Installing XP Pro on an XPS 1530

If this has been covered elsewhere please let me know.

I am thinking about ordering an XPS 1530 either tonight or tomorrow and I'm curious if I will be able to install Windows XP Pro on it? Is it as simple as a normal format and install? Or are there additional steps to make this process work? Thanks in advance.

 

It's simple enough, but you should certainly look at the multitude of threads discussing this (search the forums for some keywords like: xp, partition, install, bloatware, MediaDirect, etc.).
You may be surprised to learn that the disk comes with 4 partitions. It takes some work to cleanly replace Vista by XP while keeping the other partitions sensibly functional (especially the Recovery partition). Personally, I cleared all Dell's partitions, created a single primary partition, installed XP, and that's it (which is all fairly easy).
Basically, anything and everything is doable. Do a little reading and post any specific questions you may have. Good luck!

 

I'm running XP pro. All hardware is working. Got Dell Notebook Utility and Quickset running, too. I don't have that Media Direct running because I haven't tried. Not sure how to set that up, not really interested. I got all my information (and supplied some, too) on this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=193815

 

I installed xp on my 1530 and it runs pretty smooth. The hardest part of the whole process was getting all the drivers to work. Once I got them all it has ran smooth

 

Thanks for the replies fellas!

When you say getting the drivers to work, do you mean that you had to keep re-installing them, or that XP did not work correctly with them? I am completely competent with formating and installing Windows, I guess I was just worried about hardware incompatibilities and motherboard BIOS issues.

 

bump, just bought the system.

 

I didn't have any problems getting any drivers to work, but I read through a lot of posts before I started, from that other thread I posted.

 

from where did you get the drivers for 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT. I have downloaded the setup file from NVIDIA and also from Dell and they both won't recognize the card.

 

How about a bluetooth driver?

 

This is strange? I thought you couldn't install XP Pro or XP on a newer Vista loaded notebook as the XP OS won't recognize the HD.
I know it is like that when you get a Toshiba or Gateway. It was because of the newer SATA HD. Does the Dell 1530 still use the IDE HD?

 

You can change the hdd setting in BIOS to ATA from AHCI and that will emulate an IDE over the sata connection thus winxp will work.

I dint do this simple process but slipstreamed the sata driver onto the win xp cd and installed XP with AHCI enabled.

 

Here's the thread that i followed for installing XP on my system. Its pretty simple.

XP can run with AHCI enabled. Thread. You can also chk out post #84 for the XPS M1530.

 

I have XP on my XPS, works like a dream, any questions add to that thread and people should help you. Maybe I will help you too.

 

did anyone who got windows xp on their computer get the ahci driver to work. everytime it says does not meet system requirements ive tried everything but i got nothing.....

 

Does the HDMI (both video and sound) work with XP pro 64bit?

 

i haven't been able to get HDMI to work in xp pro x64 either..

 

Hmm..

Is there anyone who had success with HDMI on 64bit xp pro ?

 

just keep in mind you will not get tech support for xp from dell. they only support system that was shipped with it.

 

i can confirm this, i have done this on my last xp install, you simply change it back when the install finishes and all is fine