How can I restore an original Dell Utility partition for diagnostic applications?-Laptop

You can download Dell Diagnostics and burn to CD at htt://support.dell.com

PS, if you create a new partition for the the diagnostics, it has to be FAT32.

Where can I download that utility ....My laptop: Vostro 3450 and Inspiron 1420.

For the i1420, go to the 1420 downloads page , select your operating system, and then expand the Diagnostics category.

There isn't one on the Vostro 3450 downloads page. You could try using the one for the Inspiron.

Here are Dell's instructions about the diagnostics but it isn't very helpful. I have never made the cd; maybe ieee488 would provide some instructions if you need them.
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How to install the diagnotics on the partition please? (I created the first partition FAT, 40MB)

I don't think the one for the Inspiron 1420 (CW1337A0.EXE) will install on the partition. Here are some instructions but if these instructions won't work you will have to put the it on a flash drive, cd, or hard drive image.

After you download the file to the desktop:

1. Double-click it to unzip it.

2. When the Self-Extractor window appears, click Continue.

3. A dialog box will prompt you for the directory to unzip the files to. Normally you should leave the default path. This path must be on an MS-DOS FAT partition. If you extract the files to any other type of partition (for example NTFS) you will not be able to run the diagnostics. Write down the path where the files were placed.

4. Click OK.

5. If you get a prompt asking you if you would like to create the directory, click YES.

6. After a few seconds a dialog box will appear that says that all files were successfully unzipped. Click OK to exit from the installer.

Running the Diagnostics from a Hard Drive

1. In order to run the diagnostics you must boot to an MS-DOS prompt. If necessary create a DOS boot disk. For more information, refer to Dell Knowledge Base Article TT1014475 - "What can I use for a boot disk with CD-ROM support?"

2. Insert the diskette into the diskette drive and reboot the computer.

3. At the A:/> prompt, type "C:" (or the drive letter where you saved the diagnostics to) and then press the [ENTER] key.

4. Type "cd c:\dell\drivers\Rxxxx" (or the path that you specified above) and then press [ENTER].

5. Type "Delldiag" and then press [ENTER] to run the diagnostics.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions.

If the Inspiron 1420 diagnostics (CW1337A0.EXE) will not install on the partition using the above instructions, then you will have to put the diagnostcs on a flash drive, cd, or hard drive image. Download and unzip, then follow the on screen prompts to create the media desired.

BTW, this is the Laptop Audio discussion board. You might get some other perspectives on the Software/Operating System board.

Hello ITNorm,

It's great information I'm looking for, I'll keep following.

Thank you, Jimco as well for kindly helps.

Hi all! Dont know if this is where I am supposed to be..but I need HELP! I had a major stoke 4 yrs ago, even the computer is old, it is still good enough for me. My 30 yr daughter and 5 yr grand is in the house now.. This computer is a mess and I do not have the mentality to fix it and clean it up.. I really need help! Thanks for listening!!

What may we help, lilblaze04? I really don't know what would you like to deal with your PC, sorry.

When you deleted a partition from hard drive,just the partition table of it was erased. All your files are still stored on the hard drive.They're just invisible or inaccessible.And you can recover them with partition recovery software.

www.any-data-recovery.com/.../datarecoveryprofessional.htm

I used this one to recover deleted partition from my laptop and it worked.Anyway,you can download it and scan your hard drive for free to preview whether you can recover your data..It will show you the file name,type,date and size of your files and thumbnails for your pictures that it found on your drive.

Hope this help!