installing windows server 2003 on i700m

Ok, inspiron 700m folks who really must have windows 2003 on their computer. I've figured it out. So spread the love.

Symptom: when installing Windows Server 2003, computer freezes while installing drivers at the 34 minute mark.

Solution:

After you put the CD in the tray and start your computer to install Windows Server 2003, the first thing you'll see at the bottom of the screen is the option to press F6 if you need to install a SCSI or RAID controller. Don't press F6. Press F7 instead and keeping pressing past when you see F2 (I guess you probably don't need to, but I did). This will ensure that an ACPI HAL will be bypassed or not used.

I do not have the cd for windows server 2003, so I downloaded the trial version. I copied all the files from the .iso into a folder on my D drive (NTFS partitioned 20GB). I have windows xp pro on my C drive (NTFS partitioned 18GB). I then clicked on windows server 2003 setup.exe and it started the installation. Chose dynamic installation, to have the program connect to the internet to upload newer files if it needed it. I was able to do this, b/c i was in windows xp and the LAN was operational. Since windows xp and windows server 2003 do not recognize the LAN device, the installation via booted cd may or may not work properly if the program needed newer files. My 99% estimation is that there aren't any updated files that will affect the isntallation using your installation disc. Now since I was running windows xp pro, i got a dialogue when I started the installation that stated windows xp is not upgradable to windows server. click ok, and continue on with the installation.

For me, again I didn't have a disc, the computer rebooted, i selected the OS, the Windows Server 2003 installation, and after that you will get the message at the bottom of the sreen to press F6 if you need to install a SCSI or RAID controller. Again, you must press F7 during the time you see the F6 and F2 at the bottom of the screen. The installation will continue and simply follow the rest of the isntallation.

You do not need to change any bios configurations unless you are booting from an installation CD. I did put USB FDD, USB HDD, and PCI LAN in the "excluded from boot order" section within the Bios Boot menu. However, my wireless device was turned off.

When I clean installed windows xp pro, the same devices had drivers missing as in windows server 2003. Your dell driver cd or downloads from dell (and intel) will have the drivers you need.

The unrecognized hardware are as follows: LAN, graphics adapter, floppy controller, base system device, base system device, mass storage controller, multimedia audio controller, network controller (wireless), PCI Modem, video controller, com port 1, printer port (LPT3):

dell driver folders used to install: 85255(LAN), 76532(Graphics), 85896(Mass storage), 88573(multimedia), download 2200BG adatpter from intel site b/c the dell driver doesn't work(wireless), 72369(PCI Modem), 76532(video)

If you get a authenticated security driver hasn't been verified or whatever message, just click ok and continue to install.

if downloading from dell, download java www.java.com first. also you will need to configure your internet security settings.

I also installed installed 77273 (synaptics) although the touchpad and mouse keys work without it.

COM1, LPT3, and Standard floopy disk controller have error 10 (Probably because there aren't any ports on the 700m for these three items).

After all the drivers loaded, I did a windows update and downloaded all the updates (there were no driver updates listed).

I was able to connect to the internet, connect to the other computers on my network, etc. I've never used windows server 2003 before. but it doesn't look much different than windows xp pro.

for wireless, i normally like to use the operating system's program, but in this case, it does not allow for WPA-PSK, TKIP encryption, so if you want that you should use the intel procomm software. Windows server 2003 does allow for 128-bit WEP security.

Anyways, I'm not a computer guru at all. Just don't know much about them. I cannot explain why bypassing and preventing the ACPI HAL (by pressing F7 as stated above) from use. Maybe someone computer savy can explain what ACPI HAL is. The computer seems to run well under windows server 2003, but it would take me a while to figure out how to use it since i'm not familiar with it. So there you have it.

I checked out all ports except the monitor out and s-video (because i'm lazy, since the driver was accepted, i'm 99.9% sure it works). all ports work (USB, PCMCIA, SD, CDRW/DVD, internal LAN, internal modem, 2200BG wireless, firewire port)

My computer configuration is Inspiron 700m, 1.6GHZ, 1.256GB PC2700 RAM, 40GB Fujitsu 5400rpm HD (partitioned 18GB with windows XP pro, partitioned 20GB with windows server 2003), sony CDRW/DVD, 8-cell,

Hope this helps. If you report it to microsoft or dell, give me some credit at least (tim). Questions feel free to ask here or via email.

with that said, the 700m is not "designed for windows server 2003" as the sticker indicates it is "designed for windows xp", so if you choose to install windows server 2003, you do so of you own free will.

Cheers.

 

woah, that's a pretty detailed faq on how to install Win 2K3 on the 700m, thanks for the knowledge sharing.

I imagine most folks will be happy to stick to Windows XP, but if you want to have the best Windows OS for running a web server and database then they might want to go this route. Although having said that, I don't think I'd ever really recommend using a laptop as a web server or database server. LOL!

 

i was putting off doing my homework last night someone had posted having trouble installing windows 2k3 on his daughter's new 700m. i guess he really likes 2k3 for whatever reason. i did notice it seemed to run much quicker than xp pro, though. if i have more time, i may play around with it some more.

BTW, I have bios A01 when i isntalled 2k3

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by abaxter

 

Wow, thats really an exciting piece of information. I have been trying to fight with this issue since couple of months. Finally found the solution. Thanks

 

thanks a ton for sharing this information. I was trying to install Windows 2003 on my Inspiron 700m Laptop for a long time now.
Finally I found your advice on how to install Windows 2003 on Inspiron.. After following the instructions, the Win 2k3 ?installation was a breeze. Now I can install all the cool new Microsoft development tools that are available only on Windows 2003 platform..

 

Can you please provide me the link of the driver for Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG wireless adapter? I tried the drivers available from Dell and Intel, but neither of them worked. I keep getting the following error message when I try to install the driver on Windows Server 2003:
"ERROR - OS section not found in INI File (IProInst.ini)"

Thank you.

 

But I still can't get my Window2003 R2 installed even I already press "F7" as described at top of this thread but what I get after the "Start Window Installation" is the **** "Blue Screen" that sugguest me to try replacing my VGA or Check other newly added devices.....so on....

Anymore solution on this? Cuz I'm still crushed at 34mn installation phase.

Your help is needed.

 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!! I have been searching for the "mass storage controller" driver for my 700m forever. As soon as I saw the 85896, I did a search on the dell site and hoooooray it was there. YOU ROCK!!!

Lizard

 

Thanks for your sharing. I have updated the driver for wireless but I cannot turn it on. Can you tell me how to do it? (I tried using Fn+F2 but failed)