Reinstalling Vista on my Inspiron 1720

The fix only worked when there was ONE hard drive in the Laptop... When I'd put the secondary drive in, it wouldn't communicate with the main drive and would lock up. I found that I could use my drive as ACHI, but had to follor Sherlock_holmes advice in this thread with a little modification..

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19246800/19546192.aspx#19546192

Here's his solution:

""I had to down load the driver pack R154200 and load to flash drive  ( exstract all files to the root of flash drive) and
inject on initial install only the i aahci. cat and iastor drivers ( you can only install 1 driver at a time so ensure u load both drivers before you continue install). This
then allowed the dell vista premium disc to run in fully without freezing
and causing blue screen crash.  You can load the drivers prior to the install screen of the dell os disc ( it does state load drivers)""

What I DID...

I downloaded the R154200 driver pack from the Dell webpage. I then extracted the files and just burned them ALL to a CDR. Go toyour Bios on the 1720 and turn the Drive operation back to ACHI. When Vista comes up during Install, there's an option to Load Drivers. Take out the OS disk and put in the CDR of drivers. It'll look for the only ones compatible with your system and it'll find only one. Install it, and then take out the CDR and put the OS disk back in and complete the installation. I then put back in the secondary hard drive and they would communicate

Install Windoes 7.  Go to the Nvidia website and scan your system for the correct video driver and install it.  Your good to go.  Vista was total junk.

Thanks, and I get what you are saying, I did the BIOS change to ATA then finished install, but I can't install the drivers and I do not have the original DEll driver disc, so I downloaded the file you attached but I can't install it what do I do?

I tried this way, I extracted the files to a CDROM from r154200 than put the dell vista cd in, then hit load ddriver and it found no compatible drivers on the CD?

After several attempts to recover a Dell Studio one's crashed disk, without any result. I needed to replace the HD, until I changed via F2 to SATA, problem solved, many thanks. Regards Gary D

THIS DID NOT WORK FOR ME!!! for 3 hours it was installing vista. on the 4th hour I noticed it was stuck on completing installation!!! I found this site.. I went into the bios and did the steps.. but it didnt continue set up!!!!!! instead it made a partion!! I dont want that! This is a new hard drive. I dont want this junk on it. now what? Why do we have these problems? its bad enough my old hard drive quit! and I lost everything! This is horrible 5 hours and no computer! Why doesnt the disk just work????

Please have a look at my wiki A Clean Install of Windows Vista, it will guide you through the entire install. For the SATA drivers please take note of:

Step 6. Preparing SATA Drivers 

Download R154200 and then extract the file with 7zip as shown (get 7zip from here, select the 32 bit .msi)

This leads you to a folder with the same name R154200 as the driver, copy all the contents of this folder onto a USB stick/DVD/CD.

When installing:

Note select Custom (advanced) even/especially if you are "upgrading". There are always some bugs when selecting "Upgrade" on this screen and this seriously hinders your systems performance.

When you get to this screen select Load Driver and select your SATA drivers USB stick.

Ensure that "Hide drivers that are not compatible with hardware on this computer is ticked" (it should be set like this by default).

Another thing that will help you is the slipstream of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and the SATA drivers onto your installation media. This is a bit involved but I will write down full instructions for you.

On another computer download vlite and the Automated Installation Kit. Note the second file is very large. Download Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (of the correct language - English is default), this file is quite large also.

In addition download and install 7zip as mentioned before. Download and install imgburn. Also download Novacorp WinToFlash. You will need a 4 GB USB stick or superior and/or a Blank DVD.

While downloading insert your Windows Vista DVD, open the disc in Windows explorer, press Ctrl and A (select all), Ctrl and C (copy) and create a new folder on the desktop called Vista Ctrl and V here (paste).

You should end up with a folder like this.

Once you have downloaded everything your download folder should be like this:

Install 7zip "7z920" or "7zip920x64" for a 64 bit OS also install imgburn. 

