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    Inspiron Mini 910-Installing Windows/Programs + 3rd party RAM?

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by Wolfpup, Sep 5, 2008.

  1. Wolfpup

    Wolfpup Notebook Prophet

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    I'm tempted (again) by a Dell deal-that XPS 1530 with a $99 Mini. I want a better GPU, and I have no real use for a Mini, but...

    I was thinking of setting it up as a sort of iTunes station for my podcasts for my iPod, along with it Folding and handing media conversion duties for my Tivo.

    Anyway, the config dosen't let you select Windows, plus I need to install programs from disc of course, so I'm wondering-should it be possible to connect a normal USB external CD-RW drive to a Mini and boot from it to install Windows and programs?

    And it seems to have a nice normal DIMM slot that's user accessible (in typical Dell fashion), so I'm thinking there's no reason it shouldn't accept a 2GB DIMM instead of Dell's 1GB upgrade. I'd just pay for the 16GB SSD upgrade (seems like a no brainer)!

    I have no idea why I'm being tempted by all this, other than it's been such a long wait for a 1730 replacement and I like nifty gadgets :D
     
    Wolfpup, Sep 5, 2008
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  2. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    Both would be possible. I remember JerryJ saying something about the 2GB not being recognized completely, but that was in Ubuntu only. I am not so sure about the folding and media conversion though. The Atom isn't very powerful.
     
    atbnet, Sep 5, 2008
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  3. MegaMan X

    MegaMan X Notebook Evangelist

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    I got the perfect solution for you....get the XPS 1530, and I'll take the mini off your hands for $200. That way, I don't have to get an XPS, but still paying $100 for the mini.

    You get the XPS 1530, and $100 cash. Sounds like a win win situation to me :)
     
    MegaMan X, Sep 5, 2008
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  4. Wolfpup

    Wolfpup Notebook Prophet

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    Hee hee, well I'm updating the config to the 16GB drive if I do this, so it's more like $175, but I wants my new toy :D

    Hmm...I hope that doesn't apply to Windows. I mean it'll steal some for the integrated graphics, but that's no big deal. Otherwise I don't know why the chipset wouldn't support it.

    Honestly I think an Atom would do decently at media conversion-SD anyway. I've converted stuff from my Tivo on a 700Mhz PowerPC 750, and it was surprisingly okay doing it, and a 1.6GHz Atom is probably 2-4x faster if I had to guess (partially from it's SIMD support).
     
    Wolfpup, Sep 5, 2008
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  5. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    I am fairly sure he said they tried XP on it even though they didn't receive an XP model from Dell and it recognized it. You may want to look through the review thread he did.
     
    atbnet, Sep 5, 2008
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