4-5 year old Dell needs a clean install.

[Feesir]

A client wants a 4-5 year old Dell computer wiped and a reinstall of the operating system. I don't have any windows XP discs on me at the moment, and I'm assuming that's what the PCs were shipped with back 4-5 years ago. I want to start downloading the correct operating system now, so all I have to do is install it when it arrives in a few hours. Should I look for windows XP home edition, or professional edition, or some other edition? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kitten Kong]

If you don't have any recovery media, and from the sounds of it you don't, then you will have to contact the manufacturer for it for that particular machine.

This particular subject has multiple threads on it within technibble. Please use the search function found in the top right hand corner.

What about your clients data, will you be backing that up, also what about the drivers, if your simply downloading a version of xp, and from the sounds of it, that's what your doing, what about all the drivers?.

This is all basic pc 101. You should know what version of windows is installed on that machine....

 

[RichmondTech]

I tell my customers to bring restore media with them.

Since it sounds like that's not going to happen in this case, it's could be either Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional.

 

[nesrinamb]

does the COA sticker on the side say what it is?

 

[Feesir]

If you don't have any recovery media, and from the sounds of it you don't, then you will have to contact the manufacturer for it for that particular machine.

This particular subject has multiple threads on it within technibble. Please use the search function found in the top right hand corner.

What about your clients data, will you be backing that up, also what about the drivers, if your simply downloading a version of xp, and from the sounds of it, that's what your doing, what about all the drivers?.

This is all basic pc 101. You should know what version of windows is installed on that machine....

I can't simply install the same version of windows on the machine since he has a legitimate cd-key, instead of paying $30 for the restore disks?

I did search and I could not find a post about what operating system was shipped with dell about 4-5 years ago. I'm not great at searching that kind of stuff, so please forgive me.

The client does not care about the data, he simply wants the OS reinstalled, as I stated above.

The drivers for a Dell machine will be on the Dell website available to download for free. I thought that was basic pc 101?

I don't have the PC in front of me, so I am unable to check the model number or operating system version, and my client was having his brother drop it off, so he could not check either. I was simply wanting to get a head start on the process by having the correct operating system ready for when the PC gets here.

 

[Martyn]

I can't simply install the same version of windows on the machine since he has a legitimate cd-key, instead of paying $30 for the restore disks?

I did search and I could not find a post about what operating system was shipped with dell about 4-5 years ago. I'm not great at searching that kind of stuff, so please forgive me.

The client does not care about the data, he simply wants the OS reinstalled, as I stated above.

The drivers for a Dell machine will be on the Dell website available to download for free. I thought that was basic pc 101?

I don't have the PC in front of me, so I am unable to check the model number or operating system version, and my client was having his brother drop it off, so he could not check either. I was simply wanting to get a head start on the process by having the correct operating system ready for when the PC gets here.

Get him to ask his brother what the COA sticker says. I think there is a restore partition on Dells around that age.

 

[NETWizz]

If there is a restore partition, use that.

Otherwise, use whatever the Certificate of Authority Sticker says... I know using Dell media is okay. I don't know about other media.

Either way what you *really* don't want to do is send it out with Vista or 7 if it is licensed for XP... and if it is licensed for XP home, don't put the Professional version of that. As for OEM, Retail etc. I don't know the rules on that. Sorry.

I just know using the recovery partition should be safe as should using any Dell recovery media the customer brings you or ordering replacement media from Dell. I don't know that any other solution is obviously legal, but I know some illegal situations.

 

[Kitten Kong]

I can't simply install the same version of windows on the machine since he has a legitimate cd-key, instead of paying $30 for the restore disks?

To be legal (in M$'s eyes), no you cannot. You must use the recovery media provided either by the client, the recovery partition, or purchase recovery media from the manufacturer.

The drivers for a Dell machine will be on the Dell website available to download for free. I thought that was basic pc 101?

Yes all the drivers for the machine will be on the dell website, but what I was attempting to get to, is if you were on site, working on that machine, would you have a lan driver for starters. If not, then how would you get the lan drivers installed, in order to go to dell's site to download the drivers for the rest of the machine. You could back the drivers up from the machine first, and install these, then download the latest ones.

The COA on the side of the case (providing it is there), will tell you if it's either xp home or pro. But, if you have downloaded a normal copy of xp, and attempt to install it with the coa on the case, it will fail. Hence one reason why you should opt for the recovery media route.

 

[Kitten Kong]

I just know using the recovery partition should be safe as should using any Dell recovery media the customer brings you or ordering replacement media from Dell. I don't know that any other solution is obviously legal, but I know some illegal situations.

Agreed. If there is a recovery partition, then that should be used. Dell media is a possibility. Other than ordering the recovery discs from Dell (If they still support and have them), there is no other legal way of doing it.

If Dell, no longer supports that model of machine (recovery wise), and the recovery media is not available elsewhere, then you are looking at a new licence. That is Microsoft's legal stance.

 

[Feesir]

Cool thanks for the help guys, I'll be sure to check for a recovery partition first.

 

[Appleby]

I run into this all the time. My stance is this: it is the customer's responsibility to have their own recovery software. 99% don't. I have 95% of the OS disks I need but if there is I don't have or for some reason I can't easily obtain the drivers, I will purchase the restore disks and charge them for them. If I need restore disks the only place I look is restoredisks.com

I do everything by the book (legally) as much as I knowingly can. I know MS has some very crazy rules they have in place and I'm all for following them when it's reasonably do-able, but just because the customer doesn't have their org restore disk and I use another disk of the same OS they they legally own and have a COA for, I'm sorry, MS come and get me if you want. What I like about restoredisks.com is that you are buying a copy (I know...a copy) of the org. disks that came with that computer. And from what I've found, an original Dell OEM OS disk will work on every OEM reinstall without asking for a COA number. It's fully activated and works perfectly every single time.

 

[altrenda]

Have the client give you the Service Tag or Express Code from the sticker on the side. The Dell support site will tell you the configuration, including OS, that it originally shipped with.

Unless the drive has been completely formatted or replaced, you should be able to use the restore partition to get back to factory state. It's different by model, but should be easy to find how.

If you go the restore route, be prepared to install 5 years worth of updates.