I tried version 3.x as well, which would get into the menu then crash at the point of launching any option (at the black screen loading linux).
I updated the BIOS as recommended and then the same thing happened, except it would display a few more white blocks (ASCII) below the text about linux.

The version 4.0 just crashes at displaying the menu. The menu displays, but then hangs, you cannot even launch or display a sub-menu.

Also I tried Darik's Boot and Nuke (bootable CD), and that launched but failed with a non-fatal error.

Windows XP boot CD launches, but goes through the process and then displays a BSOD Stop error 000007 or something. Likely as not it can;t detect the SATA HDD, but does NOT give an error about hard drives not found.

The Dell tech support guy stated "Windows XP works with SATA". Yeah, but not out of the box with no driver floppy, methinks.

All-in-all I want to get rid of Windows Vista Home Basic (surprisingly enough, eh?) and wipe the HDD and put my own software on. It's currently impossible. Any ideas why?

The system is a new Dell Dimension E520, Intel Core 2 Duo 4300, 2GB RAM, single 250GB Samsung SATA HDD (controller is RAID but single HDD), SATA DVD+-RW, Motherboard Chipset: Intel G965 Express Chipset.

is it 0x000007F? if so, this usually points to bad hardware, usually RAM, or if you're really unlucky, the motherboard.



He's partially right, most SATA controllers are detected by XP setup, provided it's Service pack 1 or later.




Dell probably don't have drivers for their branded hardware, and probably never will. It's a common practice by the big boys (Dell, HP, etc..)

It seems to me, that you have some sort of serious hardware fault going on there, and you need to yell at Dell for a service call or replacement machine. Good luck.

It would be interesting if it was a hardware fault, as I ran Dell boot menu diagnostics -which are fairly comprehensive, testing the RAM and CPU, DVD drive, HDD etc. No problems found.

I wanted to test the RAM with memtest86+ but obviously I can't boot the UBCD, and I'd predict memtest's own CD wouldn't work...

It's still possible that an INCOMPATIBILITY with newer hardware would cause the same symptoms as FAULTY hardware isn't it?

I haven't tried booting the Windows XP CD and using F6 and a floppy yet, because I haven't put a floppy in the machine yet, and I can't get the card reader to act as drive a:\ for the inflexible Windows XP setup!

Incompatibilty with what exactly? I build new PCs on a daily basis, and UBCD works fine, assuming the hardware is good. Vista is more likely to have problems with older hardware, like the much documented problems with DSL USB modems (read: no drivers ). That said, it is a possibility there's some sort of incompatibility, it's just fairly unlikely.

Well until I try it on the exact same spec'd system I'll never know for sure! I agree that over many different types of system I have built or serviced, I have never seen these symptoms before. I will probably get a refund from Dell, but I'd rather have a replacement PC, don't want to get it 'serviced' as we all know the likelihood of getting the same problems back...

I get these errors too, glad to know it really isn't my laptop!