Laptop Freezes after Win 10 Pro Install, cannot boot into Safe Mode

Hello,

My Laptop: Dell Inspiron SE 7520

I am trying to clean install the latest Windows 10 Pro on my 2012 Dell Inspiron SE 7520. I just downloaded the Win10_20H2_v2_English_x64.iso from Microsoft yesterday.

Can Windows 10 Pro install and run on the Dell Inspiron 7520? Maybe not because the hardware is too old now?

After I installed it at first for a while I was able to navigate the desktop and menus but after I rebooted it got frozen on boot. I have tried lots of things and now I cannot even get it to boot into safe mode so it is completely unusable.

I have not updated any drivers.. well I wasn't able to because the laptop became unusable. But I also haven't updated the BIOS which is still from 2012. Would that stop Win 10 Pro from installing and running properly?

Is it worth continuing with trying to get Win 10 Pro running on this laptop or maybe there are driver compatibility issues that will only get worse over time as maybe Dell is not supporting this laptop anymore under Win 10 Pro?

Cheers

- - - Updated - - -

I found this link on the Dell website:
Computers tested for Windows 10 and Windows 10 November Update

..and my Inspiron 7520 laptop is listed there however when I visit the Drivers and Downloads page on the Dell website I don't see any recent drivers that mention Windows 10 compatibility.

Can someone advise me what I should do to make a successful install of Windows 10 Pro on my system?

Thank you,

Flex

Hello flexmcmurphy and welcome to TF

I would update the BIOS, because right now you have a boat anchor anyway. I've got a Dell and another PC, both about 10 years old running Windows 10.

How much RAM does it have? 4 GB or less, it's recommended to install the 32-bit version of Windoze from what I've read, but my dinos have 4GB and I installed 64-bit Windoze before reading that

steve108 said:

How much RAM does it have? 4 GB or less, it's recommended to install the 32-bit version of Windoze from what I've read, but my dinos have 4GB and I installed 64-bit Windoze before reading that

I see you included this info in your My Computer details, so never mind

The Dell website displayed drivers for Windows 10.
Also there were BIOS upgrades labeled urgent.

Thanks for the responses guys.

I tried installing again and got it to work this time. I disabled fast boot and another thing suggested online. Above all, after the installer finished, I went in to Device Manager where five devices did not have drivers at all including the display adapters so I guess that might have been my problem.

I got three devices working from drivers I downloaded from Dell. The other two devices started to work after Windows Update ran and found the drivers. I did this right after the Win 10 installer completed and BEFORE the first reboot post Windows 10 install.

I also updated the BIOS using the update from the Dell drivers and downloads site. But then separately I installed the Dell Updater also from there. When I ran it then it started downloading a BIOS update but got stuck on the in-progress animation for over an hour. I was nervous but I crossed my fingers and restarted the laptop and thankfully it wasn't bricked. I won't be running that Dell Update application ever again!

So my conclusion is that the Dell Inspiron 7520 can indeed install and run Windows 10 Pro as of Feb 2021. The only thing that bothers me is that the fan comes on a lot and makes more noise than under Windows 7. Maybe that's a driver thing as well? I'm hoping to dual boot with Ubuntu anyway but still want Windows for programs that only it can run.

If anyone knows how to fix the fan noise I'd be grateful.

Cheers.

Try the balanced power plan if not using it already.

I won't be running that Dell Update application ever again!

Yep, don't run that junk again! That is for folks that don't know what they are doing, while that may be you let's pretend it's not haha.

The only thing that bothers me is that the fan comes on a lot and makes more noise than under Windows 7. Maybe that's a driver thing as well?

That is typical of Windows 10 and wouldn't spend too much time trying to fix it, depending on what is happening when it is running. Like Updates, and during startup, 10 seems to have many things going on during startup. Just make sure to Postpone your updates for the full five weeks allowed in "Updates and Security" Advanced Options. But only after you got all that you can.

10 is just a hardware hog, so get used to it and learn a few tricks to lean it out! Nice job getting all the drivers and such.

FunkMaster said:

Yep, don't run that junk again! That is for folks that don't know what they are doing, while that may be you let's pretend it's not haha.

.........

Like me I guess I use Dell Update to see what it wants to tell me