My inspiron 6400 same as an E1505, recently reformatted.

 

Insert media direct disc and switch off press f12 whilst powering up selection 1.

 

Now when the discs finished asnd prompts you to change for your xp disc do so and as it reboots hold down f12 and start reinstalling windows:

 

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 xp service pack 3:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&DisplayLang=en

 

Download the following drivers from here:

 

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen&ServiceTag=&SystemID=INSPIRONI6400/E1505&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid=

 

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 INTELPROSET Wireless under network

 

8. Then the sigmatel driver under audio

 

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.

 

12. Go here: http://www.istartedsomething.com/20061029/royale-noir/ and you can download a black xp and xp media centre edition colours.

 

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 windows media player 11. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1d224714-e238-4e45-8668-5166114010ca&DisplayLang=en

 

Ok now install all the drivers in the order I specified. Restart and load up windows, now 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 again.

 

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 dome power down your computer and press the media direct button and smile since it should be working.

 

Then go to xp 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 internet explorer 7 aswell.

Thanks natakuc4 for your help.

I am wondering about step 11 ( no blue tooth) ok to omit

steps 12-14 if those updates can be done later.

I would like to keep things as simple as possible at the present.

thanks again

daly

Sorry I meant to say steps 12 - 14 are optional I just recommend them.

 

Step 1 is also optional but it will save you from downloading 100 odd updates once xp is installed so therefore I highly recommend it. But after everythings done once you should go to windows update anyway as there will be a few updates after service pack 3 and to get internet explorer 7.

Thanks again natakuc4

I will post after doing install to let you know ... good idea about service pak 3 .

Dell sent a cd drivers and utilities but I will load in order from download page.

thanks

daly

I've been involved in the Iowa flooding the last week ,that put the laptop on the back burner... will post again soon.

 

Did your install run ok?

Sorry to hear that, good luck.

Installation went well, finally. Had a corrupted video driver and was able to repair after all was loaded.

I think we are home free now. Thanks for the sequencial information.

daly