Problems with my new L502X

Hi all,

I just received my XPS 15 a few days ago and I'm already running into some issues.

After seeing all the crapware loaded on the machine, I decided to do a clean install. I burned a disc of the latest drivers and, per advice I'd read on sevenforums, attempted to clear (zero out) the drive before reinstalling.

I've done this before using dban on several machines, but, for whatever reason, the disk failed to boot on the XPS. I know the disk works; It boots in any other machine I put it in. Regardless, It continues to kick back an error of "no configuration found", or some such nonsense.

I then decide to just do a simple drive format via Gparted through a Linux live DVD. Linux boots up fine, and I format the drive. When I put the Windows OS disc in and boot from it, I see the grey bar with "windows is loading" below it fill up and then immediately kick to an error screen saying that windows failed because an "application is missing or corrupt". It gives a status code of 0xc0000001, which, even after googling it, doesn't really explain anything. Then the computer just sticks in a loop toggling between two error pages.

I decided to check the ram using memtest off the linux dvd, hoping for a quick fix, but every time I run memtest it immediately crashes. The version of memtest on the dvd is the latest release, so I have no idea whats going on here.

The weird thing is, I can still boot the linux distro just fine (I can even boot from my old Vista dvd). But my Win7 disk (that cost an extra $20, btw) just hangs.

I've removed the HDD and verified it's functional via an external dock, but I'm stumped as far as how to proceed.

The only real difference between this notebook and any other machine I've used before is the BDROM drive. Could that be causing the issue?

Has anyone else had similar issues? I really don't want to send this thing back (no other computer in my price range has a screen this nice), but if something as simple as reinstalling windows is going to be such a problem, I guess I don't have a choice.

Thanks in advance for any and all responses.

EDIT: I've attempted putting a different HDD in the machine, I still get the same issues.

 

Your Win7 disk may be bad, contact Dell or you can download Win7 and burn it on a DVD and try again.

 

BDROM doesn't make much difference
when you did a low level format was it successful?
and yes you can do one thing connect it do another system and then use WD data lifeguard and write zeros (not complete) and then try

 

I'm hoping it's that simple. I'm still weirded out by the fact the old vista disc boots, but the dban and memtest both fail. Has anyone with an XPS15 been able to run those programs with success? That info alone might determine whether or not this is a fix or replace issue.

Good to know about the BDROM. Yes, the format was successful, I'm not sure what the WD program would do, though. I've already removed the drive and checked it with HDtune, so I know its functional.

I should have mentioned before, I have the A09 Bios installed (if that makes a difference). I'm leaning towards the idea that my hardware is defective in some way or there's some bios setting I'm not checking, but, then again, if I knew what was wrong I'd have fixed it already.

Thanks for the replies, guys. Further input still welcome.

 

I moved my windows installation onto a USB drive along with all my Dell drivers and Office long time ago, been much happier with that for doing a OS install.

IMO I find it much faster this way.

Microsoft has a utility for moving the windows ISO image onto a USB drive, called "Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool"

or you can simply googlr "making a bootable USB drive"