Windows 10 on old (w/current BIOS) VOSTRO-200

 george.hilliker,

Thanks for posting this information. Hopefully, this will help other users in the same situation.

Vostro 3350-Win 10

I have a DELL Vostro 3350. The upgrade on Windows 10 Pro causes a very slow start by
the Microsoft updated video driver(v 15.200.1062.1004).
The Vostro 3350 is not certified by DELL for Windows 10 so I searched after a driver to use temporarily.
That is the 13.352.1001.0 (old beta version) and it run well. Temporarily I compelled to prevent the
updates of video driver by the hidden of installed video.
Now I'm waiting the permanent solution...

z2czovek

Additionally...

I mess with different operating systems on a regular basis.  I have Ubuntu 14.04 64 bit (stable) and 14.10 64 bit (development) running just fine on the VOSTRO 200.  All the software works fine and I multi-boot to Windows 7 on a second disk.  I have attempted to run Haiku (the latest iteration of BeOS) but it locks the system before I can even press F-12 to boot from USB.  I have not tried the image CD.  It may be that booting from a USB just locks up the VOSTRO 200.  I have not messed with the BIOS or system settings as this is my 'production' machine and I am reluctant to do TOO MUCH tinkering.  Has anyone else had issues booting from USB on this machine?

Hiya--
Interesting.  I "upgraded" my Vostro 220s to WIN10 and it worked great for several days before turning into a brick by displaying only a blackscreen.  With help from a MS engineer I got to a bluescreen that was supposed to be fixable.  However, somewhere along the way all of the boot options became bracketed and disabled.  So now I can't even get back to WIN7.

I posted my problem on this site but received no responses for 5 days.  Maybe I posted under the wrong heading but I'd sure like to hear from anyone about how to re-enable a CD/DVD boot option.

Interesting... 

I am wondering if you even get the Dell splash screen.  Probably not since you can't even get to a point where F-12 would allow you to boot from CD/DVD.  I had a similar problem (see above) but now my VOSTRO-200 locks up on the Dell splash screen and nothing will work.  I pulled the HDD and it seems fine so it is not the boot track or GRUB giving me the problem.

Have you tried building a bootable USB stick?  That would at least allow you to start the system from somewhere.  But again from what you have said, you are not even able to get to a point where you get the Dell splash screen.

I would pull the HDD and see if it is ok by putting it in an external USB case and see if you can read it as an external disk on another system.  That way at least you can salvage your data.  I am betting it is something in the BIOS and not the HDD.  There should be a boot ROM on the mother board of the Dell and if that has gone south there is little one can do but replace it.  No scasam, but good luck on that one.

I am running Windows 10 preview build on an old laptop and it is fine so I don't think the issue is Windows 10. The Dells seem to have some propriatary drivers that will not allow Windows 10 or Haiku to boot.  I worked with the MS engineers for a couple hours and they threw up their hands and finally said that the V-200 was not certified for Windows 10.  A Dell rep (on another thread in this form) said that there were no plans to build Windows 10 drivers for the V-200; I would guess the same goes for the V-220.  I am second guessing Dell but I would bet the farm that it is BIOS related.

Let me know if the data is salvagable on your system.  That will clarify the BIOS / drivers issue and confirm a "hardware" (Dell) issue.

Hi, George--Thanks for the rumination.  Actually, with MS's help the comp now starts up with the Dell screen. The F2 and F12  take me to the boot sequence that was previously unreachable but ALL of the boot options are bracketed and therefore disabled.  I've looked at several explanations of how to re-enable the CD/DVD option--which could at least get me back to WIN7--but they're beyond my comfort level--not that I could really foul it up further.

We have 2 Dells and the minimal/nonesistant post-warranty-help Dell provides means that we'll research other options in the future.

Mine was salvaged.  I got 3 years out of it; multibooting Linux (Ubuntu) and Windows.  No real complaints other than the proprietary stuff.

Jesse,

My VOSTRO 200 now only boots to the Dell splash screen and then freezes.  I have pulled both HDD and they are fine.  Any clue where to start looking for the problem?

Well, not totally true.  Dell Vostro 200 which originally ran XP.  I upgraded from XP to Win 7 14 months ago.  I attempted the Win 10 upgrade via the Windows Update path and it failed - as you noted.  I instead used the 64-bit media creation tool, did Upgrade Now, did keep Nothing - and install completed A-OK. 

However, when the machine came up, Win 10 would not activate, claiming the product ID of past install (Win 7) was not correct.  I had to call MS and activate over the phone (not automated, needed a rep) - took about 25 minutes to get through the call and get Win 10 activated.

I have been using the machine for several days now without fail or issue.  Albeit, there are no Dell drivers for the box - but so far, core systems (network, display, sound, storage, etc) are working fine.  Maybe more to come, but so far, so good.

Separately, and has less to do with Win 7 vs Win 10 and more to do with simply running a fresh install - the machine is FAR, FAR, FAR FASTER now.  A welcome side effect.

Hi,

Thanks for the update.  Since I have 32 bit Windows 7 Professional it never occurred to me to use the 64 bit version of Windows 10.  Dumb, I guess, since I dual boot 64 bit Ubuntu 15.04 on the Vostro.  Do you think it would be possible to replace the Win 7 install with the 64 bit Win 10 and retain the dual boot feature???

I had a USB3 hub plugged into one of the back USB2 ports and the system hung at the Dell splash screen every time. Once I unhooked the USB3 hub, it booted ok. 

See my answer here:
en.community.dell.com/.../20833240

BINGO!  I did a clean install of Windows 10 64 bit on my VOSTRO 200 and it seems to be working just fine.  Like OPENDOORSWV, it will not activate but that is most likely a separate issue.

Windows 10 TH2 will be out next week and will activate with a Windows 7 OEM or Windows 7 Retail key.

Related: I had the apparently very notorious 'critical start menu error' in windows 10 on my Vostro 220.
I upgraded from W7 a few months ago with no/little problems. The MS diagnostic cleared the system for supporting W10 and install and subsequent use seemed to be going fine until this error popped up that prevents access to the start menu (might affect cortana as well).

Microsoft's help: I may need a new 'driver' from Dell.
HOWEVER, looking at Dell's support for this older system (and our old 580, not to mention the even older Inspiron 8600 laptop) they explicitly state:

"Dell is not testing or developing Windows 10 drivers for this product. If you choose to upgrade, some features, applications, and connected devices may not work as expected." !!

With MS's help the only solution for this Vostro was to roll back/restore the latest windows 10 update. so far it work - maybe until a newer W10 update.

Dell should work with MS to make sure their products work together. Neither seems to take responsibility for this. Danger: suddenly an almost unusable system.