Laptop upgrade advice try #2

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

edit- removed vista, ill give it xp pro and fedora x64 when i get back home. fedora x86 for now.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

edit- it has the nvidia quadro graphics option. is that good?

wireless is intel a/b/g

has a SIM card slot in the battery bay but no modem as far as lspci and lsusb go
has a smartcard slot

not sure how good thebattery is... the trib back to new albany from west lafayette will tell.

[mockingbird]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

Go and return it.

Quadro NVS 135 is really a Geforce 8400M.

D630 also comes with Intel X3100, which is a reliable integrated GPU (I use it myself on my Toshiba A200). If you can it with this chip, it seems ideal for you.

The wireless ABG is probably the Intel 3945ABG which works well in Windows x32 but I spent hours trying to get it to work properly with x64. Intel's reply was "We are not releasing any new drivers for that chip".

It works quite well in Linux though, and even works well out of the box with Aircrack.

[yyonline]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

edit- it has the nvidia quadro graphics option. is that good?

The Quadro NVS 130M in the D630 can be failure prone. It's the same GPU as the GeForce 8400M, if you wanted an idea of performance.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G86M [Quadro NVS 135M] (rev a1)

same thing?

no returns on the stuff there... AS-IS.

I was seeing these go for $300 as-is online (this was in store, so i tested it before i bought it)

will keeping the cooling system clean help at all?

question- it had a SIM card slot internally... does that mean mine has a mobile broadband chip?

since I now have the graphics power to do actual gaming, I am happy... i only use integrated when I must...

FYI- my dad has an 8400GS in his main computer... it was virutally new when i got it, and i added a fan. 2 years later, still running well.

so what do you want me to do? hit it with a truck?

I thought the issue was with nvidia desktop chips and mobile chipsets. i thought the mobile ones were not failure prone to the same degree.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

I thought the issue was with nvidia desktop chips and mobile chipsets. i thought the mobile ones were not failure prone to the same degree.

The laptop VGA parts are actually the most failure prone.
But that doesn't mean it wont run well for as long as you have a use for it, friend to me has a HP laptop with the nVidia 8400M GS card, uses it every day
And also watches allot of 1080p movies via it where the DXVA encoding makes it run really hot...
Still going strong some 3+ years later... (hope I didn't jinx it now!)

[yyonline]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

will keeping the cooling system clean help at all?

Possibly. Also update to the latest BIOS, Dell tweaked some of the fan speed curves to help things run cooler.

question- it had a SIM card slot internally... does that mean mine has a mobile broadband chip?

Probably not. They all have that. There is a mini PCI slot for a WWAN add-on card. Check the devices page in BIOS to see what it has installed.

since I now have the graphics power to do actual gaming, I am happy... i only use integrated when I must...

As long as you're okay with the tradeoff in reliability.

FYI- my dad has an 8400GS in his main computer... it was virutally new when i got it, and i added a fan. 2 years later, still running well.

so what do you want me to do? hit it with a truck?

I thought the issue was with nvidia desktop chips and mobile chipsets. i thought the mobile ones were not failure prone to the same degree.

There was a lawsuit regarding the Nvidia laptop chips that were soldered to the motherboard, but not for the desktop chips, nor for laptop chips on a daughter card. From my limited understanding of the issue, they all have the same design flaw. They run hotter in laptops, which accelerates the problem.

My sister's Vostro 1500 has a GeForce 8600M GT. It shows no signs of failure and it's 3+ years old. We keep the cooling system well-cleaned. Perhaps that helps, or maybe we just got lucky.

I say enjoy using what is a otherwise solid laptop. Just be aware of the potential for graphics issues. Fortunately, parts are plentiful for the latitudes on eBay and elsewhere.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

it has bios A17.

doesn't run too hot...

[Per Hansson]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

There was a lawsuit regarding the Nvidia laptop chips that were soldered to the motherboard, but not for the desktop chips, nor for laptop chips on a daughter card. From my limited understanding of the issue, they all have the same design flaw. They run hotter in laptops, which accelerates the problem.

Actually it applied to systems with a daughter card aswell, like the Dell M1710 or Dell M6300
www.nvidiasettlement.com

[momaka]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

See if you can bump up the GPU fan speed with SpeedFan. Also get some temperature readings if possible. The cooler you keep the it, and the less you cycle it, the more likely it will last longer.
But I would say also enjoy it . Laptops get cheaper by the hour these days, so if you feel like gaming hard, just do it.

[yyonline]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

Actually it applied to systems with a daughter card aswell, like the Dell M1710 or Dell M6300
www.nvidiasettlement.com

Hmm, I don't know then. I had read somewhere that was the case, but never verified. Looking at the list, it doesn't make much sense. The Vostro 1500 is not on the list, while the Vostro 1510 is. They use the exact same graphics cards. And by that I mean they are identical, interchangeable parts, not just the same GPU.

