Installing XP Home on Dell Inspiron laptop

[Mattrixx]

I`m thinking about *replacing* (Dell) WinMe on a Dell Inspiron 8000 laptop
and
installing XP Home (OEM) from scratch. I have read WinME has numerous
inherant
problems.

This laptop is old (2001), but over the years I`ve upgraded mem. from 128 to
256 MB.
I also replaced stock 10GB 4200RPM HDD for 40GB 7200RPM Hitachi HDD.
The Processor speed is 800MHz (down to 700MHz on battery).
This laptop is used mainly for E-Mail and Web Surfing, M.S. Word, Money, No
games, Photo Shop, Spreadsheets etc.

At present this laptop seems to run OK, but sometimes it will hang or freeze
at *various functions*, but especially when trying to close out links from
within links, (example) such as Turbo tax (site) from within Vanguard
(site).
I dilligently check and clean for spyware (3 prog.) and virii (AVG), and
also use Norton Utilities to keep it properly tuned up.


Do you guys think this laptop would even benefit from an O.S. upgrade to XP
Home?
Would XP "Home" have most of the necessary drivers included for this Dell
laptop, or will I have to install Dell laptop proprietary drivers as in Win
ME?

Thanks

Matt

 

[Guest]

Matt,
I think that XP would be an excellent choice for your laptop-especially with
the hardware upgrades you've done.

Make sure you have all the drivers you'll need first. Dell should have them
on the website. XP will probably have the drivers you need but it's nice to
be prepared anyway. Make sure you backup your email and documents as well as
MS Money files and any other programs specific files that you might need on
the new system. Don't forget to record your email settings, especially that
email password!

Good luck!

 

[Mike Hyndman]

I`m thinking about *replacing* (Dell) WinMe on a Dell Inspiron 8000 laptop
and
installing XP Home (OEM) from scratch. I have read WinME has numerous
inherant
problems.

This laptop is old (2001), but over the years I`ve upgraded mem. from 128
to
256 MB.
I also replaced stock 10GB 4200RPM HDD for 40GB 7200RPM Hitachi HDD.
The Processor speed is 800MHz (down to 700MHz on battery).
This laptop is used mainly for E-Mail and Web Surfing, M.S. Word, Money,
No
games, Photo Shop, Spreadsheets etc.

At present this laptop seems to run OK, but sometimes it will hang or
freeze
at *various functions*, but especially when trying to close out links from
within links, (example) such as Turbo tax (site) from within Vanguard
(site).
I dilligently check and clean for spyware (3 prog.) and virii (AVG), and
also use Norton Utilities to keep it properly tuned up.


Do you guys think this laptop would even benefit from an O.S. upgrade to
XP
Home?
Would XP "Home" have most of the necessary drivers included for this Dell
laptop, or will I have to install Dell laptop proprietary drivers as in
Win
ME?

Thanks

Matt,

Your first stop needs to be the Dell website and see what XP drivers (if
indeed any) are available for this model. If you want a performance hike,
I'd install W98SE, at least you shouldn't have any driver issues.

MH

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Matt,
I think that XP would be an excellent choice for your
laptop-especially with the hardware upgrades you've done.

The major issue he may face is the shortage of RAM. It depends on what apps
he runs, but for most people 256MB is about at the bottom of the range of
acceptable performance.

To make matters worse, most laptops will use part of system memory for video
purposes, so he won't even have the 256MB he thinks he has.

Make sure you have all the drivers you'll need first. Dell should
have them on the website. XP will probably have the drivers you need
but it's nice to be prepared anyway.

Yes, having the needed drivers is extremely important, and he should be sure
he has them in advance. I wouldn't be so sure that XP will come with them,
or even that Dell will have them for an older laptop.

Make sure you backup your email
and documents as well as MS Money files and any other programs
specific files that you might need on the new system. Don't forget
to record your email settings, especially that email password!

All good advice.

 

[peter]

I did that about a year ago on a Dell laptop(same speed and RAM smaller HD)
that I had purchased used and originally had Windows2000.
I downloaded the XP drivers from Dell saved them to a CD and then installed
XP,formatting the HD in the process.
XP had most if not all of the drivers....there was a few I had to install
from Dell just cant remember which ones.
It works nicely for all of the stuff you've listed and I added a wireless
card for travel .
peter