Next right click the file and select 7 zip and extract to 6001.18000.080118-1840-kb3aikl_en. Do the same for R154200 and the WinToFlash_0.7.0048-Beta. Your download folder should now look like this:

Go to the 6001.18000.080118-1840-kb3aikl_en folder and run the startcd application, accept the UAC prompt

Select the Windows AIK Setup and continue through with the install. Once installed, run the vLite-1.2.installer. Once installed run vlite from the start menu.

Then select ok

Select the same version of Windows Vista as on your installation DVD. Let it load it might take a while, you will get a description such as

Operating System, architecture and version. This should be what you selected and 32 bit for this system. Next go to the task tabs and select Service Pack Slipstream Only.

Then click the slipstream tab (under tasks) you will given the option to slipstream a Service Pack, browse for the Windows6.0-KB936330-X86-wave0 file in your downloads. Let it slipstream, this will take at least an hour so find something else to do while waiting.

Once that is done, you will only be given the option to exit the program so do so. Next again open Vlite, select the folder, select the same version of Windows Vista if asked again. Select tasks. Note Service Pack Slipstream will not be available on the list anymore. Select Integration only.

Go to the Integration tab, then select drivers and select enable. Go to insert and then select multiple driver folder.

Now select R154200 in downloads

Select all and then the screen should look like above. Select Apply. You will need to again close Vlite and open it back up. Then create a bootable .iso.

You may then burn this .iso to DVD using ImgBurn, just double click the .iso 

Alternatively to the .iso and DVD burning you may insert a USB flash stick preferably 8 GB or higher. Run the NovaCorp WinToFlash program.

Click on the Green Tick to begin the Windows Setup Transfer Wizard.

Select next.

Select the Vista folder on your desktop in Windows Paths File and your USB stick in USB drive. Click next and wait for it to finish.

Use this instead to install Windows Vista i.e. boot to USB opposed to CD/DVD.

Not SATA but I mean AHCI... sorry

PLEASE HELP! This is not working! My computer is stuck in ATA mode! Because you said to change it to install drivers.. well thats great but not my computer looks like it is in safe mode and looks horrible.. worse than safe mode. I go to change it back to Sata and it will not boot, it goes to would you like to start windows normally and keeps going back to that screen. So,,, I ordered the dell inspiron drivers.. because the CDs I have are Drivers and Utilities for webcam, reinstalling Dell media direct... and  operating system NONE in which set up drivers on the Windows setp up screen where is says load drivers.. none load. So what do I do?

I cant keep renstalling windows and keep partitioning my hard drive!!!!!! Why would this just work???

So I did this and yes it works,, BUT I can't have the computer looking like it is in safe mode. It is weird can't see anything, When I change it back it wont boot! HELP

First change it back to ATA. The problem will be you are missing system drivers or not refreshing the Windows Experience Index. Follow the following step by step.

On another computer download R154200 and run it, copy the extracted contents to a USB stick. It should automatically open the folder for you. Otherwise you will need to go to C:Dell\Drivers\R154200

Next remove all devices attached from your computer and Insert the Media Direct DVD. Power down your system, press F12 at the BIOs screen and select boot from CD/DVD. Press any key when prompted such as "h" when it says Press any Key to boot from CD/DVD.

Select Option 1 from the menu if you wish to use all of the hard drive for your operating system installation. 
This is the most common selection and is how your computer was originally shipped to you, unless you specified an operating system partition size at the time you ordered your computer.

When prompted remove the Media Direct DVD and replace it with the Dell Windows Vista Reinstallation DVD. Also insert the USB flash drive which has the SATA drivers.

Power down the computer again press F12 at the Dell BIOs screen. Select boot from CD/DVD. Press any key when prompted such as "h" when it says Press any Key to boot from CD/DVD.

You will get a black screen that says "Windows is Starting Files" then one that says Microsoft Corporation. These should disappear pretty quickly. Next one that says Starting Windows

 You will then be prompted for your language, time and currency format and keyboard settings. Mine are all set to U.K. as shown below, amend for your preference.

Select Install Now. 

Read the license, check to select and then select Next.

Next select Custom (Advanced).

When you get to this screen select Load Driver and select your USB stick.

Ensure that "Hide drivers that are not compatible with hardware on this computer is ticked" (it should be set like this by default). Select all the drivers listed and then click next. It will take you back to this screen.

