Got my M60 :-)))))

[gustojunk]

Ok, you are on the firsts steps of your relationship with her. I remember that feeling, I thought it was in love at first sight too when I got mine.

Well that wasn't love. I know now since after working on mine for a few months, now I know what loving a machine really is. This laptop has been so amazing that i have no words to describe it. It has really given me freedom to work anywhere and present my work with such ease.

Enjoy the ride.

A piece of advice:
buy the best most protective case you can possibly find. Don't be penny wise and pund foolish, you spent about 4K for this thing. If the right case/bag costs 3 times more that other ones, well, who cares.

gustavo

[PixelVampire]

Thanks gustojunk for the advice. I looked everywhere for a bag.
I ended up buying this Targus shoulder bag.

http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TSB212

Do you think it is good enough? If not what do you reccomend. I don't mind buying another one.....thanks again.

[singularity2006]

for something so expensive, I would actually look for a solid briefcase style package for it. Actually, there are laptop bags out there with a solid shell and padding inside to keep the laptop protected from external impact. @ one point, I actually found a laptop briefcase that had the acrylic shine of an apple laptop .... but it screamed "steal me," so I decided against getting it.... hehehe.

[gustojunk]

The problems of most of the bags I found is that they barely fit the laptop, which means you are getting very close to the outside of the bags. Also the padding on most of those bags is a joke. I got one bag from ebags and I ended up returning it for that reason. They claimed it fit the laptop but it had ZERO padding on the side and you could touch the chassis from outside the bag!

I ended up using a hack solution:

I bought this backpack:

http://www.ebags.com/JanSport/Odyssey_38/product_detail/index.cfm?ModelID=14971&bb_id=s99&ProductList_20_Link=Details&sub_site_id=20

(it's large so the laptop in deep inside) and in themain compartment I have also une of these sleeves (the large size):

http://www.timbuk2.com/products/laptopsleeve.html

So there's a bag inside a bag. The Laptop fits vertically so tha the left half of the machine 'docks' inside the sleeve inside the bag.

Also if I ever need to travel on plane or do something more adveturous than getting from my house to my car and such I also kept the white foamy endcap that the laptop shipped in with. I can fit that on the top(exposed) side and I can still zip up the bag (tightly)

[gustojunk]

Originally posted by singularity2006
.... but it screamed "steal me," so I decided against getting it.... hehehe.

That's exactly why i went for an outdoorsy geeky looking backpack. That way it looks like I'm carry a bunch of dirty laundry. I never understood the concept of expensive and attractive looking luggage. It defies the whole concept of travel and exposure to the elements (mostly other humans)

I

[PixelVampire]

All taken on board. I have my receipt so I will return the bag tomorrow. I actually had asked the shopkeeper if I could return the bag if I was not happy with the fit. He said no problem. So should be ok I hope. I will kick up a fuss if he acts clever.
The other thing I noticed with the targus bag was that the laptop rests right against the shoulder. There is very thin padding. So all the flexing of the shoulder will be passed to the laptop directly.
Ok tomorrow I will buy a padded sleeve for the laptop and then slip all of it in a strongly padded back pack.

I have also cut a .4 cm thick wooden piece similar size to the lappy. This goes on my thigh and the laptop sits on it when I am on the tram for 2x45 minutes + 2x1 hour on the train each day:-)

gustojunk- Did you get 2xAC adapter with the laptop as well? I think they sent me one free for fun. I can keep one at work I guess.

Any other tips?????? Damit I have to go to sleep. I feel like taking tomorrow off so that I can load all my software.

I will have to network it to my desktop soon. Never done it before. Is networking a XP laptop to W2k desktop difficult?
I need just a cross over cable right?

[Neison]

CONGRATS, and welcome to the M60 club :)

I picked up one of the targus hiking backpacks (the big black/silver one) and used a sharpy to color most of the silver thread black and removed the targus logo thingy. After that, the backpack looks better and doesn't look like a typical laptop bag. :) I think the bag was 60 bucks online.

