If you are doing a clean reinstall it shouldn't be a problem, You should be able to boot to the original Windows media to start the install. You can find guidance if needed for running a manual reinstall here.  I suggest installing the latest drivers from support.dell.com starting with the chipset driver, then Intel and Nvidia drivers, then the remaining drivers.

Please let me know if you run across any problems.

TB

If you're available, I need further assistance. The formatting and installing of Windows was straight forward and easy, but the resource CD, installing all the drivers, doesn't seem to be going well at all.

When I run the disc there is more than one, sometimes up to 4, options for a driver. I should have been a bit more systematic about this, but I lost track of which drivers have effected the system and when ones didn't. The was check-mark next to two different Items, so I figure the disc would recognize which drivers had been installed and put a check-mark next to it. Nope

Either way, I can' seem to get any of the "Communication" Drivers to take and thus cannot get the laptop connected to the internet, whether it be by LAN Cable or by WiFi.

I feel like I'm making things way worse by installing a bunch of drivers the computer doesn't even need.

Sorry for the rant, just really confused and frustrated with myself.

Will get that for you ASAP. Decided to restart the process from scratch. When to the "Network adapters" section and they were ALL yellow exclamation marks with generic titles. I was able to get screen print and copy all the Hardware IDs, but had no way of copying them from that computer. wont accept USB drives of any kind, and had zero access to network/Internet. Will keep in touch soon.

So, once again, I formatted everything and installed a fresh Windows 7 Install.
Ive compiled a list of Hardware IDs, but honestly, I don't know how extensive I should go? Should I get Hardware IDs for every single Hardware entry in device manager? Isn't there an easier way of utilizing the Drivers and Utilities Disc that came with the Laptop? I figure that There's got to be a way to get primary things install using the disc and then go from there once I'm connected to the internet, but I just can't figure out how to decide which drivers/utilities/applications to install from the disc.

In any case, with the Hardware IDs listed... what now?

The idea here is to get enough drivers from the resource DVD installed to get online and then download the newest drivers directly from support.dell.com

Look for the chipset and network drivers first. I am including where they can be downloaded directly from support.dell.com as well.

Chipset: Intel HM57 Express Chipset HM55 chipset family.

Ethernet Network: Realtek RTL8111EL

Once you have the nearest equivalent to the above files installed you now should be able to get online and download the remaining drivers.

Dell system software

Intel HD GFX

Nvidia Geforce GT 435M

Dell Quickset

Realtek ALC665 Audio Driver

Intel Turbo Boost

Synaptics Touchpad

Renesas USB 3.0 controller

Once these drivers have been installed you should have most of the functionality of the notebook. You will need to install the wireless and Bluetooth drivers depending on what wireless card was ordered with the system and you should be good to go.

Please let me know if you continue to have difficulties.

TB

Give the hardware IDs for any unknown device aswell as display adapters and network controllers.

Wow, I can't thank you enough for doing all this for me. this was fantastic and seems to have worked great! Ive made sure to create a new disc with all this drivers, and the sequence of installation.

I've done the windows updater, and everything is going well.

There's just one hiccup im running into. Im able to connect using a LAN Cable, but once I unplug it, I can't get it to locate any local WiFi signals. Absolutely nothing shows up. Our signal is hidden anyway, but theres no option to manually add a connection. Any thoughts on this?

To order the Dell recovery media, see:

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For the wireless adapter, use your service tag to look up the part number for your wireless card (support.dell.com, original configuration).  On many systems, you will need to install at least a chipset driver BEFORE any wireless drivers will correctly load.  Both drivers can be downloaded from support.dell.com.

Sorry for the trouble, but I ran into a bit of a snag.

The Laptop is saying that windows 7 couldn't Activate because the Product Key isn't valid. Since a disk for Windows 7 didn't come with our laptops (I have pretty much the exact same model as my wife) I had to use the Disk I got for my desktop. I made sure to use the Product key found under her laptop though. Any ideas why this is? I mean, the product key isn't based off the specific physical disk right?
The disk version was the same as the version of Windows 7 that came with the laptop, Windows Home Premium.

Just talked to Tech support and they said I could get the "Recovery Media", But wouldn't even tell me how to get it, unless I paid for Premium Tech Support. Im not going to pay anything more because they didn't send an OS Disk with our Laptops. After looking online, I found out that I might be able to download the Media software through their Download store, but 1.) I can't Log in to "My Media Locker". Thought it'd be the same log-in info as this forum. Wrong. Now Im locked out. 2.) Again, not paying extra. Might as well start looking for another Laptop.

Also, the Wifi adapter still isn't being recognized. The system won't even give me an adapter ID or anything. I thought the Realtek Ethernet would be the drivers needed, but then I realized that Ethernet is the term used for plugging a physical cable into the back of the computer, which works.

Gee willikers EJN63, I really don't like you. I want to scream and yell at you, because you remind me of the inconsiderate people I talk to when I call Dell for HELP. The ones that don't actually try to help. The ones that read from a manuscript and either charge $50-$100 for answering a bleeping question, or don't know, but wont admit they don't know and hand me off to other reps who also don't know. But no, I won't scream and yell at you. Instead, I'll say this as absolutely nicely as I can: I did try finding the drivers by service tag. I tried that before posting here. It only gives me 4 files to download. None of which, as far as I can tell, are related to the Wifi card/adapter. so... thanks for that.

And in regards to your recovery media...
"System is out of warranty. Please contact Dell Technical Support at 1-800-822-6031 for further assistance with hardware and software troubleshooting." You should have gathered that by the fact that Customer Service wants to CHARGE ME to answer a simple question.

So, again, and maybe you can address the actual question at hand as stated in the first paragraph of my last post:  "Any ideas why this is? I mean, the product key isn't based off the specific physical disk right? The disk version was the same as the version of Windows 7 that came with the laptop, Windows Home Premium."

Im just so frustrated with this whole situation because DELL omitted very important drivers and OS disk and then expects me to pay additional in order to get files and info they should have sent in the first place.

Please go to Start, right click your computer and select properties. Tell me what the Product ID is (this isn't the product key) and Edition is. Tell me what the Edition is on your COA (don't tell me the product key on the COA).

Product ID: 00359-OEM-9814913-20635
Edition: Windows 7 Home Premium

Edition on COA (Im assuming thats the label under the Laptop that also has the Product Key):

Windows Home Premium OA ...

Whats the "OA"?

And thank you very much for helping me.