Hard drive died, need Windows 7 restore disc

As far as I know, there is not an update "package" ...  you might have downloaded it from Microsoft, but it would have been a disk "image" that you would have burned to DVD.  I take it you have the product key for Windows 7 - either on a card or on a sticker on your computer?  If so, you can download the DVD image from the link below, and use it to install Windows.  This download is a DVD image file - you must burn it to a DVD using special software to use it.  Your Windows 7 product key "should" work with this media.  If not, you can always call Microsoft to activate over the phone.

www.windows7hacker.com/.../download-retail-windows-7-iso-from-official-website

Dell will only send you the disks the system shipped with - they are not responsible from supplying media for an OS you choose to upgrade to later.  That is the only type of media you would be able to request from Dell.

Once you get Windows 7 up and running on your computer, go to Start and type BACKUP.  It is all there and pretty easy to set up.  It preserves EVERYTHING, EXACTLY as it is on the drive ... OS, settings, personal files, programs, etc.  It is an exact duplicate (image) of your drive.

Also, once you get Windows 7 back up and running, start creating regular "system image" backups using Windows 7's built-in Backup.  This will save you a world of time and frustration.

Thanks for the speedy replies! I don't really remember how I updated to Windows 7... Since there wasn't any disc for it in the drawer where I keep all my Studio XPS 1640 stuff, I figured I probably just downloaded the OS from Dell or something. If a disc was required then I might still have it somewhere. Rick, I was taking a look at that website and it seems to say that I can only get the discs for the OS the computer came with, which I already have. It would be great if I could just install Windows 7 directly and not do Vista and then upgrade to 7. theflash1932, how do I go about creating system image backups for my computer? Sorry, I'm not a very techy person. Does that also preserve files and everything or just the OS settings?

How did you upgrade to 7x64 then?  You can do a full reinstall using the Windows 7 "upgrade" disk.  But whether you install 7, or Vista then upgrade, either way you will need your Windows 7 upgrade disks to get Windows 7 running again on it.

Natalie,

If in the United States, Request Backup Disks USA If in another Country, then contact Dell Tech Support in your Country.

If Dell is sending the replacement hard drive, it install the operating system automatically. If you're replaceing the hard drive, then...

How To Restore or Reinstall Microsoft® Windows® on a Dell™ Computer

Rick

everyt,

Rick, I was taking a look at that website and it seems to say that I can only get the discs for the OS the computer came with

That is correct. Dell will provide on set of backup disks for the operating system that came with the computer.

That means, since you said Vista came with that machine, they would send Vista disks. To upgrade to Windows 7, you used another disk for Windows 7. Dell did have an upgrade a while back but that is no longer available.

Rick

M'kay, well I tore the house apart and I managed to find the Windows 7 discs. They say on them "For Use Only as an Upgrade to a Qualifying Dell Windows 7 Upgrade Option PC". So does that mean I first have to install Vista on the laptop and then upgrade it again to Windows 7? Or can I just pop in the Windows 7 discs and do it directly? I will make a system image backup when I get the computer up and running again.

Also, unrelated question: I do a lot of memory consuming editing and stuff on my computer (often with Photoshop, Lightroom, Vegas, Google Earth, Skype, and Firefox all open at the same time), and even when the computer was new it would lag and have the fans go on when I was using these programs simultaneously. It came with 4 GB RAM, but when I bought a new hard drive I got two 4 GB sticks, giving me 8 GB RAM. Will this make the computer run hotter? It already gets really warm when I'm doing this sort of stuff, and I'm wondering if it will be necessary to get a cooler to protect all the vital components.

You should be able to install the full version from that disk ... just pop it in, boot to it, see if you have the Custom (not Upgrade) option available.  If so, go for it.  If not, you can either order the Vista disks and install it first, then upgrading to Windows 7, or you can download the Windows 7 ISO I gave you the link for above, and use that to install (as long as you have the product key for the Windows 7 upgrade).

Yes, more memory will increase the heat created in the system.  The system is capable of cooling itself fully loaded to its capacity, so I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you let it sit in a room that's approaching 85-90 degrees.  Of course, a fan/cooler would help it not get so loud :)

Ok, I put the new hardware in and installed Windows 7 again, but now it's really irritating me because it won't let me do anything! Any time I try to install anything, it asks for an administrator password, but when I enter my password, it says it's incorrect! Aghhhh! How do I get it to stop doing this and just let me install my Norton and Firefox? I want a laptop, not a nanny. I don't remember it doing this when I upgraded from Vista.

Did you create a second user? or is this the original user you set up the system with?

Thanks again for all the help guys. Yes, I am the original user. I reinstalled the OS myself this afternoon, and the computer says I am the administrator, but when I enter my password when it asks for it, it says it's incorrect (even though it's not, I log on just fine with that password). Is there a way I can just turn off the feature where it asks for a password every time I install something?

However, the problem seems to have spontaneously corrected itself somewhat. When I put in the Norton disc again, Windows didn't have a fit and demand I type in a password, it just let me install it. I was also able to install Firefox by saving the setup to my desktop and running as administrator. Who knows. Now I'm trying to download all the drivers from Dell.com, though a lot of them aren't installing; they say I'm missing the affiliated hardware. I'm trying to find the one that allows the "buttons" above the keys on the keyboard to work, since right now most of them don't seem to be functioning (except the wi-fi on/off one).

natakuc4, I'm pretty much up and running, but I'll still read your guide just to see how many things I did wrong, hahahaha.

I wrote a guide which goes into detail about installing Windows 7 from scratch, you can refer to it below, if you aren't up and running already.

That would be Dell Quickset under Applications.

That's it, thanks!