question in reference to REINSTALLING OS

[nancy361]

Im going to REFORMAT/REINSTALL my OS. vista home basic...i have the original dvd that came with my system..

My question is this.... upon installing vista, all the other cds that came with it, i have a roxio creator & mydvd cd 9.0 DE. cd says on it, install this cd, (PROGRAM)... also a dell drivers and utilities that is already installed on my computer and this dvd is for reinstalling dell inspiron comp software, and an application thats already installed on my comp, for reinstalling cyberlink powerdvd 7.0 software..

so besides using my OS 32 bit reinstallation dvd, vista, am i supposed to also reinstall the stuff on the dvds i mentioned above?
thanks

 

[patio]

Im going to REFORMAT/REINSTALL my OS. vista home basic...i have the original dvd that came with my system..

My question is this.... upon installing vista, all the other cds that came with it, i have a roxio creator & mydvd cd 9.0 DE. cd says on it, install this cd, (PROGRAM)... also a dell drivers and utilities that is already installed on my computer and this dvd is for reinstalling dell inspiron comp software, and an application thats already installed on my comp, for reinstalling cyberlink powerdvd 7.0 software..

so besides using my OS 32 bit reinstallation dvd, vista, am i supposed to also reinstall the stuff on the dvds i mentioned above?
thanks

Yes.
Vista first...
Then the Drivers CD.
Then an anti-virus app updated.
Then Windows updates.
And last any other apps you need.

Why the need for a re-install ? ?

 

[zigzag3143]

Im going to REFORMAT/REINSTALL my OS. vista home basic...i have the original dvd that came with my system..

My question is this.... upon installing vista, all the other cds that came with it, i have a roxio creator & mydvd cd 9.0 DE. cd says on it, install this cd, (PROGRAM)... also a dell drivers and utilities that is already installed on my computer and this dvd is for reinstalling dell inspiron comp software, and an application thats already installed on my comp, for reinstalling cyberlink powerdvd 7.0 software..

so besides using my OS 32 bit reinstallation dvd, vista, am i supposed to also reinstall the stuff on the dvds i mentioned above?
thanks

Hi Nancy

First thing to check is the original dvd that came with the computer. It may not be a full vista dvd. It may only be a restore disk. if that is the case you may have problems. See the restore disk only restores that backup stored on the computer.

The reason I think that is because my dell came with the restore disk as well.

I wouldn't worry about the other things untill your OS is done and working correctly. Dell has a nasty habit of installing all sorts of garbage and they want you to keep the garbage installed.

Check the DVD its important. If it has a dell label dont format your disk. If it has a microsoft label and says vista then you are in good shape

Ken

 

[nancy361]

could you ellaborate on that answer? i put the vista dvd in first, when that is all done i take it out then put driver and utilities cd in. as for virus protection, i downloaded that from RISING website. id have to download it again, but 1st i have to use my verizon DSL cd to reinstall my internet connection, then go to rising and download? or should i do the windows updates 1st? that means serv pack 2 as well.. and the APPLICATION cd i have is for reinstalling cyberlink powerdvd 7.0. other then that, other stuff has to be downloaded from the individ. sites.....

another question......... when i insert drivers dvd, what all am i supposed to do or ck or install? i dont want to miss installing all that is supposed to be on my system

 

[nancy361]

Hi KEN, this is what the cd looks like and says

its green. on the top it says this:

OPERATING SYSTEM
already installed on your computer
reinstallation dvd
windows vista home basic 32 bit
only use this dvd to reinstall the OS on a dell pc
this dvd is not for reinstallation of programs or drivers
support is provided by dell
for distribution only with a new dell pc
AT the BOTTOM it says..... DELL
2007 dell inc.
P/N HX249

why cant i use this dvd to reformat/reinstall?? thats what its for

 

[zigzag3143]

Nancy

I PM'ed you before just to err on the side of caution. IM not on a vista machine right now so I cant at this moment tell you if the dell re-install disk will work to do a clean install.

