I bought a Dell Vostro back in April and installed Vista64 which is activated. I think i activated via a loader but can't remember. Since this is a Dell, using DAZ loader, can i just do the "Install Certificate and serial" or should i use the Software mod if i want to install Windows 7? The BIOS SLIC show version2.0 via the SLIC Dump toolkit, but i thiuk this is coming from memory since i am checking it while booted into Vista which is activated via a loader.
You would need Slic 2.1 bud. So A modded bios would be in order. You could use a loader like Dazs' 1.72 which works well.
if you bought a Dell back in april, which had a bios with slic2.0, you never needed to use a Loader with Vista. what kind of Vostro/model is it? most likely you'll be able to update the bios to include slic2.1 which will allow you to simple install certificate file and OEM SLP product key for activation and not worry about a loader
I see... It's a Vostro Mini Tower 220, 4GB, E8600...nice machine So Win7 is looking for a OEM BIOS what has the 2.1 SLIC (what ever that stands for) which wasn't available before Win7 was? So after Oct 22, all OEM vendor's BIOSes have to have SLIC2.1 in them in order to run Win7 with an OEM key?
Get a modded BIOS for ur model from dell sticky, flash it and install win7.. after that install certificate and key.. volla.. BIOS mod is dangerous, use it at ur own risk.. if u dunno what u r doin, don't flash it..
Which BIOS did you use? Dell Vostro 200 (Foxconn G33 M02) ver. 1.0.1.5 : Award? Will it work for the 420?
If this is the same model as your Vostro you can simply update your BIOS by using the Dell official update tool. They issue updated BIOS's for those people who bought Vista machines that qualified for a Windows 7 upgrade. This would be the preferred way to do it if Wonder Woman is right. If yours didn't qualify it will not matter if you update your BIOS as long as it is the right BIOS. The way they determine a "legal" upgrade from Vista to 7 is that a different key is required. Of course the BIOS must have a 2.1 SLIC table which is different to 2.o.
Only for some machine not all my M8 got a DELL Studio XPS_Desktop 435MT it qualified and he got his Windows 7 upgrade dvd and even though they have updated bios twice since he got it still no SLIC 2.0 I have done bios mod for him but he don't want to risk it yet is still hoping dell will upgrade bios.
Don't make sense for Dell or any other OEM to update "older" bios's with SLIC2.1 if they can get away with retail upgrades...sorry to be negative - that just logic...
V 200 only had SLIC 2.0 originally, mod is available on MDL ofcourse, 220s came as said with SLIC 2.1 (as of 1.2.2 & later) Just get latest BIOS from Dell site sebus
Yes i agree they won't do that but we are talking about machines that were sold with vista and qualified for windows 7 upgrade dvd.
Thanks for the comments. For the record, my Vostro 220 was purchased before Windows 7 was available or offered as an upgrade. So, I got curious enough upgraded the BIOS to 1.2.3, remove my current HD, installed Windows 7 on a spare HD to test it, and did that slmgr thing -- it worked -- activated.
I have a vostro 420 with 1.2.3 and it shows SLIC 2.1 using Everest Ultimate - W7 reinstall should work fine. Now I updated my bios on a 2nd Vostro 420 with bios 1.2.4 and doesn't show any SLIC at all I couldn't get 1.2.3 on my other Vostro as Dell has taken down that version. So anyone have 1.2.3 they can share with me or is there a way to backup my bios and put it on another 420?