Dell Latitude E6520 Resurrection SSD and Ram Upgrades

[@ProductJunkie117]

For mid 2019! What is awesome about this laptop is that DELL is still supporting it via BIOS newest BIOS revision is January 2019 A22, works smoothly with Windows 7 Pro Etc and Windows 10 Pro ver 1903 whats cool about the battery on this also is the fact that there will be no overcharge you can leave your battery and charger plugged in this specific model and not worry about damaging the cells! this laptop stops charging the battery once it is full

[@yoginat108]

I'm so glad I came across your video. I actually had no idea I could install a 2nd disk with a dvd caddy. It was taking my old Latitude an excruciating 7 minutes to reach logon screen. After ordering the necessary parts online I followed your tutorial.... in about half an hour I upgraded the ram, installed a new SSD and switched the old HDD into the dvd caddy.... beginner Lego level. It gave this laptop a 2nd life. I'm now booting in Ubuntu in 17seconds. Thanks a lot :-)

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Very cool! I'm glad you were able to breathe life into your old laptop. Dell enterprise laptops of this era have a large variety of accessories to enhance their usability and functionality. They are also built quite rugged compared to models from today! Thank you for watching!

[@mohdarifaziz4882]

Nice video.TQ sharing.i can used it for up grade my laptop soon

[@Mopjockey1234]

Nice video!! I have essentially the same one but in an i5 2.5ghz and I added a Crucial SSD also. Nice machines even for 2019 use, I also got a docking station and Dell monitor with sound bar at a local thrift store for $20 and it makes a great desktop machine too.

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Sounds like a great upgrade. I must concur great laptops that are quite rugged. I keep thinking about upgrading my cpu to the i7 series 2760 or 2620. The prices are a bit high though and thermal throttle is a concern. Thanks for watching!

[@ProductJunkie117]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews thermal throttle can be set to passive cooling under power options :P IE slow CPU then speed up fan as to active that speeds up fan then cpu slows down.

[@robbie4860]

Dell laptop are my favorite! Why not change the cooling paste? You had it open?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

I skipped at that time because I planned to do another video later where I would compare the performance before and after. That never materialized as I moved on to other projects. Currently I only use this laptop a few times as most of my work is done on my desktop or phone. Thank you for watching!

[@JakeJoris]

"Time and date not set" means that the bios (cmos) battery is dead. That battery is like $1-3.

[@gasper8205]

I am still using it. Very good laptop and very easy to upgrade. Just install ssd and upgrade ram to atleast 8gb (you can go for max 16gb) and the difference will be significant. Also install a 2disk with caddy for storage like shown in this video. I also recommend to change thermal paste on cpu and gpu it's not so hard.

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Agreed this is a great laptop that is still functional and useful 10+ years after that fact. Thank you for watching!

[@sharpshooter07]

Do you have a DVD burner on yours? I just bought mine and I haven't tested it yet

[@BuiltDiffey]

@@sharpshooter07 yes

[@124068480]

I put on a 240GB Kingston SSD but my E6520 won't detect it. Can I ask if you had the same problem? Thanks

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Mine worked out of the box. The only issue I had is that I had to push the SSD in a few times before it properly engaged. If you have the caddy make sure it is not interfering with the contact. It is also, unlikely, but theoretically possible the SSD is defective and may need to be replaced. Another thought is, I have in past found some SSD do not play well with some motherboards. I stopped using Patriot SSDs after having that issue on my last build. I would reinstall the SSD and if it is still undetected, try another known good SSD or HDD and go from there. Thank you for watching, best of luck!

[@124068480]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews I see. Thank you for the prompt reply!

[@mccarrd2]

What about cloning the operating system etc to the new SSD before doing the physical installation. The video is great but there is more to the SSD upgrade than just the install?

[@viktorzavala7411]

Sorry, my laptop is the same as your model, I installed w10 but it doesn't give me the audio driver Could you provide me with the link from where you downloaded it? Thank you, I await your answer.

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Hello audio driver is available from Dell www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/latitude-e6520/drivers. I used the windows 7 version. Just select for 32 or 64 bit.

[@stolmich]

Hello, I still own a 6520, which type of RAM should be used for upgrade? Thanks.

