How to reinstall XP on hand-me-down Inspiron 1100

Hi Clueless in Seattle,

Hope you get well soon. My prayers are with you.

You may find the link below for the video on how to format the HDD and install the fresh copy of Windows XP Operating system:

http://bit.ly/ZCZ9pN

Revert for further queries.

Follow Windows Reinstallation Guide/A Clean Install of Windows XP:

http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/

To completely remove all traces of the old XP follow the optional Step 7a it will wipe the drive completely. Step 7b doesn't apply to this system and so can be ignored.

The FAT partition is a diagnostics partition.  You don't need it, but it probably isn't worth the time and effort to delete either.  It has NOTHING on it specific to the previous owner.

To join your home network:

Do you have a wireless router at home, and do you know the SSID (network name) and password to join it?  If so, then simply joining it should be enough in most cases (assuming your other computers are also connected to that same router).  If you need further help, tell us more about your home network.

Many thanks, Sujatha K!  I followed the steps in that video and now have a clean installation of Windows XP on my "new" (to me) Inspiron 1100 laptop.

I have one more question, though:

In "Computer Management" I see two partitions:  39 MB FAT and 27.90 GB NTFS

I'm wondering if I should go back to square one and delete that FAT partition and then redo the XP installation.

Do you know what the 39 MB FAT partition is for?  Could it be something left over from the previous owner's XP installation?  Or could it have been created by the reinstall I just completed?

I want to make sure I've deleted every remnant of the previous owner's operating system and software, so I can make a clean start with this computer.

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless"

P.S. Once I get this installation of XP the way I want it, then I'm going to need coaching on how to add this computer to my home network.  Can you recommend a forum where I can get help with that?

As long as you have Service Pack 3 installed on your XP, TCP should be installed and functioning, although you may need to set an IP address if your modem does not assign IP addresses.  You would do this by clicking on TCP/IP, then Properties ... you would need to make a note of other IP settings from another PC (Command Prompt, IPCONFIG /ALL).

I don't remember if NETBUI is required for 2000 or not - I haven't used that since Windows 98.  

"I'm guessing that I'll need to download a bunch of drivers to my main computer (this klunky old underpowered Micron running Win 2K) and then copy them over to the laptop.  Does that make sense?"

If you did not install the System Software, chipset, and other drivers as part of the process of reinstalling XP on your 1100, then, yes,  you need to do that before it will function correctly.  Downloading them on another PC then copying them over is just fine.

Hi TheFlash1932!

Thanks for taking the time to help me out on this.  I'm grateful for the kindness and generosity (and patience!) of the contributors to this forum.  I could never keep my rusty old computers and software up and running were it not for the help I'm getting here from you folks.

As for my home network:  Right now I have three computers on the network:

1.  A really old Micron Millennia PC (with just 284 MB RAM!) running Win 2K Pro (This is my main computer.  I seem to be losing my eyesight so I can't make out the model number on the plate on the back.)

2. A second-hand generic Pentium 4 PC with the previous owner's XP already installed (This one suffers from a shut-down stall that I need to fix.  Then I want to retire the Micron and use this one as my main computer).

3. A hand-me down Inspiron 1150 with a dead screen hooked up to an external monitor.  I use this laptop in bed (where a Ispend the better part of my time these days, with the monitor on a rolling TV cart next to the bed).

They are all hooked together with cables to a Xyxel PK5000X DSL modem that I got from the phone company.  The modem rental was free for the first year, but now they are charging me five bucks a month for it, so I need to find a replacement).

It's been a while since I set-up the network, (and my memory gets wiped out from time to time by little brainstorms called temporal epileptic seizures) so I can't even remember where to look for the settings.  I do vaguely remember that I have to install something like TCPIP or NETBUI but can't for the life of me recall where to find those settings or what to do once I find them.

I'm guessing that I'll need to download a bunch of drivers to my main computer (this klunky old underpowered Micron running Win 2K) and then copy them over to the laptop.  Does that make sense?

I'd like to to get the Inspiron 1100 laptop (the "new" Inspiron with the working screen) on line, so I can download all the XP updates.  Does that seem like the logical next step.

Thanks again for offering to help me with this.  I have trouble getting out these days, so my computers are my primary links with the outside world,

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless"

Hi again, TheFlash1932!

You wrote that "The FAT partition is a diagnostics partition.  You don't need it, but it probably isn't worth the time and effort to delete either."

My longtime Windows coach on a Seattle BBS, who can be overly fussy, insists that I absolutely must delete that FAT partition.  

I don't mind going to the extra trouble of reinstalling XP from the CD a second time and  deleting that partition the second time around if it will keep my finger wagging coach happy.

So, in your opinion, is there any reason why I should consider keeping that FAT partition?  I mean, can you conceive of some scenario further down the pike when I might end up needing to access that FAT partition to bail myself out of a troublesome situation?

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless.

Hi again, theflash1932,

I went ahead and reinstalled XP Home a second time.

Now I've got some more questions.  Should I start a new thread for each question?  Or can we just continue in this thread?

Here are the questions:

1.  Now when I start the computer, I get a dual-boot screen saying:

   Please select the operating system to start:

   Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

   Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

The first option boots normally, but the second option gives me an error message:

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.

Could not read from the selected boot disk.  Check boot path and disk hardware

2.  I've set the Boot Order to:

Internal HDD

CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive

USB Storage Device

Is there a preferred order?

3.  The display is inside  a small rectangle in the center of the laptop screen, using only about a third of the total screen size.  Do I need to download a display driver for this machine in order to enlarge the image so that it fills the entire screen?

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless"

Many thanks, theflash1932!  I downloaded and installed the video driver and now the display fills the whole screen as it should.

Now I'm going to try to figure out which Broadcom driver to download.  I'll start a new thread for that.

Thanks again!

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless"

Sheesh!  You really *are* "the flash" aren't you?

I just posted a query over in the networks forum.

I guess I'd better head over there and type "Never Mind!"

Thanks again, flash!

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless"

I'm trying to set up a hand-me-down Inspiron 1100 laptop.

I've reinstalled Windows XP Home Edition from the reinstallation CD, and have downloaded and installed a display driver.

Now I want to network the Inspiron 1100 (running XP) to an old PC running Windows 2K.

On the Drivers for Inspiron 1100 page, under the heading "Network - Driver" I found two likely candidates:

and:

I wasn't sure which one to download, so I've downloaded both of them.   I have a couple of questions about them:

1.  The names of the downloaded files,  (R54631.EXE and R61603.EXE) don't give me a clue as to which is which.  How can I determine which is v.360 and which is 3.51?

2.  Once I sort out which is which, how may I determine which one to install on my "new" (to me) Inspiron 1100?

Will in Seattle

a.k.a. "Clueless