[FabioMSilva]

loool...i tought when u meant m60 i tought u were talking aBOUT the machinegun...sure got me disapointed when i found out u were talking just about a PC:p

[Joel Hooks]

I just wanted to point out about ebags.com - their prices aren't that competitive, and usually can be beat by about 50% using ebay sellers.

[Saurus]

Originally posted by The Solid Snake
loool...i tought when u meant m60 i tought u were talking aBOUT the machinegun...sure got me disapointed when i found out u were talking just about a PC:p

No Solid Snake. This bag talk. :p

Saurus

[PixelVampire]

grrrr....returned the targus bag and went to 10 shops in the last 3 hours could not find one descent bag. They were too smalll or too shit.
On theweekend the hunting will continue. Silly Zurich.

[stephen2002]

What is the matter with the bags that Dell makes specifically for their laptops?

They have pretty thick padding all the way around and other than the small Dell logo they look pretty average as far as shoulder bags go.

[ggg]

my dell bag is as good as any other, but for expensive laptops, I too went with a hardcase, i can keep my wacom safe in there too, I got Pelican, they make gun cases, they are high impact and water tight, they just weigh a ton but then there is nothing to worry about ever.

[PixelVampire]

I solved the bag problem found a bigger version of the black targus bag. It's padded but as the bag is big I put extra padding myself using special foam from electronic shop (black foam)
Anyway its extremelly well protected. I also put the laptop inside a sleeve :-O

Some questions-

Q1- When my M60 goes into hybernation or standby mode clicking the mouse or the keys does not wake it back up again. I end up having to take the battery off and then restarting the laptop.

Even if I press the power button it keeps sleeping. Right now I have changed the power option to never sleep under all categories as this problem is irritating me.

Is there a special button I need to press to wake it up?



Q2- The Laptop gets quiet hot at the bottom. Does this heat not damage the laptop plastic over time? Or can this plastic handle the heat?

Q3- Can the laptop be left ON indefinetely like a desktop without getting damaged?

[imashination]

Best cases:

http://www.coluco.com/00_main-frame.html

Rgarding the sleep thing, hold down the power button for a couple of seconds. If that fails, hold it down for 5 seconds to force it off.

[PixelVampire]

Thanks the 5 second thing worked in switching it off which is fine. The 2 second thing did not wake it up.
Anyway like I said I will leave the standby option to NEVER.

What about the non stop usage with the AC power connected. Can the laptop handle the heat?

Important- How do I use the laptop in the tram. I was thinking of putting a .5cm light wooden piece on my lap and then placing the laptop on top.
Is there any other technique you guys have developed?

(like hanging it around your neck :-)

[stephen2002]

Q1- When my M60 goes into hybernation or standby mode clicking the mouse or the keys does not wake it back up again. I end up having to take the battery off and then restarting the laptop.

You know what is funny is that my Dell 8100 has sleep problems as well. It will sleep one time per re-start. If I sleep it, wake it up, and then try to sleep it again it crashes and I have to shut it off.

I can't tell you how to fix it but just don't put it to sleep. You might want to look to see if there is an updated BIOS out for it on the support.dell.com site.


Q2- The Laptop gets quiet hot at the bottom. Does this heat not damage the laptop plastic over time? Or can this plastic handle the heat?
This is normal, the plastic will not be damaged however if your desk is of a cheap material the laptop can damage the desk.

Q3- Can the laptop be left ON indefinetely like a desktop without getting damaged?
My Dell 8100 used to be my primary computer so I left it on 24/7 rendering for about a year straight, it still works fine. It should be able to handle it without a hitch.


To deal with the heat when using the computer on my lap I use one of those lap-desk things that have a cusion on the bottom and a hard plastic top. The only problem is that I was playing games in the car and after a while the plastic ended up warped from the heat. It is still usable it's just not flat anymore.

[PixelVampire]

well I am on the phone live with dell gold support as we speak. 60 minutes no solution yet. The guy is nice so it makes it easy....lets see what happens.....bios updated as well....:-(
Such a small BIG thing is spoiling my enjoyment of an excellent machine :-(
The guy is consulting his collegues.......
Should I demand a replacement if he can't fix it?
I mean the time it will take for them to take this machine and then fix...they might as well send me a new one......
Why should I be without a laptop.

