Lap top won't load, need windows disk?

confirmer

Hi all,

I recently followed instructions on the Dell website to restore the factory settings on my laptop as we want to sell it. After it was done the laptop wouldn't load up past the Dell starter screen, i went onto the diagnostics bit after hitting F4, which said there was a problem with the hard drive and that windows needed to be re-installed. Contacted DELL and they said because we had the hard drive upgraded (had extra memory installed) that is why windows was lost. This now means that we have to buy new windows disks (no idea where original ones are) which cost about £64!!! We only wanted to sell the laptop for £125!!!! Does anyone have any advice or help on what i can do to get it loaded up...

aliEnRIK

Nothing much you can do that I can think of

You may as well sell the laptop as is and let someone else install XP or whatever

OR ~ you could install linux?

posted_2

borrow a disk, or put the old disk in.

confirmer

thanks,
what is linux? and can you use other peoples disks, do you not need passwords etc??

aliEnRIK

Linux is a free operating system available on download (So youd have to burn to a bootable disc and install)

Having said that ~ anyone interested in Linux would download it for themselves anyways

Yes ~ youd need a KEY to be able to install windows

Jaffa.

You might want to find the recovery disks , I'd pay more money for one that came with them.

confirmer

does linux allow the same type of thing as word and excel etc?

aliEnRIK

Im certainly no linux expert. If you wish to find out more about where to download, which, why and what works then id suggest starting a new thread

gaming_guy

confirmer wrote: »

does linux allow the same type of thing as word and excel etc?

you do have open office (MS office equivelent)

Rabbir1

posted wrote: »

borrow a disk, or put the old disk in.

Then use the xp serial from the sticker on the laptop (if it has one).

weegie.geek

confirmer wrote: »

because we had the hard drive upgraded (had extra memory installed) that is why windows was lost

Extra memory installed, or the hard drive upgraded? Two different things.

It sounds like the hard drive was upgraded, thus losing the recovery partition.

Where's the old hard drive? It should still have the recovery partition on it, assuming it's not been overwritten.