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Dell XPS 8700. How do I get rid of the 32GB SSD altogether and just use the 1TB HD?
I absolutely DO NOT LIKE:
- The SSD
- Windows 8
- Having to go to Microsoft every time I want to change the password.
- etc, etc, etc.
I've only had this machine a month plus, and would return it if I could. Buy a Dell? Never again.
I want to use legacy boot, install a secondary OS (CentOS) and a 3rd OS (ESXi 5.5). ESXi will go on an extra internal drive and CentOS will live on an external USB drive. The primary internal HD that came with the machine will remain a Win8 machine to be used by my GF.
ANYONE?
rdunnill
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6 Professor
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February 2nd, 2014 10:00
The XPS 8700 is a good machine; it's Secure Boot that's the main obstacle to its ease of use. Also, the mSATA SSD can be replaced with a larger unit that can serve as a complete boot drive instead merely a cache; I have a Plextor 128gb mSATA in my XPS 8500, with a full copy of Windows 7 Professional x64.
There should be a setting in the BIOS to enable Legacy Boot..
theflash1932
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9 Legend
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February 2nd, 2014 07:00
"The SSD"
That SSD is only intended to be used as a "cache" drive and not for what will truly improve computer performance ... in my opinion, it is a joke. SSDs, in general, however, are NO joke ... they are a real and true computer upgrade. Get yourself a REAL SSD on which to install and from which to run Windows and your applications.
You could install Ubuntu to it, but it is too small to maintain a Windows installation on.
"Windows 8"
This isn't so different from Windows 7, but there are some ways to bring back that feeling/functionality. Classic Shell or Start8 would be a good place to start (depending on what it is you don't like).
"Having to go to Microsoft every time I want to change the password."
You can set up and log in with a "local" account, without the need to use a Microsoft account to access your computer. A Microsoft account is ONLY "required" for the Microsoft Store.
backthatthingup
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March 5th, 2014 09:00
I had to temporarily remove the SSD in order to get a clean install of Cent OS 6. The install for Cent OS changed drastically (and not for the better) as evidenced by all of the negative traffic I've seen on numerous websites, including Red Hat.
For now, I'll just live with the SSD. But in the future, I'll either be getting a bare bones unit pre-configured w/Linux and then add Windows later. What a disgusting way to "manage" an Operating System.