Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

October 27, 2008

Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

computer as a slave, using an adapter.

There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

directory install the correct version to use with her key?

I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

Thanks for any help provided.

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

There are several different i386 folders on a XP instance. You can

identify the source folder if the installation modules are present. They

are WinNT.Exe and WinNT32.Exe.

You can burn the i386 to a CD-R, but your problem is booting to

the XP startup mode. Microsoft makes available a set of Floppy disk

setups that once booted transfer setup to the CD disk.

The various types of installation disks are controlled by a variable in

a file named Setupp.Ini. The Variable PID has a numerical vale that

identifies whether the disk is OEM/Retail, Full or Upgrade media.

What you are attempting isn't impossible, it just takes a lot of prep

work to make sure that everything will work.

"Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C9B6834C-433D-45D4-8BA1-B5DDC950183C@microsoft.com...

> Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked

> by

> a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't supplied

> with

> an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own

> recovery

> disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot

> XP,

> though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>

> There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to

> restore

> her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use

> any

> old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her i386

> directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>

> I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>

> Thanks for any help provided.

>

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

"Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C9B6834C-433D-45D4-8BA1-B5DDC950183C@microsoft.com...

> Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked

> by

> a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't supplied

> with

> an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own

> recovery

> disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot

> XP,

> though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>

> There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to

> restore

> her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use

> any

> old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her i386

> directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>

> I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>

> Thanks for any help provided.

>

I have never seen a recent Dell laptop without a recovery CD. Are you really

sure yours doesn't have one? Have you consulted the manual that came with

the laptop?

AFAIK, all suppliers of PCs with Windows preloaded are required either to

provide a bootable Windows CD or else a bootable recovery CD. Yours would be

no exception. Make sure to save all important files (including your EMail

files!) prior to attempting a recovery.

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Heh – depends on what you mean by “recent”! It’s an Insipiron 2650, I guess

about 5-7 years old now. Of course, she can't find the manual either, but

still has the various disks supplied with it, and none of them is anything

like a recovery disk, nor contains for example an i386 folder.

So I looked on their website, and it gave me this procedure for preparing

your own XP disk:

“The Dell OS Recovery Utility allows the creation of ONE operating system

CD. This means that you can make one Windows® CD for backup purposes.

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>

> "Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:C9B6834C-433D-45D4-8BA1-B5DDC950183C@microsoft.com...

> > Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked

> > by

> > a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't supplied

> > with

> > an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own

> > recovery

> > disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot

> > XP,

> > though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> > computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> >

> > There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to

> > restore

> > her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use

> > any

> > old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her i386

> > directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> >

> > I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> >

> > Thanks for any help provided.

> >

>

> I have never seen a recent Dell laptop without a recovery CD. Are you really

> sure yours doesn't have one? Have you consulted the manual that came with

> the laptop?

>

> AFAIK, all suppliers of PCs with Windows preloaded are required either to

> provide a bootable Windows CD or else a bootable recovery CD. Yours would be

> no exception. Make sure to save all important files (including your EMail

> files!) prior to attempting a recovery.

>

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

So could I, for example, use some files from any old XP disk, plus her i386

directory, to make a disk which would install OK on her machine using her COA

key? Obviously I’d use Nero or something to make a bootable CD with the files

on it.

So maybe I could use the other files I find on any XP CD, and the Setupp.Ini

file from her machine...?

"R. McCarty" wrote:

> There are several different i386 folders on a XP instance. You can

> identify the source folder if the installation modules are present. They

> are WinNT.Exe and WinNT32.Exe.

>

> You can burn the i386 to a CD-R, but your problem is booting to

> the XP startup mode. Microsoft makes available a set of Floppy disk

> setups that once booted transfer setup to the CD disk.

>

> The various types of installation disks are controlled by a variable in

> a file named Setupp.Ini. The Variable PID has a numerical vale that

> identifies whether the disk is OEM/Retail, Full or Upgrade media.

>

> What you are attempting isn't impossible, it just takes a lot of prep

> work to make sure that everything will work.

