Dell Inspiron 1750 Boot issues - No disks supplied

Question

Hello

I guess the tag gives it away, but I have to say that my recent purchase / experience with Dell, has meant that I will never use Dell again

We purchased a Dell Inspiron 1750, in late November as a Christmas present for our 15 year old daughter.

I shall refrain from using this forum to describe the poor delivery/order service and focus on my current issue

The laptop has hardly been used since Christmas, surprisingly for a 15 year old, but on the 21st January, the laptop failed to boot

File:\Boot\BCD was the message and after a number of searches I find that this is a common issue with Windows 7 and how it boots up. Unfortunately, most forums, including Dell's own, suggest you place the Windows 7 installation CD and recover. Sounds good, until one realises that Dell did not ship the installation disks. Searching around Dells website is a frustrating affair.

I emailed Technical Support, even though it states that it responds to minor issues, and still, I have not had a reply.

I tried to see if I could order the Windows 7 installation disks, but unless I was in the States, this could not be done.

Chat to technical support is not offered. Most other avenues, tried to scan the machine I was using, which is a fruitless exercise considering I was using a Mac !!! Remember, the new, laptop is unusable and won't boot up but this does not seem to be an issue with technical support.

I have joined the forum out of frustration. I know there is a customer support helpline, but I have read a number of unsavoury experiences about this helpline and frankly, I refuse to pay a premium rate price for something that I could solve, had Dell shipped the installation disks.

If anyone knows how to get round this problem then I would appreciate it

As it stands, the laptop is under Warranty, and I am seriously considering returning it and not replacing it with a Dell machine.

This is typical of poor UK Customer Service

Regards

Angry Al

ejn63 · Answer

It sounds like you've a faulty hard drive - run the Dell diagnostics (extended test - NOT just the quick one - F12 at powerup). If the drive is faulty, report the error to Dell and they'll send you a replacement drive and restore discs.

ejn63 · Answer

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&docid=62A668E1C399857AE040AE0AB8E12942&l=en&s=gen

AngryAl · Answer

Hi

Thanks for the link, however, it is useless to me as it needs a fully functional operating system, in order to create backup disks

Please re-read my post, I can't even boot into the Operating System, nor can I repair the O/S as Dell did not supply the installation disks in the first instance

Additionally, I can't even get the function key to boot into the 'secret' partition, much vaunted on Dell's support forums

Thanks anyway

Regards

AngeryAl

AngryAl · Answer

Hmmm, I have ran a lot of the diagnostics and all come back clean

A few forums suggest it is the way that Microsoft carries out it's boot sequence and in order to fix it, you need the install disks

If Dell had shipped them I would not be in this frame of mind but as it is there are no disks

I was hoping someone from Dell could read this and let me know how I go about ordering what I have technically paid for

Thanks any way

Cheers

Al

AngryAl · Answer

OK, after a lot of searching, I found a decent website that will allow you to download, a Windows 7 Recovery Disk

This is in the form of a torrent and will produce an .iso image

Simply burn this to a CD, and upon booting up your machine, simply boot off this CD and hey presto.....it presents one with a Recovery Console

Note : This CD will NOT allow you to re-install Windows, simply allow you to repair it without the need to have the Installation CD's

Link to site : http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windows-7-system-repair-discs/

However, I do not think this absolves Dell of the problem. People who buy your 'trusted' hardware, expect it to work

This whole experience has left a bitter taste in my mouth, so much so and as stated earlier, I will not be buying from Dell again, nor will I be extolling the virtues of Dell to any other people looking for a laptop.

Regards

Allan

jrney357 · Answer

chk if bitlocker accidently enabled . disable and may let you boot / reset BCD

Locked Topics – Laptops General

Dell Inspiron 1750 Boot issues - No disks supplied

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