Direct2Dell

Hi,

I have a somewhat related problem and some questions to ask you all.

I recently purchased an E1505, pre-loaded with Vista, and purchased the SB Audigy Advanced MB Software Edition option (by the way my disc is REV 1).  I decided to re-install my notebook with my own copy of Windows XP, and as a result, the SB AMB Vista software will not install in XP.  I was able to re-activate the software with my provided activation key, but when the setup program loads, a message says that it cannot find my Audio Drivers, and I must install them before continuing.

My question is, why does Dell provide SB AMB drivers for XP for this E1505?  Apparently, they don't work, because the hardware is actually Sigmatel High Definition Audio.  I assume that all I really need to do is get my hands on a copy of this software for XP, and install it alongside the Sigmatel audio driver.  Is this correct?  Is there someway I can download the software for XP and install it using my Vista activation key?

I'd appreciate any help or insight into this.

Thank you.

Well,

Creative finally came around, and for those of you tired of waiting on Dell,

Audigy MB for Vista can be found here :

http://www.mediafire.com/?fydjzjtyynj

O.K.

It's now almost April, any ideas about when  Sound Blaster Audigy MB and the stereo MIX option will be available for us loyal Dell e1505 customers who had XP but now have Vista???

The stereo mix option is really important to me, and after lengthy discussions with Sigmatel-they informed me that they ship  their cards with ALL their options, and that is Dell that chooses the configs. Really disappointing to find this out.

The rumors about charging for Audigy MB for Vista-for those of us who upgraded to Vista from XP, without the upgrade option is also quite disconcerting. Would appreciate an update.

i want to buy the xps710 h2o but i read alot negative comment about old motherboard and this expensive graphic card is not working well in vista espicially in the game. i credit the dell for the cooling system but not enough to be satisfied to burn this money i save for several month. 

 also i heard the hp and voodoo are joinimg together its time to dell to wake up to do something good to there customer and build the perpect  machine. pricehine is not important there a lot people willing to burn the money. for me i will wait to come out the perpect machine from dell or hp.

I'm in the midst of trying to upgrade my computer with "Windows Vista Express."  The frustration is amazing.  The Express Disks didn't ship until Mid March.  Today I tried to install them. 

The "Upgrade Assistant" hit a snag on step 2.  This was supposed to find software on my computer (purchased in Dec. by the way) which needed upgrading and upgrade it.  It found Trend Micro PCCillon and immediately opened Windows Explorer to the Trend Micro Website.  Meanwhile the UPgrade assistant continued to tell me to "wait" while it upgraded Trend Micro.  After 1/2 hour, I found no progress, so I tried to click the upgrade button from the Trend Micro website,... this resulted in information about system requirements, but no opportunity to upgrade.

I called the # provided by Dell for 24x7 tech support.  The supporter suggested I bypass the upgrade assistance and just install the 2nd disk of the set "Operating System".  I attemted this and I hit snag # 2:  The disk required a product key.  There was no product key which came with the disk.  The support person suggested I enter the product key from my Windows Media Version.  This didn't work.  He gave me a number to "Zomax" which I immediately called.  They told me that I would have to wait up to 5 days for the product key to appear in my email. 

I have now wasted over 2 1/2 hours and am no where near having the upgrade accomplished.  Dell is officially on my "beyond help" list.  After typing this email, I'm proceeding to my on-line stock market account and dumping my remaining Dell stock.  I no longer believe that Dell will regain it's standing among computer retailers.

This guy says he has his working Advanced MB Rev 2 disc for Vista, so it apparently has been shipped to some customers by Dell.  Not only that, but he apparently got it on March 2nd!  I got my Express Vista Upgrade a week after that date, so why on earth didn't one of these discs come packaged with it?  Plus, I have an email sent to me from a Dell Support guy on 3/13 saying that the Vista Advanced MB Driver "has still not been released by Dell" and I should wait "7 to 10 business days."

So what's the holdup here, and what's the difference between me and the guy on the message board? It appears that he bought his Advanced MB with a PC that came loaded with Vista, as opposed to the upgrade. If Dell is really deciding whether to make Express Upgrade customers pay even a penny extra to make our "Vista-Ready" systems ready for Vista, a lot of people are going to be VERY annoyed.

I'd also be much less irritated with this wait if it wasn't for the fact that my brand new E1705's sound card has been playing back intermittently stuttery/choppy audio since the moment I Express Upgraded to Vista.  Dell tech support keeps telling me to reinstall the Vista Sigmatel driver (it doesn't help, no matter how many times you keep telling me to do it, and, yes, I've done it every time just so I can say that I did) and to wait for the Advanced MB Update.

I'm hoping that the new Advanced MB driver will solve this problem, as well as the fact that since installing Vista I can no longer hear inputted audio as it's recording. I use this machine to mix audio, so these two issues are particularly troublesome.

I'd just like a straight answer from Dell about this.

Thanks for the update Lionel.  I look forward to hearing further details.  I would especially like to know any details about what speed SLI/EPP memory will be supported with the BIOS update.  Of course many of us still would like to hear if Dell is going to address the Gift Cards, Mousepads, or magazine subscriptions that never came.  Only the firtst applies to me since your assistant was nice enough to mail me a mousepad from the lab.  Thanks again Lionel and Dell for creating a product that you and I can be proud of. 

XPS710 owners, please don't insult the XPS700 owners by claiming that the advertisement was even in the same ballpark for you guys.  I saw the changes made on day one of the launch of the XPS710.  If you didn't bother to research you product before buying it, shame on you.  Be glad that Dell is going to offer you an opportunity to purchase an upgrade.  I know that is all we have been asking of Dell for the past nine months.  Dell was generous to us because of the false advertising and the LONG time we waited for a solution.

700 issues are a different issue than the 710. The spects were posted correctly for the 710.  They were not for the 700. If you did your homework befor you bought, then you knew what you got. Not so with the 700. If you didn't do your homework, then.....you should have.

crazytiger,

It seems you are just jumping on the bandwagon and want something for nothing.

You will find little sympathy for your plea but the decision was made for the XPS 700.  The XPS 710 was advertised correctly unlike the XPS 710.

You also can go to quad core CPU's with your board and if you feel you need a newer board you can buy the new board when it is released.

Dell and the XPS 700 customers came to an agreement and if you think you have a leg to stand on bring them up but again you will find little or no support from the community or Dell and that is as it should be.