Windows 7 + CC3 + DELL... Almighty headache

[Cwizard]

Hopefully someone has the answer to this.

Basically we are a CC3 based school with a number of laptops and base units for staff that are standalone windows with mapped shares available. All our replacement unit we currently purchase from Dell.

This afternoon i have looked on Dells website and the new Vostro 260 units don't have XP drivers available.

Now, before anyone says more with the times and migrate to Windows 7, Money is a massive issue. More the point, the lack of money.

Anyone have any thoughts on this or a workaround to accommodate windows 7 into CC3?
I cant see the "XP Mode" with smart-client being an option either. I currently use this successfully on my Windows 7 desktop, but with students i can see it working.

Any ideas people?

[SYNACK]

Second hand laptops might be your best option, could help with the money aspect too.

[Cwizard]

Finding them will be the problem in the quantities required.

Plus who is going to be looking to offload stations that are still within warranty and up to modern standards.

I can't really see it working, but thanks for the reply Synack...

[SYNACK]

Finding them will be the problem in the quantities required.

Plus who is going to be looking to offload stations that are still within warranty and up to modern standards.

I can't really see it working, but thanks for the reply Synack...

Modern standards don't really include XP, but you may with a lot of work be able to dig up many of the drivers from the individual hardware vendors. ICT direct is a sponser on here and deals in refurbed hardware so may be able to help.

You may just need to take it to the powers that handle the funding and say that their options are severly limited by the systems that they are chained to by insufficient funding and that situation is only going to get worse. Their options are possibly half working laptops with XP that would take lots of effort to get running or older hardware to go along with the older software that you are limited to.

[irsprint84]

Have you looked at Xen client? possible xen client will have its own drivers for XP

[Cwizard]

Synack:
Unfortunately I don't need convincing, its the powers that be...
Well i have dropped the bomb shell to the boss, needless to say panic set in, but his responsibility to try and convince them, I'm not very confident to say the least!

Irsprint84:
We currently have a number of thin client stations that work to an extent.
(Personally not a fan of the technology)

It's seems pretty pointless to buy a station with better than average processing power and memory, just to do all the hard work elsewhere. The thin clients work but cant handle the software required to run in the departments in question. E.g. 3d modelling, video manipulation...

I just see us looking to another supplier, probably RM for a solution. Unfortunately i lost all confidence in RM hardware a number of years ago, not to mention what you get for your money.

[SYSMAN_MK]

Dell may not have xp drivers listed for the 260s but check out other dell machines that have the same hardware. They may have drivers available.

[irsprint84]

Synack:
Unfortunately I don't need convincing, its the powers that be...
Well i have dropped the bomb shell to the boss, needless to say panic set in, but his responsibility to try and convince them, I'm not very confident to say the least!

Irsprint84:
We currently have a number of thin client stations that work to an extent.
(Personally not a fan of the technology)

It's seems pretty pointless to buy a station with better than average processing power and memory, just to do all the hard work elsewhere. The thin clients work but cant handle the software required to run in the departments in question. E.g. 3d modelling, video manipulation...

I just see us looking to another supplier, probably RM for a solution. Unfortunately i lost all confidence in RM hardware a number of years ago, not to mention what you get for your money.

Xenclient isnt a thin client, think of it like running xen server on your laptop (best explanation can think of)

Its very new technology about 1 year old, it uses hardware to full potentional

[PeterW]

If you tell us the drivers you are struggling with I'm sure the power of edugeek can make it all better

Hmm if it is the desktop Vostro 260 the only driver I can see that might be a problem would be the conexant audio driver but I'm sure there will be an XP driver kicking about for that. As for the main guts it is an Intel H61 based system so these are the chipset and display drivers you need

Intel Chipset
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...=3301&lang=eng
Intel Display
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...&DownloadType=
Intel Managment Engine
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...adType=Drivers
Realtek Lan
Realtek
Conexant Audio
Drivers and Downloads
(although it does not state XP support I have just downloaded it and there is indeed an XP32 folder in the archive)

[Jamo]

I would be highly surprised if Dell etc dropped support for XP just like that, I would think that any sales dept would be able to sort out units for you with a driver set which works on XP. i know commercial businesses which still rely on XP and it was only 2 weeks ago I saw a fairly tidy suited up (bad description of a business woman) lady open up her laptop to reveal....... Windows 2000 prof....

All our units are XP based we get ours from stone Computers. You could also look at creating a new OU set outside of the RM system one and use FOG or MDT to push out client builds and use them as vanilla clients. The old RM system should just still work fine providing you don't poke too mcuh!!

[webman]

Why buy Dell?

[Arthur]

Dell would rather you bought their more expensive OptiPlex's instead (which still support XP from what I can tell).

[PeterW]

Why buy Dell?

I assume being Vostros they are getting a nutty deal on them.

[SYSMAN_MK]

Try these Dell drivers.

Conexant CX20641 Audio Driver cx20641 - R299945 - Dell - Search - Small & Medium Business

Inte H61 Chipset Driver - R293337 - Dell - Search - Small & Medium Business

Realtek RTL81XX - R301239 - Dell - Search - Small & Medium Business

Intel H61 ME driver - r292194 - Dell - Search - All Dell.com

Intel H61 Graphic Driver - R299311 - Dell - Search - Small & Medium Business

[Cwizard]

@Webman: as someone else said we get a pretty good deal, plus until now i have not had a bad word to say about dell's units or service.

Thanks everyone for the replies, as it turned out i put the pressure back on our account manager, throwing the "If you don't have a solution then i may have to go elsewhere with our orders"
We have now received the Optiplex 390 model instead at a pretty good discount due to the issue.
Bit of a headache, but all came together eventually, now just got to sort an issue I'm getting when smart building the units.

Also as a note on the Optiplex 390, if you try and use clonezilla liveCD you will be sitting there a long time, the DVD drive isnt ubuntu supported so the disc fails to boot correctly... Found this out the hard way.