Windows 7?

I just loaded both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 build 7000 on a new e6500. Both exciting, as well as disappointing. Microsoft seems to have gotten it right: very stable, clean load. Dell seems to have blown it: - no video driver on the Microsoft DVD; Dell Vista driver won't load on Windows 7 (detects and aborts load) - wireless doesn't work; Dell Broadcom driver for Vista won't load on Windows 7 (detects and aborts load) We need help from Dell...

Didn't Microsoft Update find the video and wireless drivers?  On my M1330 the 4965AGN drivers were there at installation and MS update found the nVidia drivers right away.

I see a few of you are having trouble installing stuff like the chipset driver that detects you aren't on Vista before even trying to install.  Here is a fix for that:

Right click on the actual setup file that the .exe unzips to (the Rxxxxxx folder in C:\Dell\Drivers will have it) and then click on 'Troubleshoot Compatability'.  That will bring up a wizard that will check on some known compatibility issues then give you some options, in which it includes 'This program installed or ran in a previous version of Windows'.  Check mark that then click Windows Vista and then the program will run just fine and the driver will install correctly.  I had to do this to install the chipset driver on my Vostro 1500.

Also Windows 7 is running great on my Vostro 1500, love the new taskbar and how efficient it manages RAM now.  Plus my WiFi doesn't die whenever I come out of sleep anymore!  Driver compatibility seems like its a top priority for MS this time around.

Also for any video issues try and run Window Update and install the beta Nvidia driver from there, its never BSOD or froze on my 8600mGT so far, which is a 100% change from the Windows Vista beta.

Has anybody tried displaying the output on a TV? Basically use TV as external monitor? I do not see that option with the default display settings that come with Windows 7? Would like to know if there is any other video driver that I can use.

I have a Latitude D800 (2GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HD, FX Go5650 128MB). The Win7-Installation was successfull. Only the driver for the NVidia FX Go5650 was not included. I have installed the driver for XP. In the devicemanager is now the device ok. The resolution is ok too: 1650x1050 in 32bit. But the update for the performance-index results in system hang :-/. Otherwise I use this laptop with Vista SP1. Greeting from Celle/Germany

Hello,

now I found the right driver for the NVidia go 5650:

http://downloads.guru3d.com/ForceWare-Vista-97.35-x86-(laptops)_d1530.html

With this driver I have a stable Win7-Installation! :-)

Performance-index is "3.0" for games and "3.2" for aero.

Greetings from Celle/Germany

I had similar fan issues in an earlier build of Windows 7 32-bit on my M1330.  When 64-bit was released, the fan seems to work fine now. However, the two issues I DO have are the mouse pointer locks up every other start and occasional BSOD from the nVidia drivers at startup.  Anyone have a fix?  I've tried probably 40 combinations of drivers and no drivers but problems are still there.  I can post the details or you can PM me.  I'm sure Microsoft will get it straightened out but for now, W7 is so FAST that it is worth the hassle.  It's REALLY that good.

Update on my two issues.  Thankfully (I guess), they are NOT issues.... at least with respect to Windows 7.  The nVIDIA BSOD issue was from my onboard video card dying, as all of them seem to do.  New motherboard and it's back working great.  It really bugs me that there is no permanent fix for the nVidia 8400M GS faulty chip.  Knowing it will go again is unnerving.

The mouse pointer lockup was because I don't use the fingerprint reader (shares the same usb port as the Synaptics touchpad) so I didn't install the drivers.  Installing the just released W7 drivers from UPEK drivers (even disabled, but installed) seems to have cured that problem.

47 second reboot times (using the reboot script from sevenforums.com) on a laptop!  I ain't EVER going back to XP or Vista!

I had a few issues after switching to Windows 7 on my Dell XPS M1330:

1. Dell xps m1330 touchpad scrolling no longer works with Windows 7.  I had to update the Bios version to get the fan to stop acting all weird.
2. Scrolling on touch pad also didn't work, but I, just reinstalled the Vista 32-bit driver, so it works for now...
3. Audio stopped after installing windows 7, Idownloaded the Sigmatel driver for Vista 32-bit and that fixed that as well.
   

 I think almost everything else works now...

Windows 7 worked fine on my inspiron 6400, did not need to install any system drivers. Everything functioned even the wireless.

Installed mcafee total protection beta and the vista hp c6180 driver in compatibility mode, windows 7 seems to be going well but I am back on xp and vista for the moment.

I have been running Windows 7 on a Latitude D420 for 2 months now.