[mockingbird]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G86M [Quadro NVS 135M] (rev a1)

G8x was the last nVidia series that could be cross-flashed GeForce to Quadro and vice versa. They are one and the same. Actually, even the new GeForces are basically the same as Quadros, but they locked it in hardware so that it can not be cross-flashed.

I was seeing these go for $300 as-is online (this was in store, so i tested it before i bought it)

Yes, and now you know why they are so inexpensive...

will keeping the cooling system clean help at all?

No. When it fails, it will fail because of the engineering problems. True the solder is also unleaded and keeping it cooler can prevent the BGA solder from fatiguing, but you will be worried constantly... I understand others are stating that they *can* last for a while, but just for peace of mind, I would not touch these nor any other laptop with nVidia pre-Geforce 1xx, 2xx, etc..

question- it had a SIM card slot internally... does that mean mine has a mobile broadband chip?

According to the specs:

Connectivity
Wired:
Wired: 56K v924 Internal Modem 10/100/1000 Gigabit6 Ethernet network interface adaptor
Wireless:
Dell Wireless 5520 Mobile Broadband (Tri-band HSDPA 3.6) Mini-Card with service from AT&T (US) and Vodafone (select countries in Europe) Dell Wireless 5720 Mobile Broadband (EVDO Rev A) Mini-Card with service from Verizon Wireless (US), Sprint (US) and Telus (Canada)
WLAN
Dell Wireless 1390 (802.11g); Dell Wireless 1490 (802.11a/g); Dell Wireless 1505 (802.11a/g/Draft n); Intel PRO/Wireless 3945AG (802.11a/g); Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN (802.11a/g/ Draft n) Mini-Cards, Dell Wireless 360 Bluetooth 2.0 internal wireless card (upgradable to Bluetooth 2.1 EDR) (optional).

since I now have the graphics power to do actual gaming, I am happy... i only use integrated when I must...

Meh, the 8400 is nothing to write home about. The new Llano AMD IGPs will own any "budget" discrete GPU of the past.

so what do you want me to do? hit it with a truck?

Give it to your sister and get something decent.

I thought the issue was with nvidia desktop chips and mobile chipsets. i thought the mobile ones were not failure prone to the same degree.

There is a bright side here... The D630 motherboard with the Intel X3100 is probably physically compatible, so just swap them if it fails. Not a total loss, just not a very wise investment.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

G8x was the last nVidia series that could be cross-flashed GeForce to Quadro and vice versa. They are one and the same. Actually, even the new GeForces are basically the same as Quadros, but they locked it in hardware so that it can not be cross-flashed.

Yes, and now you know why they are so inexpensive...

No. When it fails, it will fail because of the engineering problems. True the solder is also unleaded and keeping it cooler can prevent the BGA solder from fatiguing, but you will be worried constantly... I understand others are stating that they *can* last for a while, but just for peace of mind, I would not touch these nor any other laptop with nVidia pre-Geforce 1xx, 2xx, etc..

According to the specs:


Meh, the 8400 is nothing to write home about. The new Llano AMD IGPs will own any "budget" discrete GPU of the past.

Give it to your sister and get something decent.

There is a bright side here... The D630 motherboard with the Intel X3100 is probably physically compatible, so just swap them if it fails. Not a total loss, just not a very wise investment.

I don't have a sister. In fact, that was a jack@$$ thing to say. keep your female enslavement bullcrap to yourself.

8400 beats integrated of that era. for what i could buy with what my parents could afford for a birthday gift, it was the best i could get.

no, i am not switching it to integrated. if it bombs the gpu, then i may consider that option. as it is, I'll take the extra gpu power.

I will get it a bluettoth 2.0. 2.1 is crap. no pairing to speak of... password hell. for now, I'll swipe the one out of my d400 (also a 2.0 upgrade) until i have a chance to order another module.

explain how getting something for $250 that normally goes for $350 (or more, it was spotless and in very good shape) is a "bad deal".

the battery seems to be good... the led battery check thing showed 0 leds, which means very low wear. it was well taken care of... the people in surplus in warehousing don't know about the bug. they were just trying to sell the thing.

on another note:

they also had an IBM thinkpad t43 with a dock and bag for $150. it had an 80gb drive, 2ghz Pentium M (dunno what core), 1gb ram. it was a bit dirty and had ATI graphics... it didn't seem right. it only had 2 usb ports, which from my use of my d400, i know is somewhat limiting. the d630 seems to be a better machine for my needs. I know you all say i should have bought that instead... but i wanted something newer and compatible with my d400 accessories (dock, power bricks, bt chip, etc.)

sorry that i tried. maybe a should have stayed with my old PII klunker...

[mockingbird]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

8400 beats integrated of that era. for what i could buy with what my parents could afford for a birthday gift, it was the best i could get.

8400gs is bottom-of-the-barrel discrete GPU, roughly equivalent to a Radeon 2400. For the liability it brings, I would much rather prefer an integrated GPU.

no, i am not switching it to integrated. if it bombs the gpu, then i may consider that option. as it is, I'll take the extra gpu power.

