Clean 64 bit Vista install on 1720

you can install it w/o SATA drivers and start it up just fine, provided you go into your BIOS and turn off AHCI mode.

But, as AHCI mode takes full advantage of your drive being SATA, I would recommend that you install Vista with the driver. It is a driver you need to install at the start of the installation.

I'll be back with a quick edit with a link on how to accomplish this.

Here it is, heck I'd just follow this guide for your entire install:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=158277

My two cents really quick, wait to install all the drivers and programs you can until AFTER you've run all windows updates (most importantly after SP1...i've found optimal and lasting performance using this method).

 

I've called and chatted with several different people. I can't for the life of me get a 64 bit Vista Home Premium install disc. What a joke. They sell these computers with 32 bit OS's and 4GB of RAM KNOWING the two are mutually incompatible. So basically, I can't use the upgrade fully that I LEGITIMATELY paid for. What a bunch of tightwads.

 

There is other way to install it as Meetloaf13 said.

But i prefer with SATA driver. try to search if you don't find PM me your email and i will send u driver

 

They sell Studio 15 preloaded with Vista Home Premium x64, so the disc must be available.

If you configure a standard Studio 15 and compare the Vista part numbers to the preconfigured x64 version on the summary screen, there are a couple of different part numbers. One of those numbers that is different for x64 (I have no idea which) is what you need to ask for. Maybe all of the ones that are different, there might be a different drivers disc included also.

 

Almost all the 32-bit driver setup files provided by DELL have the 64-bit drivers in the them as well. Just download a 32-bit driver, double click it, and check for yourself.

For example -

 

I know. I looked at the disc in detail yesterday when I wiped out my laptop to get rid of the Dell junk on it. I've called several different departments, and all said the same thing. go to Microsoft, or buy a VOlume License Key for 5 installs for $1000. What a joke. Oh well. I guess I'll find it somewhere else. Will the OEM keys work on Retail versions of Vista? As far as I know, it's not illegal to d/l the software if you already own a legal copy of it. If I'm wrong, then I'll do without the 512MB of RAM I'm losing to system address space.

 

So, just to add to this thread, I installed 64 bit back in May & haven't looked back. Link to my thread (including links to drivers).

 

Isn't the x64 AHCI driver on the Resource CD? IIRC I found the driver in this directory on the disc..

X:\X64\R154164\WINALL\DRIVER64 (X being your DVD drive)

 

IIRC, I downloaded it from Dell.

 

I downloaded the latest straight from Intel, and it's working great.