Everything is wonderful except the non compatible Dell video driver which is stopping me playing games (crucial then). I stuck in all the Vista drivers in order (my build was for XP) but it continuously baulks at the video one (grinds teeth).  

I am sufficiently sold that I will go Windows 7 the moment it is released in Oct but possibly on another machine as I tire of the general graphics issues with this particular machine vs my personal needs, we are not a good match :s

I see a few of you are having trouble installing stuff like the chipset driver that detects you aren't on Vista before even trying to install.  Here is a fix for that:   Right click on the actual setup file that the .exe unzips to (the Rxxxxxx folder in C:\Dell\Drivers will have it) and then click on 'Troubleshoot Compatability'.  That will bring up a wizard that will check on some known compatibility issues then give you some options, in which it includes 'This program installed or ran in a previous version of Windows'.  Check mark that then click Windows Vista and then the program will run just fine and the driver will install correctly.  I had to do this to install the chipset driver on my Vostro 1500.   Also Windows 7 is running great on my Vostro 1500, love the new taskbar and how efficient it manages RAM now.  Plus my WiFi doesn't die whenever I come out of sleep anymore!  Driver compatibility seems like its a top priority for MS this time around.   Also for any video issues try and run Window Update and install the beta Nvidia driver from there, its never BSOD or froze on my 8600mGT so far, which is a 100% change from the Windows Vista beta.

So for users of Vostro 1500 you have almost no problems with the Windows 7 x86 or 32bit maybe a driver or two... Did the install find all your drivers automatically or did you have to install some manually???

I ran the Windows 7 upgrade advisor, and it said it needs to run Windows update for few of my hardware(see below). But in support.dell.com, my system (Vostro 1400 laptotp) was NOT listed as compatible with Windows 7 (http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=77A62C06A2328117E040AE0AB5E1579C&docid=364758).  So will i be able to use Windows 7 or not?

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System Requirements
	Upgrade	Backup system first	You'll need to perform a custom installation of Windows 7 and then reinstall your programs. Make sure to back up your files before you begin. Go online to get important information about installing Windows 7.
	Hard Drive Free Space	7.13 GB	You need at least 16 GB of free space on your hard disk to install 32-bit Windows 7, or 20 GB of free space to install 64-bit Windows 7. You can make room by removing unwanted files from your hard disk, contact your PC manufacturer or retailer to see if a hard disk with more capacity is available for your PC, or install Windows 7 on another hard disk.
	CPU speed	1.60 GHz	Your CPU meets the 1 GHz minimum requirement.
	RAM	2.50 GB	Your system memory meets the 1 GB requirement for 32-bit Windows 7 and the 2 GB requirement for 64-bit Windows 7.
	Windows Aero	Capable	Your system can run Windows Aero.
Devices
	Ricoh Memory Stick Host Controller Ricoh Company	Action recommended	Run Windows Update after installing Windows 7 to make this device compatible.
	Ricoh MMC Host Controller Ricoh Company	Action recommended	Run Windows Update after installing Windows 7 to make this device compatible.
	Ricoh xD-Picture Card Controller Ricoh Company	Action recommended	Run Windows Update after installing Windows 7 to make this device compatible.
	GlobeTrotter HSxPA Option nv	Not compatible	This device isn't compatible with Windows 7.
	SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC SigmaTel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Conexant HDA D330 MDC V.92 Modem Conexant	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller IEEE 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller Vendor	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet Broadcom	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-Card Broadcom	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8M 3 port Serial ATA Storage Controller - 2828 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2830 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2831 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2832 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2834 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2835 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 2836 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 283A Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Intel(R) ICH8M Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 2850 Intel	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family Intel Corporation	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family Intel Corporation	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	Laptop Integrated Webcam Creative Technology Ltd.	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.
	USB Mass Storage Device Compatible USB storage device	Compatible	This device is compatible with Windows 7.

From your specs the Vostro 1400 should run Windows 7 really well.  When you install W7, you'll see that critical components are already installed by the install disk.  Windows Update will pick up the Ricoh drivers.  You can install Dell's Vista 32-bit drivers for whatever may be missing.  If they won't install on first try, they'll usually install in Vista compabibility mode.

I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate on my Latitude E5500, and now I'm missing 2 gigs of Ram out of 4.  Dell tech support says the ram is there, just not showing, but I'm always getting prompts that I'm running low on memory and need to close and reopen programs.  My 2 gigs of ram is not being used or something.  Anyone know how to fix that?

I have installed WIN7 32 bit & 64 bit on 2 DELL laptops without any problems what-so-ever.  One is an INSPIRON 1525 32 bit & the other is a STUDIO 1555 64 bit.