Re: OT: OK, I can admit when I was wrong.................

WaIIy wrote:
On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:59:02 -0700 (PDT), JimH <osudad@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

My son called me from Okinawa this morning to wish me a happy Fathers
Day. During the conversation he asked me some computer questions as
he has been having some problems with his...........specifically that
his internet browsers (IE and Firefox) no longer connect to the
internet. His email works fine. He tried to restore to when the
browsers worked with no luck. Some computer geeks on base tried to
help him fix the problem with no luck.

He runs VISTA. After he told me about some other problems he was
having I suggested that he back up his programs and important stuff
and reformat..........this time to WinXP.

I will be purchasing WinXP tomorrow and ship it to him (my mistake for
purchasing the laptop with VISTA).

So............I was wrong............most of you were right. I am
now in the "VISTA" is crap group. ;-)

PS - If he has a 1520 or similar, I just checked and saved the XP
drivers , too.

The trick on the reload is to disable in the bios since XP doesn't
have the SATA drivers.


Before you install XP, you must first configure a setting in BIOS
else XP CD will not detect your hardisk

In BIOS: Onboard Devices -> Flash Cache Module -> Set Off Onboard
Devices -> SATA Operation -> Set ATA

Ok, you can now proceed with installing XP

AFTER INSTALL--------------------

I got AHCI enabled under WinXP!!

* Installed WinXP in ATA mode (not AHCI) * Did not want to
slipstream a WinXP CD * Did not want to bother with F6 / floppy
drive - I don't own an external floppy drive * Attempting to
switch HDD from ATA mode to AHCI mode after WinXP install would
result in BSOD




Here's how: 1) Download the Intel Matrix Storage Manager here:


http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=N&ProductID
=2101&DwnldID=14848&strOSs=44&OSFullName=Windows*%20XP
%20Professional&lang=eng


2) Once you download the file, run it
with a -a switch: iata76_enu.exe -a This will NOT install the
Matrix Storage Manager. What this will do is run the installer,
and ONLY EXTRACT the files to C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix
Storage Manager. Again, this does NOT install anything.

3) Your drivers are now located in C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel
Matrix Storage Manager. They will be found in either \Driver, or
\Driver64, depending on whether you're running a 32-bit or 64-bit
OS.

4) Go to Device Manager --> IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. Double-
click on the Intel ICH8M 3-port SATA Controller - 2828...
remember, *ONLY* click on the device that ends with 2828.

5) Go to Driver tab, and choose to Update Driver.

6) Tell the Wizard prompts: - No, not this time - Install from a
list or specific location (Advanced) - Don't Search. I will
choose the driver to install. - Click the "Have Disk" button.
Point it to C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage
Manager\Driver (or Driver64). - The driver you want to install
for WinXP 32-bit for the Dell XPS M1330 is Intel 82801HEM/HBM
SATA AHCI Controller - After you install the driver and click OK
out of every menu, reboot the laptop.

7) During reboot, go into BIOS and turn on AHCI mode and Flash
Module

8) Voila! WinXP will boot up with no BSOD!


Wow...

You should write technical documentation, Wally.
.