Help me reformat Dell Latitude D630.

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  1. #1
    Expensive Sushi
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    Help me reformat Dell Latitude D630.

    Hello all,

    I've been away from the forum for about half a decade (maybe longer). Anyways, I've forgotten everything I know about computers.

    I have a Dell Latitude D630 with Windows XP. I want to do a clean install (delete everything) with Windows 7.

    Assume:

    1) I do NOT have a Dell CD with drivers or anything.
    2) I do have the Windows 7 CD, but it is an upgrade only.
    3) I do have the Key # for my current XP license.
    4) I am moderately intelligent.

    Please provide step by step directions with how to have an up and running laptop with a clean Windows 7.

    Thanks so much!

  2. #2
    Great White Shark
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    Boot the CD and follow the screen prompts.

    I have D620's and the only driver I had to get after the installation was to provide full functionality for the mouse. Basic mouse functionality is part of Windows 7.

  3. #3
    Mako Shark kent1146's Avatar
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    Be aware that you will not get the Aero interface with your Latitude D630.
    Laptop Madness (w/unboxing pics): | 17 Second Boot - POST to Desktop | SSD Boots Windows 7 + Load 27 Apps in 1 Minute | SSD vs HDD Direct Comparison - Identical Drive Images
    Alienware M11x R2 | Core i5 520UM | 4GB RAM | OCZ Vertex 2 120GB SSD | nVidia GeForce 335M GPU | 11.6" WLED Display | Etymotic ER-4P Headphones | 4.5lbs

  4. #4
    Great White Shark
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    Quote Originally Posted by kent1146 View Post
    Be aware that you will not get the Aero interface with your Latitude D630.
    Why not? I have it with my older D620.

  5. #5
    Mako Shark kent1146's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ua549 View Post
    Why not? I have it with my older D620.
    Weird. I had an older D620 as well, and couldn't get the Aero interface working because I couldn't find the right display drivers.
    Laptop Madness (w/unboxing pics): | 17 Second Boot - POST to Desktop | SSD Boots Windows 7 + Load 27 Apps in 1 Minute | SSD vs HDD Direct Comparison - Identical Drive Images
    Alienware M11x R2 | Core i5 520UM | 4GB RAM | OCZ Vertex 2 120GB SSD | nVidia GeForce 335M GPU | 11.6" WLED Display | Etymotic ER-4P Headphones | 4.5lbs

  6. #6
    Hammerhead Shark Geforce255's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ua549 View Post
    Why not? I have it with my older D620.
    Wasn't there an option on that model for an Nvidia daughter board? Perhaps if you have the graphics option, it supports Aero, if not then it doesn't? The Intel 950 is total garbage.
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  7. #7
    Great White Shark
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    The machines come with either chipset video or a discrete graphics adapter.
    My D620 has an nVidia Quadro NVS board.

    Drivers are available for download from Dell and nVidia.

  8. #8
    Mako Shark kent1146's Avatar
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    Ah, that makes sense. I had the version with integrated Intel graphics.

    It makes sense that your Quadro-based GPU would have drivers. nVidia is pretty good about driver support.
    Laptop Madness (w/unboxing pics): | 17 Second Boot - POST to Desktop | SSD Boots Windows 7 + Load 27 Apps in 1 Minute | SSD vs HDD Direct Comparison - Identical Drive Images
    Alienware M11x R2 | Core i5 520UM | 4GB RAM | OCZ Vertex 2 120GB SSD | nVidia GeForce 335M GPU | 11.6" WLED Display | Etymotic ER-4P Headphones | 4.5lbs

  9. #9
    Great White Shark
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    Intel also stays up to date with drivers.
    IIRC the Intel graphics chipset was the 945GM. For nVidia graphics the chipset was the 945PM.
    There are 945GM drivers available from Intel for all Windows operating systems.

  10. #10
    Hammerhead Shark Soul Assassin's Avatar
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    I have a D630 with the Intel graphics and it has Aero in Windows 7. I don't even think I had to install any special drivers.

    I have Intel drivers 8.15.10.1912 on my D630, Intel 965 Express chipset. Aero is working fine. I just double checked it by running the Aero test and it passed everything.
    "The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him... The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself... All progress depends on the unreasonable man."

  11. #11
    Expensive Sushi jaydeee's Avatar
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    guess windows 7 is one easy installation.

    like what is written above just follow the setup and you'll never miss it.

  12. #12
    Hammerhead Shark cat5e's Avatar
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    There are two aspects to the issue of old Video Cards.

    The important one is the hardware acceleration (WDM).

    Win 7 as is would install on an old Video card the generic VGA Graphic drivers that do not do Video Hardware acceleration.

    The video would work OK for text and flat presentation but will not provide 3D Graphics.

    As an example, try the Freecell game that comes with Win 7, he cards will not flip or move nicely.

    The second disability is lack of Aero.

    The Intel drives mentioned above would provide WDM Video acceleration but No Aero. There is similar situation with many nVidia and ATI old chipset as well.

    This site has a lot of nVidia modded drivers that can help with some chipsets.

    http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/drivers


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  13. #13
    Great White Shark
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    The GMA 950 chip supports Pixel Shader 2.0 and Software Vertex Shader 3.0. A WDDM driver is required. Intel offers one for the GMA 950 chip, but Microsoft does not. Aero will run on the GMA 950 chip if the WDDM drive is installed.

    To answer your question, the Latitude D6x0 series offered optional graphics cards.
    The socket is on the system board so it is very easy to upgrade.

  14. #14
    Hammerhead Shark Soul Assassin's Avatar
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    I stated above that Aero works fine on my D630 w/ Intel 965.

    I didn't know you could upgrade the video card though, interesting. I wonder what the best video card I could put in would be.
    "The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him... The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself... All progress depends on the unreasonable man."

  15. #15
    Great White Shark
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    I have not done so, but Dell offered the Quadro NVS 110M to replace the GMA chip.
    Changing from the NVS 110M to another NVS 1xxM won't provide any additional functionality. AFAIK the only difference between the NVS 110M and the NVS 120M is the addition of active cooling. (The clock may be a bit faster but I couldn't find that info.)

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