Click on the largest partition and then click next. Do not alter any of the partitions otherwise Dell Media Direct won't work.

You will then a screen telling you the progress of the install.

Note some parts may be very fast and some steps may be very slow.

However it should not take any more than a few hours; if it is stuck on the same % for a few hours on one part then it has likely froze and you must start again (this rarely happens) by holding down the power button until the machine powers off and then reattempting the install. Eventually you will get to here.

Type in your "username". Next type in your password, retype it and leave yourself a hint. Alternatively just select next (to have no password - not recommended but optional).

Now name the computer, by default the PC name will be "username-PC" but you can change this as desired. Next you will get the Windows Update options, I generally select Use recommended settings.

Then select your time and date settings.

Set up Network settings and or connect to a wireless network. Note you may not get this or be able to do this if the wireless and/or ethernet drivers are not installed. You may ignore this step and connect later.

Finally the setup will Finalise.

When you first login, Vista may assess your hardware after this which will take a few minutes.

While running through this install. Use another computer to download the following onto a USB stick:

• Service Pack 1 (x86) 

• Service Pack 2 (x86) 

• Internet Explorer 9 (x86) 

• R143625 Dell Notebook Software

• R153997 Intel Chipset Driver

• R141246 Ricoh Chipset Driver

• R179345 Intel Video Driver and/or R190091 nVidea Video Driver (Try both if one fails then it doesn't apply to your system)

• R154164 Intel Turbo Memory Driver

• R154198 Intel Matrix Storage Manager Application

• R167146 Intel Turbo Memory Application

• R150152 Conexant Modem Driver, R148605 Conexant Modem Utility and R147130 Conexant Modem Diagnostics

• R149798 Broadcom Ethernet Driver, R150593 Broadcom Ethernet Diagnostics

• R174292 Dell Wireless Card Driver (there are a few options here, but this one is the most common - if it doesn't work let me know)

• R165804 Touchpad Driver

• R173082 Webcam Driver and R230103 Dell Webcam Centre

• R171786 Sigmatel Audio Driver

• R180762 Dell Quickset

• R140135 Dell 355 Bluetooth Driver

Next on the Windows Desktop insert the Media Direct DVD. Run the application, it should autorun if not go to my computer, click the DVD and click the setup file. Once Media Direct is installed. Once all the above are installed you should now be able to connect your system to the internet. Download:

• Microsoft Security Essentials

• R169620 Dell Media Direct Update

• Dell Dock (Optional)

• Dell Support Centre (Optional/Recommended)

• Microsoft Works or Microsoft Office (you should have discs with a product key if you bought it)

Next go to start, on the start menu right click computer and select properties. Select the Device Manager. Ensure there are no items marked with a yellow exclamation or question mark.

Click on the Windows Experience Index, refresh it (it will be out of date). Once this is done Vista should look normal, if it doesn't go to control panel Appearance and Personalisation and adjust the screen resolution.

I tried several times, using your advice, but I forgot to load the drivers, so it didn't work.  Now when I try, I find setup is locked, and it doesn't accept the the admin password I have.  So, I  am stuck.  What can I do to unlock setup and follow the steps you kindly outlined?

Mutke

THIS QUESTION HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was having the same problem but this (see below) totally worked.

Thanks Jesse!

Craig.Hewitt, Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum. You will need to install the Sata Driver. On one of the setup screens is an option to install drivers on the lower right side of the screen. Choose this option and put the Dell Driver disk in. The driver it is looking to install is the Intel Matrix Storage Driver. If you need to download this driver and put it on a disk you can click the title below. Another way to complete the install without first installing the driver is to change the bios setting to ATA. To do this restart the system and press F2 to enter setup. Once there you can TAB down to Onboard Devices and hit Enter. Then tab down to SATA Operation. You will then see at the top of the screen on the right side ATA and AHCI. Change this to ATA. Save the changes and exit out. Once the system restarts you should be able to complete the install. After the install and you have loaded the drivers you will need to go back into the bios and change the setting back to AHCI. Intel Storage Driver