KenB

Thanks Pete :) Actually - yes I did I am sure Jim did too :) Jim It is past midnight here so I may not be around for much longer tonight. MS Essentials will do a good job. Let me know what happens after changing the delay to 2 seconds :) EDIT: You could change the delay to 0 if you wish ........... it will just go straight to the boot sequence.

It shouldn't do that ??? Please post the "View Settings" again. Also we can change the time that it hangs waiting to boot the default. Do the following: Click on "Edit Boot Menu" and change the "Countdown from" whatever the setting is to 2 This will then wait for just 2 seconds before booting. Click on "Save Settings" Not at all Jim - at least you can follow instructions :)

Hi Jim Yep - Entry #2 Showing as being on D:\ drive - but we know that there is nothing on that drive. Also - Entry #1 is showing as "current" Let's make sure we get the right one. Click on "Edit Boot Menu" .............it should show 2 entries ..... both Windows 7 One of them will be the default. Click on the other one to highlight it > click on "Rename" ..........type in ...... Virtual Win7 ...... then Save Settings. Go back to "View Settings" Entry #1 should still be Windows 7 Entry #2 should read Virtual Win7 If this is the case we will delete Entry #2 Let me know the results. Please post a copy of "View Settings" again. By the way - it looks as if I am off line ....... I am not .. I will be here for half an hour or so :)

Hi Jim Odd ??? However ............... I have done it again !! The instructions were for Vista .......................... you now have Win7 :) I must be tired ( that's my excuse ) Download EasyBCD from here: click here If prompted - RUN it. I have just downloaded it from this location and scanned it ........... no malware. Once installed run it. Click on "View Settings" and copy what is there to our thread. Hope this makes sense ?

That's an impressive saving Nev. Very impressed that you are able fit your own combi boiler ........... I know where to come when I want my plumbing altered. I don't mind doing small jobs ....... I moved the cold water tank from a cupboard in the bedroom to the loft and fitted a shower ..... but I don't think I would attempt a combi boiler.

No Jim - it is the Boot.ini file that has not been changed yet. Your old version of Win7 has gone from D: drive but the coding to boot from it is still in place. We need to alter this - but we need to make sure that we remove the correct one - otherwise it will not boot up at all :) Click on Start and type in ....msconfig .....ENTER Click on "Boot.ini" You should see something like this: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows 7" /fastdetect multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows 7" /fastdetect We need to make a couple of changes to check which one is related to the recently installed Win7. If your timeout=10 this gives you 10 seconds to make a choice before the default is loaded. You can change this to 20 or 30 if you wish - when we boot later it will give you longer to think. Also we need to make a change here: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows 7" /fastdetect multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows 7" /fastdetect Change the top one inside the inverted commas to "New Install?" so that it reads like this: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="New Install?" /fastdetect multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows 7" /fastdetect Basically you can call it whatever you like .......... the bit inside the inverted commas ============ This is the testing bit as I do not have my Vista machine in France to test what I have just posted. If you can make the changes - great. If you can only view the boot.ini file from msconfig we will find another way to edit it. If this is the case .............. what do you see in the Boot.ini ?

The process is straightforward - especially as you are going from Vista Home to Win7 Home During the process you will be asked for the Product Code. This is the 25 character key that came with the Win7 disk. Make sure you type this in correctly. Your installation of Win7 will then be verified. There is a short set of pics here that may help - but it really is plain sailing :) click here

We certainly are ........ as Stan Laurel used to say :) If you have a memory stick or anything else that is used for storage connected to a USB port - this will show in Disk Management OK. I think we are ready to upgrade to Win7. It should be a simple matter of putting the disk in the drive > restart > and the installation disk should do the rest. Again - use the mains connection. If you get options they will be similar to before. Vista is now on C: so Win7 should be installed there too. :) Good Luck :)

I added it later ..... sorry :) Hi Jim ........ I don't think I am at my sharpest today !! Sorry for the confusion. In your case .....Disk 0 shows your hard disk ........... and the partitions on it. You should see C: partition with the new Vista installation on it ............ and D: partition and possibly one with no drive letter attached. Disk 1 will probably be your DVD drive unless you have another hard drive attached. Something like this: http://t.cbsimg.net/i/tr/gallery/ee/hdidiskquota/SBS_ServerManagementDiskManagement.jpg Can you confirm that D: has been formatted please ? You can look at it from Start > Computer > right click on D: > properties It should tell you that 100% is free.

