REVIEW DATE:08.01.01
Specifications: 1-GHz Mobile Pentium III, 128MB RAM, 20GB hard drive, 14.1-inch 1,400-by-1,050 display.
Price: $2,925 direct.
Company Info: Austin, TX; 800-388-8542; www.dell.com.

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Buying a new PC? Don’t forget to buy Office 2007.

 
by Bruce BrownThe Dell Latitude C600  is a straightforward corporate laptop with excellent battery life and some special touches.

One aspect that is unique among the machines we tested (and worth copying by others) is the inclusion of both a touch pad and pointing stick. Those who are comfortable with both features can switch back and forth, depending on the task (both are active concurrently), and those with a preference can choose between them, turning one or the other off.

The C600 has an internal antenna for wireless networking, and Dell offers, for an extra $199 (direct), an internal Mini-PCI 802.11b adapter. Unfortunately, that card needs to be plugged into the same slot as the wired Ethernet Mini-PCI adapter. So to toggle between wired and wireless networking, you’ll have to use a PC Card for one of them. This is an unexpected omission, especially when the similarly priced Acer and Toshiba models include standard internal wireless network and Ethernet capability.

Hot-swapping modules to and from the single bay worked like a charm: We just clicked an icon on the System Tray, ejected one module, and popped in the new one. Another highlight is the high-resolution display. Although its 14.1-inch size is the same as most others, the screen’s 1,400-by-1,050 native resolution lets you see more of a document or Web page without scrolling.

As for the audio capabilities, the speaker volume was very low: For presentations, you’ll need an external pair of powered speakers. The keyboard layout, spacing, and feel were all comfortable. One notable keyboard feature is the Dell AccessDirect button, which calls up the on-disk documentation. You can also program this button to launch a frequently used application or—even more useful for IT managers—to preconfigure each machine with a specific support resource, such as Dell’s technical-support Web site.

Dell also caters to tech managers’ needs. Bay modules, batteries, docking slices or stations, and an AC adapter can be shared among any Latitude C-series models, including legacy systems (CPx, CPt, CPi, and others). The modules also can be shared with L-series models via an external expansion bay and an IDE cable. Also, the primary and secondary battery are identical and can be used in either the battery bay or the multipurpose bay.

Speaking of battery life, the C600 beat out all the other notebooks in our roundup. With a system weight of 5.4 pounds, the C600 is one of the bulkier models we tested. Those extra few ounces (due to its bigger battery), however, translate to more than 3.5 hours of runtime or nearly 8 hours with an extra battery installed in the modular bay.

The C600  comes with minimal printed documentation, but Dell balances this shortcoming with outstanding, comprehensive on-disk system reference material and a three-year warranty.

Motherboard battery failure

The laptop battery is dead motherboard cause of computer failure can not be started, see dell battery.

A telephone rings, I awakened from a dream that a friend’s computer problem: press the power button, the computer and nothing happens repeatedly press the power switch is still invalid. After my initial analysis, is likely to be part of the problem of power is not enough power (power of low-grade “patent”) is a short-circuit switch, Collect a variety of tools for a pretty good idea after a friend went straight home.

Indeed, such as friends above, no matter how pressing the power switch (socket and verify that there is good access to electricity), the computer just like wood, like the “one drop of a hat.” Computer does not have any alarm sound, the motherboard does not seem to load the required voltage, power supply fan is not moving, it appears that the computer simply will not be able to power up. Open the chassis closer look at the motherboard and power supply connections and there is nothing abnormal, the power switch is also not short-circuit signs readily connect to other parts again still boot failure.

As the power of “suspects” the greatest, I have decided to replace the method used to verify, just-on-hand to have a 250W power supply, installed after the computer is still “silent”; Is this 250W power supply is Li dell latitude d520 battery, dell latitude d600 battery, dell latitude d610 battery? At this time I noted the chassis installed in the four IDE devices: two hard drives and two CD-ROM. Friends said that just to upgrade, it appears that is likely to be caused by excessive power supply, two of which I immediately unplug the power plug of equipment, try to boot, the computer has not the slightest reaction.

While I am prepared to give up when suddenly the computer’s power supply fan spinning up, then heard the sound of the hard drive self-test, the display is also slowly changing light, the computer launched! But soon, start interrupting, showing “CMOS Load Failure”, and prompted by the “F2″ key to start, according to “Del” to enter the BIOS settings, no matter, I press the F2 key to enable the system to continue to guide, but in any case can not enter the Windows XP desktop, had to restart. The press “Del” key to enter the BIOS settings, friends trying to enter a password, but directly to the, and found the time to view positioned at 0:00 on January 1, 1999, and it is clear the CMOS gd761, td347, dell inspiron 6400 battery is dead . Immediately bought a new battery into one, and all equipment connected to the boot again, the smooth startup of the computer, but still showed “CMOS Load Failure”, had no choice but to enter the BIOS settings to choose “Load BIOS SAFE DEFAULTS” and restart the smooth into the Windows XP desktop, and all the restoration unabated. In the thought that the problem has been resolved, the friends suddenly find missing floppy drive icon, the system did not identify the floppy! Is just now beginning to think that the song might touch the floppy drive connection, so no choice but to open the case more thin, but still can not see the boot floppy. Calm down, just recall the operation “Load BIOS SAFE DEFAULTS”, the floppy drive is set to the default “None”, and restart to enter the BIOS settings, was to prove my idea to come back immediately, with a floppy drive while .

Recalling the whole process, everything is small CMOS battery to blame, it seems that analysis can not be in accordance with the experience of walking, but should be adaptable, to deal with the specific environment; as to why no power CMOS, the computer can start suddenly, Although my analysis may be connected to power after the computer does not start, but the power supply has power to the motherboard, the motherboard CMOS battery to be sufficient dell inspiron e1505 battery, dell inspiron 6400 battery power to start the computer, they have taken place in front of the scene.