What’s the correct order in which Dell drivers should be installed?

Taken right from Dell Support article #268873:

1. Desktop System Software (DSS) or Notebook System Software (NSS)
2. Chipset
3. PCMCIA/Smartcard controller
4. Intel Storage (located under Serial ATA Category)
5. Audio
6. Video
7. Network Interface Card (NIC) / Ethernet Controller
8. Dell Control Point (DCP) (only for some Latitude Laptops)
9. Dell Quickset
10. Wireless Network Card
11. Bluetooth
12. Touchpad, Pointer, Track stick, Mice, and Keyboards
13. Other Devices

Note: Please read the original article for many important details!

How to invoke the context menu using the keyboard of my Dell E4300?

On some laptops the “menu key” (to open the right-click context menu) is missing.

As a workaround you can also press [Shift]+[F10].

Where is the Wireless Switch on a Dell Latitude E4300

The Next Corner knows where it is:

"on the Dell Latitude E4300, the wireless switch is located on the right side of the laptop, just under the only USB port of the machine. See picture of the Wireless Switch below:"

Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager: what's the user name to log on?

After launching Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager it asks you for enter a username and password combination.

What it expects is the username and password of a Windows account with administrative privileges.

WORKAROUND: "Show window contents while dragging" appearance option deactivated after every restart

You are sure a Dell user!

And you are certainly not alone:

http://www.5starsupport.com/xp-faq/1-67.htm

http://help.lockergnome.com/windows/Show-window-contents-dragging-problem-ftopict7815.html

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/windows-xp/9300-show-window-contents-while-dragging-option-doesnt-stick.html

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/windows-xp/9293-show-window-contents-while-dragging.html?highlight=dragging

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-319387.php

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=104214

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/25218-35-show-window-contents-dragging-work

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=100264&c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=98039&c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=118786&c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_video&message.id=106470&c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=137349&c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

http://www.tech-archive.net/Archive/WinXP/microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics/2004-02/0411.html

http://www.tutorials-win.com/MaintainXP/Show-window/

Possible Workarounds:

• Uninstall Dell Media Experience
  (seems to be cause for the most of the links above, but I handn't installed it)
• Use MSCONFIG to disable the services of your video and audio drivers.
  (this solved it in my case on a Dell XPS M1330 64-bit)
• Add this small tool to your autostart programs

HTH!

Driver: Broadcom 57XX/59XX Gigabit Integrated Controller for Dell XPS M1330 running Vista 64-bit

Thanks to Shad, I have now found Vista 64-bit drivers for my network card as well as a generic driver for the touchpad for my Dell XPS M1330.

PRB: Clean Vista x64 installation freezes with blue screen on Dell M1330 after first reboot

You need to turn off the computer completely (restart won't work). Vista should start now and you need to install "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" (provided by Dell) and after the next restart everything worked fine for me.

Another tip would be to turn off ACHI in your BIOS.

PRB: Dell Dimension freezes periodically for approx 30 seconds on Vista

Usually I try to blog things that interest many people, but there are some cases where the audience is knowingly extremely small, but nevertheless these people will be very glad to have found a solution to their problem.

If you own a Dell Dimension 9xxx and install Windows Vista, which at least in my case is not officially supported, but Dell Support did a very good job in helping me out, and your system periodically freezes (music stops etc.) and after approximately 30 seconds it's like is has never happened and after 2 or even 10 minutes it starts over.

There can be different reasons for this behavior, I can name two of them:

1. Install the firmware for your Philips DVD 6316 [1]
   
2. Install Intel Matrix Storage Software (this one solved it in my case). [2]

I'm looking forward to hearing success stories. :-)

 

[1] http://ftp.us.dell.com/rmsd/DROM6316_ODFN.zip

[2]ftp://ftp.us.dell.com/SATA/R139843.EXE