XPS 435 Owners Thread

By the way, is anyone else's DVD-eject button very not sensitive?  I find it rarely responds to my pushing on the eject button, I always have to eject it through windows.  Should I get a replacement?

Also, is the built-in Ethernet controller the Realtek RTL81XX PCI-E ?

Well, after a late night, I was able to slipstream the Intel ICH10 drivers using NLite into the XP Boot CD.

I'm still happy with WinXP :)  When they come out with SP1 for Windows 7 I might upgrade.

I'm still happy with WinXP :)  When they come out with SP1 for Windows 7 I might upgrade.

I only have 4 gb of RAM anyway, I'll wait until ram prices are a little cheaper before upgrading.  I've just never liked Vista, and no amount of argument is going to change my mind. :)

Thanks so much Irv, for the info about the front panel and the Realtek Ethernet controller.  I also have an XPS 435T, so your information is good.

I'll definitely open up the front and have a look.  Or maybe I'll just take it off entirely.

By the way, is anyone else's DVD-eject button very not sensitive?  I find it rarely responds to my pushing on the eject button, I always have to eject it through windows.  Should I get a replacement?   Also, is the built-in Ethernet controller the Realtek RTL81XX PCI-E ?

I had the a problem with my 435T when I first got it. The second DVD drive opened the minute I touched the top drive or the door below it. Sometimes during the burning or authoring (I use Nero 8) the drive opened up. Not a problem when it was authoring but in the middle of a burn I usually had a coaster. Called it in and the repair service came out with a new DVD R/W drive. Had been a Sony, new one was a TSST Corp.

Tech put it back in and it hardly opened from the front panel control. Really had to press on it hard and usually a few time. Tech said he'd put in a call to replace the unit. I believed him, don't know why, but after a week and no callback, I gave up. I took the front panel off and it appeared the linkage was 'free' and not binding and in positioned correctly. Put the panel back and it didn't change. Took it off again, this time all the way, disconnecting the panel light and again inspected the panel figuring it was the problem, the drive opened OK when I pressed its button. Could not see anything wrong. Reconnected the light, put the panel back, and it has been working fine since. Might want to inspect/remove/replace the panel?

My System Information and Device Manager says the h/w is "Realtek RTL8168C(P)/8111C(P) Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC".

Mind you, all the above is on a 435T. This thread is a mixture of 435T and 435MT messages.

Irv S.

Thanks Irv.  I googled for Realtek WinXP 5.728 NIC/Gigabit Drivers, installed, and internet is working fine now.  Woohoo, thanks everyone. :)

I'm in the US and my xps435t shipped with A09.  Shipped on the 15th of Jun.

the bios update is up now,good to go installed well!

I just checked on the Dell support/download website, entered my service tag, and it didn't show an updated bios newer than A07 which is what I currently have.

Searched for A09 and it showed up under another system, NOT the 435T. How should I go about this, should I update to A09?

[quote user="j25"]I'm in the US and my xps435t shipped with A09.  Shipped on the 15th of Jun.

the bios update is up now,good to go installed well!

I just checked on the Dell support/download website, entered my service tag, and it didn't show an updated bios newer than A07 which is what I currently have.

Searched for A09 and it showed up under another system, NOT the 435T. How should I go about this, should I update to A09?

I wouldn't...

when did you get your system? maybe they're still not ready to publicly release A09 for download on 435T..

when did you get your system? maybe they're still not ready to publicly release A09 for download on 435T..

I got mine in May. I won't "change" the bios to A09. I can't say it's an update, as I don't know if it is supposed to work better. I searched more on the Dell site, and the A09 is not a newly released version, it's been around a while and is being used by many other systems. I'll wait till Dell puts it up as an update for the 435T. There's nothing wrong with A07 right now, my system is working fine, except for the long startup time. Even that, nobody knows if the bios is the problem...

No! No! and once again, NO!   Why is everyone in such a rush to upgrade to the latest bios without researching what it actually fixes or addresses?  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Wait and see what the bios upgrade actually fixes, see if it applies to issues you are having, THEN upgrade once its available.  I've never got the whole GOTTA UPGRADE as soon as a driver or firmware is released.  Newer doesn't always mean better.

Searched for A09 and it showed up under another system, NOT the 435T. How should I go about this, should I update to A09?

Interesting article comparing benchmarks/gaming between XP/Vista/Win 7 ... Vista 64 comes out on top in most of the meaningful benchmarks.

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/gaming-smackdown-windows-xp-vs-windows-vista-vs-windows-7-604178

Thanks Irv.  I googled for Realtek WinXP 5.728 NIC/Gigabit Drivers, installed, and internet is working fine now.  Woohoo, thanks everyone. :)

Thanks, I know.....see my previous post.....