Dell XPS Gen 5 - trouble reinstalling Windows XP MediaCenter

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Ok, I saw a thread before about Dell sending you the operating system
on a DVD ???? (why a DVD? that is not my real question) I got a
serious problem with my computer where it will lock up all the time
and freeze, I am assuming it is a virus. I just want to reinstall
windows and wipe out whatever was on my c: drive. I backed up all my
important files on my other HD. How should I go about doing this? You
can't boot from the DVD unless you change it to the primary IDE? How
do you do that? How will I make sure I can still see my other hard
drive? I have all the software that came with my PC.

Thanks!
-mike

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Notan" <notan@ddress.com> wrote in message
news:4300AE48.F54B491E@ddress.com...
> useless169 wrote:
>>
>> Ok, I saw a thread before about Dell sending you the operating system
>> on a DVD ???? (why a DVD? that is not my real question) I got a
>> serious problem with my computer where it will lock up all the time
>> and freeze, I am assuming it is a virus. I just want to reinstall
>> windows and wipe out whatever was on my c: drive. I backed up all my
>> important files on my other HD. How should I go about doing this? You
>> can't boot from the DVD unless you change it to the primary IDE? How
>> do you do that? How will I make sure I can still see my other hard
>> drive? I have all the software that came with my PC.
>
> While it's possible, I rather doubt they're sending out DVDs.
>
> Care to cite a source?
>
> Notan

Yes, they are. Media Center Edition is too large for a CD. It comes on a
DVD. My Inspiron 9300 came with the Windows Media Center 2005 DVD.

Tom

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

If you go into the computer setup - during normal boot it will be something
like F2 - you should be able to change the boot sequence. Make your DVD the
second bootable device - after floppy if you have one.

That should allow you to boot from the Media Center DVD. Do a complete
virgin install - format the HD and all.

"useless169" <tringalem@yahoo-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:GI1Me.73406$PJ2.32449@fe06.news.easynews.com...
> Ok, I saw a thread before about Dell sending you the operating system
> on a DVD ???? (why a DVD? that is not my real question) I got a
> serious problem with my computer where it will lock up all the time
> and freeze, I am assuming it is a virus. I just want to reinstall
> windows and wipe out whatever was on my c: drive. I backed up all my
> important files on my other HD. How should I go about doing this? You
> can't boot from the DVD unless you change it to the primary IDE? How
> do you do that? How will I make sure I can still see my other hard
> drive? I have all the software that came with my PC.
>
> Thanks!
> -mike
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"S.Lewis" wrote:
>
> "Notan" <notan@ddress.com> wrote in message
> news:4300AE48.F54B491E@ddress.com...
> > useless169 wrote:
> >>
> >> Ok, I saw a thread before about Dell sending you the operating system
> >> on a DVD ???? (why a DVD? that is not my real question) I got a
> >> serious problem with my computer where it will lock up all the time
> >> and freeze, I am assuming it is a virus. I just want to reinstall
> >> windows and wipe out whatever was on my c: drive. I backed up all my
> >> important files on my other HD. How should I go about doing this? You
> >> can't boot from the DVD unless you change it to the primary IDE? How
> >> do you do that? How will I make sure I can still see my other hard
> >> drive? I have all the software that came with my PC.
> >
> > While it's possible, I rather doubt they're sending out DVDs.
> >
> > Care to cite a source?
> >
> > Notan
>
> Could be because Win Media Edition is too large to be held on a single
> CD.....
>
> Sony restores I received were on (2) DVD discs.

Yup. Tom also pointed out the MCE possibility.

Sometimes, I just don't think beyond my nose. (No nose jokes, please!)

Notan

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for the input guys.... I was on the phone last night and
believe it or not, Dell was on top of their game. Apparently on a lot
of the dells they keep an image of the system right as they ship it.
Therefore if your system gets hosed like mine did you can restore the
image and get back to square one.

When booting hold on the ctrl key and keep hitting F11 until the
symatic PC restore screen comes up and follow the instructions. That
easy!!!!

As for making the DVD the secondary IDE driver when you have media
center as the O/S, that is just moronic....