That's what I said.

explain how getting something for $250 that normally goes for $350 (or more, it was spotless and in very good shape) is a "bad deal".

More than two years ago, I purchased a Toshiba A200 (One of the better models with the Core2) for $150 with a broken screen. I got a screen at a great price and after shipping and everything, I invested a total of around $200 on it. I am sojourning into OS emulation so I'll probably upgrade the CPU to something with VT-x and up the memory to 4GB. Now for what I paid, that was a good deal.

If your parents are going to buy you a birthday gift worth $250, ask them for cold hard CASH instead.

the battery seems to be good... the led battery check thing showed 0 leds, which means very low wear. it was well taken care of... the people in surplus in warehousing don't know about the bug. they were just trying to sell the thing.

My Toshiba's battery was basically dead when I bought it (Has worked for around 15 minutes all this time). I opened it up this week coincidentally, and I found out that I can get the Lithium cells for around $3 a piece. So I'll be getting a new battery with brand new Lithium cells for $18, after I swap them that is.

I know you all say i should have bought that instead... but i wanted something newer and compatible with my d400 accessories (dock, power bricks, bt chip, etc.)

No, I wouldn't have touched the T43 either.

You're being confrontational with me, but you made no less than TWO threads regarding this, and then you go and buy a laptop in the spur of the moment like a child buying a Teddy Ruxpin (Before your time) at Toys-R-Us. What is the point of your threads?

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

If the video chip has questionable longevity and the machine is still working I'd flip it [sell it] and use the cash to get something else before problems start showing up.
.
Looks like you got it for a low enough price you may even turn a profit.
.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

i considered flipping it but i like it too much. flipping laptops anymore doesnt pay off at the cost of parts vs used laptops. what would i get instead? a d620? thats a downgrade in my book... 32 bit (in terms of future usablility). i bought it as my new laptop... it seem that for every lapop there is a problem:

d400- i8xx and the sudden usb death syndrome

d420-tiny hdds of doom
hp nc6000- 1986 chip of doom

i could list more...

this issue just happens to be this laptops ugly spot. no laptop is foolproof... or foolproof, in budget, and powerful enough to meet my needs.

i bought it. i have a laptop that does what i want. end of thread.

[momaka]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

i bought it. i have a laptop that does what i want.

I'm with you on that one - if it does what you like and what you need, just enjoy it.

Although PCBONEZ does bring a valid point - you did get it for a pretty low price. If you can sell it for a good profit, you may be able to buy something of equal quality but with good GPU. I know it probably won't happen, but give it a try and see. Just put it on CL for around $350 and see if anyone actually buys it. If yes, then you get extra $100. If not, you still have the laptop. It's win-win I think .

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

$250 would have been in the ball park for the better CF-51's [less HDD & batt but with HDD caddy & adapter] I offered but you never responded to the PM where I asked how much RAM you wanted. Those have C2D on the i945 and I think one [forget which] has ATI video vs Intel.
The Pentium-M based units with ATI video would have been even less.
-
You were talking 'as cheap as possible' so I wasn't sizing up the C2D's for a price.
When you didn't answer about RAM about the time your posts said you weren't looking anymore so I figured you'd lost interest.
-
Here's a totally complete Mk2 w/ATI @2GB for $240 - By It Now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/330583274883
-
Flipping it and coming out on top should be pretty easy.
Fair chance you'd even make a profit.
.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

i said it once and said it again.

I AM NOT FLIPPING THE F**CKING LAPTOP

I bought it to be used, not sold.

Hell, your deal is a ripoff... i945? this thing is i965.

At least I could try and buy... ebay or you I have to go off what the seller says and shows... considering the price and that I could TRY it before i bought it... no shipping either. not to mention that it was spotless (no scratches or scuffs, period) and had all of the documentation and restore discs.

you're just mad that I didn't buy from you. reason i said as cheap was because normally my parents give me $100 worth of stuff i can buy. $250 is more than I expected. perhaps making up for nothing at easter?

this thread is becoming a moot point. the goal was to get a laptop that i was happy with in my possession. goal done, can we stop this bullshit right here?

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Laptop upgrade advice try #2

If I gave a RATS ASS who you buy from I wouldn't be linking to ebay auctions.

I was trying to custom build a package to meet your needs...
--- My deal was $50-$150 less than what they go for.
- Offered ONLY to you.
- Was selling AT COST with zero mark-up.
- I turned down PM offers from other members that are smart enough to know a good deal is when they see it because I'm only willing to sell ONE at that low a price.

I wouldn't consider a laptop with a known defective video chip superior to one that doesn't have that issue at all.
- At ANY price. - Even Free.

And now I remember why I stopped offering things to you when I know I have it and you're looking for it.
[Remember when you were looking for a RAID card? I had at least 3 dozen and you would have paid less than you did and got a better card. - I didn't offer because, like now, you were being an ass.]

Offer withdrawn.
You won't see any more from me.
.