Dell XPS 8700 Upgrade from Win 7

Question

Good day all. I have a Dell XPS 8700, i7 4790, 16G Ram purchased with Win 7 pre-installed. It came with Win 7 and Win 8.1 OEM OS installation disks. Jan 2020 is just around the corner, so the window for future use of BELOVED Windows 7 is closing. I am looking at options for continuing use of my XPS 8700. I really don't like Win 8.1 or Win 10 but, at this point in time, I am leaning toward installing Win 8.1 from my OEM OS disk and running it with Classic Shell or one of the other shell programs. I have searched the web for first hand experience with this machine running Win 10, and the results are somewhat murky. I would welcome any first hand comments on XPS 8700 with Win 10.

My problem regarding the Win 8.1 option is that the first two digits of the product key on my Win 8.1 OS disk sleeve are missing. On the Win 7 disk sleeve the first two digits are "US". Does anyone know if these two digits would be the same on both sleeves. And, if not, is it possible to retrieve the full key from Dell. This is a great machine and I would really like to continue using it. Thanks

Mary G · Answer

Just upgrade to windows 10. Dell has the drivers that you need and it runs fine on my xps 8700. You do not have to use the Start page with the apps--I don't. Just change the setting to open on the Desktop and it will look exactly like Win 8. There are a few diff things but it will seem very familiar and a lot more convenient. Make sure to upgrade the bios before making any changes. A14 is the latest bios that just came out a couple of weeks ago.

cyberanvil · Answer

personally, i didn't have a problem with the Win10 operating system, i just didn't like (as in hate) the Desktop and the way Win10 looked and felt.

enter the savior. people need to check this app. out. i use it and it's downright great. also, many YouTube videos showing ways to get Win10 free and legal.

Classic Shell with Windows 10!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCnEhqmfZgc&list=PL4k16X62ciwLLnfNxWAZNr5q_-V_iv4rt&index=103&t=12s

68cutlass · Answer

I've updated a couple 8700 and 8500 to Windows 10 without issues. As of last week the free upgrade was still working fine. Once upgraded you can reinstall in the future due to the electronic activation.

savvy2 · Answer

AND START 10 BY STARDOCK (WOW)

AND FENSES, try it , it is amazing product this. same place.

all for cheap, check it out.

and then run O&O startup 10, and set the spying off, even 1 click. there.

then load Malwarebytes free version

for best of best apps try Revo Uninstaller, it g1ets them out roots and all, (my most fav. program is this)

the others are trying to tell you, just install w10, and the COA is free I your BIOS hidden kinda.

just do it. then if a problem ask for help.

My T3610 loaded 10 , for free, imagine that,.... (data backed up as per normal, yahda yada...

BonneD2013 · Answer

Thanks for the reply savvy2. You're comment 'Just do it' is a little broad and general. Did several searches on xps 8700 upgrade to Win 10 and it gets very confusing quickly. I don't know how to obtain Win 10 or in what form. Upgrade, retail copy. I've never done a clean install and I imagine it can be challenging. Maybe MS will release another free upgrade before they drop support for Win 7. Are you running Win 10 OEM preloaded, Upgrade through MS, or clean install of retail copy? Thanks

cyberanvil · Answer

so simple a caveman can do it. use YouTube for instruction. each of the links below is a different instructor. watch all and get comfortable.

i never would have switched to Win10 until i found the "Classic Shell" program. you did watch the link i posted above, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REKznFa0oS0&list=PL4k16X62ciwLLnfNxWAZNr5q_-V_iv4rt&index=46&t=73s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-MBzpxDcKQ&list=PL4k16X62ciwLLnfNxWAZNr5q_-V_iv4rt&index=68&t=53s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2cpyAa7yj8&list=PL4k16X62ciwLLnfNxWAZNr5q_-V_iv4rt&index=45&t=306s

U2CAMEB4ME · Answer

Welcome to the Dell Community @BonneD2013

For a clean Windows 10 install:

You can make a W10 USB flash drive installer with the Microsoft Media Creation Tool.

