Installing Windows 7

Did you remember to blank the target partition?  In most cases, Windows 7 should be installed clean especially when moving to x64.

pbsilver,

Did you install the drivers in order?

How to Install Drivers in Microsoft® Windows® on Dell Systems

With problem devices/software, did you try installing these items in the Compatibility Mode? The Vista drivers should work for the items that you do NOT have Windows 7 drivers for.

Rick 

I am trying to also install Win7 32bit on a E6500 and have downloaded all the drivers associated with the hardware in my configuration, That said, I have found two issues:

1. there is no DSS or NSS drivers for Win7 on the E6500

2. these instructions do not take into account the SATA drivers (Intel Matrix Manager) so I am not sure in this where to install these- at the end, at the beginning because they are involved with the HDD?

I have contacted Dell support and they verify there is no DSS or NSS for the E6500 under Win7. I guess since they ship E6500s w/ Win7 this is not an issue. What I have been unable to get an answer on is the SATA driver installation in the correct order.

Any help would be appreciated.

steve rose

Steve Rose,

The instructions for installing the drivers seems to work, in most cases. I would download the Vista 32-bit drivers and install them in the Compatibility Mode. Not all operating systems have the Desktop/Notebook Utility.

Right click on the drivers file, left click properties, left click compatibility. Change the compatibility to Vista. Then right click on the drivers, left click run as administrator.

The Desktop/Notebook Utility needs to be installed first(if applicable), then the chipset drivers. If they are NOT installed first, then the rest of the drivers will fail to install.

Since the operating system was re-installed did you remember to go to drivers and downloads, enter your service tag(DO NOT POST SERVICE TAG here or your post will get deleted, since it contains your personal information), and install these drivers in this order.

:emotion-55: Hint :emotion-55: When downloading the drivers, make a folder for each drivers and name it with the device it belongs with to make it easier to install them in the proper order.

Desktop System Software or Notebook System Software(if applicable)
Chipset or SMBus driver
Processor Driver (if applicable)
Video
Audio (sound)
Input Drivers (keyboard/mouse)
Modem
Network Card

QuickSet(Laptop only)

Rick

Rick,

Thanks. I actually did go and download all the relevant drivers based on my Service Tag number and have them in different folders for organizational sake and being sure they are installed in the correct order.

That said, the NSS is not there for Win7 as I said and in my online conversation/chat w/ Dell support they said it was not needed. As these are the first to be installed, I can try to install the 32 bit Vista NSS driver first and see what happens under Win7 32bit.

Now to the question of the SATA drivers (Intel Matrix Manager), should I do these last because your list above, like the one from the Dell site on driver installation, does not mention these at all.

Thanks

steve

Steve,

Desktop/Notebook Utility(if applicable) then the chipset drivers need installed first. After they're installed, the order isn't as crucial.

Problem drivers/software install better using the compatibility mode.

Rick

Well, lo and behold, when I went to download the Vista NSS driver as you suggested, there is now one for Win 7 32 bit under the System Utilities heading. It is dated 4/12/2010 and is an A01 version.

I will use this and follow the order specified.

Thanks

steve rose