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cneville101

23 Posts

119531

February 3rd, 2007 00:00

XPS 700 - VISTA Install problems x 3 days

Has any other XPS 700 owner had any problems installing Vista Home Premium???
 
Here are my specs:
 
Core2 Duo, E6700 (2.67 GHz, 1066FSB), 4MB cache
4 GB RAM @ 667MHz
20 in 2007 WFP display
Dual 256, NVIDIA 7900 GS
320 GB SATA drive
XP Media Center
16X DVD-ROM & 16X DVD+/-RW
VISTA CAPABLE
13 in 1 media card reader
 
I have been trying (and failing) to install Vista Home Premium since Tuesday evening.
 
1st install was an upgrade (trying to install without erasing any of the old data).  That failed a number of times.
 
After 24 hours of trying (and at least 14 hours on the phone with MS and Dell), I reinstalled XP and cleaned everything off my C drive.  I also disconnected just about everything peripheral that I could (except monitor, serial keyboard, mouse...).
 
I then did an install overwriting the C drive... that failed.
 
I then went out and purchased a full version of Vista Home Premium - thinking that I may have had a bad DVD.
 
I installed the full version, overwriting the c-drive... that failed.  Found out from Microsoft that they have a known problem with systems with over 3 GB of RAM.  So, I had to remove two GB for the install.  Still didn't work.
 
I then formatted the C-drive - wiped everything off of it and tried the install again... same result... failed.
 
By now, Microsoft was convinced that this was not a VISTA problem, instead it was a Dell hardware/driver problem.
 
I just called Dell and was told that Dell is not supporting the ViSTA upgrade on my "Vista Capable" computer.  I went crazy on the poor guy who told me that. 
 
It turns out that it appears that Dell sold me a bill of goods... this is not a Vista Capable computer - they don't have drivers for much of the hardware in the computer.
 
Dell just had me disconnect the 13 in 1 media card reader and I reinstalled Vista for probably the 14th time.
 
Was told that my optical drives might not work and Dell won't support them in Vista if they don't work.
 
What is going on here??  Should I just go back to XP and write off the 3 days of lost work, 3 nights of VERY little sleep and $3000+ that I paid for this Vista Capable system??
 
Thanks for listening - BEWARE of this upgrade - shame on Dell if they don't support this upgrade.
 
CMN

TENDEM

38 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 02:00

Do you have RAID?

TENDEM

38 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 02:00

Please use this link to learn how to wipe everything off your HD. Then you can install Vista.

TENDEM

38 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 02:00

gdwrnch3

2 Intern

 • 

3.3K Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

What you will have to do to get Vista installed, is remove one of your video cards, as there are no drivers yet for SLI, and remove 2 gigs of ram.
Boot from your DVD rom, when given the option, delete your partitions, and select your drive, and Vista will install in about 20 minutes. After first boot, you can install your other 2 gigs of ram and everything should be cool. Make sure you install the updated drivers for nvidia mediashield otherwise your pc will have to be shut down with the power button.
Good luck, you will really like Vista once you get it in. It's awesome!!!
jd

TENDEM

38 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

cneville101

23 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

No RAID.
 
 
Have been considering the benefits of having one very recently.
 
 
CMN

TENDEM

38 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

Yes. It helped me get my xps 410 back when I tried installing. Nothing helped. The debugging cleaned it all up. Tt cleans more than formatting does.

cneville101

23 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

Tandem,
 
I have already reformatted my HD (went to the c: and used the dreaded Format c: command).  Tried to install from the DVD after that - and my system stopped at exactly the same place as it had before.
 
After this didn't work, the Microsoft level 2 tech was convinced that this could no longer be a Vista software problem and that it had to be a Dell hardware/driver problem.
 
I tend to agree with that assessment.
 
Thanks
 
CMN

TENDEM

38 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

Its def not a Vista issue.

amydawn99

15 Posts

February 3rd, 2007 03:00

Does your link really help?  I've been trying to install Windows Vista since Tuesday, and I'm having the same problems.
 
I get to Step 3, about 21% complete...then I get a blue screen with Stop code:  0x000000E1.  I've been on the phone with both Microsoft and Dell, and no one can seem to point me in the right direction.
 
I, too, have completely wiped out my hard drive.  I even deleted and reformatted partitions hoping that this would help.  I'm back to Windows XP Media Center Edition, but I've lost files/music/etc. 
 
Is Vista worth it?

gdwrnch3

2 Intern

 • 

3.3K Posts

February 3rd, 2007 04:00

It's a Vista/Nvidia/Microsoft issue
Vista will not install with 4 gigs of ram without this patch: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930261/en-us
I didn't use it, I just removed the ram

gdwrnch3

2 Intern

 • 

3.3K Posts

February 3rd, 2007 04:00

amydawn, what are your system specs.?
 

gdwrnch3

2 Intern

 • 

3.3K Posts

February 3rd, 2007 04:00

gdwrnch3

2 Intern

 • 

3.3K Posts

February 3rd, 2007 04:00

Well, I can't say because I've had Vista in wayyyyyy longer than the patch has been out, also if you read the article, you must install Vista first, maybe it holds it in a cache until the system reboots?

gdwrnch3

2 Intern

 • 

3.3K Posts

February 3rd, 2007 04:00

Hmmm, thats quite strange then that no one can get Vista in with 4 gigs of ram?

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