since you wiped out your Vista OS with the reformatting, and you are using an upgrade disk you need to follow the steps HERE to get the upgrade disk to do a clean install.Don't worry that is mentions vista as the steps work exactly the same for win 7. I have done this on both of my system and they run and activated just fine.
You cannot install a upgrade disk and have it activate as that is not a valid install. However by doing the double install trick you will be able to get an activated insta..
You said in your orginal post that you formated the system partition which if you did deleted the Vista files and Operating system. I am not sure you really deleted the OEM partition as this is a ESIA partition that is really hard to get rid of and not worth the bother. When you boot into the install disk and get to the select the partition screen what does it show?
A normal Dell disk partition is set up like this, The OEM partition is first, then the recovery partition, then the system partition. Since the recovery is before the system unless you are using a 3rd party disk partitioning program you cannot recover this space
Don't worry that is mentions vista as the steps work exactly the same for win 7. I have done this on both of my system and they run and activated just fine.
Hi Dave, I took a look at that link and tried to follow it but right away came across a problem. In Step 1, after this line, "click the Install Now button to trigger Vista Setup," I find that the rest of the steps aren't something i come across with my upgrade dvd. So, now I'm lost.
Thank for your reply. I want to complete erase all of the Vista files. I want to start off with a fresh hard drive. Will those instructions from the link help me with this?
Davet50
4 Operator
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14.4K Posts
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December 19th, 2009 14:00
since you wiped out your Vista OS with the reformatting, and you are using an upgrade disk you need to follow the steps HERE to get the upgrade disk to do a clean install.Don't worry that is mentions vista as the steps work exactly the same for win 7. I have done this on both of my system and they run and activated just fine.
You cannot install a upgrade disk and have it activate as that is not a valid install. However by doing the double install trick you will be able to get an activated insta..
Davet50
4 Operator
•
14.4K Posts
0
December 19th, 2009 14:00
You said in your orginal post that you formated the system partition which if you did deleted the Vista files and Operating system. I am not sure you really deleted the OEM partition as this is a ESIA partition that is really hard to get rid of and not worth the bother. When you boot into the install disk and get to the select the partition screen what does it show?
A normal Dell disk partition is set up like this, The OEM partition is first, then the recovery partition, then the system partition. Since the recovery is before the system unless you are using a 3rd party disk partitioning program you cannot recover this space
That One Kid
4 Posts
0
December 19th, 2009 14:00
Hi Dave, I took a look at that link and tried to follow it but right away came across a problem. In Step 1, after this line, "click the Install Now button to trigger Vista Setup," I find that the rest of the steps aren't something i come across with my upgrade dvd. So, now I'm lost.
That One Kid
4 Posts
0
December 19th, 2009 14:00
I see two partitions. The first says Disk 0 Unallocated Space 15.1 GB. Second, Disk 0 Partition 1 916.4 GB Sysytem.
That One Kid
4 Posts
0
December 19th, 2009 14:00
Thank for your reply. I want to complete erase all of the Vista files. I want to start off with a fresh hard drive. Will those instructions from the link help me with this?
ieee488
4 Operator
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11.1K Posts
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December 19th, 2009 14:00
this is what you should do: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=363609