**Official eMachines M68xx Thread**

[MDE]

Post #1000

 

[bigal40]

i've been waiting to do that MDE:| O well
Post #1001

 

[ChuaChua]

hello,

I have the m6809 and I have been having problems with the USB ports.
They seem to turn off suddenly and only turn back on when I restart. I am talking about the two ports on the left of the machine.
I am using a wacom tablet and the port keeps dying on me. I have the power scheme set to ALWAYS ON and I don't know which USBhub/port/controller to modify to
prevent the computer from "turning this device off" - from the device manager.

Also, about the 800MHz thing, is there a way for the m6809 to throttle back to 2GHz without flashing the BIOS?
It would be nice to get some extra umph while running/loading documents and applications while on battery.

By the way, nice 1000+ posts. Too large to sift through the messages, even with the CTRL-F (FIND) feature.

 

[AVSpec]

We need to start some kind of force to get 64 bit Wireless drivers, everything went smooth on a 64 bit Windows install except that, and I'd really like Windows 2003 64 Server on this machine

Also if there were some 64 Bit Anti-Virus software that would be nice....

Wonder what is taking so long? LINUX is so far ahead... maybe we should all just make the switch now before its to late....

 

[fizi]

Originally posted by: ChuaChua
hello,

I have the m6809 and I have been having problems with the USB ports.
They seem to turn off suddenly and only turn back on when I restart. I am talking about the two ports on the left of the machine.
I am using a wacom tablet and the port keeps dying on me. I have the power scheme set to ALWAYS ON and I don't know which USBhub/port/controller to modify to
prevent the computer from "turning this device off" - from the device manager.

Also, about the 800MHz thing, is there a way for the m6809 to throttle back to 2GHz without flashing the BIOS?
It would be nice to get some extra umph while running/loading documents and applications while on battery.

By the way, nice 1000+ posts. Too large to sift through the messages, even with the CTRL-F (FIND) feature.

No matter what you do you will not be able to run your laptop at the full 2Ghz while on battery. The power draw is far to high for the battery to provide. When on AC power though your laptop should automatically go to full speed when in the 'Always on' power profile. Mind did when I had the M6809 Bios on it.

 

[ThunderPC]

Originally posted by: fizi

Originally posted by: ChuaChua
hello,

I have the m6809 and I have been having problems with the USB ports.
They seem to turn off suddenly and only turn back on when I restart. I am talking about the two ports on the left of the machine.
I am using a wacom tablet and the port keeps dying on me. I have the power scheme set to ALWAYS ON and I don't know which USBhub/port/controller to modify to
prevent the computer from "turning this device off" - from the device manager.

Also, about the 800MHz thing, is there a way for the m6809 to throttle back to 2GHz without flashing the BIOS?
It would be nice to get some extra umph while running/loading documents and applications while on battery.

By the way, nice 1000+ posts. Too large to sift through the messages, even with the CTRL-F (FIND) feature.

No matter what you do you will not be able to run your laptop at the full 2Ghz while on battery. The power draw is far to high for the battery to provide. When on AC power though your laptop should automatically go to full speed when in the 'Always on' power profile. Mind did when I had the M6809 Bios on it.

That is not true. The machine runs fun at full speed on battery. The battery only lasts about an hour to an hour and a half, ut the machine is just as stable as it is on AC. Do a search for "PowerNow Hack" for ways to control the speed when on battery if you are still SP1. Unfortunately, the trick doesn't work if you have already installed SP2. In short, it basically involves installing PowerNow! in Win2k compatibility mode in conjunction with the latest driver from AMD's site.

 

[imported_Woody]

Originally posted by: AVSpec

We need to start some kind of force to get 64 bit Wireless drivers, everything went smooth on a 64 bit Windows install except that, and I'd really like Windows 2003 64 Server on this machine

Also if there were some 64 Bit Anti-Virus software that would be nice....

