Dell £339 Laptop 15.4" widescreen, wireless, DVDRW (NOW GONE - that's all folks!)

Northtim

Kilty wrote:

My only other XP Home CD is from 2001, has no service packs installed as default.

Been informed that this will not worth with the SP2 key that is attached to the bottom of my laptop

Ah well, there are other ways to obtain Windows I guess

Just rely on the dell system restore and take back ups of essential info and you should be fine.

Kilty_2

Could I format the partition that Windows is on, not touching the Restore one, and keep the restore stuff intact whilst reinstalling a clean version of Windows?

Northtim

Kilty wrote:

Could I format the partition that Windows is on, not touching the Restore one, and keep the restore stuff intact whilst reinstalling a clean version of Windows?

I think that is pretty much waht the restore option does anyway.

Whirly

Just ordered one of these for my sister - along with two of those 810 printers. Thanks to the OP.

foxyloxy

Kilty wrote:

Could I format the partition that Windows is on, not touching the Restore one, and keep the restore stuff intact whilst reinstalling a clean version of Windows?

There is a custom boot routine which allows you to do the CTRL-F11 hotkey when your pc shows the https://www.dell.com banner at the top at boot time (and hence restore everything back from the restore partition).

If you delete the c: partition and install windows onto it then this no longer works (so you may as well take back the space used by the restore partition).

Depends on whether you view losing a way of restoring all the dell crap to your PC as a problem.

Searcher

Kilty wrote:

My only other XP Home CD is from 2001, has no service packs installed as default.

Been informed that this will not worth with the SP2 key that is attached to the bottom of my laptop

Ah well, there are other ways to obtain Windows I guess

You could always try slipstreaming your copy of XP
That should work

buggu

so the restore function that dell provide restores everything you have on the latop to how it was when you ist got it ( inc the junk software)?. If that is the case i would prefer to reformat using a windows xp disc and remove all the programs dell has stored.

ps you can order a free copy of sp2 on a disc for slipstreaming via microsoft website.

Browntoa

yep, restores the whole lot

Browntoa

to stop this thread getting clogged with the restore CD problem I've started a new thread just for this in the Techie section

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1975253#post1975253

Benny24

Mine was delivered yesterday......whilst I was at work!!!! Bummer. :mad:
I could have had the easter weekend to tinker with it, and now I have to wait until Wednesday before I get it.
Although seeing as I ordered it on the 9th and they said to expect delivery on the 24th getting on the 13th isn't bad!

hey ho roll on Wed! :rolleyes: