Help with XP install on Dell 8100

[crank33]

Can someone give me a little guidance here? I have a Dell 8100 that came loaded with Windows Me. For various reasons, I trashed ME and replaced it with Win 98SE. Dell furnishes a CD with drivers on it such as Audio, ATA Controller, Intel Chipset, Video (nvidia GeForce2 MX 32MB), ACPI Mgmt, USB and so forth. The driver CD lists drivers for Win ME, 98, and 2000 but it does not list any drivers for XP. As peripherals, I have a HP 722 printer, a Kodak CF card reader and a Canon N670U scanner.

I would like to replace Win 98 with XP and I'm wondering what driver problems I'm going to have, not so much with the peripherals but with the internal drivers that the computer needs to run, like the chipset drivers. Has anyone with a Dell 8100 installed Win XP? What advice do you have for me? I use this computer every day and I do not want to disable it so I'd like some advice from someone who knows how I should proceed. I intend to format and do a full install of XP, not just an update. Should I just forget it? I hope someone will help me before I shoot myself in the foot. I'm not very smart so any advice at all will be appreciated.

Many thanks, Crank

[reboot]

Start it up, during the install of XP, let it do the system check.
It can give you a detailed list of the drivers it cannot find/use, in which case most of the Win2k drivers will probably work.
You can then source out XP drivers on the net.

[DilLy]

i have an 8100 that originally had WindowsME on it. I bought a non-OEM copy of XPHome and installed it with zero problems.

The only thing was that XP had no Santa Cruz drivers. Simple enough to download from Dell's site. And before you install XP, go to Dell's download section and get the XP BIOS upgrade for 8100's. After this, all should go well.


Good luck.

*mesage edited for clarity*

[crank33]

Thanks reboot and DilLy,

I fired up the XP CD and let it test my system. It didn't like my US BAT Mass Storage Class Adapter (whatever the hell that is), it didn't like my printer driver (the latest one I can find) or my mouse driver or my CF card reader---it didn't seem to like anything, not even the color of my wallpaper. Looks like it'll be a while before I try to install it.

How do you install a bios update?? I've never done that.

Thanks, Crank

[Tuf]

I have updated dozens of 8000's and 8100's to XP. Depending on what bios version you are running you will probably want to up date it to the latest one. Dell has drivers for XP on their site. The also have good instructions for flashing the bios. Be sure to use the floppy method, DO NOT use the hard drive method. While it works 99% of the time if it fails you'll be spending $500 for a motherboard.
MOst of your stuff you will be able to get XP drivers for. Some 2000 drivers work just fine, others not at all. Printers almost always require XP or 2000 drivers. I have no idea about your CF reader but I would think they would have drivers for something that new.

[crank33]

Thanks Tuf, I should bring my box to you and let you do the upgrade for me. Iowa is not that far from Oklahoma. OK, just kidding. Thanks for the information---I may get up enough nerve to try it soon. Flashing the BIOS gives me the willies.

Crank