Dell XPS One 2710 Fresh Install

The key for Win 8.1 and Win 10 is stored in BIOS so it should activate automatically.

If you're installing Win 7 using a Dell Windows Reinstallation disk, it shouldn't ask for a product key. If the system came with Win 7, you should have a sticker with the Win 7 product key somewhere on the PC so if it does ask for the key, you have it on that sticker.

Whatever you do, don't install Win 10 on the XPS 2710...

Dell has not tested this model for compatibility with Win 10 and LOTS of users have had their XPS 2710 crash permanently after installing Win 10. Not exactly clear what gets corrupted -BIOS, video adapter or..? -  but the result is a permanent "black screen of death".

Users have taken steps to fix the problem ranging from installing a new motherboard -if you can find and afford one- and installing Win 7 or 8.1, to reprogramming and/or replacing the BIOS CMOS chip on the motherboard.

Search these forums and you'll find lots of threads about the XPS 2710 and Win 10, and lots of unhappy users...

I don't think Win 10 is worth the risk...

Also the promotional Free Windows 10 Upgrade from Windows 7/Windows 8.1 expires tomorrow... So unless you pickup the SSD from a local store today... we don't know what will happen regarding installation of Windows 10 with an unused Windows 8.1 UEFI BIOS SLP key.

OK got it I will not install windows 10.

So,if my original operating system was windows 8 when it arrived from Dell new and I currently have windows 8.1, because I upgraded when it was available, when I do I fresh install will my computer be capable of loading windows 8.1 with the Windows OS Authorization key I currently have? Or should I plan on loading Windows 8? Thank You!!!

Windows 8 is at End of Life. You need to use Windows 8.1 with Update 2 Installation media (there were flaws in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 with Update 1 installation media):

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/

Wow Phillip, It seems a lot more complicated than I thought it would be.

What would happen if I used the OEM installation CD that I ordered from Dell after I bought my computer? Would that actually work? I know it's Windows 8. Would I be able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 afterwards/

Thanks!

Microsoft will support Win 8.1 until 2023 so there's plenty of life left in that version, and hopefully the 2710 will last as long.

I guess you could always turn touch off if you don't like it on some new PC...

Phillip & Ron - I want to say thank very, very, very much for your help and your quick responses. Because of you I am up and running in a relatively short period of time. Phil your link for the USB boot stick was spot on & once I realized there was only a very small amount of information I was interested in I was less overwhelmed. Thank you so much for getting me up and running. You have no idea how much I truly appreciate it. I love this XPS one 2710. Best PC I've ever owned!!! Too bad Dell only makes a touch screen versions of the XPS  now because I would consider buying another one only if it did not have a touch screen. Thanks so much!!!!

Great! Thanks for letting us know. :)

It seems that Microsoft are going to extend the Free Upgrade to Windows 10 so if you feel like risking it see here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

It might run more stably on RS1. However the causes of the common Windows 10 - Black Screen are most likely due to the fact that the system is missing a UEFI BIOS Update that'll unfortunately probably never be released.

Most PCs are becoming Touch these days... You can easily disable a Touchscreen functionality via the Device Manager.

My 2710 is the non-touch screen version. It was purchased in  March 2013. Would this make it more suitable to running Windows 10? Meaning would windows 10 would run properly?

I think the issue people are having is more due to the UEFI BIOS then the actual touchscreen but its been hard to trace down completely...

Why won't Dell just provide an updated BIOS then?

Dell had to make decisions on which systems to support for Win 10 and which not to support. The XPS 2710 was probably deemed too old for further updates.

And it may be more than just BIOS issues. If I remember correctly, Dell installed a total of 6 different motherboards in the XPS 2710, depending on which version of Windows the system was to be shipped with and whether the system had a hard-wired add-in video card on the motherboard or only had Intel Graphics on the CPU.

Complicated, to say the least...

RoHe is correct (as usual!). Engineering set the list of which systems we would support with Windows 10. You can see under XPS Desktop that the XPS 2710 was not approved.

Computers tested for upgrade to Windows 10