OK Jim - one step at a time :) Format D: Let's try a different route .... Start > Control Panel > System & Maintenance > Admin Tools > Computer Management > you may need to expand Storage > Disk Management This should be showing the partitions that you have. Right click on D: > format ( quick format ) It should look a bit like this: http://b2b.cbsimg.net/gallery/65238-500-323.jpg Disk 0 is your C: drive with Vista on it. Disk 1 should be your D: drive

Hi Jim If you have not already done so - format D: as per post #35 and if given an option use NTFS. You have used the Win7 upgrade disk before so you should, in your next post , be reporting back that you have a nice new install of Win7 on the machine and a clean D: partition :)

Just a thought Jim ...... Do you intend using the Win7 upgrade disk ? If so ....... we are wasting our time with AVs and Vista drivers etc ........... may as well sort D: partition ( format ) then upgrade to Win7 and take it from there.

My error Jim ..........too much wine !! I have corrected the previous post ............ it should read .....devmgmt.msc .....

Hi ........... I am sure Nev will be able to answer this for you. He is probably out enjoying himself and will pop in later :)

Hi That's a good point ............. Please try Open Office and get back to me. It is useful to have anyway :) If it is a problem here too - I will look deeper into the error code you posted earlier.

Just been out for lunch. 4 courses and wine !! Well done Jim. :) It may be that all drivers etc. are loaded from the DVD - let's find out. Start > type in ....devmgmt.msc .... ENTER Click the + next to each entry and make a note of any that have a yellow exclamation marks next to them. You may well have an AV on there that is free for a time. Norton or McAfee Take a look in Programs or Add / Remove from Control Panel. You can safely remove this - let us know which one it was as there is probably a removal tool that will take care of any left-overs. MS Essentials is fine - this is what Starbuck and I use. Remember - only one AV on the system at any one time. No - not Windows. Bolatware is the junk that comes with some installations. Trial offers etc. If nothing obvious is popping up then we will leave well alone. It is possible to remove any junk later if necessary. ================== If all seems stable with Vista let's get rid of the stuff on D: drive. Start > type in .....diskmgmt.msc ...... ENTER Right click on D: ....... there should be an option to format. A quick format will do. This will clear the partition and it will be empty - but useable - for your grandson to make use of. Let me know if this works for you. ================== EDIT: Our posts crossed: We may need to run this after you get back to me re: device manager and yellow exclamation marks. You may need this too - grandson will not be happy without a webcam :) The rest can probably wait.

OK - here's hoping that my connection holds ..... :) Use the mains adapter - we don't want the battery dying half way through. Put the "Reinstallation DVD" into the drive then re-boot. It should then boot from the DVD. You should be able to select Language / Time / Currency etc. It should then give you an option to Install. If prompted select the "Custom - Advanced" install. It should locate the two partitions and ask you which one you want to install to. Select C: ( The big partition ) You may get a warning that everything will be lost and the drive will be formatted. This is fine. If you are prompted to select a file system pick NTFS. From here it should then go through the installation process - if prompted after selecting the drive opt for the "recommended" options. ===================== Hopefully at this stage you will have Vista back on the machine. You will also have Win7 on the other partition ( D: ) - we can deal with this later. You may get prompted on startup to select which Operating System you want to boot from as you will have 2. I think Vista will be the default but if it isn't you will have to be quick to select it otherwise it will by-pass it. =========== Let's hope it all goes smoothly :) The installation will take the machine back to factory settings. You will need to install some Drivers / an AV etc afterwards - and maybe get rid of some bloatware :) I am on the way out now - will pick this up later :)

Hi DO NOT uninstall Office 2003 if you don't have the installation CD - you will not be able to install it again. Let's try this instead: Download Open Office it is totally Free and is compatible with Office 2003 ( and newer versions ) click here Once you install it try printing something from the Text and Spreadsheet options. If it prints from here then it looks like a problem with MS Office.