[PixelVampire]

now I am getting pissed off. I am on hold for last 20minutes after being with him fir 60 minutes. hmmmm!!!
I hope he has not thrown the towel and done a runner and left me hanging....

[ggg]

my M50 has no sleep problems but friends sonys do requiring same battery method you used to force shut down(button hod down doesn't work)
i know its nice to be perfect, but if nothing else is broke personally I wouldn't worry about it. did you ask on the dell forums? in the insipron and precision sections?

the heat is normal, I use the free dell montior stand I got on my lap as the legs go over the side ( I guess they throw in free stuff somtimes, same here, I got extra power cable, base, etc too)

[PixelVampire]

2 hours later the dell guy threw in the towel and told me to reinstall XP and do everything myself and see what happens. So it's 1 in the night I am installing XP. Just realized that the driver CD they gave me is not for my M60 latop. So I am currently downloading all the bloody drivers :-O grrrrrr
Yes I posted in the Dell forum and one guy told me to get the system replaced insteda of getting in the XP reinstallation loop. I guess I am already in the loop :-O

[gustojunk]

Hey Pixel,

I have no advice about your M60 sleep problems. Mine luckily has had no problems.

My advice now is about how you should handle Dell support. Just remeber you bought a 'Workstation' and includes (at least in the USA) a pretty hefty support that includes 3 years ON-SITE service. You should not have to spend a single minute of YOUR time dealing with a problem. Even Re-installing the OS is something THEY have to do for you if you say so. You can always give them a gentle reminder that your time is too expensive to be mocking around with a machine that you bought to be operational out-of-the-box. And that you can always put it back in the box and return it.

It's unfortunate to hear the same problems again and again from diferent people, it seems like Dell customer service really sux, even if they are nice, who cares! If they are making you do any work, or keeping you on hold, just say "I'm sending it back" they'll get their act together fast.

They have to understand that if you buy and M60 you are not a bum with nothing to do all day and your hours are worth a chunk of change. So for them to except you to be personally involved in troubleshooting the machine it's just ludicrous. When they send one of these machines to a scientist in NASA, or an engineer at Boeing they very well know the thing has to be flawless or it gets sent back, well, Pixelvampire, your money is as good as theirs and you are not less important, just remember that.


About the Wood tray, I think that's a good Ideam I'd get something with a laminate on (you know like grey formica or something like that). If you get it with extra width, like 15 cm on one side you can use a mouse too, so you can do real production work. If I where you I'd turn 3hours of your commute into working hours and be home earlier instead of wasting that time. Just an idea.

best of luck with the Dellies

[PixelVampire]

Good points. Anyway I have reinstalled everything. Lets see what happens now.ok...hmmmm


YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.....

SUCESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

PHEW!!!!!WHAT A RELIEF......HYBERNATION & STANDBY ARE BOTH WORKING. he! he! Now I can relax at work tomorrow.

gustojunk- Will keep your excellent advice in mind next time (hopefully no next time :-)

The dell guy was mailing according to him latest version of drivers,bios etc when I was 2 hours with him on the phone.
I just checked that all the stuff I installed is latest and not what he had sent.
Ass hole does not even know what latest is.

"If I where you I'd turn 3hours of your commute into working hours and be home earlier instead of wasting that time. Just an idea"

Tell that to my flippin boss. This laptop I got with my own private money. It is for my use so that I can leave my current job. My boss does not care if I commute 3 hours. If anything he always stops me when I am leaving even if there is no work to do...if he had his way he would want me to be chained to the office.

Thanks for all the support guys it really helps/helped. Stuck in a non english speaking country gets lonely sometimes even though I am married :-)

[PixelVampire]

This is my plan. I could not locate a lap-desk in my part of the wood + I did not like the ones I saw.
So I will get natural wood plank.(plastic will bend over time)
Then on the back side I will put a 1 cm layer of good quality foam. Cover it with black nylon. Attach it to the wood.(staple it)
Then this gadget will slide into my bag. The padded side will rest against the laptop and thus provide added strength to the bag which is already super padded.

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