Dual Boot XP on AlienWae 15MX

[tanauser]

Hello

Can anyone help me to understand how to install XP on this Laptop

At Boot After loading XP drivers , and before The XP installation I was confronted to the Blue

Stop Error Screen 0x00000007

So far I understand I have to go in the Bios and Change AHIC ----> ATA

but the boot than freeze upon loading the Startinglogo ; No other option than to go back in the BIOS and change it back

Can you help ?

thanks

 

[COLGeek]

I have one of these laptops, very nice. So, why do you want to put XP on it?

Regardless, go into your BIOS and disable all non-essential devices (sound, bluetooth, etc) and then preform the install. Once complete, go back into the BIOS and turn the devices back on.

Good luck.

 

[hang-the-9]

That laptop does not have XP drivers for it. Don't bother trying, laptops without supported drivers from the vendor very very rarely work right. Especially since you are already crashing.

 

[COLGeek]

That laptop does not have XP drivers for it. Don't bother trying, laptops without supported drivers from the vendor very very rarely work right. Especially since you are already crashing.

This is generally true and I agree with the assessment. Generic drivers are likely available for most devices, but are likely not available from Dell/Alienware. That is the risk the OP has to decide to take or not.

If the OP wants XP mode, using Win 7 Pro or Ultimate can serve that need without going for the full XP install.

 

[tanauser]

This is generally true and I agree with the assessment. Generic drivers are likely available for most devices, but are likely not available from Dell/Alienware. That is the risk the OP has to decide to take or not.

If the OP wants XP mode, using Win 7 Pro or Ultimate can serve that need without going for the full XP install.

So You think it's Possible to To go over that Stop Error Screen ( Blue Death)

Upon installing XP ( as a Second OS) on that laptop .. ?

Right now I am writting you upon another computer because , I have Locked my boot Partition primary on the Alienware( windows 7) and I am trying to recover it
Anyway ............
Someone here said he did it and that the computer is working fine

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/484651-m15x-windows-xp-2.html#post7420280

He says that you have to
1) Go in the Bios and change the AHIC ---------> ATA
2) Unplug the Optical Drive from the Mother board
Which something almost impossible if you are not a specialist .

Once I have changed the AHIC to ATA ; Nothing boot at all ; the only option is to go back in the BIOS and turn it back

 

[hang-the-9]

That laptop does not have XP support, don't mess with it unless you want to totally re-install the system when it's hosed.

 

[tanauser]

I have all the drivers ; All I want is to found a way to install XP upon

 

[hang-the-9]

Where did you get XP drivers for it? They were none for XP off Dell's site.

 

[COLGeek]

So You think it's Possible to To go over that Stop Error Screen ( Blue Death)

Upon installing XP ( as a Second OS) on that laptop .. ?

Right now I am writting you upon another computer because , I have Locked my boot Partition primary on the Alienware( windows 7) and I am trying to recover it
Anyway ............
Someone here said he did it and that the computer is working fine

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/484651-m15x-windows-xp-2.html#post7420280

He says that you have to
1) Go in the Bios and change the AHIC ---------> ATA
2) Unplug the Optical Drive from the Mother board
Which something almost impossible if you are not a specialist .

Once I have changed the AHIC to ATA ; Nothing boot at all ; the only option is to go back in the BIOS and turn it back

Can you install XP on this machine? YES, but Dell/Alienware do not provide drivers for XP. That being said, you will have to find generic (or other Dell/Alienware XP drivers) not made specifically for your system.

To get XP to install, you need to disable all possible devices, as previously suggested in my earlier post, in the BIOS. You should not have to disable/remove the optical drive (that makes no sense whatsoever).

Once you have XP installed in its own partition, you can easily set up Windows 7 in a dual boot mode. There are many guides around to help with that.

 

[das_stig]

Not worth the hassle, if you must run something under XP due to compatibility reasons, as previously mentioned use XP Mode, or if you need a fully fledged XP build, use virtualbox and install that way under Win7, works perfectly unless you need all singing and dancing graphics.

 

[COLGeek]

Not worth the hassle, if you must run something under XP due to compatibility reasons, as previously mentioned use XP Mode, or if you need a fully fledged XP build, use virtualbox and install that way under Win7, works perfectly unless you need all singing and dancing graphics.