Hi Jim I am having problems with the connection here ( I am in France at the moment ) - so apologies if I can't reply as quickly as I would like. Brilliant :) Do these disks say "Recovery" on them or are they the full version of Vista? ( I suspect, being Dell, that they will be Recovery Disks ) It will be much better for your grandson if everything is reverted to "normal" 1. - Take a look at the contents of both C: and D: and copy any files / photos etc that you do not want to lose to a memory stick or burn to DVD 2. - Check in the BIOS that the CDROM is set as the first Boot Option. To do this switch on and tap F2 and DEL keys alternately about once per second ( This covers both options as either F2 or DEL will access BIOS ... could be either ) Move around the BIOS with the arrow keys and look for Boot Sequence / Boot Priority or similar. Once you have found it check the Boot Order. CDROM should be top of the list. If it isn't then move it up. It will tell you on screen how to do this. Don't forget to Save and Exit ( usually F10 ) Once you have done the above - get back to me and hopefully I will still have a connection :)

Pete - you missed an opportunity here ....... all I have to say is "no comment" :) Randy - it was well worth the wait :)

Looks like it was ..... once ..... but the drive is showing 100% free - which implies that there is nothing on it. This would be a possible solution. Install XP ..... which would format the drive then install Win7 from the upgrade disk. Trouble is ........... if anything goes wrong you will need a backup - this is where cloning the present hard drive comes in. If you are not happy doing this ............ not a problem. We can leave things as they are and, as already explained, it will just be a bit awkward for grandson when he inherits pc. Let us know what you are happy doing :)

Hi Jim Boot up and then goto Start > type in .......diskmgmt.msc ..... ENTER This will give you a list of what partitions are on the hard drive. If you have a recovery partition on there it will show up ......... but not with a drive letter. What is there ? ===================== It is possible to install XP then upgrade to Win7. If you are going down this route then the first thing to do is to make an image of the hard drive ..........just in case :)

Sorry - that was my error I wanted you to uninstall the Printer Drivers :( Just to confirm .... was it the Printer Drivers that you uninstalled ............. and not Office 2003 ? So far we have suggested: 1. - Uninstall the old printer drivers then re-install the new printer drivers from post #7 2. - Try a repair of Office 2003 ..... if that fails uninstall then re-install Office 2003. ( post #5 ) Please confirm that you have done all of the above. Just a note: When installing new Printer Drivers leave the printer cable disconnected form the computer until the install process asks you to connect it. ========== You say that you had other printers installed ...... could you set them as the default ? Has this printer worked OK on this machine before ?

Hi Jim I think both Starbuck and I would agree with you here :) To be honest - your grandson would find it very annoying every time he tried to install anything. Your problem is that you have an up-grade version of Win7 and to use this you need an older version of Windows on the system already. If you have the Vista recovery partition ( if there was one originally ) we can use this to revert the hard drive back to what it was originally then use the Win7 upgrade disk. Some Dells use F11. Switch on and tap F11 about once per second. If this doesn't do it try holding CTRL down and tap F11 once per second. Don't do anything if you get to the recovery options. Shut the machine down. Which model Dell is it ? Also - when you upgraded did you go from Vista Home to Win7 Home say ? In other words like for like ? Also ........... before we do anything at all with this I would suggest cloning the hard drive just in case anything goes wrong. ( this is making an exact copy that can be re-installed onto any hard drive ) You have a few hours work ahead of you if the Vista Recovery Partition exists :)

A variety of scenarios - did the uninstall / re-install change anything ?