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Windows XP on Inspiron 1525

150 points posted to XPS products by toyota_supra Jan 24

I would like to see Dell offer Inspiron 1525 and XPS M1530 for that matter with Winows XP.
I would buy Inspiron 1525 with XP, if offered.

I have been using Windows Vista Home Premium since August of 2007 and I'm very disapointed with it. As a matter of fact my 7-year old laptop (Pentium III, 650 MHz Speed Step, 256 MB RAM) with XP Professional is booting faster, opening folders and files faster and more stable. Obviously the new laptop with Intel Core 2 Duo processor (T7100, 1.8 GHz) and 2GB of memory has significantly more "crunching" power, but is bugged down by inferrior Operating System.

Please provide Windows XP on more computers.

Regards,
TS

jdelidc
Jan 25
i can top that. i got a 9 year old emachine underclocking at 400 mhz with 128 mb ram. it runs fedora 8 just as fast if not faster than vista, some things drastically faster
james_g
Jan 25
I've seen this complaint and similar in the technical support lines time and again. For most systems, specked out reasonably for Vista, Vista runs just fine and at relatively the same speeds as XP. The problem being that "out of the box" it may not seem that way as Vista has many many more optionsand settings in it that have to be tweaked to provide optimal performance. I believe that Wiki has a few posts on how to tweak yours to operate faster.

James G
Dell Resolution Expert Center
Thank you for posting your ideas, keep them coming!

PS- Since Vista was released, Microsoft wants all comptuer copanies that sell Windows to move towards Vista progressively. For a while we only allowed Vista to ship on a lot of systems then allowed XP to be released (per Microsoft's OK) on several units to assist with the whole transition period. Remember, a lot of the complaints you see now about Vista were once said about XP and prior OS's released.
toyota_supra
Jan 26
james_g

Thank you for your response.
I have "tweaked" my systems according to various help guides and it's working reasonably well.
Having said that, if given a choice of 2 identical laptops, one with XP and other with Vista, I would select XP in an instant.

I do give credit to Dell for offering at least some computers with Windows XP, altough I question
their price when compared to same set up, but with Vista. I was looking at Vostro line, but color black
it's not for me.

I would like to mention that some companies started offering more laptops with Windows XP preinstalled on them, including Lenovo and Toshiba. However they are marketed towards businesses.

T.S.

P.S. I don't recall having any performance issues, when XP was first released. It wasn't and it's not
the perfect OS, but in my opinin it's better than Windows Me 2007 aka Windows Vista.
jorge
Feb 1
@james_g, if Dell wants to sell now offer XP! If you want the customer to wait till Vista is fixed, you won't get sales till then! Offer a buy with XP installed now and pay $X (less than full release of Vista) for the upgrade when the customer is ready! This will sell Dell units NOW and sell Vista later as well when the customer is comfortable. This is why you still have people using their ancient computers with Win98, WinME, because Dell would not sell them their old OS with a new computer so they could get comfortable with the new OS at work or another computer them upgrade once they saw how it worked, felt safe/comfortable, etc..

You know the same thing Dell is doing in house.
jorge
Feb 1
Or just throw in vista into the package and the customer can upgrade their already paid version of Vista at a later date at their leisure? That way you sell the computer, sell XP and sell Vista, therefor making the customer Happy, Microsoft Happy, and Dell happy (now).
james_g
Feb 1
We did sell systems with XP and a Vista upgrade process, a year ago. There were a lot of problems with the process but that time is quite simply, over.

A large part of the issue is, we don't sell Windows, Microsoft does. Dell just brokers the transaction. This means that licenses have to be released by Microsoft for us to sell to consumers. If Microsoft says "no" then the answer is no. We can't just sell their product without their permission, that's illegal.

James G
Dell Resolution Expert Center
Thank you for posting your ideas, keep them coming!
jorge
Feb 1
Humm... then why can I buy Windows XP at other hardware resellers and not to mention software stores? Yes today.
If its illegal to sell it just provide a link to where we can get it, well I don't need the link but for those wanting it that don't have it. Just throw the words Vista in there somewhere with a link to Microsoft, that'll keep um happy.

