XP to Windows 7 upgrade can only start up in Safe Mode, Desktop Dell Dimension 3000 PC Options

[Eric Legge]

Hi all,

I just performed an upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium from Windows XP Home for a relative with a Dell Dimension 3000 desktop PC.

The compatibility report did not indicate any serious problems with the upgrade.

Unfortunately after the final reboot, it can only boot to Safe Mode.

I tried Startup Repair from my Win7 repair disc, but it found nothing wrong with the startup.

There are no devices in the Device Manger with a yellow exclamation mark or red cross.

However, the computer failed to bring up the options to choose a Home, Work or Public network even though the wireless router was on and working and had been online with XP.

After I chose the Home network option with my own laptop, the setup required my wireless encryption key and then went online for updates.

Tomorrow I'll try Safe Mode with networking to get online and get updates and drivers from Windows Update, if that fails, I'll try connecting the PC by Ethernet cable to the router and then running the setup at startup from the install disc.

Any ideas would be appreciated because there are no reports of this problem on the web yet.

[kkehoe]

Just to be clear, you can't do a conventional "upgrade" from XP to 7, so this is a clean install (formatted or not), correct?

What happens? Errors? Hangs on black screen or elsewhere? My initial suspect would be video drivers. Try disabling the video card in Device Manager to test. If that helps, update the drivers from Dell or Microsoft.

Kevin

This post has been edited by kkehoe: Nov 12 2009, 07:12 PM

[Temmu]

i'd try the upgrade adviser download and see what fails.
here's other info:

the windows 7 product guide, a 140 page pdf, gives these requirements
• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

also from the windows 7 product guide:
Migrating from Windows XP
Windows 7 is best experienced on a new PC with the latest hardware, but if your computer meets the
minimum specif cations, you can install Windows 7 on a PC running Windows XP. Windows 7 must be
“custom” installed (also known as a “clean” installation) over Windows XP. Before beginning the installation,
you’ll need to copy your f les and settings to an external drive. After Windows 7 has been installed you will
need to re-install all of your programs using the original installation media and then copy over the f les
and settings you backed up to your external drive. Because Windows 7 requires a custom installation, we
strongly recommend that you get help with this process from your local computer service provider.

my first stop is this compatibility list (sort of a list...)
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibi...us/default.aspx

and the win 7 upgrade advisor - a tool to run against your current machine (download page)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en
-- "this will take a few minutes..."
-- it does call home to ms.
-- it reports this about my dell optiplex gx280, about 5 yrs old now...
----- most of my software wont work, some will. considered xp compatibility mode? it says. my printer & video card will, but no aero.

and the step-by-step upgrade process & files you need to download
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows...xp-to-windows-7

edited, adding here:
i guess i was typing whilst kkehoe posted... (hi, kkehoe!)
with his post in mind,
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows...orking-properly
which is something i am adamantly against,
installing hardware drivers from the ms site.
in this case, it may be your only choice as i am confident that dell will not support that pc maybe even in vista, much less 7.

This post has been edited by Temmu: Nov 12 2009, 07:37 PM

[Eric Legge]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it was a custom install. There are no issues showing in the Device Manager in Safe Mode. Startup repair on the Repair disc could find no startup problem. The PC just starts in Safe Mode and won't boot into normal mode and does not give any error messages.

This is the PC's compatibility report:

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
You need to prepare your system before installing Windows
7.

System Requirements

Upgrade

Backup system first

You'll need to perform a custom installation of Windows 7
and then reinstall your programs. Make sure to back up your files before you
begin. Go online to get
important information about installing Windows 7.

Windows Aero

Not capable

Your current graphics adapter won't support the
Windows Aero user interface. Contact your PC manufacturer or retailer to see if
an upgrade is possible.

CPU speed

2.80 GHz

Your CPU meets the 1 GHz minimum
requirement.

RAM

1.00 GB

Your system memory meets the 1 GB minimum requirement.

Hard Drive Free Space

44.86 GB

Your hard disk meets the minimum requirement of 16 GB free
space for 32-bit Windows 7.

Devices

Wireless-B PCI Adapter
Cisco-Linksys, LLC.

Action recommended

Before installing Windows 7, go to the device
manufacturer's website to download the latest driver for this device. After
installing Windows 7, install the saved driver.

Intel® 537EP V9x DF PCI Modem
Intel Corporation

Action recommended

Run Windows Update after installing Windows 7 to make this
device compatible.

SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio
Analog Devices, Inc.

Action recommended

Run Windows Update after installing Windows 7 to make this
device compatible.

HP Photosmart C4400 series
Hewlett-Packard

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.


Intel® PRO/100 VE Network Connection
Intel

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.

Intel® 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller -
24D2
Intel

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.


Intel® 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller -
24D4
Intel

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.

Intel® 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
Intel

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.

Intel® 82801EB USB2 Enhanced Host Controller -
24DD
Intel

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.

Intel® 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller -
24DE
Intel

Compatible

This device is compatible with Windows 7.

Programs

Sonic DLA
version 4.95
Sonic Solutions

Reinstall after upgrade

You need to uninstall this program before upgrading to
Windows 7. You can reinstall this version of the program after upgrading to
Windows 7.

Sonic MyDVD
version 5.3.0
Sonic Solutions

Minor issues

You might experience minor issues using this program while
running Windows 7. For more information, go online to the manufacturer's
website.

Intel® PROSet for Wired Connections
version 8.00.5000
Dell

Minor issues

You might experience minor issues using this program while
running Windows 7. For more information, go online to the manufacturer's
website.
Visit the
publisher's website.

[kkehoe]

OK, so to clarify further, if you just hit the power button and sit on your hands, the system boots into Safe Mode without any intervention by yourself? If so, Start > Run > MSCONFIG > Boot tab > look for a check in "Safe Boot". I can't think of anything that would cause that to be checked so it's a bit of a stab in the dark.

Kevin

[Eric Legge]

Problem solved.

This is what the Win7 compatibility report says about the graphics card:

Windows Aero

Not capable

Your current graphics adapter won't support the
Windows Aero user interface. Contact your PC manufacturer or retailer to see if
an upgrade is possible.

Unfortunately the integrated graphics of the Dell Dimension 3000 is the Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 chip.

This only supports DirectX 8 and Win7 requires a graphics card/chip that supports DirectX 9. Dell used a cheapo DirectX 8 chip in this 2006 computer. My own self-built 2005 desktop PC with an AMD Socket 939 motherboard has a Direct X 9.0 integrated chip and a PCI Express slot for a graphics card.

There is also no AGP or PCI Express slot for a graphics card, so the Dimension 3000 cannot be upgraded to Win7.

That shows the weakness in the compatibility report. It should have said that the graphics chip only supports DirectX 8 and that Win7 cannot be used unless the graphic card can be upgraded to a DirectX 9 card.

[mac]

Problem solved.

This is what the Win7 compatibility report says about the graphics card:

Windows Aero

Not capable

Your current graphics adapter won't support the
Windows Aero user interface. Contact your PC manufacturer or retailer to see if
an upgrade is possible.

Unfortunately the integrated graphics of the Dell Dimension 3000 is the Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 chip.

This only supports DirectX 8 and Win7 requires a graphics card/chip that supports DirectX 9. Dell used a cheapo DirectX 8 chip in this 2006 computer. My own self-built 2005 desktop PC with an AMD Socket 939 motherboard has a Direct X 9.0 integrated chip and a PCI Express slot for a graphics card.

There is also no AGP or PCI Express slot for a graphics card, so the Dimension 3000 cannot be upgraded to Win7.

That shows the weakness in the compatibility report. It should have said that the graphics chip only supports DirectX 8 and that Win7 cannot be used unless the graphic card can be upgraded to a DirectX 9 card.

Eric, this NewEgg page shows a number of PCI video cards that are DirectX 9 and/or DirectX 10 compatable at pretty reasonable prices, and I'm sure some of these cards are available in the UK.
However, if all 3 PCI slots are filled, your relative might have to decide on what to eliminate to open a slot for the new video card. I think this model Dell came with a PCI phone modem card by default. If your relative is connecting to a router, the phone modem is no longer needed and could be removed to make way for the video card.
If your relative decides to go this route, remember to turn off the onboard video in the BIOS so that Windows will see the PCI card.

This post has been edited by mac: Nov 13 2009, 10:14 AM

[Eric Legge]

Thanks, mac. I thought that PCI graphics cards were well-and-truly redundant long ago.

I found this one on amazon.co.uk:

ZOTAC 256MB GEF FX5200 PCI RET Graphic card -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZOTAC-256MB-FX5200...d/dp/B000VG4J64

It only costs £33 and one of the reviewers used it to upgrade a Dell Dimension 3000 to Win7 successfully.