In order to install the Operating System, we would have to start with Windows 7 that was shipped with the computer. Hence please use the disk for Windows 7. We would have to perform a clean re-installation of the Operating System. Please try the steps mentioned in the article on How to manually reinstall Windows Operating System. Post re-installation of the operating system, please ensure to install the drivers in the correct order. You may also refer to this video: http://dell.to/1fvdnx4 (This Video does not show the step of installing System Desktop/notebook software. This is the software that needs to be installed first).
Once Windows 7 is installed, you may upgrade the OS to Windows 8. I would like to know how did you upgrade to Windows 8 earlier. Do you have a product key for Windows 8? If yes you may use the same product key. For more details, see Windows 8 Upgrade Checklist.
I've got the original software on CDs. I'm doing a fresh installation now on an HGST 1TB 7200rpm SATA drive. I took my original hard drive to Micro Center to have them do a quick look to see whether all my personal data was there. Looked like it was. Interesting, and somewhat disconcerting is that I bought a SATA USB 3.0 drive enclosure. Attempting to look at the drive contents with my old Dell Inspiron 9300 running XP, all I can see is a directory that says RECOVERY. No other files. Is this simply an incompatibility issue?
DELL-Allan D
4 Operator
•
2.6K Posts
0
September 20th, 2013 12:00
Hello Tvr2500M,
In order to install the Operating System, we would have to start with Windows 7 that was shipped with the computer. Hence please use the disk for Windows 7. We would have to perform a clean re-installation of the Operating System. Please try the steps mentioned in the article on How to manually reinstall Windows Operating System. Post re-installation of the operating system, please ensure to install the drivers in the correct order. You may also refer to this video: http://dell.to/1fvdnx4 (This Video does not show the step of installing System Desktop/notebook software. This is the software that needs to be installed first).
Once Windows 7 is installed, you may upgrade the OS to Windows 8. I would like to know how did you upgrade to Windows 8 earlier. Do you have a product key for Windows 8? If yes you may use the same product key. For more details, see Windows 8 Upgrade Checklist.
Hope this helps!
tvr2500m
22 Posts
0
September 20th, 2013 16:00
I've got the original software on CDs. I'm doing a fresh installation now on an HGST 1TB 7200rpm SATA drive. I took my original hard drive to Micro Center to have them do a quick look to see whether all my personal data was there. Looked like it was. Interesting, and somewhat disconcerting is that I bought a SATA USB 3.0 drive enclosure. Attempting to look at the drive contents with my old Dell Inspiron 9300 running XP, all I can see is a directory that says RECOVERY. No other files. Is this simply an incompatibility issue?
DELL-Allan D
4 Operator
•
2.6K Posts
0
September 23rd, 2013 18:00
Hello Tvr2500M,
I would request you to open disk management and check if the hard drive has any partition in the with a drive letter unassigned. For more details, see How to use Disk Management to configure basic disks in Windows XP.
Also share the screen shots of the disk management if possible.