Dell Vostro 1400 won't boot-up to windows xp install disk

**kbarsi** · December 31st, 2007, 03:55 PM

My Dell Vostro 1400 won't boot-up to windows xp install disk. The installed operating system is Vista. I have the boot option set to boot from the cd first. The cd works in every other laptop and pc I have tried but the Dell just boots right into Vista without booting to the cd. I can tell that the laptop looks to the cd to boot but then doesn't. Does anyone have any idea why?

**poopeyhed2** · December 31st, 2007, 04:43 PM

Hit the F12 key once it boots up and then there will be a one time boot screen, and select the CD-ROM and it'll ask you to hit any key to boot from the CD.

**osprey4** · December 31st, 2007, 05:09 PM

Another strategy is to disable all other boot devices and leave only the CD drive as bootable.

**nemowolf** · December 31st, 2007, 05:11 PM

I do want to warn you that as this is a system that never existed before the Vista Launch, you may not have hardware support for some of you onboard items. Do not expect this machine to work 100% but be pleased if it does.

**osprey4** · December 31st, 2007, 09:15 PM

Nemowolf, the Vostro 1400 is also sold with XP (which begs the question as to why it wasn't ordered with XP, but anyhoo...), so there is full driver support for both operating systems.

**jamesb21222** · January 3rd, 2008, 09:08 AM

Did you go in the bios and set cdrom boot before hard drive?

**nemowolf** · January 3rd, 2008, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by osprey4

Nemowolf, the Vostro 1400 is also sold with XP (which begs the question as to why it wasn't ordered with XP, but anyhoo...), so there is full driver support for both operating systems.

Not exactly. There may minor differences for XP and Vista compatability as i have been doing some research into them. The Bluetooth option for example is specific to XP or Vista but i do not know for sure that they are interchangeable as the XP bluetooth came a month or so after the Vista version. It used to be listed as "Bluetooth 2.0 EDR XP Only." Just because they are listed as the same model doesnt mean they are actually the same model.

Also note, you have the option for Vista OR Xp but you can't switch between the two OS's once you have selected one during the build. Your limited to the flavors of XP in the XP build and the flavors of Vista for the Vista build which tells me they are not 100% compatible.

The best way to tell would be to compare the bottom plate model numbers of the two. Or try to install the other OS and see if it works ... Any updates?

**osprey4** · January 5th, 2008, 08:11 AM

Believe me, it's the same machine. Dell's dirty little secret is you can order one without an OS.

**nemowolf** · January 5th, 2008, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by osprey4

Believe me, it's the same machine. Dell's dirty little secret is you can order one without an OS.

LoL! Yea i love how you dont get any support options with the system you order though. Kinda like how you can order Ubunto/Linox on some systems but you cant get any tech support/warranty on it.

**akpreets** · January 9th, 2008, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by osprey4

Nemowolf, the Vostro 1400 is also sold with XP (which begs the question as to why it wasn't ordered with XP, but anyhoo...), so there is full driver support for both operating systems.

Initially Vostro 1400 was sold without XP. Even I bought one with Vista Home Basic, no other choice was given then. But now I would like to change to XP. Please let me know if you were successful in doing this. I guess all the drivers are available at the Dell website.

**osprey4** · January 10th, 2008, 02:44 PM

akpreets, as I said above, since the Vostro can be ordered with XP, there is full driver support. So if you would like to install XP, I see nothing holding you back.

**Rootstonian** · January 10th, 2008, 02:50 PM

Best thing to do is go into Device Manager and see what you have installed: graphics card, mobo, mobo chipset, on-board video, on board network, modem, sound yada, yada.

Then search each vendor's site for available XP drivers, dowload them and burn to CD.

If you don't have ALL the drivers, then don't expect FULL compatibility.

**bs_secret** · February 18th, 2008, 08:48 AM

http://voiceofchinese.com/forum/dell...s-xp-and-vista

Dell Vostro 1400 series driver for windows xp and vista

my friend bought a vostro 1400 with vista home basic preinstalled. but she still in want of windows xp.
nowdays install windows xp on the new intel chip is not easy. it as hard as install windows 98 because it has no built in SATA support. what we need do is either privide a driver disk during install or stremslip the SATA driver into the install source disk.
there is another way to install xp without the SATA driver simply by turn off SATA in BIOS, but not every computer allows to do so.

**osprey4** · February 18th, 2008, 09:31 AM

Hi, bs_secret:

I'm not sure if you are asking a question or sharing your experience. Sorry for the language gap.

A few tips to install XP on a Vostro. Go into the BIOS and change the setting for the drive from AHCI to ATA compatible. That will allow the installation routine to see the hard drive.

You can also slipstream the Dell matrix storage drivers into the OS disc using http://www.nliteos.com/ (if you know how to create a slipstreamed disc). You can do this on any computer.

Please let me know if you need further help.

**BrianK299** · February 22nd, 2008, 12:07 AM

Yes, the previous posts are correct: On a Vostro 1700 laptop, I had to change the SATA settings from AHCI to ATA compatible. This allowed the installation routine to see the hard drive. I'm not sure if you will be able to preserve the existing drive partitions that Dell installed for DSR (Dell System Recovery). I opted to delete all partitions and start totally fresh.

Good Luck!

**has_darazi** · June 30th, 2008, 01:38 AM

I had same problem before
I tryed to use original Dell cd and it's able to boot
I exported the boot file from the dell cd,I maked new windows xp with the dell boot file insreted(Imported) (using Ultra ISO Software)

After that the new CD able to boot

Best Regards.

**h@rry..** · October 7th, 2010, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by BrianK299

Yes, the previous posts are correct: On a Vostro 1700 laptop, I had to change the SATA settings from AHCI to ATA compatible. This allowed the installation routine to see the hard drive. I'm not sure if you will be able to preserve the existing drive partitions that Dell installed for DSR (Dell System Recovery). I opted to delete all partitions and start totally fresh.

Good Luck!

Guys
I wanted to remove Vista and install XP on my Dell 1400. I did change SATA control from AHCI to ATI. From bootable flash drive I was able to install XP successfully..but after that I gives me issue with booting. At booting it says
"Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem..."

I expanded HAL.DLL and NTOSKRML.EXE from pen drive.
Rebuilt boot.ini with BOOTCFG in repair mode.

Still proble exists. Anyone please help to come out from this weird problem

**nitinrawat** · September 8th, 2012, 07:49 AM

hey hi this is nitin and your problem solution is that first to the bios perss f2 and then go advanced -> sata operation and change the value (auci)->(ata) then save it from f10 and then boot from xp.it will work.