Using a different windows xp cd

Question

I have an Inspiron 2200 notebook I bought during the last week of August. My Windows went on the fritz and I had to reinstall, but now I find out that I don't have the Windows reinstall cd. I don't think I got one during the shipment, and I know there was no OS boot disk program in system tools. I had XP Home Edition.   I have a friend who has the same model, Inspiron 2200. And he has the Windows XP Professional Reinstall CD that came with his computer. He hasn't used it and said I could use it if it'd save me a boatload of money on buying a new Windows XP home. Will this work?   I have other Windows XP installation cds, but they are only for the PC   Thanks in advance

NemesisDB · Answer

you might try calling dell tech support and seeing if they will ship you the OS media.

jmwills · Answer

It will work since it is for a Dell machine and if you cnsider $20 a boatload of money, then yes you will save a lot. I believe that is the going price for a hard copy of the media.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1091713
http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/

The operating system CD maker is no longer shipping on systems invoiced after July 14, 2005.
Your option at point of sale is to purchase the operating system CD for $10. After point of sale, contact Dell and request the CD"
Systems shipped after July 15, 2004 came with Symantec PC Restore. This utility restores the computer to an "as-shipped" condition. If you haven't reformatted, repartitioned, or otherwise modified the master boot record, it should work. Click here for instructions about Symantec PC Restore.

If the Symantec PC Restore utility won't work, but still resides on your computer, a Dell customer has figured out some ways to get it to work again. Note - If you removed this partition, it is not recoverable, cannot be downloaded from the internet, and cannot be shipped from Dell. Click here for ways to fix Symantec PC Restore. Users have also reported that the partition can be restored with Ghost 2003, and Ghost 9 using the '03 capabilities of it. If you boot to the Ghost 9 CD, select Advanced Recovery Taks, select Utilities, then Restore Legacy IMage it should work - but you want to verify the image before attempting the restore. It's in a folder called IMG.

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=149200

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=149342

Denny Denham · Answer

Gandyisgod,

Assuming you are still under warranty you can get a reinstall XP CD from Dell as indicated here. Your friend's CD will not work, as it is an XP Professional Edition CD while your computer is licensed for XP Home Edition. (A Dell XP Home Edition CD from another system would work and you say you have other Dell CDs. There is nothing different between the Dell XP CDs for a PC or a laptop, each contains one copy of XP and nothing else.)

Use your XP Home CD to install XP on your system and after you do so, install the drivers for it (which will provide the necessary laptop-specific features you are currently missing). See this listing.

Gandyisgod · Answer

I deleted the main windows partition when I tried to use one of my windows XP home cds for the PC (before I stupidly realized it was FOR HTE PC. My computer works, but it doesn't realize its on a laptop- so no battery options and who knows what else.)   That website you linked me to do did mention that this restore program was on a hidden partition- and I don't think I deleted any others.  However, I don't really understand the jargon in the instructions and as the site advised me to, I won't proceed.   How do I get the CD for 20?

Gandyisgod · Answer

I'm trying to get on the internet on my laptop to download these drivers.   However, my laptop isn't recognizing my internet connection. My cable modem surfboard says that it is receiving and sending, and even shows activity- but I'm unable to connect. Sometimes when I open internet explorer, it will go directly to the error page saying it could not connect, other times it will act as if the page is slowly loading first.   Is this because of my drivers not being there and I should make a CD?

Denny Denham · Answer

Gandyisgod, Since you can clearly connect to the Internet with the computer you are using to post here download the drivers with it, burn them to a CD, then install them on the laptop.

Gandyisgod · Answer

Yeah I'm doing that, but any suggestions with the internet would be helpful. Or should I re-direct that question  to another section of the forums?

Windows General

Using a different windows xp cd

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