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April 6th, 2009 07:00
Can't install XP Home on Sata Drive - XPS 631i
I just received a Dell XPS 630i installed with Vista, which I absolutely hate. Dell sold me XP Home saying it was the only version that had the appropriate SATA drivers for video, audio, etc. I'm using a new Western Dig SATA drive which I formatted using the disk that came with it. I took out the Vista disk and put in the new one. (I'm keeping the Vista drive intact in case I have to deal with Dell because they said I'd be violating my warranty by installing a different OS, even though they sold me the XP Home disk).
When I put the original XP installation disk in I got a BSOD when the installation got to the "Windows is starting XP" board. After some investigating, I realized I needed SATA drivers, so I got them from Dell Downloads and slipstreamed them into an installation disk made by nlite. Installation started and looked like all was going well until I got to the EULA agreement page which says to push F8 to agree. I pushed F8 until my finger was sprained but the installation wouldn't continue. The SATA drivers I downloaded are "nVidia_MediaShield_A08_R178505". Maybe I have the wrong ones?
Than I got an old floppy drive from my 'bone yard' and installed it and put the SATA drivers on a diskette. Booted up with the XP disk and pressed to install RAID drivers. I could see them being installed, but again the installation stopped at the EULA page and pressing does nothing.
Anyone experienced this problem and have a solution? I can't tell you how much time and frustration I have invested in this seemingly simple task. I'm ready to throw the machine out the window onto the driveway and watch it smash into bits.
Judy
jackshack
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April 6th, 2009 09:00
Edited: Scratch that; my search came up with the Vista driver. Yours is correct.
One thing I've learned about Windows is that it doesn't always like the master boot records that are set up by other formatting programs. If you've an option to set the SATA controller to an IDE compatible mode, such as RAID Autodetect/ATA, you might want to try using a start-up disk from Windows Me so that you can reset the MBR using FDISK. In fact, you might even be able to try that with the Windows XP boot disk as it uses the IDE drivers originally shipped with that OS.
Judy716
3 Posts
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April 11th, 2009 12:00
Thanks Jack for your suggestions, but nothing seems to work on this computer. If I could get XP installed, I could find out if it's the machine or the software that's the lemon. I can't boot from an A Floppy or the Optical Drive with any disk that contains fdisk or any other old software. Vista informs me that the program isn't compatible with my system. It does the same if I try to download a boot disk with fdisk on it...just shuts off the download window and says program isn't compatible.
As close as I've come is with the nLite disk with XP Home copied to it and the Dell XP SATA drivers added. That will boot, but as I said in my first message, the installation goes as far as the EULA agreement and pressing F8 to agree doesn't let it continue.
I'm totally baffled. Not sure about setting the SATA controller to IDE compatible...I'll check and give it a try if I can.
Thanks again,
Judy