E-Support Button and Windows XP

sheffner,
There is not a driver for the E-Support button in Windows XP. To my knowledge, you will not be able to eliminate that message from Windows XP device manager.

Steve

What version of the BIOS do you have? BIOS version XP2 should fix the problem with the "Unsupported Device" in Device Manager under Windows XP. If you have not already done so, go to the download site, download the version of the XP2 BIOS that has a filename that starts with the letter "B", and run that file from your hard drive. It will prompt you to insert a blank formatted floppy disk and will create a DOS bootable floppy with the upgrade program on it. Make sure your system is set to boot from the floppy drive first, then restart the system with the bootable floppy in the a: drive. It will boot to DOS and prompt you to flash the BIOS. The process takes about 30 seconds, just make sure that there is no chance of a power interruption during this time.

Steve

Steve - you may in fact be correct, but I can tell you that I too upgraded an 8100 and also installed XP2 bios and still have the unsupported device in the device manager. It doesn't bother me because I know everything is working correctly, but XP2 did not correct the problem for me.

Don

Did you also download and install the XP version of the Dell Solution Center after upgrading the BIOS to XP2? (I don't have XP on my 8100 so I can't test this. I'm only going by what I've read in Dell's limited documentation on the BIOS, where the problem was supposed to have been corrected in version XP1).

Steve

Just downloaded and installed the solution center and still have the unsupported device in device manager. Yes - I did restart the computer before checking. Again, it doesn't bother me as I know everything is working.

Don

Yes, I flashed the XP2 BIOS before reformatting my hard drive, and then I performed a clean install of Windows XP Professional. At this time, the "Unsupported device" was listed in Device Manager and the E-Support Button was not functional. I knew from past experience with my 8100 running Windows 2000 that this "Unsupported device" was the E-Support Button. After downloading and installing the "Dell Solution Center" application, the "Unsupported device" did not go away and, of course, the button did not work. Apparently the "Dell Solution Center" app for Windows XP does not contain the E-Support Button driver as does the Windows 2000 app.

Sheffner,

Thank you for using the Dell | Talk forum.

The following information should help.
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Problem: After upgrading the 8100 system to Windows XP the hardware E-Support will not function as before.

Discussion: Microsoft does not support the Dell E-Support button with either versions of Windows XP Home or Professional.

If a Dimension 8100 is upgraded to the Windows XP OS, the system requires BIOS version XP2 to be used. If BIOS version A09 or any prior version is used, the E-button will cause a "Unsupported Device" error in Device Manager.

Solution: None, the E-button is not supported in the XP operating system. As a workaround use the Dell E-Support desktop version of Dell Solution Center in Windows XP upgraded systems. The system is working as designed, there is
no hardware failure or problem. You can download and install the A02 bios
version and XP version of the Dell Solution software to work around this
issue.

A02 bios file: BD81XPP2.exe
Dell Solution Center file: DSC20A01.EXE
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How to disable devices in device manager:
1.Right click on My computer.
2.Click on Properties.
3.Click on the Hardware Tab.
4.Click on the Device manager button.
5.Right click on the device entry you want to disable.
6.Click on Properties.
7.Under Device Usage: Choose "Do not use this device (disabled "
8.Click OK to all open windows and reboot the system.

Aparantly you did not read the previous posts closely. I already had XP2 Bios installed, and just downloaded and installed the XP version of the Dell Solution file - which did nothing to eliminate the issue. And last but not least, I already knew the issue was not a problem and did not cause any malfunctions - and therefore have not paid any attention to it.