A poll for laptop owners

[birdie]

If you have several minutes, please, reboot your laptop into BIOS and say if the following things are possible:

1) Can you change the display brightness?
2) Can you enable/disable Wi-Fi and BlueTooth (verify by booting into Windows)?
3) Can you enable/disable touchpad (if your laptop has a hot button for that)?
4) Can you switch between the internal display and the external one?
5) Does the display go off if you close the cover but not completely (i.e. leaving an inch or two aperture)

I'm asking this question because some laptops enable these features only if 1) you're running Windows 2) have appropriate drivers installed (Sony) - that's utterly inconvenient and in case your laptop manufacturer goes out of business or stops supporting your laptop, these features may stop working in the next version of Windows.

Please, don't forget to mention your laptop model.

Thank you very much.

A sample answer:

Dell Inspiron 11-3137 (not valid, just an example):
1) Yes
2) Yes; N/A (no hw switch)
3) No
4) Yes
5) Yes

 

[Aquinus]

Dell Studio 1735 w/ Core 2 Duo 2.1Ghz Penryn and 4Gb of DDR2-667.
Shipped with Vista, 7 has basic drivers for most components.
1) Yes.
2) Yes.
3) No.
4) Not in the BIOS, but the built in display will automatically disable itself if the lid is closed and an external monitor is plugged in. Re-opening it will reactivate it.
5) Yes.

If this was a school/university project I'd be somewhat inclined to try and help you. But as it stands, your reasons for asking are total bollocks in my opinion. You could point out the same reasons for any proprietary product out there, any single one. I don't really see the point in your thread.

There is absolutely no reason to bash the OP for this. This post is uncalled for IMHO. He wants information, that is all. Nothing ludicrous about that. Weather or not you think it's useful or not is beside the point if you don't want to help, then don't post.

 

[Mussels]

If you have several minutes, please, reboot your laptop into BIOS and say if the following things are possible:

1) Can you change the display brightness?
2) Can you enable/disable Wi-Fi and BlueTooth (verify by booting into Windows)?
3) Can you enable/disable touchpad (if your laptop has a hot button for that)?
4) Can you switch between the internal display and the external one?
5) Does the display go off if you close the cover but not completely (i.e. leaving an inch or two aperture)

I'm asking this question because some laptops enable these features only if 1) you're running Windows 2) have appropriate drivers installed (Sony) - that's utterly inconvenient and in case your laptop manufacturer goes out of business or stops supporting your laptop, these features may stop working in the next version of Windows.

Please, don't forget to mention your laptop model.

Thank you very much.

A sample answer:

Dell Inspiron 11-3137 (not valid, just an example):
1) Yes
2) Yes; N/A (no hw switch)
3) No
4) Yes
5) Yes

I have about a dozen laptops in the house right now because i am a hoarder. HP asus and acer, everything from intel atom to an i7, and an AMD APU crossfire laptop.


How about i just answer 'in general' because they are all pretty much identical with their answers:

1. No. only in windows.
2. No. only in windows.
3. button only seems to work in windows on the laptops that have it.
4. No. only in windows. some mirror in the BIOS, most dont.
5. Same behaviour as when in windows. the screen turns off when the screen is closed enough for the magnetic sensor to be triggered.


While you think its bad you have to go into windows to control these features, i think its good - because a hardware feature locks down compatible hardware. being able to disable bluetooth but not wifi in the BIOS would mean the BIOS is designed for one specific wifi card only, so goodbye user upgrades.

I've thrown 8.1 onto all these laptops (with start8 to add the start menu back) and *all* of them have had everything work, easier than windows 7 installs with their manufacturers drivers. Microsoft are being pretty good about including generic drivers for just about everything, software wifi on/off buttons and all. wifi and bluetooth are the only ones i've had trouble with, and its taken less than 5 minutes to replace the wifi/BT cards in each of these laptops if needed.

 

[zsolt_93]

I have driver issues with my Dell for example. Inspiron N5110. Couldn't find bt driver for the proprietary Dell adapter although it is rebranded Atheros, original drivers are a no go. Quickset software does not have a version for Win8 for this device(tried from newer ones) and that is the one controlling most of the KB shortcuts and dedicated Buttons. I managed to install a Win7 version but its not fully compatible. The buttons will work with generic drivers from windows, only they do different things than labeled.

 

[PLAfiller]

There is absolutely no reason to bash the OP for this. This post is uncalled for IMHO. He wants information, that is all. Nothing ludicrous about that. Weather or not you think it's useful or not is beside the point if you don't want to help, then don't post.

When you ask from people to get out from their regular way in order to do something for you, I'd rather have some justification. In order to fulfill his wish, a member of the forum has to reboot once (twice, to check the bluetooth, if he doesn't know), spend time looking for answers and post back. I need more of a reason, than what was suggested. I am sorry about being rude. That's how I felt when I saw the thread, I couldn't help it, but post back straight away. I guess you are right. I apologize and contribute.