Truly sad, oh well 3rd place.
james_g
Feb 1
Because those company's have the rights to sell individual copies or as part of systems per their contracts with Microsoft, contracts for XP which would be going away soon, probably before the end of the year for sure.

James G
Dell Resolution Expert Center
Thank you for posting your ideas, keep them coming!
jorge
Feb 4
Humm... so then why can I still install 95/98/NT/2000? All smoke and mirrors, thats why.
toyota_supra
Feb 4
james_g,

There is no question that Dell needs Windows to sell computers, as well Microsoft needs
Dell to sell their Windows OS. For better or for worse, you can call it a MARRIAGE.

As in every marriage there are give and takes, so I don’t agree that Dell has to do everything that Microsoft says! As a #1 US computer seller, Dell has very powerful voice, backed by their millions of royal customers.

I could live (hardly) with retail stores (Best Buy, Staples, etc.) selling only PC preloaded with Vista, however I can’t be silent when it comes to freedom of choice and customization through Dell website.

What distinguishes Dell from HP, Gateway, Sony (VAIO) is the choices being offered, including operating systems. I would like to add that as far as I know, Lenovo is only other option among major computer suppliers that offers Windows XP.

If customers are demanding option/choice of OS, it should be offered.
I like the idea that was posted on this forum, offering radio buttons choices of OS, Vista, XP, Linux or even no OS.

Regards,
Toyota_Supra
jorge
Feb 4
Its a give and take and we know who's giving and who's taking... don't we.
jorge
Feb 4
Are you sure?
jorge
Feb 4
Are you really sure?
jorge
Feb 4
I guess you're used to Vista after all then.
shanu_ntz
Mar 5
Hi, all this is very intresting to hear all this.. esp wht Dell has to say. quite funny also,
but Major Problems facing for me. i have to deal with customers who have problems with just usage of XP.. now i need them to get used to Vista. Hmmmph. o. did i mention i am in East Africa.
jdelidc
Mar 6
welcome to ideastorm
jdelidc
Mar 6
it definitely can be a hassle trying to get used to vista. not to mention it's excessive resource hogging. people start wondering "is it me or is my 10 year old computer with xp faster?"
fargo
Mar 6
@ James_g......on those pc's that dell is offering xp have them stop gouging the customer for installing
xp pro i e xps 630 $130 more for the xp config than the vista config base price. I would hazzard a guess
that vista is more expensive than xp.
jdelidc
Mar 8
not quite. think it's part of microsoft's motivation to get people to invest in vista (and ultimately more expensive machines)
fargo
Mar 8
sorry jdelidc but I don't buy your rational, if its not the current os then ms does not set the price I've seen xp offered for much
less than $130. as I said dell is gouging its customers for xp
jdelidc
Mar 8
that's how it should be....

and they are overcharging for xp. (you should see the retail copies they are selling. it's psychotic. even xp ain't worth that) but i think some of it also has to do with ms. xp everywhere is more expensive than vista... hense my theory
fargo
Mar 9
Just for self satisfaction I checked some retail stores and on average vista premium is $40 higher than xp pro but
neither price was cheap thats for sure. xp is still priced high because of the demand the same as the latest AGP
cards are higher in price than their counter parts on PCIe. the manufacturers are taking advantage of this and are
keeping the price high or as I still say gouging!
gear
Apr 17
Detailed instructions as to how to upgrade an Inspiron 1525 to Windows XP is posted here:

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_genera...

and here:

http://www.notebooks-drivers.com/dell-laptop/how-to-install-windows-xp-on-del...
gear
Apr 17
"Because those company's have the rights to sell individual copies or as part of systems per their contracts with Microsoft, contracts for XP which would be going away soon, probably before the end of the year for sure."

James,

Here is a trade secret: Dell does not work as serf or servant for Microsoft.

Microsoft is taking advantage of the fragmented, competing vendors to play one against the other to enforce their monopoly licensing agreements by imposing terms that help them flog Vista.

If Dell doesn't comply, Dell does not get the "most favored" pricing, gets locked out of promotions, etc.

The reality is that Microsoft's Windows and Office monopoly is now about 20 years old, and it is fraying around not just the edges.

There is a non-negligible chance that Microsoft's monopolies will go crash and burn like the previous monopolies (IBM in mainframes, etc.) did before.

Do Dell want to end up like Packard Bell? Gateway? Or other roadkill who failed to see a turn in the road.

If you listen to customers out there, the sentiments against Microsoft imposing Vista and Office 2007 on them is incredible.

The anger, the hatred of Microsoft goes far beyond Vista. It goes to them using the "automatic update" feature to impose things like Internet Explorer 7, Validation, Silverlight, etc. that users do not need and screws up their machines.

The bottom line is that Microsoft has abused their monopoly enough and there is a groundswell of revolt mostly by young users using Internet based devices (like UMPCs) against Microsoft.

Dell can slog on and be a slave as the Microsoft ship sails on to the ice field for its destined encounter with an iceberg, or Dell can save itself.

Linux right now is a niche product UNLESS a major vendor or a group of hardware vendors get together and make it usable for the average user --- i.e. pre-installed with a good suite of applications like Open Office, Firefox, etc. and have a command structure that is a clone of the Microsoft Windows XP / Office 2003 / Office XP / Office 2000 that most users know off the bat.

Dell can join this revolution against Microsoft, or Dell can help Microsoft along with their equivalent product to the IBM OS/2.

Even Microsoft has acknowledged that Vista is an interim product and a dead end --- why else would they be rushing out Windows 7 for 2009 otherwise and extending the life of Windows Home to the UMPC until 2010?

Just watch --- the life of Windows XP will be extended from the current June cutoff date to at least the middle of 2009 in the next iteration.

The alternative for Microsoft is to lose even more share to Linux and Apple.

Apple is a niche product that Microsoft can live with, Linux they cannot afford to have it go mainstream.
joyscant1980
Apr 17
"the manufacturers are taking advantage of this and are keeping the price high or as I still say gouging!"

It is actually simple economics. The price of a product is linked directly with the demand of the product as well as the supply of the product. When the demand for a product increases, the price increases and when the supply of the product decreases, the price increases. Microsoft is going to create a shortage of XP licenses so the supply will decrease and the price will increase. The more you demand XP, the more the price is going to increase. It is also a tool to control demand because there is a point where the price is so high that consumers will forego the product and choose a cheaper alternative, which in this case, is Vista and MS is using it to move people over to Vista.

Despite the alternatives, such as the different flavours of Linux and MAC, they are some people who will prefer to stay with MS because it is a company they know and although they may not like MS very much, it is more of sticking with the devil they know than going to the angel they do not.
gear
Apr 17
"they are some people who will prefer to stay with MS because it is a company they know and although they may not like MS very much, it is more of sticking with the devil they know than going to the angel they do not."

The key issue is customers want to stick with Windows XP, which is the devil they know.

By inflicting Vista on these users, Microsoft is re-opening the issue of whether customers should walk away from Microsoft altogether.
goose1927
Apr 22
You can still get XP, heck an OEM copy of XP is easy to find online, Its easy enough to install XP and then get the drives for the computer online, so if you really want XP go get it! No one is stopping you, MS isn't forcing you to choose Vista, I think the delay of taking XP off the market speaks volumes about how well Vista is really doing. For the record I never had any problems or serious performance issues with XP, not like I do with Vista, its a flop... Wait for the next version it will be a Vista fix, until then hold on to your XP OEM stickers and CD's : ), and think of it this way, if they do get Vista down, then youll have a copy waiting for you on CD-ROM, maybe it will be a relic.
toyota_supra
Apr 22
Author: gear
Apr 17

"Detailed instructions as to how to upgrade an Inspiron 1525 to Windows XP is posted here:"

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Gear,
Thanks for info on 1525 and XP.

Funny (not for Micro$oft) that you mention "upgrade", which should realy be called a "software downgrade". But I agree that downgrade to XP is actually an upgrade...

Regards,
T.S.
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