Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I received my XPS P4 Generation 5 today. I have not set it up yet, but
the system came with the following CD's

1) Purple Operating System Reinstallation CD (enclosed in a MS pretty
green card which was marked "For distribution with a new DELL PC only" ).
The Green card looks just like the green folder you get when you
purchase the XP Home CD at the retail price. First time I've see that.

2) Drivers and Utilities CD - Resource CD

3) Application (Sonic DigitalMedia v.7 LE Software) CD

4) Application (Cyberlink PowerDVD 5.5 Software) CD

5) WordPerfect Productivity Pack CD

6) Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS CD

7) AOL :-) I have cable and ordered no modem. It suggests I should
give it to a friend....... boy are they desperate.

The system looks very nice. Much larger then my Dimension 8300.
Someone prior remarked it is cheap because it is plastic and not metal.
For me if it were metal at that size and at my age I couldn't even move
it or turn it over to install hardware.

I also like the way the CD and DVD drives are on the top and enclosed in
a drawer which opens and then retracts back again the left side of the
tower neatly out of the way. I also really like the front 2 USB',
Microphone, earphone and the fire wire outlets are which are on the
upper right side behind a little door. Yeah, :-) I don't have to lay
on the floor to use these connections.

The XPS does have SP2 connectors, I think they are called, for the
keyboard and the mouse. You have to buy the little converters though.
I prefer that to USB for the mouse and keyboard.

Wish me luck in transferring everything and resetting up the network and
cable modem.

Joan

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

You will be very pleased with your new Dell. The XPS Gen 5 is an awesome
machine. A few things to do before you set it up though . . .

Take the time to copy down the Windows product ID from the little sticker on
the case. Make sure you have the numbers from the back of the machine
copied as well, taking care in both cases to make sure you are seeing the
letters accurately. A 1 (one) looks a lot like an l (lower case L) and an R
(upper case R) looks a lot like an 8 (eight) in bad light, under a desk,
with your head craned sideways holding a flashlight in your teeth.

Before you connect your internet access, make sure you have at least the
Windows Firewall enabled. Have fun setting up your new Dell!

"Joan Hansen" <user@my.net> wrote in message
news:xZyHe.8164$Tr6.5709@lakeread02...
>I received my XPS P4 Generation 5 today. I have not set it up yet, but the
>system came with the following CD's
>
> 1) Purple Operating System Reinstallation CD (enclosed in a MS pretty
> green card which was marked "For distribution with a new DELL PC only" ).
> The Green card looks just like the green folder you get when you purchase
> the XP Home CD at the retail price. First time I've see that.
>
> 2) Drivers and Utilities CD - Resource CD
>
> 3) Application (Sonic DigitalMedia v.7 LE Software) CD
>
> 4) Application (Cyberlink PowerDVD 5.5 Software) CD
>
> 5) WordPerfect Productivity Pack CD
>
> 6) Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS CD
>
> 7) AOL :-) I have cable and ordered no modem. It suggests I should give
> it to a friend....... boy are they desperate.
>
> The system looks very nice. Much larger then my Dimension 8300. Someone
> prior remarked it is cheap because it is plastic and not metal. For me if
> it were metal at that size and at my age I couldn't even move it or turn
> it over to install hardware.
>
> I also like the way the CD and DVD drives are on the top and enclosed in a
> drawer which opens and then retracts back again the left side of the tower
> neatly out of the way. I also really like the front 2 USB', Microphone,
> earphone and the fire wire outlets are which are on the upper right side
> behind a little door. Yeah, :-) I don't have to lay on the floor to use
> these connections.
>
> The XPS does have SP2 connectors, I think they are called, for the
> keyboard and the mouse. You have to buy the little converters though. I
> prefer that to USB for the mouse and keyboard.
>
> Wish me luck in transferring everything and resetting up the network and
> cable modem.
>
> Joan
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for the tips Kevin. One little step at a time.

