Installing Vista Ultimate on Vostro 1700 BSOD loop!!

[v_2ryann]

Hey All,

For those of you interested, you can install XP onto the Vostro 1700 without using a floppy disk, and running the HDDs in AHCI mode. This method may work with Vista too, although I haven't tried it yet. I use this method every time I change the chipset of the boot drive to keep from getting a Stop 0x7b. I was able to successfully install XP by doing the following:

1. In the BIOS, change the HD mode from AHCI to ATA.
2. Save settings, and boot XP install disk. Install XP as you normally would.
3. Once XP is completely installed and ready to roll, install the Dell Intel Chipset drivers found here: http://ftp.us.dell.com/chipset/R153997.EXE
4. Do all the rebooting required for the install, and even an extra if it makes you feel good .
5. Download the Intel Matrix drivers found here: http://ftp.us.dell.com/SATA/R154200.EXE
6. Run the .exe and extract them to a a folder of your choice.
7. Boot into safe mode, and open the device manager.
8. Find the Intel ICH-8M controller listed under "IDE-ATA/ATAPI Controllers" (or if you doing this on any other system, the HD controller the bootable drive is using) and right-click it, pick "update driver". If there are two, pick the top one as that is the one that worked when I did it. This will open the driver update wizard. Pick "no, not this time" for it to check online, "Install from a specific location (Advanced)", "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install". Uncheck "Show compatible hardware" and then click on "Have Disk". Click "Browse", and find the folder that contains the Matrix drivers you extracted in step 5&6. Double click the filename "Iaahci.inf". Click "OK". This will pull up a list of Intel AHCI controllers. Some of you might be getting the BSOD on the vista install cuz it may be loading the wrong driver, although during boot I believe it will load all the drivers on the list. Anyway, the driver that works with the Vostro 1700 is "82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI" (I will tell you how I found this out below). So double click that driver. It will prompt you with a warning saying that installing it may cause problems. Just click "Yes" and continue the install. This will install the Matrix raid drivers into the driver cache.
9.Now in device manager, open the "IDE ATA/ATAPI" section back up. Right click, and pick "Uninstall" for EVERY device listed under this section. It may ask you to reboot, DO NOT REBOOT YET. SELECT "NO". When you uninstall the controller that hosts the boot drive, it might hang for about 30secs or so. This is normal, just wait and pick NO when asked to reboot. Also the boot controller may not disappear. Thats ok, just make sure you run the uninstall for every device listed.
10. In device manager expand the "Disk Drives" tree. Right click, then uninstall for ALL the devices listed under this tree.
11. REBOOT AND ENTER BIOS. Its CRITICAL that you enter the bios before the OS boots again, or you'll have to go and remove the devices again.
12.In the BIOS, set the HD mode back to AHCI. You can enable the Intel Turbo Flash if you want, but it won't affect what we are doing here. Save settings and reboot. XP will boot and install the correct controllers, and your on your way! A reboot maybe required again to finish up the correct install of the controllers.

ALL DONE!

I found that the Vostro 1700 has the:
With integrated graphics: Intel® 965GM Express chipset
With discrete graphics: Intel® 965PM Express chipset
(http://www.dell.com/content/products...=bsd&~wsf=tabs )

I then went to Intel's site and found which Matrix SATA controller was on the 965PM chipset: 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8-M) Found at the bottom of the page here: http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/pm965/index.htm

If you have the integrated intel graphics, it uses the same chipset:
http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/GM965/index.htm

This method has worked for all my machines, no matter what chipset it had or that I switched it to. Works great when you swap out a motherboard and don't want to re-install windows

[facadegeniality]

hi i have a dual boot system...

after i did this i cannot access vista...i installed xp first then vista.

[facadegeniality]

oh its okay already...

i switched it back to ata and redid the same with vista...

now im in AHCI mode and im able to boot both xp and vista

thanks for everything..bookmarking this page for future references

[FrozenWind]

I love you guys. Seriously. Saved me from throwing my new laptop out the window.