[@faseehnoor]

Can you please list or provide the link for the RAM and HDD that you used, I am looking to upgrade this model as well

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Both came from Newegg.com. HDD- Crucial BX500 SSD 120gb www.newegg.com/crucial-bx500-120gb/p/N82E16820156186?item=N82E16820156186 Ram- Dell 204 pin DDR3 1066 MHZ SODIMM www.newegg.com/p/0RM-003S-006J0?item=9SIAAFJ4315095 As of 9/24/20 you can purchase both together for approximately $60 total which is a great price! The HDD can be changed for larger any standard SSD in that style will work perfectly! Thank you for watching!

[@faseehnoor]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews thank you so much, very helpful

[@drewdegeer4432]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews I have the 6430e with i7 3720 and 16gs ram, I replaced the 7200 drive with SSD and also added the dvd/HDD swap and have a second drive bay ready for SSD. I also recommend upgrading to wifi 6. Netely has a PCE card with bluetooth 5 as well, it makes this laptop viable in 2022. Using for school.

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

@@drewdegeer4432 I agree that laptop build is perfect for school or work! Thank you for watching!

[@ahraarzahid4658]

I am also looking to upgrade this model of laptop, i have to use Vmware and i want more ram. very useful video

[@viktorzavala7411]

I tell you how to solve my problem, the case was that the bios is outdated, when updating the bios, it worked well, thanks for your help

[@serhanbilgin]

I have exact same laptop with i7-2640M and 8 GB ram. I updated bios and Windows 10 then cleaned sticky plastics which occured upside and downside the keyboard nearly 1 hour :) I wanted to upgrade the ssd and looking for videos, so your video was really helpful for me thank you. And i just wonder even if the dell says its limit for memory is 8gb, can we push ram to 16 gb. Some people on the forums says it can be but i don't sure. If you have compatible 16 gb ram could you please try that :)

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

It can be done, the results are mixed. The limit is set by Dell and some say that it is a soft limit i.e. the board could support up to 16GB. To find out you can always launch command in windows and enter "wmic memphysical get MaxCapacity, ". Now the tricky part is that some versions of the board will state the slot is capable of 4GB but list maximum capacity at 16GB. I've tried to install 16 but the set I bought was not detected and caused crashes. I've seen others say that it detects but will try to operate single channel, and operate unpredictability. Dell seems interested in limiting the ability to upgrade components thus creating a need to buy a new system. Frustrating for those that enjoy upgrading and maintaining their purchases! Thank you for watching! Best of luck!

[@gasper8205]

Yes you can upgrade to 16 gb ddr3 only 1333mhz or you will have to adjust speed ram in your bios. I have the same brand of this dell computer with now 12 gb of ram, one ssd with 240gb and another ssd 1tb. Works very good for 2020. I only need new battery, but its hard to get nowdays.

[@TechnicalJd44]

i did the same upgrade but while installing windows it is not showing ssd

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

I would try to remove and reinstall the ssd in the laptop. If the connection is not good, this may be causing the issue. Also it could be possible that the drive is defective.

[@jainsamyak970]

From where can i download the wifi drivers? As mine is win 10, but the wifi is not available

[@sharpshooter07]

What generation of DDR are you using for memory? Is it DDR3?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

This is DDR3 204 pin.

[@alexandermaestas3425]

I have the 8 gigs, but not the ssd. Will it still run good?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

It will still function but the HDD is the bottleneck for these systems. The SSD allows for significantly faster loading of pages, documents, programs etc. You also do not need a top of the line speed or size SSD. The prices are quite good as well right now (March 2021) with 250GB averaging $50 and 500GB $75.

[@alexandermaestas3425]

Also, it can't direct a battery. I have one in. Any ideas?

[@alexandermaestas3425]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews it's also not detecting the hard drive

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

@@alexandermaestas3425 if the battery is not detected it may very well be bad cells/connection, an issue with Windows, driver issue, or BIOS issue. I would start with checking the battery connection and make sure the contacts are clean and undamaged. Next if problem is unresolved Windows troubleshoot. If no change BIOS update and thereafter move on to the driver reset if nothing else works.

[@Kumarrr9]

Is there any way to get USB 3 in one of these bad boys?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Unfortunately no. The motherboard will not support USB.

