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12424
December 9th, 2012 06:00
Dell Precision M6700 laptop locks up as soon as RME-Audio HDSPe ExpressCard is inserted
Hi...I am trying to install an RME-Audio HDSPe ExpressCard in my Dell Precision M6700 laptop, but basically it just locks up as soon as I insert it even before device detection and driver installation. I have tried to make sure I have all the Windows Updates and Dell Client System Updates, but it still doesn't work. Anyone have any suggestions on using Dell Precision laptops and ExpressCards?
I noticed there was another post by someone called dbeeson titled "BIOS not compatable with ExpressCard Workstation M4500" where he states "I have a Dell Precision Moble Workstation M4500. The standard for the number of bus lines available for the ExpressCard is 0 to 255 or 256 lines total. The M4500 only has 0 to 63 or 64 lines total. If you have no intention of supporting the full functionality of the ExpressCard standard, then don't put a useless slot in the machine, or fix it."
I hope the issue isn't that bad! If it is, I hope there is a BIOS update or some chipset driver update that can fix such a serious problem. Thanks for your help...I really need it!
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lmega123
5 Posts
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December 9th, 2012 07:00
Not looking good! Another Dell poster Purusha posted that he also has freezing or device detection problems with the RME ExpressCard and Dell laptops...although in his case Latitude E6500 worked but XPS Studio 16 didn't. His research says that RME is pointing to a Dell BIOS issue since Lenovo fixed this by adding an option to their BIOS to disable ExpressCard power saving. Gosh..the PC and card manufacturers should get together and resolve these issues...in this case it seems to be a Dell issue of several years now...they are making customers miserable!
lmega123
5 Posts
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December 9th, 2012 07:00
I just checked in the RME Forum and it looks like I am not the only one with a Dell with this kind of problem! :( Two other people there, one with a Dell Precision M6600 and another with a Dell Vostro 3700, both had their laptops freeze up when the RME HDSPe ExpressCard was inserted :( Dell really should fix this ExpressCard problem!
lmega123
5 Posts
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December 9th, 2012 22:00
Even more bad news. I just emailed one of the RME posters who replied that the issue with his Vostro seemed to be that the chipset wasn't Texas Instruments and was therefore incompatible! He ended up finding an alternative purely FireWire RME audio solution and sold his RME ExpressCard altogether! :( Looks like I had better start finding an alternative solution too...although I had really wanted to use the high performance RME HDSPe ExpressCard mated with the feature laden Digiface :(
lmega123
5 Posts
0
December 9th, 2012 22:00
OK...I just finished a Dell Support online session. The support guy spend quite some time with me and was very courteous, but at the end acknowledged that the RME HDSPe ExpressCard could be on the list of incompatible hardware with Dell. I mentioned about possible BIOS updates especially regarding disabling ExpressCard power saving which RME said worked when Lenovo updated its BIOS (could not confirm the Dell ExpressCard bus line issue raised by another Dell poster). He said that the BIOS update issue would be raised with the relevant group, but that even something as simple sounding as disabling ExpressCard power saving takes a lot of testing and validation time, and also the effect on other ExpressCards has to be considered. So basically not much can be done at least in the short term, and I will have to find an alternative solution if I want to keep the M6700 which I otherwise really like except for this ExpressCard compatibility issue.