Lenovo E530/ 3259-AJG - Win 8.1 x64. Shipped with no OS.

1.) No.
2.) Yes. (I've disabled my BT and fingerprint reader, since I got it- I don't use them. I can disable any system component from BIOS)
3.) Yes. (no HW switch, BIOS/Windows only)
4.) Yes. (in BIOS, I can choose any video output)
5.) No (it stays on, even if it's 2mm gap)

 

[agent00skid]

In BIOS, only screen off worked. But in Lubuntu,, things worked fine. Didn't test secondary monitor, as I didn't have any available. Brightness, touchpad and Wi-Fi is all controlled with fn+key combos. Acer Aspire 5551G.

 

[birdie]

If this was a school/university project I'd be somewhat inclined to try and help you. But as it stands, your reasons for asking are total bollocks in my opinion. You could point out the same reasons for any proprietary product out there, any single one. I don't really see the point in your thread.

Wow, so much hatred and negativity as if I asked the keys for your house and money in your bank account. And if you don't see the point why bother answering?

Besides, which part of:

I'm asking this question because some laptops enable these features only if 1) you're running Windows 2) have appropriate drivers installed (Sony) - that's utterly inconvenient and in case your laptop manufacturer goes out of business or stops supporting your laptop, these features may stop working in the next version of Windows.

you failed to understand? Not to mention that extra drivers and software mean extra junk, slower boot and less overall stability.

Here's the case of a recently used Toshiba Satellite laptop:

Without OEM garbage installed boot time is around 20 seconds. Occupied RAM: a little over 1GB.
With all the garbage installed boot time is over two minutes. Occupied RAM: a little over 2GB.

BTW, I asked the same question on a less hardware inclined forum and got a lot more answers without people questioning my mental abilities.

I have about a dozen laptops in the house right now because i am a hoarder. HP asus and acer, everything from intel atom to an i7, and an AMD APU crossfire laptop.

How about i just answer 'in general' because they are all pretty much identical with their answers:

Kinda weird, because I had quite a different experience with Asus and Acer laptops (everything except Wi-Fi/BT switch works).

 

[Mussels]

Kinda weird, because I had quite a different experience with Asus and Acer laptops (everything except Wi-Fi/BT switch works).

these systems have almost no BIOS options to speak of, and the buttons just control windows settings. they're primarily windows 7 laptops if that helps.

 

[flmatter]

my answers are identical to Mussels I can control most everything from fn +f key rarely do I play with bios on my laptops. I have an older dell and a Asus RoG G75vw

 

[PLAfiller]

Wow, so much hatred and negativity as if I asked the keys for your house and money in your bank account. And if you don't see the point why bother answering?

Besides, which part of:



you failed to understand? Not to mention that extra drivers and software mean extra junk, slower boot and less overall stability.

Here's the case of a recently used Toshiba Satellite laptop:

Without OEM garbage installed boot time is around 20 seconds. Occupied RAM: a little over 1GB.
With all the garbage installed boot time is over two minutes. Occupied RAM: a little over 2GB.

BTW, I asked the same question on a less hardware inclined forum and got a lot more answers without people questioning my mental abilities.

Look, man, I already apologized and answered in detail to your question. That's what I can do to rectify myself. If you don't want to accept the apology, that's your decision and there is nothing I can do about that.

 

[Jetster]

Dell Vostro 1500
1.Yes
2. Yes but not in the BIOS
3. No
4. Yes but not in the BIOS
5. Yes but not in the BIOS

HP DV5
1.Yes
2. Yes but not in the BIOS
3. Yes but not in the BIOS
4. Yes but not in the BIOS
5. Yes but not in the BIOS

 

[patrico]

My lappy is the same as jesters second example

referring to the troll post .. why why why so rude!, you really have nothing better to do than be nasty to people, really man no need, OP asked a question, thats all, which you didnt even attempt to answer.

Ever heard the saying 'if youve got nothing good to say, say nothin..."

One day you might have a question, that you really want the answer too, would you want to be talked to like that

Be nice its free

 

[64K]

MSI GE60

1) yes
2) yes
3) no
4) yes
5) yes

1 and 5 I set by right clicking on the battery icon and set my preferences when it's plugged in and when I'm running on the battery.

 

[birdie]

Wow, MSI sounds interesting. But they only sell gaming laptops (quite expensive and heavy).

Look, man, I already apologized and answered in detail to your question. That's what I can do to rectify myself. If you don't want to accept the apology, that's your decision and there is nothing I can do about that.

I didn't take offense - I was surprised though. Next time don't be so rude when you see a topic you have no interest in.

 

[birdie]

A modest bump since there aren't enough answers here.

 

[Mussels]

if it helps i fixed up another two laptops today one HP one compaq that fit with my previous answers.