Wonder what is taking so long? LINUX is so far ahead... maybe we should all just make the switch now before its to late....

I'll tell you what my opinion is on this....Intel is so deeply under the covers with Microsoft they have managed to prevent Microsoft from progressing with a 64 bit version of Windows until Intel has caught up to AMD in their 64 bit consumer chip technology. I guarantee that once Intel releases consumer 64 bit chips for PCs there will be a floodgate of activity from Microsoft and vendors for development and marketing of 64bit compatible software.

Can you imagine what the impact would be on CPU market share if 64bit software was readily available for a 64bit version of Windows and AMD was the only chip that could run it? :laugh:

 

[TJ69]

Anybody have a working link to the pics of the M680x internals or a guide on how to take it apart?

This one doesn't appear to work anymore:
http://www.kingofl337.com/emachine/

My screen flickering has got worse. I'd like to open it up and try to find the problem. That link above had pictures that described how to take it apart.

Thanks.

-TJ

 

[MDE]

Link

 

[duster340]

Nice link, internals are always nice to know. Hopefully Best Buy will give me my "lemon" check for my Sony so I can get the m6810.

 

[boblon]

My 6809 has the hinge cracks on both sides. I haven't really worried about it since it is accepted as cosmetic and my screen is pixel perfect. But I was also wondering about those that sent thiers in for repair. It's been a while so now I'd like to ask how they are holding up. Did they just replace the parts with identical ones that will re-crack? Or, have they in fact fixed the issue with better parts and the cracks will NOT re-appear?

BobL.

 

[brain29]

I got a case of the cracks too. However I am not going to send it in yet. I got the 3 yr plan from BB so I figured I could keep it about two years and then send it in and hopefully get an upgrade.

 

[bigal40]

Originally posted by: Woody

Originally posted by: AVSpec

We need to start some kind of force to get 64 bit Wireless drivers, everything went smooth on a 64 bit Windows install except that, and I'd really like Windows 2003 64 Server on this machine

Also if there were some 64 Bit Anti-Virus software that would be nice....

Wonder what is taking so long? LINUX is so far ahead... maybe we should all just make the switch now before its to late....

I'll tell you what my opinion is on this....Intel is so deeply under the covers with Microsoft they have managed to prevent Microsoft from progressing with a 64 bit version of Windows until Intel has caught up to AMD in their 64 bit consumer chip technology. I guarantee that once Intel releases consumer 64 bit chips for PCs there will be a floodgate of activity from Microsoft and vendors for development and marketing of 64bit compatible software.

Can you imagine what the impact would be on CPU market share if 64bit software was readily available for a 64bit version of Windows and AMD was the only chip that could run it? :laugh:

I agree intel has to be holding microsoft back.

 

[PolishPaul]

In reguards to the three year PSP from Best Buy....you should look into it...the Notebook is a DEVO if it needs service within the first year of owning it. What that means is that the service center (which fixes all the products that need to be fixed for Best Buy) will not service the laptop(99% of the time)...they will just issue you a new one....I have a 6810...and i work at Best Buy so I know all about it...

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: PolishPaul
In reguards to the three year PSP from Best Buy....you should look into it...the Notebook is a DEVO if it needs service within the first year of owning it. What that means is that the service center (which fixes all the products that need to be fixed for Best Buy) will not service the laptop(99% of the time)...they will just issue you a new one....I have a 6810...and i work at Best Buy so I know all about it...

They told me that for a cracked hinge they'd have to send mine in. I'm going to try again since the other hinge is cracking now.

 

[boblon]

Originally posted by: brain29
I got a case of the cracks too. However I am not going to send it in yet. I got the 3 yr plan from BB so I figured I could keep it about two years and then send it in and hopefully get an upgrade.

I'm in exactly the same situation and was thinking along similar lines.
BobL.

 

[LasombraB]

I've read on notebookforums.com that one of the new laptops is a Gateway 7405GX, it replaces the eMachine M68xx.

