Recovery Stuff for Vista

I mostly work on Optiplex//Latitude, so the following may not be 100% accurate. I have seen this issue discussed for many years.

Dell wants you to "somehow" know that you should have ordered these disks *when you got your computer* (not now - after warranty expiration). "Valued customer": absurd.

Dell policy is that you should have purchased a warranty extension to get the disks AT THIS POINT. You may wish to get a warranty extension for other reasons anyway. Note: one of the reasons that your "retail" PC was so cheap is that it probably came with a short (one year) warranty.

Of course you can TRY to scream and yell at someone at Dell, including asking that your request be "escalated" to a "duty manager", and they might or might not send you the installation disks.

You may be able to get a standard Windows install disk elsewhere, potentially a fairly low cost. If you are a college student, there might be cheap ("full") versions of Windows available on campus. Or you might find cheap "recycled" installation media on eBay, etc. Make sure you get proper license keys. Do not buy "pirated" software. You do not need an official "Dell" version of Windows install disk, just the Dell drivers (files), which as someone else pointed out - you can download "free" from the Dell web site.

You learned a very valuable lesson: whenever you buy a new computer/peripheral, make sure you have all the disks, and READ THE MANUAL. (Dell probably told you that you could optionally order the install media, you just missed it in the excitement of having a new computer.) KEEP THE DISKS AND MANUAL IN A SAFE PLACE UNTIL YOU STOP USING THE COMPUTER. Which hopefully will be many years later.

(If you carefully save those materials, you will probably greatly impress any IT support person that you need help from.)

You should be able to request another set of disks from Dell for free. Go Here and fill out the form. All you really need is the operating system reinstallation disk. All the latest drivers are available at Dell Downloads.

I have already filled out that application and got an email back from someone stating that

"Evan, we value you as a customer and your satisfaction is our highest priority. However, I see from the records that the system warranty has expired on 2009-04-06, so we will not be able to process the media replacement. If you would like to get a copy of the Operating System media, we have an option for you, wherein you can place an order for the OS Media by contacting Dell Expired Warranty Support at 1-800-624-9896. You can purchase the Dell OEM OS Media for a nominal charge. The part number for OS Media for your computer is HX425."

Should i really have to buy these even thought i already bought the comp, i think not but im not sure here???

No point in saying that now, if the disc is missing.

What you are best to do is to look at the windows product key sticker on the base of your system / side of the system. And see what version of vista it is:

Home Basic

Hope Premium

Business

Ultimate

Most likely be home premium, and then finding a friend with a dell PC with the same version of vista and using their disc to reinstall windows and or to use vlite to copy the disc and slipstream the service packs.

Once you have the disc insert it into your computer:

Powerdown and press F12 as the Dell BIOs screen shows. Select boot from cd/dvd > follow the onscreen instructions > make your partition /  partitions and once Vista is loaded you will have to proceed installing the service packs and drivers in the order as indicated below:

Download the following from another PC and copy to a  external hard drive or USB Flash Stick.

And put in appropriately named folders so you know what is what:

1. Download Vista Service Pack 1 & 2 (1 may be included on the disc it will say if it is):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=B0C7136D-5EBB-413B-89C9-CB3D06D12674&displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a4dd31d5-f907-4406-9012-a5c3199ea2b3&DisplayLang=en

Says for IT professionals but I recommed to use these files so you have the latest service pack windows updating the service packs has been problematic for my friends but not for me.

Download the following drivers from here:

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs&ServiceTag=&SystemID=INS_PNT_PM_1525&os=WLH&osl=en&catid=&impid=

2. Dell System Notebook Software Under System Utilities

3. Both the Chipset drivers

4. Then the Intel Video Driver

5. Then the two Conexant Drivers Under Communications

6. Then depending what you have Dell Wireless Card or Intel PROSET Wireless under Network

7. Then the Sigmatel Driver under Audio

8. Then Touchpad / pointing stick & Webcam (If you have one) under Input Devices also Webcam under Applications.

9. Then the Dell Quickset under Applications

10. Install the Dell Diagnostic Drivers (not essential)

Then install any of the other video drivers that may be applicable to your system and webcam applications etc.

Don't install any of the CD/DVD frmware or the BIOS, incorrect install of these can break your computers components. I would not bother with Dell Support centre or PC Tune up.

Note on activation if you have to activate:

Right click my computer icon and go to properties > under activation go to change product key and input the one that is stuck onto the base of your computer.

Thanks everyone fro the help especialy e.epierce making a fus did get them to send me a new cd so i can fix it and thanks natakuc now i dont have to go look for how to do it thanks so much everyone.