XP upgrade to vista

So you insert your vista upgrade disc while on the XP desktop and get the message windows Xp is not Vista compatible?

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First of all do not "upgrade" to windows Vista. Do a "clean install". Many people are doing the "upgrade" and having performance problems due to incompatible drivers and programs left behind from xp and other things. I personally do not recommend upgrading to Vista if you have less then 2Gb of RAM installed.

 

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If in the UK, I recommend Offtek:

http://www.offtek.co.uk/ddr2.php?subcat=70&subcat1=44&subgroup=1&memtype=DDR2-PC5300

Select 200 Pin DDR2 SoDimm.

Either 2×1Gb Modules or 2×2Gb (Will read 3.25Gb but well worth it for vista) Modules.

If elsewhere or if your prefer Crucial, heres the RAM you need:

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT2KIT25664AC667

 

RAM really easy to upgrade, see here for instructions: http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins6400/en/sm/memory.htm#wp999869

 

If happy with your RAM just ignore the above.

 

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Before Proceeding back up all data on a USB Flash disc/ External Hard drive 

 

Insert your Vista Upgrade Disc. Power down your computer and Press F12 at this screen.

 

 

Use the down key to navigate to boot from cd/dvd and press enter. When the vista disc loads, you should end up with a screen like this, you will have more partitions:

 

 

Single click on the C: Partition and then click format. Then tell Vista to install on this partition.

 

Do not touch any other partitions

 

Follow the install through, it will ask for your name, maybe a product key, regional and keyboard settings.

 

Meanwhile... Download the following onto another machine and copy to a CD/DVD flash drive or external hard drive:

 

Copy the following to a CD or DVD or external hard drive.

 

1. Download vista service pack 1:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=b0c7136d-5ebb-413b-89c9-cb3d06d12674&displaylang=en

 

Download the following drivers from here:

 

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?os=WLH&osl=EN&catid=-1&impid=-1&servicetag=&SystemID=INSPIRONI6400%2FE1505&hidos=WW1&hidlang=en

 

2. Dell System Notebook Software Under System Utilities

 

3. Both the Chipset drivers

 

4. Then the Intel Video Driver (or ATI or NVIDEA depending what you have) 

 

5. Then the two Conexant Drivers Under Communications

 

6. Then the two Broadcom Drivers Under Network

 

7. Then depending what you have Dell Wireless Card or Intel PROSET Wireless under Network

 

8. Then the Sigmatel Driver under Audio (Sigmatel Audio Driver can be problematic, can get away without installing it on Vista)

 

9. Then Synaptics Touchpad under Input Devices

 

10. Then the Dell Quickset under Applications

  

11. Bluetooth Driver under network if you have Bluetooth, will be a Blue Light if switched on if you have a bluetooth card. (Had to XP install Bluetooth driver afterwards aswell to get it to work)

 

12. Install the two Dell Diagnostic Drivers (May not need these if you have left all other partitions alone, diagnostic partition should still remain)

 

13. If using msn messenger download from here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Chat/Instant-Messaging/MSN-Messenger-8.shtml  and download this http://www.apatch.org/ to customise the messenger and get rid of adverts.

 

14. Download and install the Klite Codec Pack for Windows Media Player:

http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/KLite-Codec-Pack-Download-16475.html

 

15. Also recommend you download and install Adobe Reader 9 and PDF Creator 0.9.6 here in order to read and print PDFs:

http://www.adobe.com/

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57796

 

Ok now install all the drivers in the order I specified.

 

Restart and load up windows, once in the windows vista desktop insert you dell media direct disc and it should prompt you to install if not go to my computer and double click the disc to install note install while on the windows desktop or you'll format your harddrive. (Note I had to go onto standby and then power back up as my installation froze at 10% but continued after returning from standby)

 

Once thats done press the dell media direct button, note do not do so before this stage. Set it up for configuration and go to update note you will have to go to update 2 -3 times to get the latest version which I believe is 4.7. Once thats done power down your computer and press the media direct button and smile since it should be working.

 

Then go to vista and install all other such as antivirus and office programs copy music and documents over etc. Be sure to go to windows update to get other vista updates.

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