I bought my computer in 98, and I cannot upgrade to Xp because my bios version was Ao4. I flashed it up to Ao8, but I cannot go any higher. Windows XP requires A12 or A11 I don't remember. Luckily I have found an upgrade bios for your computer to make it A11. The link is below:

IM_PNT_P03_XPS_T___〈=EN&lib=1&os=W98&searchtype=filter&devid=308&type=BIOS" target=_blank>http://support.dell.com/us/en/filelib/download/index.asp?fileid=R22940&sid IM_PNT_P03_XPS_T___〈=EN&lib=1&os=W98&searchtype=filter&devid=308&type=BIOS



My experiments on computers are so malicious and violent, I've had to format 5 times.

Post over on the Windows XP forum and you will probably get responses from those that have done this upgrade. You will definitely need to do a clean install versus the upgrade.

Ralph Caddell

Dimension 4100 800 Mhz
384 MB PC133 RAM
Dell M781S Monitor
48X CD
Ricoh MP9120A CD-R/RW/DVD
20 g Maxtor HD 7200 RPM
30 g Maxtor HD 7200 RPM
ATI All-In-Wonder 32mb
Logitech Optical Mouse Man Wheel
SB Live Value
Altec Lansing ACS-340 Speakers w/Subwoofer
Windows ME/Windows XP Home Dual Boot/Thinking about Linux
Panda Titanium Antivirus
Zone Alarm Pro Firewall
No Real Player Junk

I've upgraded to XP on a xps400r with 320mb of memory and 2 hard drives totaling 28 Gigs and the only problem I can see on yours is the size of the hard drive. XP takes up 60% of my 8 gig boot drive. If I didn't have the second drive I would not be able to install programs. I don't think you would be pleased with XP with just 128 ram and 10 G hard drive. Go to www.crucial.com for $18 memory for another 128 mb and your local retailer for a replacement or second hard drive. Get the latest bios for you computer from Dell.

Charger 1

Thanks soooooo much for info.

Joe

Mary G
Thanks for feedback and info. Very valuable to me
Joe
Mary G wrote:
- I've upgraded to XP on a xps400r with 320mb of
- memory and 2 hard drives totaling 28 Gigs and the
- only problem I can see on yours is the size of the
- hard drive. XP takes up 60% of my 8 gig boot drive.
- If I didn't have the second drive I would not be
- able to install programs. I don't think you would be
- pleased with XP with just 128 ram and 10 G hard
- drive. Go to www.crucial.com for $18 memory for
- another 128 mb and your local retailer for a
- replacement or second hard drive. Get the latest
- bios for you computer from Dell.
-
-

Ralph

Thanks.

Joe
caddellwr wrote:
- Post over on the Windows XP forum and you will
- probably get responses from those that have done
- this upgrade. You will definitely need to do a
- clean install versus the upgrade.
-
- Ralph Caddell
-
- Dimension 4100 800 Mhz
- 384 MB PC133 RAM
- Dell M781S Monitor
- 48X CD
- Ricoh MP9120A CD-R/RW/DVD
- 20 g Maxtor HD 7200 RPM
- 30 g Maxtor HD 7200 RPM
- ATI All-In-Wonder 32mb
- Logitech Optical Mouse Man Wheel
- SB Live Value
- Altec Lansing ACS-340 Speakers w/Subwoofer
- Windows ME/Windows XP Home Dual Boot/Thinking about
- Linux
- Panda Titanium Antivirus
- Zone Alarm Pro Firewall
- No Real Player Junk

I agree with previous post about memory and hard drive. I had already boosted memory to 256 some time prior to upgrade, so that was not an issue. I got same message regarding system compatibilty, which I translated to read that since I had not bought a new computer in over a year, they would prefer I do that rather than try to improve on old ones.

Upgraded anyway, no problems during upgrade, or since.
I did upgrade DVD software as recommended after upgrade completed, but that was about it. No BIOS updates, nothing special done except to back everything up to ZIP disks in event of catastrophe. backups not needed yet, system running better than ever.

Maybe just dumb luck, but I simply upgraded over WIN 98SE. Took abt 45 minutes to complete, and all has been well. Of course a clean install would be best, but I got so tired of format and re-install with old Aptiva!



Dimension XPST700r
128MB SDRAM, 128MB added (Dell)
8x/4x/32x CD/RW
8x DVD/ROM
100MB ZIP
20.4GBUltra ATA 7200RPM
Turtle Beach Montego II A3D 320V
32MB NVIDIA TNT2 M64
3COM US Robotics 3C900B TPC 10Mbit Combo NIC
19" M990 monitor
Harmon Kardon HK-595 Surround Sound speakers w/subwoofer
Conexant V.90/56K Telephony Modem
Win XP Home Edition
Service Tag EG9UM