XPS 420 and Windows XP drivers

Question

XP is not validated on the XPS 420, but, several users have done it. So, I would like to get a list of all the XP drivers you used to get XP functional on the XPS 420.MiniView Display = NONEBluetooth component = ??Intel X38 (Bearlake X) chipset Precision T3400SigmaTel 9227 Audio = ??Other drivers??

Tascam · Answer

Sigmatel Audio: http://ftp.us.dell.com/audio/R158235.EXE

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT: http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/radeonx-xp

Icons for the card reader devices:

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=Tech_Talk_XPS&thread.id=22629&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

I really wish I could find Bluetooth drivers...

Tascam · Answer

@Tascam wrote: Sigmatel Audio: http://ftp.us.dell.com/audio/R158235.EXE Oops, I meant this link for the Sigmatel audio drivers: http://ftp.us.dell.com/audio/R124105.EXE

malch9 · Answer

My XPS 420 is arriving in a day or two and I plan to install XP Pro. In preparing for this great event, I found the following info which may help with your Bluetooth driver issue.

Someone downloaded R152639.EXE.

This is a Vista package and although the SETUP.EXE's don't seem to run on XP, this fellow was able to install the CAB-200 driver (on an Inspiron) via Device Manager. Based on several other postings, I assume the XPS 420 uses the CAB-200, although I can't yet confirm this personally.

I'll be trying this myself in a few days but you might want to give it a shot.

Here's the page:

http://outerheaven.c-reality.com/archives/84-Dell-Inspiron-531-Windows-XP-Driver-Pack.html

And since the salient info is burried in the middle, I'll paste it here:

***QUOTE***

After the file was done downloading, I right clicked on it and extracted the files.
Then I went into Start > Right clicked on My Computer > Properties > Hardware Tab > Device Manager.
I then righ clicked on the BT-Mini receiver and clicked on Update Driver.
This pops up the Hardware Update Wizard and choose "Yes, this time only", then choose "Install from a list or specific location". Next, choose "Search for the best driver in these locations", uncheck "Search removable media", and check "Include this location in the search". Browse to the folder that you extracted the executable bluetooth package, select folder "Win32", and click ok. Then click next in your Hardware Update Window. Voila! It should work for I am using mine right now. Thanks for the XP drivers here, for it helped alot. You might want to add this to your list!
Sorry this was so long, I wanted to be specific so people wouldn't get lost or have a lot of questions.

***END QUOTE***

I hope it helps (and I hope it helps me too, in a couple of days). It sounds plausible. Fingers crossed.

ronss · Answer

sorry, wrong thread. Message Edited by ronss on 01-09-2008 01:08 AM

malch9 · Answer

You star, it works! :-)

The wizard seemed to get stuck while it was searching for the driver, so I killed Device Manager and restartted it, and it sorted itself out.

I've tested it, and device discovery and file transfer is all working perfectly as far as I can tell.

Thanks, this is great!

Woooo ;-)

This is great. My XPS 420 should arrive today or tomorrow. I think I'm well organized with backups, drivers, software and everything I need for the Big Switch. I'm also keeping some fairly detailed notes so I will try and document my XP installation and make that available.

I want the system to be clean so I'll probably install XP (with mistakes) wipe it out and then perform a nice clean install to validate my procedure.

Bottom line: it seems that everything can me made to work except that funky little LCD (that many of us probably don't care about). Hopefully some good detailed docs will help the next guy or gal who's not yet Vista-ready ;-)

Tascam · Answer

@malch9 wrote:

My XPS 420 is arriving in a day or two and I plan to install XP Pro. In preparing for this great event, I found the following info which may help with your Bluetooth driver issue.

Someone downloaded R152639.EXE.

This is a Vista package and although the SETUP.EXE's don't seem to run on XP, this fellow was able to install the CAB-200 driver (on an Inspiron) via Device Manager. Based on several other postings, I assume the XPS 420 uses the CAB-200, although I can't yet confirm this personally.

I'll be trying this myself in a few days but you might want to give it a shot.

You star, it works! :-)

The wizard seemed to get stuck while it was searching for the driver, so I killed Device Manager and restartted it, and it sorted itself out.

I've tested it, and device discovery and file transfer is all working perfectly as far as I can tell.

Thanks, this is great!

xpsnub · Answer

Good luck malch!  I just got my XPS 420 yesterday, and I'm still debating whether to put XP on it.  I'd be real interested in your detailed docs to see whether I'd be up for that challenge.   Let us know how it goes.

CHR15Y BoY · Answer

Got the XPS 420 the other day decided to put XP on. When i boot from XP disc i get the blue screen of DEATH???? tried 3 different dics It happen about 2 minutes in before any options appear???? Any ideas whats wrong ??? Alss tried a different hard drive from my XPS600 still same error

CHR15Y BoY · Answer

Fixed the problem had to turn on auto detect sata in the bios Anyone whos put XP on there XPS420 could they send a link list of all the drivers THANKS :smileywink:

malch9 · Answer

My XPS 420 arrived yesterday. Here's the story so far (brief version).

I originally planned to install Vista and XP Pro in a dual boot config. Suffice it to say that a lot of problems with partitioning resulted in a mess that I decided to wipe out. So I now have two copies of XP Pro installed on the system.

