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April 1st, 2013 11:00
Inspiron 14Z 5423 Operating System Issues - Re-Install Windows 7 from Windows 8
When I purchased this computer, it came with Windows 7 installed. I decided to upgrade to Windows 8. I wasn't completely happy with the new OS and decided to try to go back to Windows 7.
Somehow, I got caught in a loop where Windows keeps trying to repair Windows 8, complaining that the recovery partition is locked. I can't get out of this loop.
I inserted a copy of Windows 7, planning to start from scratch and re-installing using the active program # for the Windows 7. Unfortunately, the installation program is not seeing the hard drive at all and won't install. I did a system check from Dell setup and it didn't find anything wrong.
So basically, here are my questions:
Can I still access the original recovery partition from the original install or did it get removed when I upgraded to Windows 8?
How can I install a proper driver to access the hard drive again, either to access the recovery partition or to just install Windows 7 as a new install?
I hope these questions make sense!
Thanks,
Joel
Philip_Yip
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April 1st, 2013 16:00
First see Windows Reinstallation Guide A Clean install of Windows 7:
http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/
Once an OS has been manually installed or upgraded the factory settings are useless and you cannot restore from the factory internal partition.
You will need to load the SATA Drivers during the Windows 7 Setup in order for the Windows 7 Setup to be able to read the hard drive. This is explained in Step 6 and Step 8 of a clean install of Windows 7.
I recommend carrying out the optional Step 7a before the Windows 7 install to wipe Windows 8 away completely from your hard drive.
If you haven't already done so install 7zip (http://7-zip.org/download.html)get the 32 or 64 bit .msi depending on your version of Windows.
Download: http://ftp.dell.com/FOLDER01185786M/1/5423_Serial-ATA_Driver_473D9_WN_2.1.0.1002_A02.EXE
Once downloaded extract the file with 7zip.
Right click 5423_Serial-ATA_Driver_473D9_WN_2.1.0.1002_A02.EXE and select extract to "".
This will make a folder called 5423_Serial-ATA_Driver_473D9_WN_2.1.0.1002_A02
In this folder are the f6flpy SATA drivers so labelled as they used to be put on floppy discs.
Copy the f6flpy-x64 (assuming youa re installing 64 bit) to a USB, when asked to load drivers select the USB and this folder.