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I attempted to clean install W8 on C840 but had an error message saying it must be shut down. I tried again but the same repeated. I installed W7 and am thinking of installing W8 from within W7 or in-place upgrade install. But I wonder if the same drivers also work for W8 on this old machine. Anyone who did this successfully?

Windows 8 requires Data Execution Prevention to work, and your laptop probably doesn't support it. DEP/NX was not introduced to the Pentium 4 until later, if I understand correctly.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/wind ... ae-nx-sse2

All three of the listed CPU models for the C840: http://www.dell.com/downloads/us/produc ... 0_spec.pdf

http://ark.intel.com/products/27354/Mob ... 00-MHz-FSB
http://ark.intel.com/products/27356/Mob ... 00-MHz-FSB
http://ark.intel.com/products/27358/Mob ... 00-MHz-FSB

All of them lack the Execute Disable Bit (NX)

Windows 7 is the end of the line for that unit. It would appear with a cursory search that those units lack PAE, making even a modern Linux distro no good for that machine anymore. You'd need a "retro" non-PAE distro instead.

That machine is destined for the great recycling center.

Thank you all for the very enlightening replies. I really appreciate them. Thank you again.