>

> "Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:C9B6834C-433D-45D4-8BA1-B5DDC950183C@microsoft.com...

> > Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked

> > by

> > a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't supplied

> > with

> > an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own

> > recovery

> > disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot

> > XP,

> > though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> > computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> >

> > There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to

> > restore

> > her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use

> > any

> > old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her i386

> > directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> >

> > I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> >

> > Thanks for any help provided.

> >

>

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

You can use the Slipstreaming procedure to create a disk. Trying to

post the exact steps/details is beyond the scope of the NG. The way

you describe creating a disk modifying Setupp.Ini may work. You'd

want to create a SP3 disk anyway to avoid SP installs and the high #

of individual Hotfixes.

Sorry I can't provide precise information.

"Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:AD4674F6-08AC-4290-9B21-B422007F2758@microsoft.com...

> So could I, for example, use some files from any old XP disk, plus her

> i386

> directory, to make a disk which would install OK on her machine using her

> COA

> key? Obviously I'd use Nero or something to make a bootable CD with the

> files

> on it.

>

> So maybe I could use the other files I find on any XP CD, and the

> Setupp.Ini

> file from her machine...?

>

> "R. McCarty" wrote:

>

>> There are several different i386 folders on a XP instance. You can

>> identify the source folder if the installation modules are present. They

>> are WinNT.Exe and WinNT32.Exe.

>>

>> You can burn the i386 to a CD-R, but your problem is booting to

>> the XP startup mode. Microsoft makes available a set of Floppy disk

>> setups that once booted transfer setup to the CD disk.

>>

>> The various types of installation disks are controlled by a variable in

>> a file named Setupp.Ini. The Variable PID has a numerical vale that

>> identifies whether the disk is OEM/Retail, Full or Upgrade media.

>>

>> What you are attempting isn't impossible, it just takes a lot of prep

>> work to make sure that everything will work.

>>

>> "Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:C9B6834C-433D-45D4-8BA1-B5DDC950183C@microsoft.com...

>> > Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively

>> > wrecked

>> > by

>> > a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't

>> > supplied

>> > with

>> > an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own

>> > recovery

>> > disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer

>> > boot

>> > XP,

>> > though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

>> > computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>> >

>> > There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to

>> > restore

>> > her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just

>> > use

>> > any

>> > old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her

>> > i386

>> > directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>> >

>> > I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of

>> > course.

>> >

>> > Thanks for any help provided.

>> >

>>

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Found a Dell page saying "Dell Customers can now request a set of

backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well

as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system".

The form does request your service tag and order number. If you have

these, check out

https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

Steve

On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

<Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

>a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

>an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

>disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

>though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

>computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>

>There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

>her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

>old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

>directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>

>I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>

>Thanks for any help provided.

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Thanks Steve – just trying to find if there's an equivalent page on the UK

site, but it appears to be down today... trouble is, as so often with IT,

being without her PC for the few days that’d take to organise is very bad, so

I've got to persevere in he meantime. But I’ll certainly try and take

advantage of that if I can get to the UK site.

"Steve" wrote:

> Found a Dell page saying "Dell Customers can now request a set of

> backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well

> as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system".

>

> The form does request your service tag and order number. If you have

> these, check out

>

> https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

>

> Steve

>

> On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

> <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> >Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

> >a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

> >an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

> >disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

> >though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> >computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> >

> >There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

> >her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

> >old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

> >directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> >

> >I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> >

> >Thanks for any help provided.

>

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

<Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

>a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

>an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

>disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

>though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

>computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>

>There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

>her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

>old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

>directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>

>I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>

>Thanks for any help provided.

When you bootup see if there is a blue band across the top of the

sreen , if there is try pressing ctrl + enter . Will take you to the

recovery partition .

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Your instructions are here -

http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

Later, Ray Parrish

Hogweed wrote:

> Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

> a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

> an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

> disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

> though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>

> There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

> her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

> old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

> directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>

> I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>

> Thanks for any help provided.