Kevin wrote:
> You will be very pleased with your new Dell. The XPS Gen 5 is an awesome
> machine. A few things to do before you set it up though . . .
>
> Take the time to copy down the Windows product ID from the little sticker on
> the case. Make sure you have the numbers from the back of the machine
> copied as well, taking care in both cases to make sure you are seeing the
> letters accurately. A 1 (one) looks a lot like an l (lower case L) and an R
> (upper case R) looks a lot like an 8 (eight) in bad light, under a desk,
> with your head craned sideways holding a flashlight in your teeth.
>
> Before you connect your internet access, make sure you have at least the
> Windows Firewall enabled. Have fun setting up your new Dell!
>
> "Joan Hansen" <user@my.net> wrote in message
> news:xZyHe.8164$Tr6.5709@lakeread02...
>
>>I received my XPS P4 Generation 5 today. I have not set it up yet, but the
>>system came with the following CD's
>>
>>1) Purple Operating System Reinstallation CD (enclosed in a MS pretty
>>green card which was marked "For distribution with a new DELL PC only" ).
>>The Green card looks just like the green folder you get when you purchase
>>the XP Home CD at the retail price. First time I've see that.
>>
>>2) Drivers and Utilities CD - Resource CD
>>
>>3) Application (Sonic DigitalMedia v.7 LE Software) CD
>>
>>4) Application (Cyberlink PowerDVD 5.5 Software) CD
>>
>>5) WordPerfect Productivity Pack CD
>>
>>6) Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS CD
>>
>>7) AOL :-) I have cable and ordered no modem. It suggests I should give
>>it to a friend....... boy are they desperate.
>>
>>The system looks very nice. Much larger then my Dimension 8300. Someone
>>prior remarked it is cheap because it is plastic and not metal. For me if
>>it were metal at that size and at my age I couldn't even move it or turn
>>it over to install hardware.
>>
>>I also like the way the CD and DVD drives are on the top and enclosed in a
>>drawer which opens and then retracts back again the left side of the tower
>>neatly out of the way. I also really like the front 2 USB', Microphone,
>>earphone and the fire wire outlets are which are on the upper right side
>>behind a little door. Yeah, :-) I don't have to lay on the floor to use
>>these connections.
>>
>>The XPS does have SP2 connectors, I think they are called, for the
>>keyboard and the mouse. You have to buy the little converters though. I
>>prefer that to USB for the mouse and keyboard.
>>
>>Wish me luck in transferring everything and resetting up the network and
>>cable modem.
>>
>>Joan
>>
>
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On the Dimension 8400's with Windows XP Media Center, the reinstall
disc is a DVD, not a CD. Dell systems require Windows XP
re-installation on the main IDE plug, but they install the DVD drive
on the secondary IDE plug.

Basically what I've had to do is swap the DVD drive with the CDRW.
Then the reinstallation of Media Center goes without a hitch.

Dan


On Mon, 01 Aug 2005 20:18:40 -0400, Joan Hansen <user@my.net> wrote:

>I received my XPS P4 Generation 5 today. I have not set it up yet, but
>the system came with the following CD's
>
>1) Purple Operating System Reinstallation CD (enclosed in a MS pretty
>green card which was marked "For distribution with a new DELL PC only" ).
>The Green card looks just like the green folder you get when you
>purchase the XP Home CD at the retail price. First time I've see that.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I've never seen the DVD drive installed as the slave on a Dell!

"Dan" <jasdfosd@asjedfoi.com> wrote in message
news:tpeaf1hi7q5o8d92jqhuk4l86s22aatsjt@4ax.com...
> On the Dimension 8400's with Windows XP Media Center, the reinstall
> disc is a DVD, not a CD. Dell systems require Windows XP
> re-installation on the main IDE plug, but they install the DVD drive
> on the secondary IDE plug.
>
> Basically what I've had to do is swap the DVD drive with the CDRW.
> Then the reinstallation of Media Center goes without a hitch.
>
> Dan

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 22:44:26 GMT, "WSZsr" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I've never seen the DVD drive installed as the slave on a Dell!

I have. Twice. In the past week. I would place the DVD in the top
drive. The light would flast for 30 seconds then give me "strike F1
to reboot, F2 for setup utility" (this was because it was a CDRW).

So then I'd remove the Media Center DVD, place it in the DVD drive (on
the bottom), and it would do the same thing. I then swapped the two
drives (I didn't want to flip and crimp the IDE cable) and everything
worked perfectly on the DVD drive once it was the master on the cable.

Dan