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Vostro 400 problem
My vostro 400 caught a virus so I decided to restore my whole computer. I had to reinstall my operating system first because it didn't display the PC Restore tool. I used the OS setup CD from my old computer which is a windows xp home edition while my current computer is a microsoft windows xp without realizing. Now, my computer looks really different when it loads up. Is there anyway to get microsoft windows xp edition back? My vostro 400 did not come with any CDs at all. Also, my computer won't load up after start up, it would just freeze displaying a blue screen and the word welcome. Sometimes it does load up to the desktop but it would freeze after a few minutes and I would end up forcing it to close by pressing the power button.
How can I fix these problems? thanks a lot!
The_Namek
2.8K Posts
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February 6th, 2009 08:00
traciebo0ox3,
There is technically no such version as simply "Microsoft Windows XP edition." The 'flavors' of Windows XP are home, professional, media center, tablet PC and professional x64. So the real question here is which of these originally came installed on your Vostro 400? If you look at the COA sticker that should be attached to the tower (probably on the left side) it'll say which of these versions of Windows the computer shipped with. Did you format the hard drive before you reinstalled the OS?
The reason everything looks different after you reinstalled the operating system is because you haven't installed any device drivers yet and all of the other programs are gone.
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
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February 6th, 2009 08:00
Hello traciebo0ox3, According to the manual found HERE your system should have the Dell Recovery Restore feature available.
If for whatever reason, the systems has been altered and the feature is no longer available, a fresh install is the only way to get back to a workable state.
If you have done a fresh install using a Windows XP Home version, as The_Namek mentioned, you will need to install all the drivers for your system.
The chipset drivers should be installed first. The video drivers will correct some of the monitor quality. You will need the network drivers installed to get on the Internet.
You should then go to the Windows update site and download and install all the needed updates.
These will make the OS appear differently from how it appears now.
Just some thoughts.
traciebo0ox3
3 Posts
1
February 6th, 2009 12:00
it is microsoft windows XP home edition & i didnt format the hard drive before i reinstalled the OS.
thank you
The_Namek
2.8K Posts
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February 6th, 2009 14:00
OK. If you didn't format the hard drive then it's almost a certainty that you didn't get rid of the virus. Let's back up a moment though. How do you know for certain whatever problem(s) you were having were caused by a virus? Do you have up-to-date antivirus software that detected one? If so, what's the name of the virus? Your best bet for fixing the problems you were initially having & some additional ones that may have been created by installing Windows on top of itself is going to be to format the hard drive and do a clean reinstall of XP.
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
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February 6th, 2009 14:00
Hello tracieo0ox3, Did you try pressing the ctrl and the F11 key immediately when the system boots to see if you could enter the Dell Recovery Restore Utility?
I was just wondering how you knew you did not have this.
If it is not there, then the only other option as The_Namek suggest, would be to re-install and perform a format of the hard drive.
I always delete the partition and then create a new partition, perform a quick format and proceed with the install.
After the OS install, you will need to install all the drivers for the system starting with the chipset drivers first.
Just some thoughts.
traciebo0ox3
3 Posts
1
February 6th, 2009 15:00
yes i pressed ctrl and f11 but it didnt have the dell recovery restore option. I went to dell support and it told me to reinstall the OS setup but i ended up using an old cd that came with my 2003 windows xp computer. thanks for your suggestions & thoughts