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May 24th, 2016 12:00

Formating laptop with Windows 8

I want to install Windows 8 on my Inspiron 14z 5423 laptop. I lost the recovery driver. But my real question is can I use the serial number on the envelope of the  cd drivers that comes with the notebook to validate the operating system? What is the correct version of Windows that I need that fits to this key? On the specs when I bought it, says that the computer had installed Windows 8 x64, so it's not Windows 8 pro or enterprise? (other Window's versions according to en.wikipedia.org/.../Windows_8_editions)

7 Technologist

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16K Posts

May 27th, 2016 00:00

No. I'm suggesting temporary changing the SATA operation to AHCI so you can use Diskpart → Clean (on the SSD) and CLEAN ALL (on the HDD) so both are blank which is necessary for the cache to work properly on the SSD>

Then changing the SATA operation back to ISRT and then installing Windows. During Windows installation the SSD should not show (only the HDD will show, if both drives show then something is wrong).

5 Practitioner

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274.2K Posts

May 26th, 2016 04:00

Hi,

Thank you for writing to us!

Kindly share the service tag to the system .

Thanks

Robin

10 Posts

May 26th, 2016 11:00

Hi Robin!

The service tag is:  Service tag removed per privacy policy>

Also yesterday I could get the licence key on the BIOS or UEFI Firmware and it's different from the one on the driver's envelope.

Thanks

10 Posts

May 26th, 2016 12:00

Hi Natakuc4
Unfortunatelly I can't install Windows 10. Here is a list of Dell's notebooks that support it or there are drivers for it.


I watched the video about "Download a Windows 8.1 OEM iso and preparing a Bootable USb for UEFI BIOS with SecureBoot", it was helpful but I have a problem: What SATA operation should i choose(ATA, AHCI or ISRT)? I have a SSD that I want to use it as a cache. I already tried ISRT and Windows was intalled on the SSD and I don't want that. Or maybe there is another step to do that I miss.

Another detail it's that I hava installed Windows 7 at the moment.

Thanks again for the videos Natakuc4 and the info.

7 Technologist

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16K Posts

May 26th, 2016 16:00

In most cases Windows 10 will have all the system drivers inbuilt or obtain automatically via Windows Update. In the rare cases where drivers are required Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 drivers will work.

I have got a large number of older Dell models to work with Windows 10, even those sold with Windows Vista!

For your model however there have been some reports of black screens after Windows 10 Installation:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/4997/t/19644019

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19645320

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2750628/system-boot-windows-install-bad-system-config-info-message.html

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/upgraded-inspiron-14z-5423-to-win-10-and-having/438acec5-cd6c-438d-a9fb-67179858ea9a?auth=1

http://www.tenforums.com/installation-setup/9447-windows-10-black-screen-during-install-5.html

However alot of these are likely Upgrade Installs and Clean Installs should work much better:

http://www.danylkoweb.com/Blog/my-weekend-with-windows-10-with-5-tips-to-avoid-disaster-CJ

The SATA operation should be Intel Rapid Response Technology.... however it may help to temporarily change the SATA operation to AHCI and ensure both drives are wiped...

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/cleaning-up-a-drive-format-vs-secure-wipe-ssd-and-hdd/

Once they are wiped you can revert the setting to Intel Rapid Response Technology and it should work correctly.

10 Posts

May 26th, 2016 18:00

Ok NATAKUC4, so if I understand your solution, you're suggesting me to follow this steps:
1- Install Windows 8 with SATA operation AHCI mode
2- Once Windows is ready, install drivers for ISRT.
3- Reboot the system and change the SATA operations to ISRT.
4- Windows should start faster than before using the SSD as cache.

This is ok? I ask this because I followed the same steps to install Windows 7 and when I try to install ISRT's drivers, Windows crashes and rollback to a restauration point. Maybe that happend because Windows 7 doesn't support ISRT. I'm not sure if I'm right.

I hope you can help me, I really upset with this.

Thanks again!!!

10 Posts

May 29th, 2016 09:00

Hi NATAKUC4, 
Your suggestion worked perfectly. But I think that the Windows doesn't validate it self because in control panel, if I try to "add features to Windows 8", it aks me to input the license and says that it's not valid. I could get the UEFI BIOS key with an app.
Consither that, during the Windows's intallation it doesn't ask me for the key. I know that when this happens is because UEFI BIOS key worked.

But finally I solve the main problem thanks to you Natakuc4. Thank you very much.

P.D: If you like wine, give me your address that I send you an argenitian one. jajaja.



7 Technologist

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16K Posts

May 30th, 2016 06:00

Right click the start button and select system it should say Windows is activated at the bottom. In this case the keys been input from the UEFI BIOS and activation has occurred online.

The add features will only work with a 25 digit Windows 8.1 Pro key or a 25 digit Windows 8.1 Media Centre Key... these have to be purchased separately and in most cases aren't needed especially because Medica Centre has been made an obsolete product now.

The key on the Dell drivers DVD shipped with your system is likely a Dell part number and nothing to do with add features.

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