Let me see if I can scrounge a dell re-installation dvd to check. Someone will probably give you the answer in the mean time

Ken

Edit for link: dell's page for re-installing OS seems to indicate y ou can use it. check here to be sure http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=339949

Ken

 

[nancy361]

well, thats what i want to do, a clean reinstall. isnt that basically the same as reformatting the hard disc? i told you i had a bad issue with a virus and believe the aftermath of it as somehow corrupted things, whether its permissions or copy and paste drag and drop as well as the stupid recycle bin not showing empty or emptying at all.. when i have tried soooo many things to fix this stuff seems llikely that BUG ruined my OS. so redoing it all should clear it all up and then i can start fresh again.... if this dvd isnt good to clean reinstall, then why do they give you the dvd ? and if i cant or shouldnt use it, then how can i clean reinstall or clean reformat?

 

[zigzag3143]

well, thats what i want to do, a clean reinstall. isnt that basically the same as reformatting the hard disc? i told you i had a bad issue with a virus and believe the aftermath of it as somehow corrupted things, whether its permissions or copy and paste drag and drop as well as the stupid recycle bin not showing empty or emptying at all.. when i have tried soooo many things to fix this stuff seems llikely that BUG ruined my OS. so redoing it all should clear it all up and then i can start fresh again.... if this dvd isnt good to clean reinstall, then why do they give you the dvd ? and if i cant or shouldnt use it, then how can i clean reinstall or clean reformat?

I understand. I always do clean installs. Yes format the disk. Im just being overly cautious about the dvd. I would hate for you to format the disk and then not be able to install the OS.

I read the re-install page from dell and it doesn't say either way. thats why i gave you the link, so you can read the proceedure.

I never keep the garbage apps dell forces on me anyway and I have Both a vista dvd from microsoft, and serveral utilities that will work in case it doesn't

I cant give you an answer that is 100% certain. Im just saying a little research now might save alot of problems later. If the need to get up and running is urgent I would say try it.

Ken

 

[nancy361]

i read this link.....Dell - Technical Support
i think its safe to assume my system has this vista IMAGE RESTORE.... its 2007 dell inspiron 531 with vista home basic 32bit..... doing this seems a lot easier and less hassle and its like having my NEW comp again when i bought it... this also formats the drive, CORRECT? so by doing this, it should clean out whatever mess and corruption that virus left on my HD, dont you think?? i wrote down all the directions.... only thing is when they describe the steps... backup what you want saved 1st. and use the backup restore center and cds or dvds etc... well as you know, i cant use that it doesnt work right. so i have backed up what i want to save onto a USB flashdrive.... i can use that right?? once all is backed up and i disconnect my printer then i turn on my computer and go about the directions..... now again, once its done system will be all clean and like new, and im supposed to then go to restore center again and click advanced restore and locate the files i backed up.. hopefully i will see a USB removable drive in that browse list. at that point THEN i plug in my USB and locate and select it then click restore all stuff on usb drive... NOW my question is this..... when that stuff gets restored, will it go where its supposed to go??? i have my windows mail CONTACTS saved, my FAVORITES saved, my pictures folder and my music folders.. thats all i wanted to save..... so will those files go back to the places where i moved them from originally? and another question, sorry, the GREEN FOLDERS in C USERS NANCY PICTURES or FAVS or CONTACTS, arent i supposed to only COPY the contents INSIDE the GREEN FOLDERS because they are my personal folders? NOT the ACTUAL FOLDER ITSELF, cause there will already be a new GREEN FOLDER in my user account.. i have to start all over setting that user account up dont i?? hopefully you can answer all my questions.. you know what i did notice though, my CURRENT USERS NANCY music folder is NOT GREEN its YELLOW. why would that be?? doc and pics and favs and contacts is all GREEN..... and i have itunes too and wondered , why is the music i imported from my own cds, located here....C:\my music\itunes. yet the music i PURCHASED is locted here... C users nancy music.. so i need to back both those files or just move whole folders to be backed up, right??

by the way, after i do this, should i then also go to dells support page and download any updated drivers.... i could do it now, but whats the point if im going to clean install again.....

so i guess is do the clean install then install my DSL again so i can go online, then go to RISING and download my AV software, THEN go to windows updates and get ALL the updates installed , then should i download the itunes and kodak softwares so i can restore the files back.. sound right?

thanks for your time with this