If you love your Dell Inspiron 600m laptop, you will love it even further after installing Windows 7.
Most of the web sites and search engine results will not give proper guidance. Since Dell is also wanting you to buy their latest hardware, they may not tell that Inspiron 600m that debuted in 2004 may not be good.
Don't feel left down.
Here are the easy and simple steps to upgrade to Windows 7.
1. Take backup of only important files such as documents and photos and Outlook email personal folder files etc. by burning them to a DVD. You may even upload to Windows Live SkyDrive that may give up to 25GB of storage depending on whether you live in US. Other places get a minimum 2 GB.
2.Do not bother about existing software that came when you bought your Dell in 2004. Chances are that they just lie in your PC dormant or if you have used them sparingly.
Any Productivity software such as Microsoft office have better versions now. So just disregard your love for Dell OEM software.
3. If you have downloaded Microsoft Windows 7 ISO image, I recommend that your burn it on to a DVD.
4. While booting up your Dell, make sure boot from CD / DVD is right on top by changing in the BIOS screen.
5. Now , with Windows 7 disc inserted, boot up your Dell and press any key to boot from CD when prompted.
6. Windows 7 Setup prompt.
7. Chances are you have a 40 GB hard disk, there may be some GB assigned to OEM such as Dell for automatic recovery. Go ahead, delete OEM partitions. Trust me, you will not need windows XP anymore.
8. Create a new partition, allocate full space to it. windows 7 may ask for 100 MB for System Reserve. Choose that. Very Important!!! Your Dell has now gotten a new OS almost and your old Hard disk has been wiped of its data when you do this step. Just say farewell and move on.
9. Follow onscreen instructions...............and now ........Windows 7 has been setup on your PC.
Congratulations!!!!!
10.Okay, now wireless does not work for you, isn't it? Well, visit Intel.com and choose its Driver update tool. You will be scared by Intel folks that they discontinued support for Intel Wireless 2000 BG adapter and not have a windows 7 update.Microsoft has a workaround for you.....Read on....
11. Windows 7 is not completely re-written. Just Vista revamped and marketed well by Microsoft folks...and the good part is Intel had a driver update for Windows Vista, which works just fine with Windows 7. So go ahead, download the driver, run the setup and then restart your PC.
Your wireless network is now active.
12. One more final step. Visit Dell.com support website. Enter your service tag for Inspiron 600m. It may provide you drivers selectively. Again, since Microsoft has built upon XP to Vista to Windows 7, you can download all XP drivers from Dell site. you may not need all of them except for the SigmaTel Audio.
13. Your Inspiron 600m continues to amaze with its new found mate Windows 7......Let the love continue for you too....