This is solid advice and a good alternative to the full-blown XP install the OP wants.

There is no meaningful reason to install XP as it's own installation/partition on this rig. Possible, yes, Needed, no.

 

[tanauser]

So , Can you indicate a very small Tiny Windows 7 to install instead

I have erased the Original partition of The Alienware Windows7

 

[das_stig]

Nope, as this would mean using a 3rd party hacked Win7 source and would involve pirated material.

Now if you've wiped the recovery partition and don't have a recovery DVD, you can borrow a OEM version of Windows and use your licence key to activate it, but you'll have to get the drivers etc off Alienware website.

 

[tanauser]

OK ; what I did despite I couldn't install XP ........ I have found a very small Windows 7 light ; It's supposed to be a free experimental version from Microsoft ; it's in 32 bites
And the Alienware is in 64 ; so that was a little trouble to found the drivers ; but I have the ReSource DVD that goes with my new laptop ; So
Over it I have installed All the missing drivers ( mostly for the Nvidia Card) , ((else you see everything in VGA))

So far this OS leave me alone with all the trouble of refusing me access to my own folders ; Once for all I managed to set me as the only user and Administrator ;

I will keep you infom if you want .... so far it's fast ; that's more or less what I wanted

PS : of course I don't have the fancy Alienware screens & icons ......... The flash light of the computer are still there though ..... but I have no idea on how to change them

 

[COLGeek]

If you contact Dell/Alienware, you might be able to get them to send you a copy of the OEM Win 7 DVD that should have been provided with the laptop when you bought it.

You should NEVER use Win 7 ISOs from questionable sources. NEVER. You just don't know what else is included in those releases and it simply isn't worth the risk.

 

[tanauser]

I have 2 DVD provided when I bough the computer
1) is Windows 7
2 ) M15x Resource DVD ( for 64 bits)
3)Ressource media Dell

None of them got the soft that allows to change the lights ....

Do you know the name of the exe ?

What I would like to ask , is : Before the Windows 7 boot Screen there was the AlienWare logo ; now it's gone ... but can I have a black screen in stead of the Phoenix preloaded screen ?

 

[COLGeek]

Go here to get all of the Alienware (owned by Dell) downloads/files:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?os=W764&catid=-1&dateid=-1&impid=-1&osl=EN&typeid=-1&formatid=-1&servicetag=&SystemID=ALW_LP_M15X&hidos=WV64&hidlang=en&TabIndex=&scanSupported=False&scanConsent=False

 

[tanauser]

The answer is maybe here ,

http://www.mydigitallife.info/windows-xp-setup-could-not-detect-and-find-any-sata-hard-disk-drive-on-ahci-mode/

http://www.mydigitallife.info/sata-cddvd-rom-optical-drive-disappears-after-enabling-ahci-mode-in-vista/

but I couldn't understand how to fix this problem which seems to be a driver / chipset sharp settings

there's a combinaison between the driver of the Hdd aand the Bios ; for instance my driver Msahci.sys is Started in Regedit but I can't see it upon the devices drivers..... well I'm still searching and the case is not solved , sorry

 

[Zoron]

If you have the text-mode SATA drivers, then you need to either create a XP CD with the drivers slipstreamed into it or get a USB floppy drive and install them via the F6 prompt as XP setup is loading.

As for the "access to your own folders", what exactly are you referring to? I can access any folder I wish under Win 7 64-bit. It's only a matter of setting it up properly. What folders don't you have access to?

 

[tanauser]

Let me explain once more : If in the BIOS I leave as it is ( advanced settings) AHCI & if I load XP installation with the proper drivers : I got Stop error Screen ( Blue screen) ;

So what I need to know , is the correlation ( the link ) between the driver of my HDD ( sata) and the AHCI . I think it's a question of having the correct drivers in the right place

but I don't know which driver to choose in order to avoid the Stop error Screen conflict

Do you know ?

- Another thing , if I cange ( in the BIOS ) AHCI to ATA than I lose all my external device ... no CD , no USB ... that must be a bug , but i am absolutely incapable to find a way to re enable them .... so the only solution is AHCI

correct ?