Use a blank 8GB or 16GB flash drive.

If your Laptop/Desktop is not working then use another Windows Laptop/Desktop

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Here are the steps to create the W10 USB flash drive installer:

Plug in the blank USB flash drive:

CAUTION: Any content on the flash drive will be deleted.

Select Download tool now, and select Run.

If you agree to the license terms, select Accept.

On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media for another PC, and then select Next.

Select the language, edition, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) for Windows 10.

Select which media you want to use:

USB flash drive.

After creating the USB plug it into the Laptop/Desktop that you want to install it on.

Boot from the USB and follow the directions/instructions.

If asked to enter a product key during the installation process, select "I don't have a product key" option.

After W10 installs, you can install the drivers and available software from your Laptop/Desktop support page.

To activate W10.

WXP and WVista COA's cannot be used to activate W10.

W7 COA'S can still be used to activate W10. "xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx"

W8, W8.1 and W10 embedded COA's will activate automatically when you go online.

Best regards,

U2

BonneD2013 · Answer

Sure did. I have also watched (and read) quite a few articles going back to Classic Shell for 8.1. Ideally I wish that Win 7 would not go away. But 'If wishes were horses then beggars would ride'. I'm contemplating several plans of action right now. I have cloned my HDD to SSD and will install today. Hopefully it will boot without a hitch. If I can keep my XPS 8700 viable I will try to nurse another 3 years out of it, either with Win 10 or Win 8.1. But in either case I will probably use Classic Shell or one of the others. Also thinking of migration to MacBook pro with Win 10 bootcamp as secondary OS. My opinion of Microsoft in recent years has surely diminished, and sometimes they remind me of a ship without a rudder. I'm typing this on my Win 10 phone which has, Imo, the finest mobile os ever created.. This too will be unsupported come January. Oh well, it is what it is and, like everyone, I'll have to choose what best suits my needs. Thanks again for your input.

BonneD2013 · Answer

Thanks so much for the thorough input.

U2CAMEB4ME · Answer

@cyberanvil

Just tested an install of W10 1903 on a 13 year old Latitude D820 for another OP.

https://www.dell.com/community/Latitude/Can-I-run-Windows-10-on-a-Latitude-D820/m-p/7347250#M14263

All drivers installed except "nVidia Quadro NVS 110M"

I just left it with "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter"

The system runs smoothly and surprisingly fast.

Regards,

U2

cyberanvil · Answer

my 10 year old 630i is running on Win10.  bit slow, but it's functional except for Cortana.

U2CAMEB4ME · Answer

@notme2020  Did you click on 'Create installation media for another PC'??? Regards,  U2

U2CAMEB4ME · Answer

@notme2020  Was the message during the USB creation??? Regards, U2

notme2020 · Answer

The current version of Win10 at 'https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10' is incompatible with XPS8700. I have told to wait at 30 days when supposedly MS has all the compatibility issues fixed. I tried all day, yesterday to install and  the message back was that my computer was incompatible. I also checked the Dell site and it said the same. The last version of Win10 that was compatible was released in Oct. 2018. Kinda of crazy isn't it.

Vic384 · Answer

'The last version of Win10 that was compatible was released in Oct. 2018. Kinda of crazy isn't it.' It is not crazy that Windows 10 Version 1903 is not currently compatible. According to this Microsoft article, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4514156/updating-to-windows-10-version-1903-on-devices-with-certain-versions-o, the Intel RST driver must be version 15.5.2.1054 or later and the recommended version is 15.9.6.1044. I have read that you should see if the OEM has an updated driver, that Intel RST drivers may be modified by the OEM and that drivers directly from Intel are not recommended. Here is another article on the subject: https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-1903-clash-old-intel-storage-drivers-can-block-update/

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Dell XPS 8700 Upgrade from Win 7

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