XPS 15 L521X: Windows 8 Thread

Lets gather a list and information of getting this running like stock on Windows 8

I just installed Windows 8 Pro RTM and have a few issues..



The INTEL chipset won't install and therefore Windows cannot see that I even have an GT640 installed. Any know if a Win8 driver exists? I know that Nvidia does have various Windows 8 drivers but it cannot even see the card so it won't install

Synaptic mouse drivers work better on Windows 8 in my experience. 2 finger tap right click is more resonsive

IE 10 & Firefox is quicker too. Pages scroll much smoother.

Dell Audio is working great too, Windows 8 picked it up nice.

Maybe it's mental, haven't tested it yet but WiFi seems better. Downloads appear faster

None of the DELL software works, they either crash or just won't run.

USB3 Intel doesn't work as well. Though there appears to be a USB 3 device in device manager.


I had a Samsung Series 7 with Windows 8 CP and everything worked out the box so I didn't expect all this incompatibility with Dell.

 

It's still too soon for any company to have their full slate of drivers/software available. Technically, they have another two months, so you're doing pretty well. Also, with all the issues Dell is having with the L521x and its inter-operability on W7, I wouldn't expect too much from them when it comes to W8 driver and software timeliness, fixes and 100% compatibility.

 

Chipset software should install and work, tested on my ASUS with i5.
Windows 8 has native USB3.0 support, no drivers needed.

 

maybe my use of terminology was incorrect, but device manager can't even see that I have a GT640 installed or any NVidia card for that matter

 

you need waitng the dell compatible windows 8 driver release.

 

Ok so ive got a windows 8 RTM disk in my machine right now, i get to the part where i am doing a custom install but there are no drivers for my hard drive?? i mean already this is pretty poor, on my desktop everything was plug-and-play.

did anyone else hit this issue?


p.s. To solve this download the Serial ATA drivers from dell. stick them(extracted) on a USB and load them on install...

Also is it just me, or are the fans almost always on full motor in w8.

 

its just you....everything but the VGA/Nvidia drivers work out the box

also, there is a page where dell acknowledges this and says drivers will be ready ON or BEFORE Oct 26 for this machine so all will be fine by then....


posted from my 8 Pro RTM


Ok found the link

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?docid=575104#L521x

 

how do you set up the mSata for cache? are there any tutorial for correct install windows 8? I'm having troubles with that but I can install nvidia driver and everything works fine but msata cache don't. In Bios, if I change "sata operation" to rapid response, I can't install windows. I've to set that as "ata".. please help me!!

greetings

 

You need the Intel IRT software and drivers installed to make it work, I'm sure, and have no clue if they're available for Win8 yet.

Dell put out a doc (PDF) on setting that stuff up, I have misplaced the location, but I have a cached copy ... dell doc on intel IRT v0.91

 

This was my experience as well. When the SATA Mode is set to Intel SRT in BIOS, you cannot install Windows 8 in UEFI. It works fine in BIOS mode, but why use that? You can load drivers all you want, there just isn't any hard disk visible to install Windows on. From all I have read, this should work. As it doesn't, there seems to be an issue with the BIOS.
Have anyone gotten Windows 8 to run with Intel SRT and UEFI?