>

--

http://www.rayslinks.com/ Web index of human reviewed links.

<http://www.rayslinks.com/Troubleshooting%20and%20fixing%20Windows.html>

Trouble shooting and Fixing Windows

http://www.writingsoftheschizophrenic.com My poetry in web pages

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

I would be very surprised if any of these ideas work. Dell laptops are

horrible when goosed. If you can't respre from the restore partition, it is

doubtful an XP Boot disk will work as they are designed to not be able to

boot up from one of them. If you know how to slipstream, make sure you

slipstream the appropriate CD ROM drivers and whatever connection method you

use, make sure the driver for that is working, at a guess that would be your

10/100 card.

As a last resort, and this is the route I am taking with one of mine, buy

the rescue disk from Dell.

I hope you prove me wrong.

"Ray Parrish" wrote:

> Your instructions are here -

>

> http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

>

> Later, Ray Parrish

>

> Hogweed wrote:

> > Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

> > a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

> > an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

> > disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

> > though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> > computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> >

> > There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

> > her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

> > old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

> > directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> >

> > I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> >

> > Thanks for any help provided.

> >

>

> --

> http://www.rayslinks.com/ Web index of human reviewed links.

> <http://www.rayslinks.com/Troubleshooting%20and%20fixing%20Windows.html>

> Trouble shooting and Fixing Windows

> http://www.writingsoftheschizophrenic.com My poetry in web pages

>

October 27, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Just curious... Why do you need an "equivalent" page? Can't access the

page or Dell won't ship to UK, ??

Steve

On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:24:04 -0700, Hogweed

<Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Thanks Steve – just trying to find if there's an equivalent page on the UK

>site, but it appears to be down today... trouble is, as so often with IT,

>being without her PC for the few days that’d take to organise is very bad, so

>I've got to persevere in he meantime. But I’ll certainly try and take

>advantage of that if I can get to the UK site.

>

>"Steve" wrote:

>

>> Found a Dell page saying "Dell Customers can now request a set of

>> backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well

>> as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system".

>>

>> The form does request your service tag and order number. If you have

>> these, check out

>>

>> https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

>>

>> Steve

>>

>> On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

>> <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>>

>> >Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

>> >a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

>> >an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

>> >disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

>> >though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

>> >computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>> >

>> >There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

>> >her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

>> >old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

>> >directory install the correct version to use with her key?

>> >

>> >I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>> >

>> >Thanks for any help provided.

>>

October 28, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Please don't delete previous posts, thanks.

"Ray Parrish" <crp@cmc.net> wrote in message news:#FRJRSHOJHA.584@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Your instructions are here -

>

> http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

>

> Later, Ray Parrish

>

> Hogweed wrote:

>> Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a

>> Dell, and isn’t supplied with an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery disk, using a utility

>> on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP, though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

>> computer as a slave, using an adapter.

>>

>> There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore her laptop just using that? I know from experience

>> that I can't just use any old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386 directory install the

>> correct version to use with her key?

>>

>> I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

>>

>> Thanks for any help provided.

>>

>

> --

> http://www.rayslinks.com/ Web index of human reviewed links.

> <http://www.rayslinks.com/Troubleshooting%20and%20fixing%20Windows.html>

> Trouble shooting and Fixing Windows

> http://www.writingsoftheschizophrenic.com My poetry in web pages

October 28, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Well, I didn't get as far as trying to get them to send a disk to the UK –

but in general, when I've tried to work with US sites for manufacturers

before, they always push me to the UK site. And of course postage would be a

lot quicker. The UK site came back up, and I've requested one. Unacknowledged

so far...

Anyway, after working on this damn thing for perhaps 14 hours, I gave up and

did an image restore using Ghost last night. She’s lost some recent stuff,

but the relief of having the laptop back and working again more than

compensated.

Thanks a lot to everybody who tried to help me here – it really makes a

difference to know you’re not alone sometimes!

"Steve" wrote:

> Just curious... Why do you need an "equivalent" page? Can't access the

> page or Dell won't ship to UK, ??