[@tyresetaylor1754]

Im confused on the battery how it works

[@techgaming5603]

Which ram do you bought

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Ram- Dell 204 pin DDR3 1066 MHZ SODIMM www.newegg.com/p/0RM-003S-006J0?item=9SIAAFJ4315095

[@Kumarrr9]

Can the processor be upgraded?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Yes the processor can be changed to a limited selection. Most popular would be Intel 2540M, 2520M, 2430M, 2630QM, 2640QM, 2670QM. This may unfortunately not work with the i7 2670 due to twp and heat related issues. These are also dual or quad core mobile cpus so performance gains are limited.

[@null6482]

@S Hol small question how can i get that motherboard

[@null6482]

@S Hol cus i have the same model but without the nvidia gpu and i broke the motherboard so i want to buy a new motherboard so would it work if i bought the nvidia 45w one???

[@donnikubbitz2146]

Is RAM proprietary?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

On this particular laptop yes. Most pre-built systems from companies like Dell and other such companies will have this built in to the systems. It is possible to have other types work but it is never guaranteed. It can also be an issue finding supported ram years later when the secondary market dries up.

[@ositochilloncito3941]

¿Cuántas ranuras de ram tiene y cuánto de ram soporta alguien podría decirme?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

El ordenador tiene dos ranuras de ram y soporta un total de ocho gigabytes de ram. ¡Gracias por mirar! The computer has two ram slots and supports a total of eight gigabytes of ram. Thank you for watching!

[@aliaselchicho369]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews 8gb like 2x4gb? Or 8gb per slot?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

@@aliaselchicho369 2 x 4 GB

[@aliaselchicho369]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews thank you, I'll order 2x4gb then 🙌

[@chainsinghratre6193]

What we are updagrad i5 8th generation processor please reply me

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Hello, this laptop cannot be upgraded to 8th generation. The model in the video is 2nd generation Intel aka Sandy Bridge. The CPU may be upgraded to an i5 or i7 socket is rPGA988B. The link is to compatible Sandy Bridge processors www.userbenchmark.com/System/Dell-Latitude-E6520/1706

[@donnikubbitz2146]

No go. My SSD is too thin. HAHAHAHAHA I used just a regular SSD like you stated and it won't fit properly.

[@-hyper-6140]

will 16gb of ddr4 2600mhz of ram work?

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

This laptop will not accept DDR4 or 16GB modules. I believe max supported is 8GB (2x4GB) of DDR3 SODIMM laptop.

[@gleiverperez1953]

@S Hol EC stands for?

[@eduardoelizmarkchaidezgarc7219]

sera que puedes poner subtritulos al español

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Thank you for the comment friend. I will see if I can add subtitles for other languages in the future.

[@eduardoelizmarkchaidezgarc7219]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews Esta bien muchas gracias bro

[@plue.thaewolf]

Can I have your old ram plz

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

I actually recycled the sticks a few weeks after making the video. Thank you for watching!

[@donnikubbitz2146]

OK well I am replacing the HD but it literally slides into place, no click or any type of resistance going in whatsoever. The replacement is thinner than the original because it doesn't have the big silver piece on the back of it. Gonna try but I don't think this is gonna work.

[@nocnymarek7645]

Try slide in SSD when laptop is on foots not on back. Gravity help you put it in right place - to have SATA connection. Then screw in screws also having device in normal position. It works!

[@sagunswa9405]

@@nocnymarek7645 My god, this trick saved me! I was trying hard, but no matter what drive was not detecting. After reading this comment, I set back, folded my leg and held laptop on my knees. Then I inserted SSD. Due to gravity, SSD touched the bottom of port. I just pushed all the way in, that it! its very gentle click. This also allowed me to fix all four screws (when I tried with inverted lap top, I could fix two screws on back). Upon turning PC, F2, I could able to detect SSD! Thank you. Very helful.

[@nocnymarek7645]

@@sagunswa9405 I sm happy that advice was helpful.

[@ScienceDrummer]

The liberal bias in this video :O Jk. :3

[@Matty_Ice_Reviews]

Lol thank you for watching!

[@ScienceDrummer]

@@Matty_Ice_Reviews Np, I was actually looking on how to reapply thermal paste on this laptop and found yours. Still informative so I like it.

[@donnikubbitz2146]

Sorry to steal the comment section but I found the solution. VERY WEIRD.