Sorry, but I have a hard time understanding your posts, so I'm unclear what the exact problem is.  If the problem is that Windows can't find any hard drive(s) to install to, then it needs drivers.  There is no Dell CD out there that will have this driver on it (even SP3 media wouldn't have a Series-5 chipset driver on it).   The driver you need to help XP see the drives is here (use x86 version): downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx Switching SATA operation from AHCI/SATA to IDE/Compatibility is indeed a poor work-around and should be avoided in favor of the correct procedure (the right driver).  Since XP can only get drivers from a floppy disk at the F6 prompt during Windows Setup, and you likely don't have a floppy drive, you will need to use nLiteOS.com to integrate the storage driver into your XP installation media. Why do you want XP on this machine anyway?  There is a very good chance that you won't find drivers for all the devices and/or you will have to suffer from limited system functionality (TurboBoost, multi-core, etc.).
Hello all. I'm new to this Dell forum so I hope that I write in the correct section. I bought a Dell Inspiron N5010 no OS was installed on the laptop and I didn't get a CD driver whit it just a DOS CD. Ok this was not a problem i had a Win 7 DVD and installed it got every driver. But now I wan to install Windows XP on it ( I don't really wan to say why XD ) But my Windows XP CD isn't working whit the laptop it's saying some error but when I installed it on my PC it works. Did some research and found a topic about how to install XP on Dell N5010 but it's outdated and not really understood and the 1st step wasn't really explained. So what I need: 1st Need a Win XP CD that works whit N5010, can be every Service Pack ( tell me if it's bootabel ISO or i have to make it bootable ) 2nd that I need are Drivers : ( because I didn't found on the dell drivers ) ( I post what dell recommandes me ) - Audio Driver IDT 92HD79B1, v.6.10.0.6289, A03 - Chipset Intel HM57 Express Chipset Family, v.9.1.1.1025, A00                   Realtek RTS5159 Card Reader, RTS5138 Card Reader, v.6.1.7600.30127, A01 - Mouse & Keyboard Synaptics Synaptics TouchPad, v.15.0.0.1, A00 - Network Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000, v.13.2.0.30, A00                    Realtek RTL8103T Ethernet Controller, v.7.13.112.2010, A00 - Video Card AMD ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5650, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 / HD4200, ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 550v, v.8.742, A02      So thees are the drivers I would need just for the Windows XP version if it's possible to be the most up to date version of the driver ? If I didn't write something that you need let me know. If you are not allowed to post here the links just write me in a Email  Email id removed as per privacy policy >. Thank you in advance XD hope someone can help me in this I really wan to install Win XP on this laptop and to have the drivers. 
Need some help on installing Win XP on a Dell Inspiron N5010