How to install windows xp on a Dell Inspiron 1720
 

First you need to get your SATA drivers.
Use, 82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller
Get it,
http://www.radarsync.com/driver/d273...hci_controller
And you want to use the (Mobile ICH8M-E/M) drivers option.
Now you should be able to install Windows

Once you have the XP installed you'll need the drivers to get everything up and running. I've made a DriverGenius back up self-installing EXE file of all the drivers needed.
And get it,
http://rapidshare.com/files/13078675..._7-15-2008.rar

ccvortex,
I never did get nLite to work, I had to use a External floppy to install. But as soon as I did it found it no problems. No other settings needed to be changed.

Welcome to B1 :)
UN

This is how I got my factory Vista Dell 1720 to run XP Pro.

1) Download this torrent:
http://thepiratebay.org/tor/4205201/...ith.(sata_raid)
You can use your own CD Key afterward with a key changer downloadable anywhere.

2) Download the driver rar from the above post located here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/13078675..._7-15-2008.rar
DO NOT download the SATA drivers unless you have some sort of weird setup. The XP install from TPB has all the SATA drivers built in.

3) Install OS

4) Install driver pack

5) Update drivers using the Dell web site (some of ones in the rar file are outdated).
5a) Make sure to follow Dell's driver install procedure when updating them. The install order can be found here:
http://support.dell.com/support/topi...401E0A55174744
Click on the "Installing Drivers in the Correct Order " topic.

That should be it.

Other tips: when dl'ing drivers from the Dell web site, do not use your laptops Dell tag to search for drivers. Once you enter in your 1720's tag (if it came with Vista), the XP drivers will no longer be visible to you.
If you've already entered in your tag and can't get to the XP drivers, remove all your Dell web site cookies and start over.

Burn the TPB OS image to a DVD if you can't find any 800 MB CD's. I went to a few stores and no one carries them any longer.
If you don't have a DVD burner then you seriously need to get with the 21st century :eek: :D

I would like to point out that even if you technically can download a copy from the internet,
it will violate MicroSoft's EULA and in many countries be illegal, so we here at BetaONE will not approve of this way of doing it.

The Dell drivers in User Needs rar file are under a similar EULA from Dell.