Here's the scoop on drivers...

I used nLite:

http://www.nliteos.com/

And built a new consoliated bootable CD from:

- Win XP Pro CD (version that came with a Dell Precision about 3 years ago)
- SP2 download from www.microsoft.com
- Intel X38 Motherboard drivers ( www.intel.com infinst_autol.zip) All Directory
- SATA drivers ( www.dell.com R158601.EXE)
- Network Drivers ( www.dell.com R162323.EXE) WinXP_2K Directory

This CD successfully booted and installed a perfectly usable XP Pro, twice. The following drivers were NOT (as expected) installed:

* Video (Device Manager Wizard found mine, no problem)
* Modem (Device Manager Wizard found it, no problem)
* Bluetooth/cardreader (see solution posted earlier in this thread)
* XPS Miniview (no known drivers availbable for XP)

* Audio

I did have a lot of problems getting the Sigmatel Audio drivers in and working.

I *think* the file you want from Dell is: R138037.EXE. I did try some other versions and I'm not certain what sequence of installations, deinstallations, reinstallations did, in fact, make this little guy work. I have not yet added the audio drivers to my second installed copy of XP and I will try and do so in a day or two. Hopefully that will bring some clarity to the matter.

Evenything with the possible exception of the Sigmatel audio looks very solid and clean. Worst case, I'll just turn all that off and use a surplus Audigy 2 board.

So, folks, that how to build a minimalist installable XP CD from a small number of pieces all of which come from impeccable sources. As far as video cards are concerned, you're probably using a variety of different cards/drivers anyway. The audio situation is a little flakey but maybe we can figure that out.

night_2004 · Answer

Here is the list of drivers that I'm using, so far without any issues at all. Some may have already been mentioned, but I thought I'd share just in case:

Audio: R124105
Chipset: R167233
Ethernet: R162323

Downloaded the video drivers from nVidia, and I found the WiFi chip drivers here from the OEM maker:
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&model=WL-138g%20V2

Oh, and the WiFi card is not really worth it as it just does not work well...under Vista or XP believe me I tried with the original Dell drivers and what I found. I ended up laying down a 24' 10/100 cable and I'm much happier as I can actually use the internet now.

Message Edited by night_2004 on 01-12-2008 02:47 AM

RainDIPset · Answer

Keep at it guys! I am receiving my xps 420 next week and i am trying to do as much background check i can to be able to run xp on it. so GOOD LUCK GUYS and THANK you so much for the help.

tehchriso · Answer

We purchased 4 of these for our college because we needed a machine with 3 PCI slots... didn't catch that they were Vista-only till they showed up. Oops!

We've got XP running and all drivers installed except for Audio (and BT/SideShow, we're ignoring those two). Anybody have more insight into the Audio drivers?

We've tried R138037 and R124105 both, and in fact have run both multiple times..... even tried to point each device directly to the C:\Dell\Drivers\R******\.... folder. Each time, we get that the device we are trying to install is not supported.

@Malch, you said you had problems at first, have you been able to remember any of the steps you tried to get yours up? (Otherwise I'm taking Boss's credit card to Best Buy for some sound cards, but not X-Fi's!)

Any advice from you that have gotten it to successfully work?

Message Edited by tehchriso on 01-14-2008 05:08 PM

malch9 · Answer

tehchriso wrote: We've tried R138037 and R124105 both, and in fact have run both multiple times..... even tried to point each device directly to the C:\Dell\Drivers\R******\.... folder. Each time, we get that the device we are trying to install is not supported.   @Malch, you said you had problems at first, have you been able to remember any of the steps you tried to get yours up? (Otherwise I'm taking Boss's credit card to Best Buy for some sound cards, but not X-Fi's!)   Any advice from you that have gotten it to successfully work? Message Edited by tehchriso on 01-14-2008 05:08 PM I installed two instances of XP on my system and so I just tried adding sound support to my second XP instance.   I fussed around with R138037 and also a similar package (AUD_allXP_5682_PV_IDT_v006_IAS.exe from Intel). I was unable to get it to work at all. During my first successful install, I thought that manually launching WDM/suhlp.exe might have been the key 'magic' necessary. Still no joy.   Then I went into Device Manager and found an unknown PCI device. I invited Device Manager to reinstall drivers from Windows Update. It installed 'Microsoft UAA Bus Driver for High Definition Audio'.  Bingo. It all fell into place and those really irritating Windows tunes started radiating from my speakers. We will turn those OFF.   Anyway, I think the UAA Bus Driver is the critical missing ingredient. I think this is aka KB888111 for XP SP2. I'm not sure where you can download a legit copy although it does appear to be included in the Intel Package I referenced above. Probably easier to let Device Manager and Windows Update handle it unless you really, really, need to slipstream it into a boot disk. In that case, try using the copy from Intel's AUD_allXP_5682_PV_IDT_v006_IAS.exe.   I hope this helps. Good luck!

tsa8 · Answer

Malch9,   Your comments helped the most. I will share all of the collected information, how to install XP on this 'Vista puter' soon.   Yes. After XP automatically (using the web only this time...) installed the UAA Bus Driver the system easily installed the SigmaTel audio with the R138037 driver.   I'll be back...

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