Installing XP on a Vostro 1015

OK, so not too many people are going to want to do this but, in case someone else needs to, here are some pointers to help them avoid spending 2.5 days tearing their hair out.  [That's how long it took me to figure it out when I tried to install XP Pro on one of these systems.]

1)  If you try to run XP setup without changing the BIOS SATA setting to ATA mode, setup will BSOD with an 0X0000007B error.  Make sure the SATA setting in the BIOS is ATA.

2) Most of the drivers available by selecting XP on the resource CD menu will work.  There are 2 exceptions:-

           i) The Wireless LAN card driver offered is not for the right card.  The card is a Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN one, rather than the suggested QMI card.  Selecting

               'System Model: All' will enable you to find it.  (It also shows up if you select 'Vostro 1088'.)

          ii) The SM Bus driver does not install for some reason.  It shows up as errored in Device Manager.  In Device Manager, select the SM Bus entry, open up the

              properties page and go to the Driver tab.  Select 'Update';  in the Driver Wizard, skip the Windows Update search and select 'Install from a list etc.'  On the next

              page, tick only the 'Include this location...' box.  Now browse to the location of the chipset drivers \All folder (Sorry, mine aren't in the default C:\Dell\drivers\a9999

             folder, so I can't be more specific) and press next.  The wizard will find the .inf file and install the drivers.

Hope this helps someone.