Inspiron 8500 Power Question - Page 2

meddler · 04-02-2007, 06:37 PM

So does the docking station have a power button? If it does, this will be the way I will go.

Then all I have to do is sort out the usb audio thing.

shotgunefx · 04-03-2007, 12:44 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by meddler

So does the docking station have a power button? If it does, this will be the way I will go.

Then all I have to do is sort out the usb audio thing.

If you go that route, get one of the monitor stands too. Besides the fact that it will protect it and hold it together tight (with no base, the dock and laptop have some wiggle in the connection), they cost almost nothing and modding is brain dead, there's a little panel that just pops off and lets you remove the button board.

Much easier to take apart the monitor stand than the dock and much simpler to wire. You can just short the power button and it will start up when power is applied. There are several stands/bases available and they are all cheap on ebay.

Here's the monitor stand I have. (The VCR is no longer part of the install)

Here's one on ebay for $32 PR01X + monitor stand

auction

There is also a d-view stand and another smaller flat one, can't recall the name.

There is also a bigger dock which gives you some PCI slots and IIRC a 3.5 HDD

A few notes, once power is out and the computer suspends/hibernates, the dock and monitor stand power buttons won't wake it up once it's on battery, not a big deal, but I was going to suspend instead of hibernate but seeing I can only wake it up by opening the lid, it's a no go for me.

So hibernation for me, I'm running linux, but I've got resume from hibernate down to about 30 seconds from BIOS post to music, using suspend2 .

Oh yeah, here's the other stand (wouldn't pay nearly that much for it btw)

ebay auction

meddler · 04-03-2007, 02:57 AM

I was actually going to pull the laptop apart and have it without the case. Due to it having a dead screen, it doesn't really need to stay intact. I will see how it goes. Mind you , I still have to get the laptop yet.

shotgunefx · 04-03-2007, 05:07 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by meddler

I was actually going to pull the laptop apart and have it without the case. Due to it having a dead screen, it doesn't really need to stay intact. I will see how it goes. Mind you , I still have to get the laptop yet.

Good point. Might want to keep the bays intact though.

CJ8501 · 04-04-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgunefx

If you go that route, get one of the monitor stands too. Besides the fact that it will protect it and hold it together tight (with no base, the dock and laptop have some wiggle in the connection), they cost almost nothing and modding is brain dead, there's a little panel that just pops off and lets you remove the button board.

Much easier to take apart the monitor stand than the dock and much simpler to wire. You can just short the power button and it will start up when power is applied. There are several stands/bases available and they are all cheap on ebay.

Here's the monitor stand I have. (The VCR is no longer part of the install)

Here's one on ebay for $32 PR01X + monitor stand

auction

There is also a d-view stand and another smaller flat one, can't recall the name.

There is also a bigger dock which gives you some PCI slots and IIRC a 3.5 HDD

A few notes, once power is out and the computer suspends/hibernates, the dock and monitor stand power buttons won't wake it up once it's on battery, not a big deal, but I was going to suspend instead of hibernate but seeing I can only wake it up by opening the lid, it's a no go for me.

So hibernation for me, I'm running linux, but I've got resume from hibernate down to about 30 seconds from BIOS post to music, using suspend2 .

Oh yeah, here's the other stand (wouldn't pay nearly that much for it btw)

ebay auction

Ouch....so if I was running windows and wanted to Hibernate, what would be the best thing to do with that monitor stand and dock? That would really suck having to go back to my trunk to lift the monitor to turn it back on...

shotgunefx · 04-04-2007, 07:08 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by CJ8501

Ouch....so if I was running windows and wanted to Hibernate, what would be the best thing to do with that monitor stand and dock? That would really suck having to go back to my trunk to lift the monitor to turn it back on...

You can turn on from hibernate easy (just short the power button, what I'm doing), it's suspend to ram that won't wake up.