> Steve

>

> On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:24:04 -0700, Hogweed

> <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> >Thanks Steve – just trying to find if there's an equivalent page on the UK

> >site, but it appears to be down today... trouble is, as so often with IT,

> >being without her PC for the few days that’d take to organise is very bad, so

> >I've got to persevere in he meantime. But I’ll certainly try and take

> >advantage of that if I can get to the UK site.

> >

> >"Steve" wrote:

> >

> >> Found a Dell page saying "Dell Customers can now request a set of

> >> backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well

> >> as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system".

> >>

> >> The form does request your service tag and order number. If you have

> >> these, check out

> >>

> >> https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

> >>

> >> Steve

> >>

> >> On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

> >> <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> >>

> >> >Hi – I’m trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

> >> >a virus (yt8a.exe – look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn’t supplied with

> >> >an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

> >> >disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

> >> >though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> >> >computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> >> >

> >> >There’s an i386 directory on the disk – can I make a basic XP CD to restore

> >> >her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

> >> >old XP CD from another computer with her license key – will using her i386

> >> >directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> >> >

> >> >I can’t see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> >> >

> >> >Thanks for any help provided.

> >>

>

October 28, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

One caution on DELL Recovery Disks.

They will be for the original installations which is usually WinXP (Pro,

Home, etc.) SP2.

If you have installed *SP3*, THE DELL RECOVERY DISKS WILL NOT WORK.

This is true for any OEM supplied "Recovery" disks, especially laptops.

For laptop users, I highly suggest you DO NOT install SP3. Laptops are

tricky enough, without dealing with the SP3 issue.

--

===============

Master Blaster

Computer System Specialist

IT Technician

"Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:8CC7A3C0-F357-4D58-8863-E21826C1096C@microsoft.com:

> Well, I didn't get as far as trying to get them to send a disk to the UK -

> but in general, when I've tried to work with US sites for manufacturers

> before, they always push me to the UK site. And of course postage would be a

> lot quicker. The UK site came back up, and I've requested one. Unacknowledged

> so far...

>

> Anyway, after working on this damn thing for perhaps 14 hours, I gave up and

> did an image restore using Ghost last night. She's lost some recent stuff,

> but the relief of having the laptop back and working again more than

> compensated.

>

> Thanks a lot to everybody who tried to help me here - it really makes a

> difference to know you're not alone sometimes!

>

> "Steve" wrote:

>

> > Just curious... Why do you need an "equivalent" page? Can't access the

> > page or Dell won't ship to UK, ??

> > Steve

> >

> > On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:24:04 -0700, Hogweed

> > <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> >

> > >Thanks Steve - just trying to find if there's an equivalent page on the UK

> > >site, but it appears to be down today... trouble is, as so often with IT,

> > >being without her PC for the few days that'd take to organise is very bad, so

> > >I've got to persevere in he meantime. But I'll certainly try and take

> > >advantage of that if I can get to the UK site.

> > >

> > >"Steve" wrote:

> > >

> > >> Found a Dell page saying "Dell Customers can now request a set of

> > >> backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well

> > >> as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system".

> > >>

> > >> The form does request your service tag and order number. If you have

> > >> these, check out

> > >>

> > >> https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

> > >>

> > >> Steve

> > >>

> > >> On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

> > >> <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> > >>

> > >> >Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

> > >> >a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't supplied with

> > >> >an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

> > >> >disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

> > >> >though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> > >> >computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> > >> >

> > >> >There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to restore

> > >> >her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

> > >> >old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her i386

> > >> >directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> > >> >

> > >> >I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> > >> >

> > >> >Thanks for any help provided.

> > >>

> >

October 28, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:

>

> I have never seen a recent Dell laptop without a recovery CD. Are you really

> sure yours doesn't have one? Have you consulted the manual that came with

> the laptop?

>

> AFAIK, all suppliers of PCs with Windows preloaded are required either to

> provide a bootable Windows CD or else a bootable recovery CD. Yours would be

> no exception. Make sure to save all important files (including your EMail

> files!) prior to attempting a recovery.

