Help with installing programs after reformating

Question

I don't know if this is the right forum to place this question, but I didn't know where else to write it. I reformatted a Dell Inspiron 1200, with the CD that came with it, the one that says ' Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Including Service Pack 2, that CD says that it's not for reinstallation of programs or drivers, I saw that After doing the reformatting, after doing that I took two other CD's that came with the computer, the blue ones that say application, one says that is for reinstalling Sonic RecordNow 7.3 LE Software; the other one for reinstalling CyberLink PowerDVD Software, this one also says contents: Applications. I run the both but only the CyberLink worked and it only installed the PowerDVD. Other than those 3 CD's it also brings 2 CD's for installing WordPerfect. I don't know how to get the rest of programs. Another problem is that some hardware is not working when I check on the Device Manager it appears with a yellow question mark. Can anyone please help me, I would really appreciate it.   Thank You. Tomas

NemesisDB · Answer

I'm not sure why the sonic record cd isn't working.

All dell specific programs and drivers can be downloaded for free from this website. Hover your mouse over product support above and click download. Enter your system information and download what you need. It will vary by system, but for most notebooks you'll want to install the chipset driver first, followed by a dell program called notebook system software. from there install the video driver, sound driver, network driver, touchpad driver, modem driver, and the like. after that install dell programs like QuickSet or access direct. recheck device manager. if something is still coming up as yellow, right click and remove it. then click scan for hardware changes. it shoud be redetected correctly.

Hope this helps. As always, please download critical windows updates as soon as possible and always keep your firewall on (at least until you get all updates).

tomslopez · Answer

Ok thank you I will look for the device and drivers cd. than you

tedtea · Answer

Tom,   as nemesis has stated, the sequence to reinstalling a system is basically: 1)reformat, then reinstall the OS (Operating System CD) 2)install the chipset drivers and the system software (Drivers and Utilities CD), so that the OS can properly recognize all the devices (such as modem, sound, NIC). 3)install the device drivers (ie video, sound, modem bla bla bla) 4)install additional software (such as Sonic on your Application CD)   please note modem and or other devices wont be properly configured and hence wont work, if u skipped step 2. to check, righ-click My Computer, Manage, System Tools -> Device Manager.   once you finish reinstallation, it's a good idea to do a disk partition image backup. ie Norton Ghost.   edit: on your question of whether the drivers on the web are the same as the ones in the CDs, drivers on the web are newer.    what I do b4 i reinstall - 1)download all the drivers and burn them on CD-RW first (if I plan on changing the partitions) 2)then re-partition/re-format as above Message Edited by tedtea on 07-11-2005 02:43 PM

tomslopez · Answer

That is great to hear, but I can´t connect to the internet because it says that the modem is not working or something like that, it doesn´t detect it, do you know what could it be and if so how could I fix it? The programs that you say I can download from the web site, are those the basically the same that come with the computer when you first buy it or like which programs, besides the drivers software, I can download.   Thank You Very Much

NemesisDB · Answer

tom, this may not be relevant (I can't remember if you posted what type of computer you have or not), but if you bought the system recently (say within a year?) you probably won't have a driver CD.  your best bet maybe to use a computer already connected to the net to download the drivers and then burn them to a CD.  Keep in mind that some of the files can be rather large, so if you have a friend with broadband, it's time to ask a favor.  Once you get all the new drivers on a CD, if this ever happens again, you'll be set.

Locked Topics – Laptops General

Help with installing programs after reformating

Was this post helpful?