. Check out the program Who Crashed to get an idea if it's driver related. Or go to Windows BSOD Analysis and follow their guide to diagnosing and possibly fixing the problem. The Tomb Raider thing could very well be GPU related, or it could also be some background process (like anti virus/malware program) that is interfering with the game. Try running it with limited programs and processes going on in the background and see if you still get the error. Hope you figure it out without too much trouble.

 

Thank you very much, i will try to solve it.
Today i had it again, it says: " a driver corrupted pool memory used for holding pages destined for disk"

 

When did you buy your computer? I ask because there are a few new drivers for the W350 available on the Sager site, but most are from Sept-Oct 2012. Do you have the latest Nvidia 660M driver, or are you still running the factory driver?

Reading a little about the error message it appears to be a problem with either your RAM, or a hardware driver. Several different people suggested running Memtest, and one person with the same issue appeared to solve the problem by swapping out his RAM. Is your RAM OEM or aftermarket? The original RAM (in mine at least) is Samsung DDR3 1600 MHz, but I guess it depends where you bought it and if you upgraded your RAM or not. You may be able to isolate the problem to one stick, and swap or take that one out. What a bummer man, this computer has run like a Swiss watch for me (knock on wood). Good luck, and let us know if you find a solution...

 

Hey all. I'm a new member here and I have read a little but not the whole thread and I wonder if anyone knows if there is a difference between W350ETQ and W350ET? I bought the W350ET from BTO, I've had it for about two weeks now and I am very pleased with it. I run Win7 Home Premium and Linux Mint 14 Mate on it.
de X•BOOK 15CL48-GTX660 i7 QUAD van BTO Notebooks, stel zelf uw Laptop samen. De beste keus voor Gaming, Multimedia en Office doeleinden!
I am interested in if it is possible to install the Premo BIOS on my machine or if it would break it, if it really is another model than the ETQ??

 

I believe there is little to no difference, and I can say with certainty that Perma's BIOS will work on your notebook. He has it labeled as W350ETx/NP6350 so update with confidence. I recommended the OV version BTW, it offers a slight GPU boost with little to no raise in temps. If you have any questions post them in the Prema BIOS thread, he is very patient and willing to help and answer any questions/corcerns that you have. Just make sure you select the right screen resolution, and closely follow the Flashing Guide.

I believe the only difference (if any) may be the fingerprint reader, but I may be wrong. Does yours have one? Other than that they are the same notebook chassis. I noticed that Clevo doesn't even show a W350ET on their website, only a W350ETQ and a W370ET. Maybe it is just a typo....

 

I am really having a hard time installing a second HDD without getting a high temps on the drive. Even if i put in an SSD, it gets really hot!

I will try to run the drive from the port but outside the computer to test if there is something wrong with it, but most likely it is just the chip below that gets really hot.

Did anyone else have trouble with the DVD-drive? Mine scream like crazy =(

 

Hello,

I did the memory and HD tests and found no problems. My windows udpate was always reverting modifications and probably was due to that. I also had a different blue screen related to I/O something
After, I restored the system and for now no more blue screens.
The laptop has more or less 1 month and i'm using the latest (maybe not now) drivers from Nvidia. My Ram is Corsair Vengeance 1600 MHz.

Thanks for the help :thumbsup:

 

About the DVD drive, mine was also making a lot of noise (crazy level). However, that only happened with the DVD of the drivers. For the rest, i found no crazy noise or vibrations coming from the drive.

Try different cd/dvd (if you didn't already).

 

How hot are your drives getting. It could be the software you're checking temps with just giving a wrong reading.

As Im4real mentioned the optical drive sound could be just the disc. They spin so fast any slight warp in the disc will cause that. Try a different disc and see if it behaves the same way.

 

My secondary WD Black HD also runs a bit hot sometimes. I monitor it while I game (I have my Steam Library on that drive) and it gets into the 50° C range. The manufacturers specs says it's "normal operating" temp is up to 60° C, so I am not overly concerned yet. I just backup the drive's contents as often as I can. HD rarely fail due to excess heat, and usually it is just totally random. What temps are you experiencing in the second bay?



An owner of the W370ET posted this picture in that models owner's lounge a few months back. He points out that the secondary drive (HDD 0) is located close pretty close to the CPU with not much in the way to act as a buffer. Also the secondary HDD has almost no clearance between the bottom cover and is basically sandwiched against it. This only really insulates the HDD and contributes to higher operating temps under load. I always keep my notebook elevated off my desk using a custom made cooling pad. It is actually very effective in promoting airflow and boosting the efficiency of the single fan. My GPU (overclocked) never exceeds 64° C and the CPUs under load stay around the same temp. So if you keep the CPU as cool as you can it will only help to keep the temps down around that secondary bay. This is of course only if the drive isn't defective.