Issues re-installing windows vista home premium

dwhite1313,

Try reading...

Restoring Your Computer´s Software to the Factory Settings

or

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

Rick

 dwhite1313,

Restart nthe computer and press F2 at the Dell Screen. Look at advanced, boot sequence. Boot sequence should be...

CD/DVD rom

HDD Hard Drive

USB Removal devices

Network

Save and exit.

With the Windows Vista DVD in the DVD rom, restart your computer.

Press any key to boot from disk, then follow the instructions.

Rick

Thanks for the reply and info,

I'm having issues accessing the restore menus. I can get to the F8 menu, but only if I boot up from the vista dvd (c: has nothing on it, including bootmgr, which always comes up if i try to boot normally), and after I get to the menu, these are the options:

Safe Mode

Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Enable Boot Logging

Enable low-resolution video (640x480)

Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)

Directory Services Restore Mode

Debugging Mode

Disable automatic restart on system failure

Disable Driver Signature Enforcement

Start Windows Normally

I've tried Last Known Good Configuration (advanced) & Directory Services Restore Mode. Both times, it has continued through to the dvd vista installation, even if I pop out the dvd, which then fails because of the Load Driver issue previously stated.

I'm not sure, but I think if I can get a boot to get far enough for the F8 menu to come up I might be able to restore, but I can't without the dvd boot at this stage.

Thoughts?

Rick,

The issue is not that the order is wrong, i was hitting F12 to boot from the dvd before. The issue is that even though I am able to access the F8 menu, it can only be accessed from a DVD boot, and when I am able to access the correct menu, it is over-ridden by the vista install. I can see the safe mode around the edges, but the install is all that is accessible, and when i quit it, it restarts, and if I proceed with the install, it comes up with the Load Driver problem.

Is there any way to get a hard drive boot that will get me past the bootmgr problem so I can get to the F8 menu, without the DVD boot?

Thanks in advance.

Rick,

There is indeed a repair function, but as the c: has been formatted, there are no options to restore to...

That being the case, will it still be possible to perform a system restore through the advanced boot menu, or am i stuck trying to re-install windows vista with the Load Driver issues?

 dwhite1313,

If you boot from the dvd, isn't there an option to repair the computer. It then has an option to repir the boot options, I think. If not, try making a new thread and ask how to get past the bootmgr to get the computer started. There are members out there that know this but usually don't look into a thread.

Rick

 dwhite1313,

Unless you deleted it, installed a new hard drive or it's corrput, the recovery partition might still be there.

Restoring Your Computer´s Software to the Factory Settings

If not, in the BIOS, there is a setting to change from Sata to ACPI

Rick

Right,

I think the hard drive has been completely wiped/might be corrupted. Is there any way to proceed with the vista install or a way to download someone else's factory restore file to a usb and restore from that?

Thanks in advance.

 dwhite1313,

If you make a new post, ask about raid the the other questions. There is another member that frequents once or twice daily that can answer these questions. He has great knowledge of Dell Computers.

Rick