M15x - Vista runs XP doesn't. Need Help.

So I have a very unique issue with my M15x and for the life of me, I can’t figure it out. I’m pretty good with PC’s and this is one of the first times I have been truly stumped. So I turn to the M15x community and ask for help. So here is the problem…

I use my m15x for work. I had a dual boot setup (Vista on C, XP on D). I had this setup for several months with no problems. I saw the post on the boards and decided to try to install Vista x64. Things didn’t end up working out with that. (Couldn’t get the keyboard to work in AlienFX). So I decided to go back to my dual boot setup. I installed Vista with no issues and created the second partition. Then I installed XP. After XP was installed, I started the standard M15X XP driver install order. During the Command Center install the machine just shut off. No shutdown or anything. It was like I pulled the plug with no battery in it. However, when it rebooted, it went straight back into windows. No errors about windows being shutdown incorrectly. I figured it was a freak occurrence and started installing the rest of the drivers. However, the laptop kept shutting off in the same manner at random times.
I figured I messed up the install, so I tried again. Same thing happened, except this time I didn’t even get passed the chipset install before it crashed. I went back into my Vista install and had no problems. Vista runs like a champ, but XP crashes/shutsdown at random times. I tried formatting the entire drive and installing everything over again. Vista installs and runs fine, but XP wouldn’t even install this time. I even tried installing only XP and doing a full format, with the same results. I have no idea what is going on. Vista = Fine , XP = Random shutdowns. I am stumped and I have tried everything I know to get it to work. I really don’t want to call support, since they will probably want me to send it back, and I don’t want to loose my laptop for several weeks. Anyone have any ideas or have seen this before?
Notes:
• I have tried under the X32 and X34 firmwares
• I have have an MSDN account so I have tried installing full installs of XP, XP SP1, XP SP2, XP SP3
• During my last format and reinstall, after installing the OSD driver in XP, I get a Cannot Access Volume Control! Error and I was unable to install the Realtek drivers. (Worked fine in Vista.)

 

looks like a faulty hard drive to me, XP might be using some old drivers which is causing this issue. Can you try to run a chkdsk under vista and mark all bad sectors (chkdsk /r)

Also had you used the Vista x64 guide by me? See my signature... do let me know if you still face keyboard issues in Vista x64 as I updated my guide and it has fix for it

 

Try using DBAN http://www.dban.org/ to wipe off the hard drive and then start again from scratch. There is every possibility something nasty is on there from x64 that XP doesnt like. When using DBAN choose the "Quick Nuke" option. Remember that it will wipe off everything from your hard drive so ensure you have a backup!

 

Why do you want to run XP anyway?

 

good question, may just because its XP and vista doesn't like few of my legacy applications.

 

I run XP due to VPN client issues with Vista. Also, performance for me is better under XP. I just started to get Blue Screen Crashes under Vista now as well. Seems like I might be having some sort of hardware failure. I'm on with CS trying to trigger another blue screen to get the info for them.

 

Can you share the stop error code on blue screen, also if possible then when you reboot from vista crash it will prompt with minidump path. copy them and share with me i can try to debug them for root cause.

EDIT: Are you online with MS or AW... If its MS then fine otherwise share the minidump with me.

 

Sounds like a faulty motherboard to me. Also, with a machine like this, the performance "boost" in XP isn't even noticable.

 

Which VPN client do you use. The latest Cisco vpn client actually doesn't do TOO bad under vista. sometimes will disconnect, but the first versions would hardly connect in the first place.

 

I was on with Alienware. They think the memory is bad, and want me to run Vista's memtest on each of the sticks in each slot. For some reason I get an "Memtest.exe is missing or corrupt" when trying to run the test.

We use Cisco VPN and the newer client does run a bit better, but I have other programs that we use at work that just don't work under vista.

We play TF2 at work a lot, and it runs like garbage under Vista, but in XP it's much better.

 

How does it run like garbage? FPS lag?

 

you do know that tf2 isnt optimized that well right. are the other games running normal in vista. every game i have on my m15x runs perfectly except tf2. tf2 is made to use the processor alot more than the gpu. i can go from 30 - 140 fps in tf2. tf2 also only uses single core unless you want to enable MQM2 which makes the game use dual core but the side effect is the game will become unstable and the game will crash every 30 min or so.

 

TF2 runs fantasticly under XP. I actually run the dedicated server for our office games at the same time I am running TF2 on my M15x and it doesn't slow at all. Under Vista I can't run the dedicated server and TF2 at the same time due to an IP conflict issue I can't resolve. I run a dedicated since I get better performance and can manage the server easily using HLSW.

Alienware CS think my one of the cores of my processor is bad, so I need to send it back.

 

TF2 used to work wonderfully for me until they released that patch that "updated the steam engine" alot of people with the 8800M GT seem to have this issue where they arent getting high fps. Some people with the GTX 280 are also having the same problem. Its not like it isnt playable for me since most of the time it still stays at around 60 fps but on some occasions it dips to 30. at least my other games can run flawlessly

 

Alienware CS thinks one of the cores on my CPU is bad. They used Aliencontact to remote into my machine, and ran Prime95. It would bluescreen under Vista with a different dump everytime. The temps didn't get that high, so it wasn't a heat issue. Allready sent the laptop in.

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks. Somehow I think I will have the same problem when it comes back, but ya never know.

 

I didn't have much time to look into your problem but I did see this message before. It's completely normal, or at least, it was for me. I know it's kind of late to ask you this, but did you uninstall the UAA Bus Driver for High Definition Audio driver before you tried to install the Realtek drivers? Or was it already uninstalled?

 

I ordered my m15x with XP to and i asked alienware about all this stuff and they said it will be fine.. so I hope =)