Inspiron 1100 & Windows7 Please Assist?

Hi Folks!

I'm hoping that perhaps someone here can assist me.

I loaded Windows 7 onto a Dell Inspiron 1100 and learned the hard way
that I need a WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) compatible driver
to gain screen clarity. Currently, I can't navigate to a place to even select
correct screen resolution for a 14" LCD (it's 1400 x 1050) I beleive.

At any rate, there's a pulldown menu to select Dell drivers here-

https://support.dell.com/support/to...port/en/monitors?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~ck=mn

QUESTION:Which driver(s) are the anser?!

I hope someone can help here. Thank you.

Marc
[email protected]

 

Look up the Inspiron 1100, and try using the XP driver. For a lot of these older machines, I've found that the XP drivers work fine. You're not going to get Aero running on that thing, though, just for the record.

 

While it is probably possible to run Windows 7 on a Dell Inspiron 1100, I certainly wouldn't recommend it. The unit is limited to 1GB of RAM maximum, and many of them came with Celeron P4 processors.

I upgraded one of these models recently for a friend, with a Pentium 4 2.4 processor, 1GB of RAM, and a faster 80GB hard drive. It performs great with Windows XP, but there's still no way I'd run Windows 7 on it. You'll probably find that 512-768MB of RAM is taken by the operating system, leaving you little for applications.

 

Thak you CW! Plse note this link in my original post:

https://support.dell.com/support/top...n&s=bsd&~ck=mn

See the Windows 7 Pull down for drivers... WHICH among the drivers for the Inspiron 1100 offered by Dell is the correct "XP Driver" you refer to?

Thank you. M

 

Lone Wolf- This Inspiron 1100 has had multiple hardware upgrades to RAM and the processor (P4). A virus nuked XP and I didn't have the liscense to bring it back, so long story short, -I (foolishly) went with Windows 7 vs. simply looking to acquire a fresh XP elsewhere...the deed is done and all works fine- except for screen resolution...I downloaded "Driver Wizard" updated ALLl drivers, but the problem persists...thus, I checked the Dell site
and came upon this link (also in my OP):

https://support.dell.com/support/top...n&s=bsd&~ck=mn

See w/in the link above, the Windows 7 Pull down for drivers... WHICH among the drivers for the Inspiron 1100 offered by Dell is the correct "XP Driver" Commander Wolf (prior post) refers to?

P.S. I've also loaded ESET Smart Security 4 for anti-virus!

Thank you for your thoughtful input- if anyone else can directly answer the specific questions I've directed to CW and LW in this thread, PLEASE chime in!

M

Thank you! M

 

https://support.dell.com/support/to...port/en/monitors?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~ck=mn

 

Okay, please don't multi-post; there's an edit button if you're trying to edit something and you shouldn't be bumping a thread more than once every 24 hours.

That being said, your link is not the right place to be looking for this; that is a page for monitors and monitor-related software. If you'd just look up the actual machine, you should find this page:

Drivers & Downloads

And under the "video" tab, you'll find the Intel driver for XP, which is what I'm suggesting you try.

 

CW... I went to your link...seen it before...what's frustrating...you seem to think that you're being very specific in pointing to "the Intel Driver for XP"...
However... WHERE in this list w/in this link, -Drivers & Downloads- might that be? Specifically? Which SPECIFIC driver do you suggest I load then, re-start, to (HOPEFULLY!) find excellent screen resolution...right now, all pix and vids are very fuzzy... btw...this slays me...when shutting down, the VERY abstract Windows 7 background screen pic momentarily shows up PERFECTLY as it's supposed to JUST before the system powers down. WHAT a teaser! Please "name that driver" or post a link to it. I really do appreciate your continued assistance...just need an answer (if there IS one!).

Thank you

Marc
SoundClick artist: Marc's Guitar - Blues/Rock, Southern Rock, Funk, Fusion

 

This one:

R112112

... but now that you say "when shutting down, the VERY abstract Windows 7 background screen pic momentarily shows up PERFECTLY as it's supposed to JUST before the system powers down", it makes me think it might not be a driver issue... though I don't know what else it could be.

 

Well...didn't work...The XP Driver just isn't a Windows 7 driver...

I restarted, found the same thing, then went to Control Panel to tweak around...finally came up with getting to produce the following report (Cut and Pasted):

-----
Aero Publisher details

Issues found
Video card driver doesn't support Aero effectsVideo card driver doesn't support Aero effects

The current video card driver isn't compatible with the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM). Not fixed

Update the driver for your video card Informational

Potential issues that were checked
Mirror drivers don't support Aero effectsMirror drivers don't support Aero effects

A running program uses a mirror driver (a type of display driver) which is not compatible with the Aero desktop experience. Issue not present
Aero effects not supported on this Windows editionAero effects not supported on this Windows edition
Some Aero features such as transparency are not included on certain Windows editions. Issue not present
The Windows Experience Index has not been computedThe Windows Experience Index has not been computed
The Windows Experience Index base score measures the capability of your computer's hardware and software configuration and is one of many factors that determine whether the Aero desktop effects can run. Issue not present

Issues found Detection details

6 Video card driver doesn't support Aero effects Not fixed

The current video card driver isn't compatible with the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).

Update the driver for your video card Informational

Contact the manufacturer of your computer or video card for a WDDM-compatible driver.


Potential issues that were checked Detection details

Mirror drivers don't support Aero effects Issue not present

A running program uses a mirror driver (a type of display driver) which is not compatible with the Aero desktop experience.

Aero effects not supported on this Windows edition Issue not present

Some Aero features such as transparency are not included on certain Windows editions.

The Windows Experience Index has not been computed Issue not present

The Windows Experience Index base score measures the capability of your computer's hardware and software configuration and is one of many factors that determine whether the Aero desktop effects can run.


Detection details

Collection information
Computer Name: MARC-PC
Windows Version: 6.1
Architecture: x86
Time: Monday, May 17, 2010 2:26:00 PM

Publisher details

Aero
Display Aero effects such as transparency.
Package Version: 1.0
Publisher: Microsoft Windows
Aero
Display Aero effects such as transparency.
Package Version: 1.0
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
-----------------

I VERY much appreciate your attempts to assist however CW! Man, it'd be nice if someone in a position to assist (at Dell or Microsoft) saw this and said
"...Ah! Here you go. Upload this patch..." Voila!

 

Yes, you will have to run Windows 7 without Aero --the onboard Intel graphics doesn't support the minimum standards, even with an updated driver.

Here's what I have read from Intel:
Older Intel® Graphics Controllers and Microsoft Windows 7*

Windows 7* drivers are not available for the following older Intel® graphics controllers:

# Mobile Intel® 915GM/GMS, 910GML Express Chipset Family

# Intel® 82915G/82910GL Express Chipset Family

# Intel® 82865G Graphics Controller

# Intel® 82852/82855 Graphics Controller

# Intel® 82845G Graphics Controller

# Intel® 82830M Graphics Controller

# Intel® 82815 Graphics Controller

# Intel® 82810 Graphics Controller

Everything I have read so far on Intel's site suggests you will need to run Windows 7 in Classic Mode for your graphics adapter to work properly. This means you not only can't have Aero Glass, but it appears you won't get even Aero Baisc either; you'll have to settle for the old, pseudo-WinXP/2000 GUI.

If you have the latest BIOS, by the way (A32 I think), and you can obtain a Dell OEM copy of Windows XP, it should install without requiring the key; that information is embedded in the BIOS, provided you use a Dell OEM copy. Not trying to force you to downgrade, just an FYI.