>

My 2-year-old HP desktop and 2-month-old Compaq laptop did not include

any bootable CD's, just a recovery partition on the hard disk that

allows restoring the computer to its factory-shipped configuration. Both

manuals, skimpy as they were, recommended creating restoration disks as

one of the first tasks in setting up the computer.

My 5-year-old Dell laptop did have a Windows CD as well as several other

CD's that came with the machine.

Bill

October 28, 2008

Re: Dell Recovery Disk specific XP version?

Yeah... at my very advanced age, I've already learned to feel a little

trepidation when it comes to SP3 - some laptops seem not to take well to it

at all, so I've avoided it so far!

"Master Blaster" wrote:

> One caution on DELL Recovery Disks.

>

> They will be for the original installations which is usually WinXP (Pro,

> Home, etc.) SP2.

>

> If you have installed *SP3*, THE DELL RECOVERY DISKS WILL NOT WORK.

>

> This is true for any OEM supplied "Recovery" disks, especially laptops.

>

> For laptop users, I highly suggest you DO NOT install SP3. Laptops are

> tricky enough, without dealing with the SP3 issue.

>

> --

> ===============

> Master Blaster

> Computer System Specialist

> IT Technician

>

> "Hogweed" <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:8CC7A3C0-F357-4D58-8863-E21826C1096C@microsoft.com:

>

> > Well, I didn't get as far as trying to get them to send a disk to the UK -

> > but in general, when I've tried to work with US sites for manufacturers

> > before, they always push me to the UK site. And of course postage would be a

> > lot quicker. The UK site came back up, and I've requested one. Unacknowledged

> > so far...

> >

> > Anyway, after working on this damn thing for perhaps 14 hours, I gave up and

> > did an image restore using Ghost last night. She's lost some recent stuff,

> > but the relief of having the laptop back and working again more than

> > compensated.

> >

> > Thanks a lot to everybody who tried to help me here - it really makes a

> > difference to know you're not alone sometimes!

> >

> > "Steve" wrote:

> >

> > > Just curious... Why do you need an "equivalent" page? Can't access the

> > > page or Dell won't ship to UK, ??

> > > Steve

> > >

> > > On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:24:04 -0700, Hogweed

> > > <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> > >

> > > >Thanks Steve - just trying to find if there's an equivalent page on the UK

> > > >site, but it appears to be down today... trouble is, as so often with IT,

> > > >being without her PC for the few days that'd take to organise is very bad, so

> > > >I've got to persevere in he meantime. But I'll certainly try and take

> > > >advantage of that if I can get to the UK site.

> > > >

> > > >"Steve" wrote:

> > > >

> > > >> Found a Dell page saying "Dell Customers can now request a set of

> > > >> backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well

> > > >> as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system".

> > > >>

> > > >> The form does request your service tag and order number. If you have

> > > >> these, check out

> > > >>

> > > >> https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

> > > >>

> > > >> Steve

> > > >>

> > > >> On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:36:01 -0700, Hogweed

> > > >> <Hogweed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> > > >>

> > > >> >Hi - I'm trying to restore a laptop which has been comprehensively wrecked by

> > > >> >a virus (yt8a.exe - look forward to it). It's a Dell, and isn't supplied with

> > > >> >an XP or recovery disk as such. Dell expect you to prepare your own recovery

> > > >> >disk, using a utility on the laptop. Unfortunately, I can no longer boot XP,

> > > >> >though I can see all the files on the disk when I attach it to another

> > > >> >computer as a slave, using an adapter.

> > > >> >

> > > >> >There's an i386 directory on the disk - can I make a basic XP CD to restore

> > > >> >her laptop just using that? I know from experience that I can't just use any

> > > >> >old XP CD from another computer with her license key - will using her i386

> > > >> >directory install the correct version to use with her key?

> > > >> >

> > > >> >I can't see any other way of restoring her computer... urgent of course.

> > > >> >

> > > >> >Thanks for any help provided.

> > > >>

> > >

>

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