If Dell sells you a machine running Vista, then Dell will give you a Vista Reinstallation DVD, also, a Drivers and Utilities DVD. However your XP must come from a retail CD/DVD.
Thanks for the info. I have a retail version of XP.
I'd heard that there is a recovery partition on the hard drive that is used for recovering Vista. Is that used for re-installing as well, or can the Reinstallation DVD be used to install again on a blank hard drive?
Just be aware that if (or when) you install XP, the MBR is overwritten and you will lose the functionality of the "factory restore" utility. The Recovery Partition will still be there (unless of course you format the complete disk during the XP install), but you will not be able to access it. If you wish to reinstall Vista at any time in the future then, you will have to do this via the Vista DVD.
I have found that sometimes, the F8 functionality to restore the factory image will work in cases like this where a different OS has been installed in C:. I think it has been in cases where the Diagnostics Partition (the first partition, where the MBR is) has not been removed or damaged. If not, booting from the Vista DVD and going to Repair options may still present the Dell Factory Image Restore utility option. At least, sometimes it has.
If all else fails, you can boot from the Vista DVD, go to repair options, command prompt and run: Imagex /Apply d:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 c:\
(from the d:\tools directory)
If REALLY all else fails....er, well, umm,
Say! Did you hear Dell MIGHT send you a Vista 64-bit DVD if you ask nice? LOL
Hope this helps.
Tom
XPS 420, Q6600, 4GB, 500x2 (RAID nada), Radeon HD2600XT, Bluetooth, eSATA configured to Non-RAID, Ultimate SP1 XPS 420, Q6700, 4GB, 750GB x 2 (RAID 0), GeForce 8800 GT, Xcellerator, Bluetooth, eSATA configured to Non-RAID, Ultimate SP1 XPS M1330, 2.2GHz, 4GB, 200GB (7200), SP1 XPS M1330, 2.0GHz, 4GB, 320GB, Vista Ultimate SP1 & XP Pro SP3
RobinBredin
4 Operator
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3.7K Posts
0
August 6th, 2008 11:00
messyhead
9 Posts
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August 6th, 2008 11:00
Thanks for the info. I have a retail version of XP.
I'd heard that there is a recovery partition on the hard drive that is used for recovering Vista. Is that used for re-installing as well, or can the Reinstallation DVD be used to install again on a blank hard drive?
thanks
keithg2
2 Intern
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935 Posts
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August 6th, 2008 15:00
Yes, the RECOVERY partition can be used to reimage your C partition back to factory installed Vista.
Your Vista DVD can be used to install Vista. The drive does not need to be blank. You would also need to install device drivers and applications.
The advantage of the RECOVERY partition reinstall is it includes devices drivers along with any applications Dell installed for you at the factory.
Rebel9
2.9K Posts
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August 6th, 2008 17:00
zrtom
160 Posts
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August 6th, 2008 23:00
I have found that sometimes, the F8 functionality to restore the factory image will work in cases like this where a different OS has been installed in C:. I think it has been in cases where the Diagnostics Partition (the first partition, where the MBR is) has not been removed or damaged. If not, booting from the Vista DVD and going to Repair options may still present the Dell Factory Image Restore utility option. At least, sometimes it has.
If all else fails, you can boot from the Vista DVD, go to repair options, command prompt and run: Imagex /Apply d:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 c:\
(from the d:\tools directory)
If REALLY all else fails....er, well, umm,
Say! Did you hear Dell MIGHT send you a Vista 64-bit DVD if you ask nice? LOL
Hope this helps.
Tom
XPS 420, Q6600, 4GB, 500x2 (RAID nada), Radeon HD2600XT, Bluetooth, eSATA configured to Non-RAID, Ultimate SP1
XPS 420, Q6700, 4GB, 750GB x 2 (RAID 0), GeForce 8800 GT, Xcellerator, Bluetooth, eSATA configured to Non-RAID, Ultimate SP1
XPS M1330, 2.2GHz, 4GB, 200GB (7200), SP1
XPS M1330, 2.0GHz, 4GB, 320GB, Vista Ultimate SP1 & XP Pro SP3