 

[AVSpec]

Looking for info on the USB ports on the M6805... ever since nuking and paving with XP PRo I can not get the laptop to come out of standby by using the USB mouse or keyboard. Before I nuked it worked just fine? Is there a special program I need to load from the Emachine discs?

 

[epi117]

im using my laptop as a desktop replacement, should i take the battery out or leave it in? would taking it out improve speed?

 

[Modder N Art]

Originally posted by: epi117
im using my laptop as a desktop replacement, should i take the battery out or leave it in? would taking it out improve speed?

The big enemy of laptop batteries is heat. The design of the M68XX series allows the battery to not get very hot, barely even warm. You can leave the battery in. Taking it out would not affect the speed, but would open a new avenue for dust and dirt to enter.

Lisa

 

[PhantomGhost]

Ok, I just thought I would let people know, I know thetxstang was wondering about this, I just recieved my laptop back from eMachines, I sent it in to get the screen fixed because of the purple lines, they just replaced the whole screen for me, and yes, they DID upgrade the BIOS to NSF04.P0. So eMachines is upgrading the BIOS when they get the laptops, also, something weird...did yall's laptop come with Microsoft Picture It! Photo Premium 9? Mine didnt when I got it, but they installed it on when they restored it...I found that kind of odd. I just thought I would let people know that.

 

[thetxstang]

Originally posted by: PhantomGhost
Ok, I just thought I would let people know, I know thetxstang was wondering about this, I just recieved my laptop back from eMachines, I sent it in to get the screen fixed because of the purple lines, they just replaced the whole screen for me, and yes, they DID upgrade the BIOS to NSF04.P0. So eMachines is upgrading the BIOS when they get the laptops, also, something weird...did yall's laptop come with Microsoft Picture It! Photo Premium 9? Mine didnt when I got it, but they installed it on when they restored it...I found that kind of odd. I just thought I would let people know that.

PhantomGhost, thanks for updating us. I had a feeling eMachines would use the opportunity to flash the BIOS on M68xx units that came through for service. I know we used to perform "silent revs" on PowerBooks that came through our mail-in service department when I worked for Apple.

It seems the latest BIOS is still NSF04.P0 if that's what yours came back with. I was hoping for a newer one. Do you happen to have the 0% battery indication level issue that others have reported after flashing to NSF04.P0? I never have.

Lastly, I have no idea how Microsoft Picture It! got on your system while in service. Mine didn't. Very interesting.

 

[PhantomGhost]

The battery issue is weird, I dont have it now, but it was a clean install of XP after the BIOS was flashed, they formatted mine and restored it to factory software, with the exception of Picture It! being randomly thrown in there, it is also in the bundle folder on the hard drive. When I flashed the BIOS myself before I shipped it out to them, I used your file, and I did have the battery issue. It seems Windows XP has a problem detecting the battery after the BIOS is flashed, but if you put XP on after you flash the BIOS, it works fine. So flashing to the new BIOS wont do any good unless you are going to format and do a fresh install, unless someone finds a fix for it.

 

[thetxstang]

Originally posted by: PhantomGhost
It seems Windows XP has a problem detecting the battery after the BIOS is flashed, but if you put XP on after you flash the BIOS, it works fine. So flashing to the new BIOS wont do any good unless you are going to format and do a fresh install, unless someone finds a fix for it.

You may be right about this. My only concern is that I'm pretty certain I've read where others have flashed to NSF04.P0, then fresh installed Windows XP, and yet STILL have the battery indicator issue. I may be wrong, but I think fizi was one of them.

fizi?

 

[PhantomGhost]

Yeah, I remember fizi mentioning that he was going to try it, so the results would be nice to know. Also, I just noticed this, in System Properties, for system information it has the model as M6809. Does anyone else have this? thetxstang? I mean I know I can change it, Im just wondering if the new BIOS caused that or what...