Not saying there aren't ways around the suspend to ram, just haven't figured it out and to be honest, not really trying. I can deal with 30 seconds to music.

hercem · 04-10-2007, 08:42 AM

Can anybody tell me if Kensington 120w do charge the Dell 8600 or not?

From the Dell site:

Quote:

The 120-Watt DC Power Adapter from Kensington® is an ideal compact, portable power solution for laptop users. Powers and charges virtually any Dell™ laptop from a car, plane or train. The DC adapter powers from a 12V cigarette lighter socket in your car and will also power from the Empower™ port in business class airline seats and in the arm of train seats where signed.

From the Kensington site(FAQ regarding Kensington 70w):

Quote:

The Kensington 70 Watt DC Power Adapter sold by Dell is compatible with the following Dell notebook models.
.....
Tip: #103
Inspiron: 300m, 500m, 600m, 700m, 6000, 8500, 8600
Latitude: D series (D400, D500, D600, D800, etc.), X200, X300
......
Important!
* Tip No. 103 powers the above models, but recharging is disabled.

I wonder if this is the same for the 120w so it also will not charge the battery?

shotgunefx · 04-10-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by hercem

Can anybody tell me if Kensington 120w do charge the Dell 8600 or not?

From the Dell site:

From the Kensington site(FAQ regarding Kensington 70w):

I wonder if this is the same for the 120w so it also will not charge the battery?

No idea, looks like not from their text. On another note, the auto-air I've got, seems to be charging it (I haven't driven it that much), battery levels are whacked.

Like, I was in the car for hours, though it looked like the battery was extremely low (5%), so I reboot and go to the BIOS screen and see what it says, it agrees. I leave the car running, go into my house for 10 minutes and when i come back the BIOS says.... 100%

meddler · 04-10-2007, 11:15 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgunefx

No idea, looks like not from their text. On another note, the auto-air I've got, seems to be charging it (I haven't driven it that much), battery levels are whacked.

Like, I was in the car for hours, though it looked like the battery was extremely low (5%), so I reboot and go to the BIOS screen and see what it says, it agrees. I leave the car running, go into my house for 10 minutes and when i come back the BIOS says.... 100%

A dieing battery perhaps?

shotgunefx · 04-10-2007, 11:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by meddler

A dieing battery perhaps?

Don't think so. Was fine until it went in the car. Maybe it's a suspend problem.

mwmcginn · 04-10-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgunefx

The problem with that is not just the amount of power, the newer dells have a chip that identifies the adapter as a dell one. Some other laptops do this with some sort of voltage divider, but the dell one I think is a bit more advanced as it can not only distinguish genuine dell adapters, but also what wattage. If you look at the auto-airs for the 8600 and the other related laptops (D800??), most of the mfgs state right on it that it won't charge them, but just power it.

Well, I have used in on this older 5100, and then I used it on a new D610, so I don't know. Maybe worth a shot, but it sounds like you are finding something that works for you better.

mwmcginn · 04-10-2007, 11:46 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by hercem

Can anybody tell me if Kensington 120w do charge the Dell 8600 or not?

I wonder if this is the same for the 120w so it also will not charge the battery?

They are so cheap on ebay, its worth a shot isnt it? If not you can always resell.

hercem · 04-11-2007, 04:40 AM

The most stupid about this is that I already have two dc car adapters and now I need to buy me a third one

In Norway we got some stores besides of Dell selling the Kensington 120w adapter but the right tip "N19" is not included. The tips that are included with the package(33196EU) is N1, N2, N3, N4, N5,N9, N15.

The tip can be ordered from Kensington directly. But I don't have time to do that or to order the adapter with or without the tip from Ebay.

This is because I have already moved the hd from my old laptop carputer to the Dell and reinstalled everything. My Dell also have a dieing battery that works for about 10 minutes so at the moment I cant do anything with it in my car.

When Dell opens their live web chat I will contact them and ask if the N19 tips is included with their bundle package(450-11303). Maybe them sell the tip seperately, I don't think so... haha

The adapter with free freight cost about 144$ from Dell in Norway.