Welcome to the forums :emotion-21:

 

 

Why didn't you just restore it to factory defaults, using the 'Recovery' partition?

Did you format the hard drive (HDD) prior to starting the install, or did you do a 'Repair' install? 

If you didn't format the HDD, you should still have the recovery partition (D:\) - assuming you haven't deleted it intentionally before of course?

And in that case, you can use Dell's guide on 'Restoring your [Dell] computer to the factory settings'.

Make sure you have everything important backed up first though, because a restoration wipes the HDD!

 

If you no longer have the recovery partition, you need to boot from the Vista disc, and [quick-] format the HDD, before installing the OS :emotion-55:

Ans as above... make sure you have everything important backed up first, because... unlike a 'repair' install... a 'clean' install wipes the HDD completely!

Thank you so much it worked like a charm. I am now installing the drivers. I did call tech support and they came to the conclusion that I had a faulty CD. He figured that it was scratched or faulty somehow. Then I read your message and followed the steps in my Bios.

Thank you again

John Mroz

I did back up everything I wanted to keep. I wanted to do a complete reinstallation to get rid of the build up of ***. I had windows XP before and found that just wipeing the drive made my laptop run much better for about 6 months then I would do it all again. So now with this new laptop I have had for over a year I was just trying to do the same thing and have run into this problem. I am still a novice with computers but also I am very interested in learning. Sometimes the hard way.

Thank you so much for your response I greatly apreciate any help I can get.

John Mroz

So I have installed all drivers and then tried to go back into bios settings and change them back. After I changed them back my computer went into a loop. I have been able to change back to ATA and my computer seems to be running fine. Do I need to find a way to change the setting to AHCI? Or is it ok to leave it?

Regards

John Mroz

The AHCI sistem speed-up comunnication with hard disk. If you whant to add some speed to your  sistem you must use this feature.

For installing and use this feature you must load driver (for AHCI )  at the begining of installing of Vista.

The steps are :

1. First you must dowload from this link http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R166200&SystemID=XPS_M1530&servicetag=&os=WLH&osl=en&deviceid=11530&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=1&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=41&fileid=224400 the file and save to your computer.

2. Run R166200. It will ask for extracting path (default C:\dell\drivers\R166200).

3. Copy the content of this folder to the root of an memory stick or if you have the second partition on your hard disk copy this FOLDER to a second partition other than you whant to install Vista 

4. Start installing a fresh Vista and in Advanced window (at the begining of instalation where is options for path installation, partitions of your hard disk), in the left-down of window you have an option called Load driver. Click on this feature and browse for path to memory stick or second partition in the folder (R166200). It will display only driver compatible with your hardware select and load driver.

5. After load the driver start install Vista

6. Complete install Vista and have fun

 

If you are not interesting of speed up your sistem with almoast 15% faster you can use ATA feature, and you can continue used without this feature.

Have a nice day

im going to sleep now . In my time is 4:AM

 

 

 

 

John Mroz

 

Could be wrong?

 

But if you have already installed correct drivers then you need to enable the AHCI driver in the registry before you change the SATA mode of boot drive?

 

Read MS KB article 922976

 

Hi again John

 

You (& others) may be wondering why this reply has been strangely edited

 

DCF Admin or Mod must have deleted my post you acknowledged (19 Feb 2009 07:03PM)

Think I’ve identified what must an unacceptable term - sorry about that folks

So here it is again now edited & albeit now in wrong sequence of replies for this thread, otherwise other members would be confused when reading your thread

 

Very strange & you certainly are learning the hard way!

If the PCRestore key function were still working I’d have used that to “wipe” the system even if you do get some of the Dell unwanted software back on your computer

 

Think you have confirmed that you did:

 

Enable AHCI driver in the registry, rebooted to System Set-Up, changed SATA mode to AHCI, saved settings, exit System Set-Up then reboot again before booting to Windows normal startup

 

If correct only other issues could be:

 

RAID configuration problems (if applicable)?

Incorrect clean install procedure, e.g. did you reinstall all drivers & in the correct order (very important) click here

 

 

 

 

it's not wrong what are you doing.

It's fine.

 

Bell Boy

I have finished all installs and I am now trying to change to the AHCI driver. When I change to it in the bios my computer hangs and will not start. If I go back to ATA then my computer run fine as far as I can tell. I have followed all the steps in the article you mentioned and still no change? Is it possible to change to AHCI driver after reinstalling Vista? I had to change to the ATA just to get Vista to complete its install. If I have to reinstall Vista and change steps during install to ensure the right driver is enabled I don't have a problem with that.

Remember I am still a novice at this and do really appreciate all your help.

Regards

John Mroz

 

i will tell you something. I install Vista with ATA mode enabled. After i install all the drivers i try to change ATA mode to AHCI in bios and doesn't work. My sistem restarting every time i try to boot. After that i change it the bios to mode AHCI and i reinstalled the fresh Vista with loading of the  driver of AHCI at the begining,  my sistem work fine.

 So i  install  Fresh Vista with AHCI enabled in bios at the begining and it work.

If you want to use it , enable AHCI in bios  follow the steps as i wrote in the earlier message with loading  of AHCI driver at the begining of installing Vista from memory stick or second partition.

Sorry for delay